My family LOVES wine.
Growing up, my parents were part-owners of a winery in California. Some of my earliest memories are lazy summer barbecues at vineyards, the earthy smell of giant wooden wine barrels, and spirited dinner parties that always revolved around good food, good conversation, and especially good wine.
Yes, that’s young Katrinka; yes, my parents have a sense of humor.
Their stake in the winery ended years ago but the love of wine has never ceased, and now that my family lives in the San Francisco Bay area they have access to many fantastic vineyards.
So when we were all together over Thanksgiving, we decided to go to Napa!
Instead of going to a busy and expensive public winery, my parents got in touch with the private Green & Red Vineyard. Roughly 20 years ago, my parents took Hillary and me to Green & Red and LOVED it, and the winery was more than happy to let us come back.
The view was beautiful, with lush yellow fields between the dusty mountains and a perfect blue California sky.
And the best part… We were the ONLY people there!
We began with a tour of the facilities at Chiles Mill Vineyard, the smallest of the three vineyards at Green & Red. The facility isn’t very large, so it wasn’t long before we got down to our real business: wine tasting!
They gave us a barrel for spitting (none of us did) and samples of a handful of wines. My favorites were the 2009 Chiles Valley Zinfandel, the 2007 Tip Top Zinfandel, and the Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve never seen these wines in Boston and I doubt they sell many bottles on the east coast (though you can purchase the wine on their website), so the opportunity to try these wines was particularly special.
We ended up buying four bottles—and took home a complimentary bottle of their olive oil!
If you find yourself near Napa, I highly recommend you take advantage of the wine tasting opportunities available, especially those off the beaten path. Sometimes all you have to do to access a private winery is ASK!
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