One benefit of serving only customers in the financial services industry is you get all the minor holidays off like MLK Day, President's Day, Arbor Day, and Bad Hair Day.  I decided to enjoy my long weekend by heading up into the wine country north of San Francisco.  If you are a wine lover like me, or if you are just looking for an enjoyable weekend in the country, this trip is a must.  I drove up on Saturday morning and hit a few wineries including Chimney Rock and Stags Leap on Saturday afternoon.  It was a rainy day, but the vino helped to ease the doldrums.

After quenching my thirst, I checked in to one of the most beautiful Bed & Breakfast's I've ever seen - The Cedar Gables Inn.  Ken and Susie are very gracious hosts and property is picturesque.  Ken and Susie have a happy hour every evening from 5:30 to 7:00 complete with wine, cheese, and fruit plates.  The guests can gather and get to know each other, and if you're lucky, Ken will break out his guitar and play a few tunes.  After Happy Hour I had dinner at Cole's Chop House in downtown Napa.  I've eaten in some of the best chop houses in the country including New York, Chicago, and Kansas City.  Cole's ranks with the best of them.  The extensive wine list helps make the culinary experience complete.  Retiring to my room at the B&B was a pleasure.  The room was beautifully appointed and there was even a little decanter of a very nice port to conclude the evening.

Sunday dawned cloudy but warm (by Cleveland standards), and Susie's sausage casserole really hit the spot.  I bid Cedar Gables good-bye and headed up Highway 29. 

Mondavi is an obligatory stop for anyone visiting Napa, and the people I was with had never been.  After looking around a bit, we continued our journey.  The next stop was the Peju winery.  It's very difficult to find Peju wines in Ohio, but if you have the chance you should try it.  My personal favorite was the Sauvignon Blanc.  It will be great on a warm summer evening with light cheeses.  The highlight of my visit to Peju wasn't necessarily the wine, but the gentleman who was presenting the tasting.  The show he puts on is enough to make this a must-see during a trip to Napa.  Oh, and the beautiful stained glass was a sight to behold.

Continuing up the valley, I spotted Niebaum-Coppola.  This winery has a long and distinguished past starting in 1871 and continuing today under the ownership of Academy Award winning director Francis Ford Coppola.  It's an enjoyable stop where you can taste fine wines while strolling through the museum containing items from the winery's past and memorabilia from Coppola's movies.

I had a 2:00 PM appointment at my favorite Winery, Corison.  Corison is a very small boutique winery that produces one of the best medium-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon's I've ever had.  The winery itself is nothing spectacular to look at, but the people are very friendly and the wine is outstanding.  If you're planning on stopping, reservations are not required, but it's a good idea.  Did I mention they make great wine?

I decided I'd had enough wine for the day and headed for my next B&B in Cloverdale, The Shelford House.  The Shelford House is a nice Victorian style home with a stunning view of the vineyards adjacent to the property.  Stan and Anna, the innkeepers are very friendly people and made me feel right at home.  They recommended a nice Italian restaurant in town and even made reservations for me.

Overall, it was a very nice trip and exactly what I needed to recharge my batteries after the long hours of work and travel I've been racking up over the past few months.

Cheers,
m²