Tour Vin – Napa Valley Happenings

Published on: October 27th, 2015

Crowds have calmed, grapes are fermenting, and restaurants and hotels are offering special packages to lure you to the Napa Valley. Why not slip away for a short trip to the wine country to enjoy the peace, quiet and wonderful outdoor activities available for the entire family? Hiking, hot air balloon rides, mud baths, golfing, harvest parties, release parties and much more await you – the welcome mats are out!

We just found out that Tra Vigne, the famous Italian restaurant in St. Helena, will be closing at the end of the year. Stop by and enjoy their famous cuisine before they shut their doors! Also, be sure to check out the new restaurant at the Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer, which is receiving great reviews.

Ca’ Momi Osteria, once located in the Ox Bow Market Place, has relocated to downtown Napa and offers authentic Italian cuisine. The menu is extensive, as is their wine list. We plan on visiting them in February, so look for our commentary when we return.

Our clients sometimes forget about the many excellent wine bars in the area so we thought its time to list some of the hot spots in the Valley: 1313 Main, Carpe Diem Wine Bar, The Wine Thief and Studio M Fine Wines are all great places to visit. There are many more excellent bars within the fine restaurants throughout the valley, so contact us for more recommendations.

Super Bowl is right around the corner (February 7, 2016) and many hotels are offering special weekend packages. Don’t wait until the last minute – contact us to help you plan your Super Bowl weekend.

Cheers!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin: Napa Valley Special Events

Published on: September 28th, 2015

The High Season is not over in the Napa Valley! Yes, crush may be coming to an end and the vintners are busy doing what they do best (making wine), but there are a number of great activities scheduled through late October and early November.

Harvest parties abound in the Valley and you don’t want to miss these exciting events. Chefs in the Napa Valley go out of their way to prepare wonderful food and wine parties that usually include music and dancing. Did I mention that many wineries show off their library wines, as well as their new releases?

Thinking about being in the Valley over Halloween? One of the best parties is the 7^th Annual Pagan Ball hosted by Castello di Amorosa on October 31. Dress up in your favorite costume and enjoy a haunted chamber tour, food stations paired with Amorosa wines, numerous dessert stations and, of course, music and dancing. Don’t forget to have your fortune read – I did and was I surprised!

One of Napa’s signature events is the 5^th Annual Napa Valley Film Festival, which is held November 11-15. Events are held throughout the Valley (Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville and Napa). There are 12 screening venues, numerous wine tasting pavilions, 125 independent film showings, VIP receptions and 150 wineries will participate.

Don’t miss out on these exciting events! Contact us to help with your next Napa Valley trip.

Cheers!
Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin — Napa Valley Food & Wine Adventures

Published on: August 27th, 2015

We just got back from a fantastic food and wine tour in the Napa Valley and, needless to say, our guests were very impressed. Tour Vin’s concierge service prides itself on checking out every venue before we recommend them to our clients. Our guests thought we did a great job!

Our wine tastings took us to Spring Mountain where we were hosted by Vineyard 7 & 8 and Schweiger Vineyards. The views and wines were awesome! The owner of Schweiger was gracious enough to spend time with us, which made it very special and personal.

Speaking of vintners, we enjoyed a wonderful wine tasting with Jennifer Lamb of Herb Lamb Vineyards fame. Jennifer just finished a 20-hour day working the harvest, but carved out time to tell stories with us, educate us and drink great wine.

We also spent time with Angela at Promise Wines who introduced us to their excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. This outstanding juice will improve with age, so lay it down and get ready to enjoy it on that special occasion!

If you are looking for an excellent farm-to-table lunch on your next Napa Valley trip, I suggest you consider Jessup Cellars. Tasting begins in Yountville, followed by a drive to The Farm where you will enjoy a three-course meal paired with their specially crafted Handwritten Wines.

Dining in Napa Valley is always a treat and I have a few recommendations. For Italian food, I suggest local favorite Ciccio in Yountville. To experience a French bistro feel with a New Orleans influence, try Evangeline in Calistoga. Spanish Tapas can be enjoyed at Zuzu in Napa and for delightful Mediterranean cuisine Tarla Mediterranean Grill tops my list.

