I was back in Napa with my siblings for someone's 40th birthday (Guess who). It was her marvelous idea to travel to wine country in celebration of her milestone. Who could resist? The wine tasting started at noon!
First stop: Opus One.
http://www.opusonewinery.com/
This is one posh property. The elegant design and architecture of the limestone building, with its courtyard at the center and flanked by magnificent colonnades, clearly suggests opulence. We were there in time for our wine tasting reservation ($30 per person) and each of us received a generous amount of the Bordeaux-style blend. While we savored the 2004 vintage, we walked up to the upper-level terrace which offered a 360-degree view of the vineyards. There we reminisced and giggled about old times. (By the way, the renowned Opus One wines sell for about $150 a bottle.)
Next: Coppola Winery -- now Rubicon Estateshttp://www.rubiconestate.com/
The celebrity red carpet welcomed visitors to this property. A water fountain graced the main entrance of the estate's chateau. Inside, I was particularly interested in the museum's exhibit including displays of how movies were presented in the early days. Among them was the zoetrope which looked like an illuminated cylinder atop a cake stand. The cylinder had slits, each the size of a popsicle stick, from which you could view a series of illustrations on a roll of paper. When the cylinder is spun, the illustrations appear like moving images. For a better definition or image, click on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope
Finally: Sterling Vineyardshttp://www.sterlingvineyards.com/en-row/VisitSterling/
The highlight of this visit was the aerial tram ride to reach the property which sits on a hill. The view was spectacular! (Those with a phobia of heights need not worry. It's not that bad, trust me.)
We were welcomed with a refreshing sip of Viogne, a white wine, when we reached the top. On the way to the Sterling View Terrace, we walked past the storage of barrels of wine. It was like following a trail of an overwhelming scent of oak.
Having access to the wine club, we were able to try different wines. We dominated the room by occupying a large table where we exchanged impressions of the vinos, declared our favorites, and then ordered some bottles to take home.
For dinner, we selected Go Fish restaurant.
http://www.gofishrestaurant.net/
This place, named after the popular children's card game, features West Coast fish and boasts of a San Francisco-inspired raw bar. It was funny how we sat around our table using the same dinner seating arrangement we had when we were kids.
I chose to have the sole fish for my entree...which may sound lame...but it was delicious and hit the spot! I paired it with my favorite premium sake called Wakatake. I hesitated for a moment wondering, "Would drinking sake be considered a sin in Napa? Nah!"
