Enjoying Napa Valley with good friends, dinner tasting menu at FARM - September 13, 2014

(working on catching up...just 9 months behind....)

Kaleb's good friend Brian and his wife Emily traveled from Pennsylvania to Northern California to attend a wedding, so we took the opportunity to meet them in Napa.  A major earthquake had hit the region a few weeks ago; it wasn't obvious from the main road that anything had happened except for a few areas that were coned/fenced off.

Originally I had hoped to try brunch at the Boon Fly Cafe at the Carneros Inn, but the place was packed (and the parking lot too small) so we ended up eating at Siena inside the Meritage Resort and Spa.  There was no wait and we had a table on the patio.  It was a gorgeous day, though hotter than expected for the area.

my simple breakfast at Siena

Afterwards, we consolidated into one car and went wine tasting.  First up was some bubbly at Domaine Chandon...always busy there, but a classic.

Then we headed to a place Kaleb and I had never visited before, The Hess Collection Winery, which I found on the Lexus "complimentary wine tastings" list.  (Go to the Lexus Drivers website and all the participating wineries can be found under the "Benefits & Events" and "Food & Wine" tabs)  It also had a contemporary art museum on site.  The location was a bit far from the main road, but the drive was relaxing as the shaded road wound around hills and redwoods.

The tasting was normally done in the tasting room but due to earthquake damage, guests were instead seated outside in the courtyard.  The coordinator told us that they lost many barrels of wine as well. :(  With a little free time before our seating, we perused the art museum.  I appreciate the creativity in contemporary art, but I find it hard to interpret.

piles of concrete "poop"

human hands on CRT screens...

hmm...

The wines we tasted were decent and both couples ended up buying a few bottles.  I recommend visiting here to get away from the crowds, be closer to nature and see some modern art if so inclined.

tasting flight

saved $74.08!

our opinions differed on which wine was the best

quaint setting

It was time for Brian and Emily to head back for rehearsal dinner; we returned to Meritage to pick up their car, then parted ways.  It was nice to see them, even if only for a few hours.  We did try to plant seeds in their minds to move to California.

Kaleb and I then headed to Judd's Hill, our favorite winery.  We like its "chill" and relaxed style.  Since we were running a few minutes late, the winery called my cell phone to inquire about our status just as we were pulling into the driveway. (I booked a complimentary tasting through Lexus as well)  In contrast to our last visit in the tasting room, we instead were seated outside at a small table with a shady umbrella to enjoy the views of the vineyard.  It is always fun to taste the BBQ Zinfandel because you get to pair it with a lick of their BBQ sauce, like doing a tequila shot.  Of course, Kaleb drank most of my flight (including at everywhere else we went) as I was the designated driver. (and a lightweight!)

five-wine flight

hard to see but the vines were full of grapes

Since we love their wine so much, we ended up signing up for their four-bottle red wine club as their products are not found in stores.

Dinner was back at the Carneros Inn, at FARM.  We didn't have any trouble finding a parking space by this time.  I had seen the restaurant on a food show and with decent ratings on Yelp, I wanted to try it out.  You could choose to sit inside or outside; as it was hot, we opted to stay in.  We ordered the tasting menu.  There are few things I dislike eating but I am not a fan of goat cheese due to its taste and texture.  But this time, I didn't mind the goat cheddar as it was a hard cheese, though it still had a bit of that aftertaste.  Overall, it was a nice dinner with exquisite presentation and would return again.

yummy bread and soft butter

grilled octopus

crudo of hamachi (our favorite)

day boat scallop

squab breast

Prime New York

smoked goat cheddar

intermezzo (pomegranate sorbet)

chocolate mint dessert

handmade jelly candy

Next up...a very special long weekend in Big Sur...stay tuned!

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