By Emma Krasov. Photography by Yuri Krasov
With the multitude and variety of excellent wineries in California Wine Country, visitors to the world-famous Napa Valley face a tough choice deciding where to go and what to taste. Too many temptations, too little time! After decades of frequent visits to this glorious wine-producing land, let us offer you a selection of tasting rooms where you’ll enjoy not only the stellar libations, but delectable food pairings, intriguing art installations, architecturally stunning venues, and the gorgeous surrounding nature.
Sequoia Grove Winery
In almost half a century, Sequoia Grove Winery has acquired a reputation as a prime producer of Napa Valley’s endemic cabernet sauvignon, praised for its nuanced aromas and flavors, balanced tannins, and indisputable food friendliness. Winemaker Jesse Fox puts a special emphasis on the estate vineyards in Rutherford AVA, and continuously develops versatile, delicious wines, ready to be paired with a range of creative dishes, introduced by the winery’s new Executive Chef, Spencer Conaty.
Chef Spencer‘s culinary prowess comes from years of experience in different Michelin-starred restaurants in Napa (under the guidance of celebrity Chef Masaharu Morimoto), San Francisco (working alongside Chef Dominique Crenn), and beyond, including at the renowned wineries, where the chef honed his wine-and-food pairing skills.
Upon Chef Spencer’s new appointment earlier this year, Rick Bonitati, President of Sequoia Grove, said, “We are thrilled to welcome a chef with such immense talent to our team. Chef Spencer’s impressive pedigree, culinary artistry, and profound reverence for locally sourced, seasonal ingredients align seamlessly with our steadfast commitment to crafting exceptional wine and food experiences for our guests.”
Indeed, this summer, a new program, called A Taste for Cabernet, had introduced to Sequoia Grove visitors thoroughly selected wine and food pairings that started at the winery’s front yard among the towering ancient sequoias, and continued in a private tasting room that recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation along with the production facilities and modernized kitchen space. Drawing his inspiration from the year-round bounty of Northern California produce, and from his own herb and vegetable garden, Chef Spencer created an impressive multi-course menu to bring out the best qualities of each of the curated wines.
“Sequoia Grove’s exceptional cabernet sauvignons are renowned for their ability to pair with food,” said the Chef. “Their elegant fruit characteristics, sound structure, and supple tannins work beautifully with a variety of cuisines. [My] dishes showcase the region’s fresh, vibrant produce while complementing the bold yet balanced character of the wines, providing guests with a truly eye-opening culinary experience.”
The winery has also appointed new Sous Chef Ben Cereghini, who has quite a few stellar experiences under his belt, including in Napa Valley at Michelin-guide Auberge du Soleil, and Michelin-starred Meadowood and Press.
Since the wine and food pairing menu at Sequoia Grove is seasonal, and changes every couple of months, let A Taste for Cabernet, summer 2024 description serve as a vivid example of the program’s finesse:
2022 Haire Vineyard Chardonnay, was paired with Street Corn Fritter (Cotija cheese, tajin, cilantro), delivered to the actual grove by the Chefs on an elegant black slate decorated with redwood branches.
2017 Rutherford Bench Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon came with Education Plate—a selection of tastes to explore alongside the wine to better understand its nuances. The four different tastes were sea salt, lemon, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese.
2016 Lamoreaux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (one of the best vintages, aged in barrels for 20 months, released in 2018) brought about a dish of Local Tomato Salad, a true masterpiece of fresh Toybox cherry tomatoes, marinated in ginger, garlic, scallion, and local olive oil, and combined with smoked tomato jam, quinoa granola, and edible flowers, placed like a mini wreath around some white miso ricotta.
2017 Tonella Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (a classic Rutherford, bigger on the palate, fruit forward, with dry tannins), made way for Pan-Seared King Salmon (the “wagyu of salmon”) with Greek yogurt ponzu sauce, Napa Valley-grown purple daikon and tempura shiso leaf.
2018 Cambium (a decadent wine, “the best” of every year, when the best barrels of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot or petite sirah go into the blend) opened up for the lavish meat course of Grilled Duck Breast with koji grilled Chinese eggplant, bacon onion jam, 5-spice demi-glace and carrot puree.
A seasonal ice cream dessert, Corn and Honey ice Cream, made of fresh Brentwood yellow corn and honey from the property’s beehives provided a sweet finale for the feast.