The Crush has begun in the Napa Valley, which makes this time of year very exciting. Don’t wait to book your next trip – give us a call to book your Napa excursion!

Cheers!
Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin – Helpful Tips for Wine Storage and Service

Published on: July 28th, 2015

To fully enjoy the wine you are serving, it is important wines be stored correctly and served at the proper temperature in the appropriate stemware (after all, water goblets are not meant for wine tasting). We’d like to offer some serving and storage tips to make sure your tasting experience is enjoyable and fun for all.

Wine Storage
Wine that is not stored properly can result in the wine tasting faulty (awful!). Cool, long-term wine storage is recommended at a constant 50-59 degrees Fahrenheit. Extreme temperature changes can cause irreparable damage.

It is best to store wine on its side so the cork maintains contact with the wine. This prevents the cork from drying out, which will allow air to oxidize the wine. Twist off bottles can be stored standing up. However, wine should never be stored in a refrigerator – the extended cool temperature will not allow the wine to age properly.

Bright light will also heat up wines. You may consider under-the-bed storage as long as the room is relatively cool.

Serving Wine
As a general guide, full-bodied reds can be served at room temperature – 60-64 degrees. If red wine is too cool, warm the wine by holding the bowl of the glass in your hand (no blow dryers!). Full-bodied white wines should be served between 50-55 degrees and champagne is best cooled to 43-50 degrees. The trick is to serve wine at a temperature that allows it to best exhibit its aromas and flavors.

Many scoff at wine folks who serve particular wines in a specific glass. There is actually merit to this “snobbery” because different glass shapes direct the wine to specific parts of your mouth. This allows the drinker to experience the acidity, fruitiness, dryness, tannins and sweetness as the wine was intended.

The use of the correct glass will enhance the wine tasting experience. Generally speaking, red wines are best served in larger-size glasses; white and rose wines should be served in medium-size glasses; and sparkling wines are best served in flute glasses. Ports and sauternes are best enjoyed in small glasses.

Should you decant wines? If there are heavy deposits in the wine bottle, usually due to age, decanting is recommended. Some young wines require aeration to allow air to stimulate the wine to its full potential. Leaving an open bottle on the table (airing the wine) does not serve that purpose since too little of the wine is actually exposed to air.

We hope this answers a few questions about wine so you can enhance your overall wine tasting experience.

Tour Vin will be in Napa Valley in August to check out new venues for our clients. A recap of our trip will be discussed in our next issue of our newsletter, The Roaming Vine. Check it out – the newsletter is free!

Don’t forget – the Napa Valley Crush is right around the corner. Contact us to help plan your next trip to Napa Valley!

Cheers!
Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin Plans Corporate Retreats

Published on: June 26th, 2015

Having previously worked as an employee in small and large organizations, I understand the need to offer off-site corporate programs for executives and key personnel. Whether it’s a team building exercise (Bocce Ball tournament or a round of golf?), a sales recognition award honoring top sales personnel (all expense paid vacation for two?), or an offsite centered upon a corporate strategy discussion, Napa Valley has it all.

Napa Valley offers outstanding venues that combine business and pleasure, allowing guests to interact in a relaxed, professional setting. Reasonable rates for group events at local Napa hotels and spaces designed for the perfect meetings are plentiful throughout the area. That said, booking far in advance is definitely a must to ensure a reservation at your favorite venue.

Are you looking for a nice meeting room with amenities appropriate for senior personnel? Napa offers excellent options. Consider starting the day with an early morning balloon ride followed by the business meeting and ending with a private dinner with a Napa Valley wine maker. Don’t forget to squeeze in a wine tasting/food pairing in a wine cave! Would your professional staff enjoy making their own personal wine blend and then shipping the bottles back to their homes to sip later? Napa is abundant with options for your corporate retreat.

Contact Tour Vin today to help plan your off-site getaway, any time of the year. The most popular destinations in Napa Valley fill up fast!

Ed Pollard


Tour Vin


Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin – Creating Your Napa Valley Wine and Food Experience

Published on: May 27th, 2015

We at Tour Vin pride ourselves in customizing your Napa Valley experience to your individual preferences. To do so, we have a few insightful questions for you. What kind of experience are you looking for? Would you consider yourself to be a wine connoisseur looking for that great new wine and food pairing, or a newbie who prefers a little education about the wine making process, from vine management to bottling?

