Wine country vacations

[dmbnpj]

My girlfriend and I are planning a trip to California to visit the wine country in 2008. We live in North Carolina. Any suggestions/experience with Napa or Sonoma? Anyone have a package deal suggestion or internet site to visit?

Thanks for any help

[dmbnpj]

any winers?

[D-Rod]

Get more for your money further down
http://www.pasowine.com
from here your in middle between San Francisco & Los Angeles and there are so many places you can get to from here.

[dmbnpj]

cool, thanks
any recommendations on a place to stay?
Do most people go for a weekend or a week? We will be traveling cross country so I was thinking of taking a week. Looking at prices for a nice suite or room they are approx. $300/night. Cant afford that unless some place offers a nice package deal. Thanks again!

[MandM]

Now you're talking my area! I do wine.

The Napa valley is very pretty but very commercial now and expensive. You can find some decent places to stay that aren't that expensive. What time of year will you be here? Crush (harvest) is in October and is a zoo. Avoid the crowds and extra expense. If you have the time I would recommend you stay at 2 or 3 different places and get a better sample of the areas.

I love Calistoga as a place to stay. There are foo foo spas, Indian Springs $$$ is nice for a night or two, great atmosphere and wonderful spa treatments. The Oasis spa is cheaper and still nice. The Roman Spa hotel is next door to it and reasonably priced for the area. For dinner, I can recommend a couple of places, Brannans in Calistoga or the Culinary Instutute of America (CIA). Google and check the Websites for these places.

Hire a limo or have a designated driver. What kinds of wine do you like? Are you new to wine or old pros? I'd recommend different wineries depending on this.

There is a lot to see in the area besides the wineries but if that is your main focus you can spend a month and not be bored.

Also check out the Amador or Calaveras wineries, they have some reds that knock the socks off anything coming out of Napa.

[dmbnpj]

Hey,
Thanks so much for the info. I saw your post but am waiting until this weekend to do some internet surfing. Been too bust at work this week. Just wanted to send a quick thank you note and I hope to send you a pm this weekend. Would love some help! Thanks again.
-Jeff

[dmbnpj]

Oh but just some quick info. We are new to wine, really got interested in it this past year. We are both in our 20's and seem to enjoy the lighter wines (pinot noir and merlot).

[MandM]

Cool. I'll make a list for you to add to your research. If you are just starting out you want to do a good informative tour and have fun. Once you get hooked you'll be ready for the hard core Cabernet and old vine Zinfandel.

[Kensington]

Edna Valley on the Central Coast is nice...

There is a lot of great wineries in the central coast area. Eberle is one of my faves there, Arciero isnt bad either....and they have a race car museum there as well.

Nice coastal areas too to go just hang out in a small town atmosphere...Cambria, Morro Bay, Paso Robles, San Luis Obisbo (Good nightlife)....

Check the net for wine tasting tours there...

[Kensington]

Forgot to say...

Definitely make time to go to the Bonny Doon Winery there if you go, best dessert wines I think I have ever had.