Sequoia Grove Winery also offers wine club membership, tours of the property, educational sessions, and Wine+Bites programs for individuals, couples, and groups of 4-6, some up to 20 people.
For more information and reservations at Sequoia Grove Winery visit https://sequoiagrove.com/.
Honig Vineyard & Winery
A real family business from beginning to end, Honig Vineyard & Winery, located in the coveted Rutherford AVA, right in the middle of Napa Valley, has a unique and interesting history, and produces a portfolio of highly acclaimed “most exciting wines” endemic to the area—the genetically related sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon.
The story of Honig’s fine and fun establishment starts 60 years ago, in 1964, when Louis Honig—a San Francisco ad man, credited with witty commercials that sparked California wine tourism—purchased a ranch in the heart of Napa Valley to plant some grapes and create a gathering place for his family amid the beautiful countryside.
Years later, in 1980, the Honig family produced its first wine—Louis Honig Sauvignon Blanc in honor of their late patriarch. The debut Honig wine went on to win a gold medal at the Orange County Fair. In the following decades, under the leadership of the third generation proprietors, Michael and Steven Honig, the winery has leaped to a super successful status with its exquisite wines, appreciated by all, from discerning wine critics to casual drinkers, and 14 partners (relatives, spouses and children of the Honig family). The all all-female winemaking team led by Ashley Egelhoff, that includes Steven’s daughter, Annika Honig, makes the wines that are “soft, elegant, and not overwhelming.”
During a tasting event, you might encounter the following Honig wines, each better than the next:
Honig Vineyard & Winery 2023 Sauvignon Blanc
Honig Napa Valley Rutherford 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
Honig Napa Valley 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon Pink (a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this wine is donated to the breast cancer research, plus Honig pays for mammograms for women who can’t afford them).
Honig Napa Valley 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
Honig Napa Valley St. Helena 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci Vineyard
Honig Napa Valley Rutherford 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Late Harvest
The name Honig means “honey,” and honeybees are not only a cute logo on the Honig wine labels, but also a part of the winery’s 216-item sustainability program certified by California Sustainable Winegrowing Association that includes bee friendly- and fish friendly farming, planting cover crops, using sheep to manage the overgrown grasses, creating habitats for birds of prey and pollinators, monitoring water usage, seeding native plants, using solar energy, eliminating foil capsules for corkage, implementing recycling and composting, consolidating shipments in eco-friendly packaging as well as providing comprehensive benefits to employees, supporting community with charitable donations, installing electric vehicle charging docks on the premises, and so on and so forth. Indeed, at Honig, there’s a very special attitude toward everything that constitutes contemporary winemaking.
And what about the “fun” part? In the tasting room, employees’ portraits are composed in a Hollywood-style display, while the winery’s signature postcard portfolio is currently a hot item on its own, depicting thematic “live pictures” that reference Hollywood films, rock bands, Oscar ceremony, cheerleading acrobatics, Vegas weddings, TV shows, recognizable commercials, and other pop culture happenings. Honig’s Angels, Game of Clones, CabMen, Welcome to the Fabulous Honig Napa Valley, and other humorously titled and beautifully printed postcards, often promoting new releases or announcing a new critical acclaim, are being sent to 30 000 people—anyone who signs the winery’s mailing list. Regina Weinstein, Honig director of marketing, started this endlessly entertaining enterprise back in 1997, by conceiving the idea, organizing and directing her family and staff members, procuring costumes and wigs, and overseeing the photoshoots and publishing process.
Visiting Honig’s property in Napa Valley is an unparalleled wine country experience, not to be missed when you’re in California.
Honig Vineyard & Winery offers wine club membership, eco tours in a golf cart, classic tasting, reserve tasting, terrace tasting, and “garden experience” for larger groups, special events and corporate buyouts. By appointment only. More information, wine orders and tasting reservations at: www.honigwine.com.
HALL Wines When you see a shiny, lacy metal 35-ft-tall Bunny Foo Foo leaping up from a lush vineyard, know that you have arrived! This exceedingly cute despite its gigantic measurements sculpture, created by Lawrence Argent from polished stainless steel in 2014, became a Napa Valley landmark and an unmistakable marker of the HALL Wines St. Helena, visible from highway 29 to all the wine and art aficionados traveling here from near and far. The Bunny isn’t alone—many other works of contemporary art are placed throughout the HALL premises for the visitors to enjoy.