There are so many choices in the Napa Valley: wine and food pairing, cave tours, barrel tastings, farm-to-table lunch experiences paired with wine, and even a blend your own wine experience. Tour Vin will guide you through the maze of options.

Perhaps you’d like to take an early morning hot air balloon ride, go shopping in St. Helena or Yountville, or schedule a late afternoon spa treatment before dinner? We make sure there is time to spend money on those must have items, as well as time to relax before your evening activities.

We’ll also look at your culinary preferences to provide you with suggestions to fit you and your group’s palate – there are so many choices in Napa Valley including fine and casual dining, and, of course, that roadside stand that’s to die for! The good news is that Tour Vin has visited all the dining establishments we recommend so we can steer you in the right direction!

During your Napa trip, you’ll obviously need a place to stay, and Tour Vin has actually stayed in almost every popular hotel and B&B in the area. A tough job, we know, but someone needs to do it! Our first-hand experiences can help you figure out the best way to relax after a day of activities and wine and food tastings. Rest assured, there are many options that will meet your liking.

Summer is right around the corner and then, before we know it, the CRUSH! Don’t miss out on the exciting events that await you – contact us to help plan your Napa Valley vacation!

Cheers!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin – New Venues & Happenings in Napa Valley

Published on: April 28th, 2015

We don’t want you to miss up-to-date Napa Valley news and events not known to the general public. Start planning your trip now!

Harvest and New Wine Release Parties – Many wineries begin holding their annual parties in the summer and well into the fall. Do you enjoy current and future release wines? How about roast pig with all the trimmings plus music and dancing? We know how to get on the invite list!

Hotel News – Check out the newly renovated Andaz Napa! Forced to close due to the earthquake, this winery recently reopened their doors and offers contemporary décor throughout their 141-room hotel. Centralized downtown and within walking distance of many restaurants, this is an ideal location for the weary traveler.

The Senza Hotel – Owned by Kathryn and Craig Hall (of HALL Wine fame), The Senza Hotel offers vineyard and garden suites, pool, fitness room, spa facility and two Tesla charging stations. This is the new hot spot to stay in Napa!

New Restaurant – If you like French cuisine, try Evangeline Napa in Calistoga. The casual atmosphere offers patio seating for lunch and dinner. Word on the street is this new venue is a welcome addition to the northern end of the valley and shouldn’t be missed!

Summer Camp For the Kids – Silverado Resort and Spa offers a summer camp for kids age 8-14. What kid doesn’t like golf, tennis and swimming? Sign up soon to assure a reservation at this popular venue. Summer is right around the corner!

Contact Tour Vin to help plan your trip. Our next newsletter, The Roaming Vine, will be published in May, so sign up on our website on the Newsletter tab or by clicking here!

Cheers!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin’s Inaugural Newsletter & 2015 Harvest Update

Published on: March 30th, 2015

The Roaming Vine

We are happy to report our inaugural newsletter, The Roaming Vine, debuted this month and received great reviews! In the upcoming issues of the newsletter, we will cover exciting events only known to insiders, including new wine and restaurant venues, as well as hotel and B&B packages offered throughout the year. Sign up for our next edition here (it’s free)! You can also review all of the newsletter online on our website.

We are very interested in hearing from you – what activities would you like to see covered in The Roaming Vine?

2015 Harvest Update

Early bud break and bright yellow mustard blossoms can be seen throughout Napa Valley. These cover crops add essential nutrients needed by the grape vines back into the soil and will be cut back and tilled under, used as food and energy to the vines.

Will harvest be early this year? It’s too soon to tell.

We suggest you begin thinking about a Napa Valley vacation now to confirm a “good seat” at harvest time. Tour Vin provides first class service to our clients and ensures your Napa Valley vacation will be memorable!

Cheers!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin Scouts Out New Venues in Napa Valley!

Published on: February 23rd, 2015

We at Tour Vin pride ourselves in visiting all venues before we recommend them to our clients. This February, we spent a week in Napa exploring new wineries, hotels and restaurants. Here’s what we found!

Wineries: We tasted wines at six different wineries, all offering a unique wine tasting experience.

