#regusci

New Post has been published on http://michael-wiggins.com/wine-country-day-1-napa-valley-winery-reviews/

Wine Country Day 1 - Napa Valley Winery Reviews

I figured I would start off my review of vineyards from the trip in sequential order, starting with the first afternoon we spent in wine country – over on the Napa/Silverado Trail side of the valley. I’ll try to give as much relevant information as possible while not being too grossly overwhelming. I feel like any time people start trying to nitpick the wine itself, something is lost. I’m just trying to share information I would want to know prior to going (in other words – “is Vineyard XYZ worth the trip”… which is much more than just “is the wine delicious/economical/etc” as far as I’m concerned).

Day 1 – 4 Wineries in Napa/Silverado Trail:

Frog’s Leap (Mid-Napa):

Pros: Beautiful grounds, comfortable atmosphere, snacks provided with tastings, and extra stuff to see and do around the property (e.g. The Barn, garden area, etc)

Cons: Requires appointment, only selected wines are not distributed (i.e. you can get majority of their wines across the country in retail environments)

Fun Fact: their corks say “Ribbit” (a nod to the other frog design and brand aesthetics)

Overall Score: 7/10 –  worth the trip

Round Pond (Mid-Napa):

Pros: Great rooftop patio, scenic views of the whole Napa Valley

Cons: Requires appointment, very limited tasting capacity (i.e. They often will not even allow all of their tables to be filled if they are at all short on servers/employees)

Overall Score: 6/10 –  worth the trip, but not a “must”

Robert Sinksey (Silverado Trail):

Pros: Recently completed patio construction and other related property updates, good lesser-known varietals and blends of wine

Cons: Not a ton of “wow” factor, tastings are fairly expensive, a bit dark/void of light on the inside if that is where you do your tasting

Overall Score: 5/10 – I’d go back but not unless I was already over in that part of the Silverado Trail

Regusci (Silverado Trail):

Pros: Dog-friendly property, laid back atmosphere, very helpful and friendly staff

Cons: Not loaded with memorable wines, a bit of a hike out of the way unless you are deliberate about wanting to get over to the South end of the Silverado Trail

Overall Score: 5/10 – same story as Sinskey

Til Next Time,

POWERING THROUGH…NAPA DAY 2

    Like Amber said yesterday, we started off Saturday morning at Regusci. We had a wine broker try to talk us out of going to Regusci the day before and I’m so glad we stuck with it. It was exactly the type of place we like to go to…decent wine, beautiful views, and a place that lets you just relax and enjoy their wines. Some places take you on these long (wineless) tours where you feel like…