The winery is also known for its many thematic tastings, tours, and festive community events open to the public throughout a year amid the HALL’s well-maintained vineyards and orchards, and always attracting crowds of revelers.
Last month, that was a lavish annual event, Kathryn Hall Harvest Celebration highlighting the 2021 vintage of HALL flagship wine—a true pride of the proprietors and vintners Kathryn and Craig Hall.
“This year, we’re embracing the Garden Party theme, inviting guests to relish the pastime of savoring exceptional wine and delectable cuisine outdoors with friends,” read the party invitation. “Prepare for an afternoon filled with live entertainment, outdoor games, seasonal garden bites, and endless fun.”
The event came to be everything it was promised to be—with generous pours of the signature wines; overflowing buffet tables with finger foods; a special paella preparation on a giant skillet; live music and dancing; fancy desserts ranging from French macarons to chocolate bonbons; photo ops and flower crowns, and just the perfect sunny weather, warm smiles, and happy exchanges between the guests and the hosts.
The next major annual event of this magnitude will be a food and wine pairing competition, the Cabernet Cookoff on April 12th, 2025, with participation of chef teams from all over the country. Their assignment will be to create a dish to pair with HALL Cabernet Sauvignon. After a panel of celebrity judges and hundreds of festival attendees vote for the best pairing, 100% of event proceeds will benefit non-profit 501c3 organizations designated by the winning team.
Private Wine Tasting Experiences at HALL include Platinum Experience—the only opportunity to taste three most exclusive platinum collection wines, plus a selection of the best cabernets from the artisan collection; Cabernet Collector—a showcase of highly rated and allocated cabernets, and a perfect event for the serious wine collector conducted by the most experienced wine educators who will guide you through the terroir and techniques that go into crafting these rare wines; Hallmark Tour—a comprehensive account of the HALL’s vision and history, philosophy of precision grape growing and winemaking, and its extensive art collection. The tour starts with a welcome glass of wine, and concludes with a seated tasting of the award-winning cabernets.
There are also various wine and food pairing experiences, fun and educational blind tastings that often serve as a great team building tool, and even an exciting and exotic Wine & Brigadeiro Experience based on pairing Hall cabernets with handmade Brazilian chocolates, usually presented as wedding gifts, expressions of gratitude and sweet elements of all kinds of celebrations. This immersive cultural journey starts with a guided tour of the HALL property, featuring wine tastings and stories along the way, and concludes in a private room, where your Brigadeiro host will guide you in crafting the delightful chocolate treats with your own hands. More information and reservations are found at https://www.hallwines.com/.
The Knoll Hotel Napa Valley, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
While visiting Napa Valley for unforgettable winery tours and tastings, the first order of business would be to find a suitable hotel so you could play around carefree and not worry about driving. For a comfortable, clean, good looking, perfectly designed, and well-stocked with all the needed amenities property consider The Knoll Hotel Napa Valley, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, located within a walking distance to downtown Napa.
The new 90-room boutique hotel greets its guests with a spacious lobby, decorated with contemporary art murals and paintings, and a glass-encased fireplace that looks positively welcoming and inspiring. A horseshoe-shaped lobby bar with potted ivies overhead and two large TV screens above a display of shiny bottles has direct access to a pretty backyard, furnished with armchairs and tables, and equipped with patio games, a fire pit, and a fenced hot tub.
The guest rooms are sparkling clean and well-appointed, elegantly minimal and yet luxurious in their understated coziness with all new flooring, furniture and bedding. A good night sleep is guaranteed in this quiet, relaxing, and excellently maintained home away from home, and to add to its appeal, a signature hotel restaurant, Rootstock Kitchen & Tap, is perfect for delicious homemade breakfasts, like omelets, avocado toasts, and overnight oats as well as for stylish dinners.
You won’t find any flaws in the Rootstock’s food and beverage program, since in addition to the wine country staples from the best Napa Valley producers you can have great cocktails and local brews here, and a variety of local seasonal dishes, simply and masterfully prepared to let the fresh California ingredients shine. Roasted salmon with cauliflower, kale, grapes, and capers; Kale Caesar salad with pickled red onions and tomatoes; chicken meatballs with crushed tomato sauce, and truffle fries can be served at the bar or at the surrounding casual tables in different nooks of the gorgeous lobby, conducive to meeting new people, having lively conversations, and sharing your wine country impressions.
Learn more and reserve a room by visiting the site: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/apcsoup-the-knoll-hotel-napa-valley/
Real Travel Adventures 