 If you’re heading to Napa Valley, be sure that you visit the wonderful little town of Calistoga. This historic town is most known for its hot springs, mud baths, and of course–wineries. Whether you make it your home base or just visit as a day trip, you certainly won’t regret it! To make your visit even easier, I’ve put together the perfect day trip itinerary for you! P.S. - Each of these wineries (besides Picayune) require a reservation so be sure to plan in advance!
Breakfast 9:00 - 10:00 am: Breakfast at Bella Bakery 1353 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga, CA 94515 You’ll be tasting and drinking a lot of wine today, so be sure to start with a good, hearty breakfast. There are a few spots to pick from in Calistoga but I’d recommend Bella Bakery! If you’re a tea drinker like me, order a matcha latte with a shot of vanilla. As for food, they are well known for their incredible burritos and breakfast sandwiches. You can’t go wrong with either. Winery #1 10:30 - 11:45 am: Cave Tour & Tasting at Schramsberg Winery 1400 Schramsberg Rd, Calistoga, CA 94515
Start your wine adventure at the historic Schramsberg Winery with a Cave Tour and Tasting. As you drive up to the estate on a long and windy road, you’ll see that many of the trees look almost black. During the 2020 wildfires, the winery was surrounded by flames and is only standing today thanks to the firefighters who protected it. The wine caves at Schramsberg are a must-see. Dark, old, and musty, these caves were originally built by hand back in 1870 by Chinese laborers for the original owner, Jacob Schram. They have since been expanded three times leading to over 34,000 sq. ft. of underground caves.
 And we can’t forget the wine! These sparkling wines are famous for a reason. My favorites were the Blanc de Blanc and J. Schram. But be sure to ask about their Davies Collection of Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, you might just get a taste if you ask (and trust me, you want to taste these reds!) Lunch 12:00 - 1:00 pm: Lunch at Palisades Eatery 1414 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga, CA 94515 Head back into town for some lunch at Palisades Eatery. This spot is a combination of two local favorite businesses, Checkers and Palisades Deli. The menu contains the best items from each of the original menus and focuses on showcasing local, farm to table ingredients. You’ll find everything from cold and hot sandwiches, pizza, calzones, pasta, salads, and tacos. There is something for everyone here. Winery #2  1:30 - 2:30 pm: Seated Tasting at LOLA 916 Foothill Blvd, Calistoga, CA 94515 Just a short walk from Palisades is your next tasting of the day at LOLA Wines. This unassuming little cottage is home to some of the best wines I tasted in Napa Valley. If the weather is nice, request a spot in their beautiful backyard patio. The story behind this winery is a true tale of grit and determination. The founder and winemaker, Seth Cripe first dreamed of growing grapes and making wines as a busboy at a restaurant in his native Anna Maria Island in Florida at the age of 14. At 17, he left his home for Napa Valley with just his Subaru and $1200. After working many harvest seasons at Swanson and Caymus wineries, he started LOLA in 2008 and the rest is history.
The two standout wines for me were the Chenin Blanc and Russian River Pinot Noir. It turns out there’s only about 12 acres of Chenin Blanc grown in all of Napa Valley and LOLA has six of those acres. As for the Pinot, the folks at LOLA planted the vineyard themselves with rootstock from Burgundy. Winery #3 Two Options Depending on how you’re feeling, you’ve got two options to choose from for your final stop before dinner. You can choose to chill at a friendly wine bar in town or explore a historic winery just outside of town. Option A: Stay in Town 3:00 - 4:30 pm: Glass of Wine & Charcuterie at Picayune Cellars 1329 Lincoln Avenue STE B, Calistoga, CA 94515
Option B: Short Drive 3:00 - 4:30 pm: Library Tasting at Chateau Montelena 1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515
If you’re up for a short drive (~10 min), book a Tasting at Chateau Montelena to end your day. We did the Daily Tasting but if the Library Tasting is available, I’d recommend splurging a bit on that! Made famous by the Judgement of Paris Tasting and the film based on the event, Bottleshock, Chateau Montelena is a must-visit for cork dorks and wine nerds. If you’re unfamiliar with the Judgment of Paris, the short of it is that California wines were put up against some of the best French wines in a blind tasting. To everyone’s amazement (and the French’s horror), a California wine took the top spot for both the red and white categories! It was Chateau Montelena’s Chardonnay that took first place among the white and I can see why. Their Chardonnay was the best that I’d tasted all weekend. It was fresh and bold with developed flavors of orange blossom, meyer lemon, apricot, and pie crust. Dinner 6:00 - 8:00 pm: Dinner at Evangeline 1226 Washington Street, Calistoga, CA 94515
If you’ve still got a little energy left, head to Evangeline for a delicious Creole inspired dinner. I’d recommend the Crispy Braised Pork Shoulder. It’s so flavorful and HUGE! It’s honestly more like dinner for two, but who doesn’t like leftovers? Thank you for letting me be your guide for the day in Calistoga! Let me know if you check out any of these spots, I’d love to hear about your experience. If you need help planning your next wine trip, check out my recent blog post on the subject or reach out to me via email for personalized travel planning!
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Topics
All
|
RSS Feed