Someone, somewhere, a long time ago, thought of a delicious idea - the pairing of wine and cheese. For thousands of years this pairing has been satisfying the taste buds and filling the appetites of humankind. There are plenty of suggestions for pairing wine and cheese. Some suggest pairing the wine and cheese from the same region with each other such as Chianti paired with parmesian. Other suggestions include pairing tannic wines with harder cheeses, pairing creamy cheeses with more acidic wines, and salty cheeses with a sweet wine. After much delicious research, Napa Wine Tours created this simple guide for our readers featuring some of our favorite wines from Napa Valley. Napa Valley Red Wine and Cheese Pairings Napa Valley Cabernet Franc A Napa Valley Cabernet Franc will pair wonderfully with Blue cheese, Brie, and Cheddar cheese. We suggest trying a distinctive Cabernet Franc from Inglenook, or one of Jarvis Winery’s most highly demanded wines 2005 Jarvis Cabernet Franc, or the limited release 2007 Rutherford Hill Cabernet Franc. Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon This varietal also pairs nicely with blue and cheddar cheeses, and with parmesian. Try any elegant Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, exceptional Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, or award-winning Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley Syrah Cheddar, parmesian, and gouda - either one of these will pair with Syrah. If you’re not already familiar with Keever Vineyards, a family-owned and operated winery, make sure to make an appointment to taste their perfectly balanced Syrah (and more!) and take a tour of their winery and wine caves. Napa Valley Malbec Up to this point, we’ve tried to suggest cheeses easily found. However, when it comes to this next cheese, it’s important to make sure to purchase an artisanal, high quality cheese. Manchego is the cheese to pair with your impeccable,
Someone, somewhere, a long time ago, thought of a delicious idea – the pairing of wine and cheese. For thousands of years this pairing has been satisfying the taste buds and filling the appetites of humankind. There are plenty of suggestions for pairing wine and cheese. Some suggest pairing the wine and cheese from the…
Persistence. Dedication. Hope. Just a few of the characteristics needed to create and sustain historic wineries in Napa Valley. Napa Wine Tours has selected a few Napa Valley historic wineries to share. Each with their own unique stories. Becoming a historic winery in Napa Valley was not easy. In the 1890’s vines were destroyed by the almost microscopic insect related to aphids, phylloxera. In 1920, Prohibition banned the production, sale, and transportation of liquids containing alcohol. Then, in 1929, the stock market crashed and the Great Depression began. In the late 1980’s through the 1990’s, phylloxera hit Napa Valley again with devastating effects. These are just a few of the obstacles these historic wineries have confronted and defeated. Charles Krug Winery Charles Krug immigrated from Prussia to the United States. In 1861 he established the first commercial winery. His determination, hard work, and creative thinking inspired others and by 1889, more than 140 wineries were founded. After his death in 1892 the winery became the property of James Moffitt until 1943 when Moffitt sold Charles Krug Winery to Cesare Mondavi. Today, Charles Krug Winery continues to thrive under Peter Mondavi and his family. Beringer Vineyards Jacob Beringer left his home in Germany and arrived in New York in 1868. The lure of California and Napa Valley captured more than his attention and in 1875 he and his brother purchased the land where they would plant their first vineyard. Beringer Vineyards was founded in 1876. Since 2001 Beringer has been designated as a historic district and is in the National Register for Historic Places. Today Beringer offers a variety of tours of their extensive, historic grounds along with tastings of their impeccable wines. Freemark Abbey The first woman on record to own a winery in Napa was Josephine Tychson. In 1886,
Persistence. Dedication. Hope. Just a few of the characteristics needed to create and sustain historic wineries in Napa Valley. Napa Wine Tours has selected a few Napa Valley historic wineries to share. Each with their own unique stories. Becoming a historic winery in Napa Valley was not easy. In the 1890’s vines were destroyed by…
Interested in trying the world-renowned wines of Napa Valley but aren't able to travel to Napa? Napa Wine Tours is happy to assist with tips for hosting your own Napa Valley wine tasting party. Bring together some of your favorite people, and discover wines you haven’t tried before. Supplies You’ll need: - Napa Valley wine - one glass per guest - a pitcher of water to rinse glasses between tastings - a “dump bucket” - pen and paper for each guest to take notes - bread or crackers and water to cleanse the palate between tastings - a CD with background music You won’t need: - to decorate with scented candles or flowers Tasting Options It’s your party, try anything you want to. - Will you provide the wine or ask your guests to bring a bottle? - If your guests will bring a bottle, consider asking them to bring a certain type of wine (sparkling, white, red, port) - Maybe your wine tasting party will focus on the same type of wine produced by different wineries (for example, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon) - Consider a “blind” tasting where no one is allowed to see the type of wine and the Napa Valley winery that created it until after each wine has been tasted - Will you prepare a bite (appetizer, cheese, or chocolate) to pair with each wine or ask your guests to provide the perfect bite to pair with the wine they bring? Tips - Ask your guests to refrain from wearing cologne or perfume - Each tasting pour should be 2 ounces (1/4 cup) - Offer a maximum of 4 to 6 wines - If you have a variety of wines, start with sparkling, whites, reds, then dessert wines and ports - Start with your driest to
Interested in trying the world-renowned wines of Napa Valley but aren’t able to travel to Napa? Napa Wine Tours is happy to assist with tips for hosting your own Napa Valley wine tasting party. Bring together some of your favorite people, and discover wines you haven’t tried before. Supplies You’ll need: – Napa Valley wine…
In Napa County, about 15 minutes north of downtown Napa, the town of Yountville stays busy throughout the year. Visitors (and locals!) enjoy all Yountville has to offer. With over a dozen critically acclaimed restaurants and a collection of award-winning chefs at their helms, Yountville restaurants have earned a collection of Michelin Stars and loyal diners. Add a variety of luxurious accommodations and wineries creating world-class wines and it's obvious why Yountville is a top destination to visit in Napa Valley Wine Country. One of the best times to visit Yountville is this weekend during the 20th Annual Taste of Yountville. From Thursday, March 14th to Saturday, March 16th the town comes together to host a variety of special events. Friday evening, the Yountville Arts Committee presents an artist reception at the Yountville Community Center. Guests will meet over 40 local, celebrated artists with works for display and purchase. Saturday’s main event is a town-wide block party from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free and each tasting ticket is only $1. The list of local restaurants and wineries offering tastings includes: Cornerstone Cellars - fine Napa Valley wines created by an award-winning winemaker Freemark Abbey - this historic, century old winery has had the same skilled winemaker since 1985 Robert Mondavi Winery - taste a variety of wines from this legendary winery REDD - opened in 2005, Redd holds a Michelin Star Brix Restaurant - opened in 1996, this critcally acclaimed restaurant consistently receives awards for the view and the cuisine Bouchon - opened in 1998 by Thomas Keller, Bouchon also holds a Michelin Starr Live entertainment will be provided as well as guided tours of the garden at The French Laundry. Along with delicious, local food and wine, local talent will present their arts in categories including
In Napa County, about 15 minutes north of downtown Napa, the town of Yountville stays busy throughout the year. Visitors (and locals!) enjoy all Yountville has to offer. With over a dozen critically acclaimed restaurants and a collection of award-winning chefs at their helms, Yountville restaurants have earned a collection of Michelin Stars and loyal…