* Round Pond Estate – Located in Rutherford, this estate is surrounded by vineyards, gardens and orchards where you can enjoy a wine and food pairing, as well as an olive oil tasting. Great views!

* Del Dotto Vineyards – Located in St. Helena, this truly unique Venetian-themed winery offers a wonderful barrel tasting tour in their caves that is like no other. Their grapes are sourced from the well-known areas of Rutherford, Howell Mountain and St. Helena Mountain.

* Ovid Napa Valley – Atop Pritchard Hill, Ovid is known for their small lots of Bordeaux style wines. Their blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot is definitely worth the tricky drive to the top of the mountain.

* Tedeschi Family Winery – A small family style winery in Calistoga, Tedeschi produces old world style wines in the back of their home. As a guest, you are treated to a personalized tour and will learn everything from how to plant the crop to how to hand bottle the wine!

* Keith Webster Cellars – This winery offers a truly unique experience in wine tasting. We were fortunate to sit down with Keith and Chelli to taste Left and Right Bank Bordeaux style wines, as well as their Proprietary Blend. They also reserved space in a local restaurant just for us to enjoy a food and wine pairing.

Dining: We enjoyed two unique dining experiences while in Napa Valley.

* Ciccio – Located in Yountville, Ciccio is a family owned, Italian restaurant that features a dynamic menu of pizzas and Italian entrees all cooked in a wood fire oven. Plan to arrive early for your meal, as they don’t take reservations. The wine list features the excellent wines produced by Altamura Vineyards.

* Atlas Social – The newest restaurant in Napa, Atlas Social is known for their fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Small plates are the way to go here, unless you are in a large party, then order family style platters to share. Enjoy whole chicken, roasted crab, braised beef rib, smoked trout, oysters and, my personal favorite, grilled swordfish. The bar area is expansive, so stop by for a drink!

Hotels/Inns:

* Silverado Resort – If you enjoy golf, the Silverado is the place for you. Located in the middle of the wine country, the resort offers two championship golf courses and, for tennis buffs, there are also 10 tennis courts available only to guests. Newly renovated, the rooms are classy and well appointed.

* Milliken Creek Inn – If inns are your preference, try this location. Settled on the Silverado Trail in Napa and overlooking the Napa River, you will enjoy a five-star experience: great service and first-class style in a private setting. The gourmet breakfast in bed is out of this world. Not to mention, spa treatments and massage therapy are also offered on site.

Tour Vin is unique from other concierge services in that we plan trips to Napa Valley based on our clients’ preferences – no prearranged tours here! We also arrange all extracurricular activities, including hot air balloon rides and bike tours. Need a car service – we can arrange that for you, too!

With summer and fall right around the corner, don’t wait to plan your next trip to Napa Valley. Give us a call today and we can start arranging your excursion!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge

Tour Vin – Wine Tasting Tips

Published on: January 27th, 2015

There are many options when it comes to choosing a favorite wine, dining establishment or hotel/B&B. In this blog, we will cover a few wine tasting tips that will enhance your wine experience while travelling through the Napa Valley or at home! Here are some handy tips to keep in mind:

1. Taste as many different wines as possible. Wine making techniques differ from vintner to vintner, so if you don’t like a particular varietal at one winery, give it a try at another. Remember, all Cabernet does not taste the same!
2. Some wines are better with food while some can be enjoyed without food. Give your wine a chance and try both options.
3. Judge your wine after the second or third taste. Your tasting experience can vary depending on what you just ate or drank.
4. Never wash out your glass with water between tastings. Rinse your glass with a small amount of the wine you are about to taste next (swirl in glass, pour it out, then pour your wine).
5. Our tastes change over time. If you didn’t particularly care for a wine varietal last year, try it again this year. It’s fun to compare and contrast!
6. Try a blind tasting at your next party. Cover the bottles with brown bags, take notes and discuss what everyone liked or didn’t like. You may be surprised to see what you’ve chosen!

Remember that when visiting the Napa Valley on your next vacation, it’s the place to experiment and enjoy new approaches to wine tasting. Enjoy and have fun!

Cheers!

Ed Pollard
Tour Vin
Napa Valley Concierge