Started at Newton Vineyards for a private tour/tasting. It's a ways off Highway 29 in St. Helena up a private road to the mountain top. Amazing views and delicious wines. Cool architecture, too. Got to try their unfiltered premium offerings plus their flagship wine, 'The Puzzle." Good deal for $40 including the views.
Next we stopped at a cool small Mexican bar/club called Ana's Cantina to catch the end of the Uruguay / Netherlands World Cup game. Shouldn't have stopped...Uruguay lost. Bummer.
Off to Cindy Pawlcyn's Mustard's Grill for lunch. Had a fantastic casual, homestyle meal there - Onion Rings with Apple Ketchup, Daily Lamb Burger with Paprika Aioli, Sauteed Red Onion, Watercress, and Manchego Cheese, House Fries, and Macaroni & Cheese. Added a Bordeaux -style Napa red wine flight to that. Fairly expensive for lunch, but it was really good and a place we wanted to visit.
After that we made a quick stop at Alpha Omega winery, which caught our eye immediately off Highway 29. Hoped that the expensive proprietary red blends ($85 range) would deliver, but I was not a fan. Nice building, though.
Headed back to hotel to chill and decided to grab some Mint Chocolate Chunk ice cream from Ben & Jerry's and saw a big Bonnaroo Buzz poster. Nice to see Bonnaroo making it's way all the way out here in Napa Valley.
Hung out on the most-excellent Avia terrace for a bit and then walked around downtown Napa to work off the Mustard's Grill lunch in preparation for Thomas Keller's Bouchon.
I probably will and should write a full review of Bouchon, but the quick version is - Bouchon is amazing. Very casual, but perfectly executed classic French bistro fare. Best roast chicken I've ever had. Great value, too, when you consider what you're getting for the money. More to come...
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