Hedonism at its Best

G. and M. picked me up to go wine tasting in Napa Valley. They suggested a few wineries off the beaten path...

The first one was Darioush which looked like a mini palace of Persepolis. We tried some Shiraz here all the while M. was giving me a history lecture on Persepolis. Persepolis was the king of Persia.






The second winery, G. was totally excited for me to see, Sterling. She said the winery was hidden high up in the valley and we had to take a sky tram.





Once we got up to the winery, we took a tour and there were 5 tasting stations. Yes, FIVE! We tasted a pinot, sauvignon blanc, a merlot, a zinfindel, and a malvasia bianca (my new favorite!). The view of the valley was spectacular!

Intensely floral and aromatic! Amazing aromas of candied ginger, white flowers, white peach and honeysuckle. Slightly sweet with flavors of peach and pear, the wine is balanced by a spicy flavor of ginger. Rich and full bodied, this wine is a lovely pairing with Asian cuisine. Copy from Sterling. Photo courtesy of bongamom.



Mount St. Helena

Our last destination was Castello di Amorosa, which was a cute little castle on the other side of the valley. By the time we got there, they were closing but I took lovely pic TURES!



They filmed a scene for Disney's Bedtime Stories here



Our stomachs grumbled so we ate at a nearby five star restaurant, the In and Out in downtown Napa.

I had a protein style/animal style cheeseburger with fries. Protein style = no bun. Animal style = fried onions and special sauce. Mmmmm love In and Out!

The next morning I woke up with a splitting headache but it was all worth it!