Since the shop’s inception, now 14 years ago, I imagined that it was more a center for conversation about wine than simply a place to buy it, and I appreciate all of you indulging me in my musings about wine, food, and the people I have met along the way in this crazy and fun business. To keep the conversation interesting for you and me, I have taken time to travel to a wide variety of wine regions to learn and seek inspiration. As I sit on the plane now on my return flight from SFO, I am finally jotting down some suggestions for your next journey to Napa Valley. I apologize for it taking me this long!

The following is not meant to be a complete list of must do, sip, and taste when in Napa; rather it is only meant as some suggestions to get you started and not in any particular order. If anything, I hope that it just encourages you to explore and find your own favorites. Thankfully, there is much more to see and do, but I am often asked for suggestions, so here they are. I have included websites, when I was able and suggest making reservations well in advance.

When in Napa:

• As a lover of fine foods and the aesthetics of beautiful culinary accoutrements, I stop at OXBOW Market every time I am in the area. Start with some oysters at Hog Island. They have a great wines by the glass list! Then walk around get provisions for the trip or to take home. The list of options seems endless from interesting pantry items to sweet delights, fresh produces to linens and great market bags. I suggest a a coffee from Ritual—intense and delicious!

• Take a sip at OUTLAND Wines Tasting Room. This is a collaborative project of three rockstar wine makers in California: Sam Sheehan of Poe Wines, Matthew Rorick of Forlorn Hope, and Tom Farella of Farella Wines. The design is great; it is a sun filled, modern space with so many great wines to taste that you may go back for a second flight! I suggest reserving in advance.

• TORC is worth seeking out for dinner. If you are looking for a serious dining experience, I suggest that you check it out. Farm to Table food and wine that is simply delicious and satisfying. A bit spendier, but certainly worth it. Hands down the best meal I have had in Napa.

A little further North:

• If taco truck is up your ally, then make it to the northern end of Yountville for @tacosgarcia.official. The green chili is fantastic. I am not exactly sure the hours, but you will find them in the Panchos parking lot.

• BOTTEGA for pasta is always on my list. Beautiful space, great food and wonderful wine list.

• BOUCHON BAKERY—just trust me, don’t skip this one. It is not exactly a suggestion. It is mandatory for your spiritual well being. The pastries are worth every calorie and the line. It is next door to Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro, which is also wonderful, but everyone already knows that! And, no, I have never eaten at The French Laundry. I am sure it is worth it, but I have to sell a lot more wine before I can do that!!

• The Oakville Market is a great place to stop before making a turn on the Oakville Grade and heading up to taste wine at Mayacamas or Hendry. The market was sold a number of years ago, and they expanded under new management. The food selections are vast with great quality “grab and go.” It can get busy, no doubt, but it is filled with savory and sweet treats, wines, coffee, and artisan crafts for your table. It is always a stop for my “R&D” work;)

• Need some coffee yet? I suggest that you try Station in St Helena, Joel Gott’s new café. The coffee is the best I had on this past trip. I love Ritual, but is very robust and sometimes I want a more mild cup, and Station delivers. Also, their pastries are divine and the design is beautiful.

• For a quick snack in St Helena, you have two extremes with Gott’s is always reliable for burger and fries and, of course, a good glass of wine. For those who seek a plant based option that is compelling and tasty, try Crisp. They have delicious GF pastries and bread, fresh salads and sandwiches, and a yummy can of wine, too!

Other Tasting Suggestions

• On The Trail! Hands Down the Best Tasting Room Experience that I have had is at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. The winery is stunning, the wines are even better, and the staff will make you feel comfortable and welcome. They aim to teach you a little about wine, but without pretense. Keeping it simple is their style. There are several tasting options, but they all involve food, as is their philosophy that wine and food are meant to be enjoyed together. Plan to spend a little time here, it is a peaceful respite and the wine and food are exceptional. They are known for their reds, and I love them, but don’t skip the whites. Jeff makes aromatic whites that are remarkable.

• Spring Mountain—Keenan, Pride, Paloma, Smith Madrone

• Valley Floor—Corison & Spottswoode

• A great place to eat a yummy lunch and have a splash is at Cliff Family Tasting Room &

• Howell Mountain—Dunn, just go if they have time to see you, it is Napa Cab at its very best.

Who’s Still Thirsty?

You are undoubtably out there to drink wine, but tasting rooms can sometimes be a bit of a commitment, (and once in a while you might just want some European wine), so I have a handful of places that I just love for eating and enjoying the work of some really talented wine professionals. (I like St Helena for a base camp, so many of these places are admittedly close by.)

The Charter Oak is exceptional. The food is made simply with farm fresh ingredients, much of which they grow themselves. Their wine list is a thoughtfully curated one, the cocktails are made with fresh juices and house made bitters, and the setting is beautiful. Did I mention the hand cut fries?

I rarely go to Napa and not eat a burger at Farmstead, Long Meadow Ranch’s restaurant. It is a sustainable project that sources nearly all (if not all) their ingredients from their own organic farm and ranch. the food is fun, hearty, and satisfying. I would call it comforting even, though I don’t mean to suggest a down grade the quality. They feature their own wines by the glass, which are solid, but I generally go to the bottle list here, as it is a good one with a wide variety of options.

Brasswood, Brix, Don Giovanni, Sam’s Social Club, and Cook all make the short list because of the ambience, quality of food and service.

If a cocktail is more your cup of tea? Solage is a special, fancy, and kind of dreamy. It is where the elite meet to eat & grab a cocktail! That said, Anna’s Cantina in St Helena has a nice list of Tequila and a decent pool table; it is a funky and friendly dive bar. It depends on my mood, not going to lie, I like them both with equal vigor.

I am sure to add to this, so reread it. And, please share your experiences, too!

Cheers, Maria

morning coffee on Spring Mountain

Not a bad view, and the fresh figs make me swoon, but still I ❤️ NY! This East Coast Girl loves being out in Napa, but my heart is in the east;)

A couple of Resources…

For reliable restaurant reviews, follow @christin-julian on Twitter.

If you need a ride while tasting, call Catalina at 707.696.6395, she is reliable, reasonable and nice to chat with!

Maria’s Salted, Nutty Granola

Who doesn’t love granola? It is sweet, salty, and has a crunch that makes it fun to eat. It is extremely versatile—breakfast is obvious, but try just adding it to a salad, sprinkle on a cheese plate, serve it as a bar snack, encrust fish or meat with it, or add it to your ice cream for dessert!

I began seriously baking granola for the shop several years ago, and I did a lot of experimenting to finally come up with a simple recipe that I make without changing anymore. As satisfying as it is to eat, it is especially satisfying to make for friends who return their empty jars, invoking Oliver Twist’s request, “Can I have some more…?” To which I joyfully say, Yes! On the chance that you prefer to make it yourself, here is all you need to do.

I must thank the New York Times & Eleven Madison Park for sharing their recipe, as it was the ratio of wet to dry in their mix that helped me finally achieve the texture I like. Evenly coated, small clusters, touch of salt and touch of sweet. Play around with it, you will find your crunch, then share it with me. I will bring my own jar!

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats

2 cups whole nuts (I use a 1/3 cup of each almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, almonds, & cashews, but the critical part is the total, so pick your favorites)

1/3 cup pepitos

1/3 cup sun flower seed

1/3 cup coconut chips (I also make it without for me—Can’t stand the stuff, but most people like it)

1/2 raw cane sugar

1/3 maple syrup

1/3 extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1 teaspoon molasses

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. Place nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes & cool.

3. Toast the oats, sunflower seeds and pepitos on a separate sheet pan for 10 minutes.

4. Pulse nuts in food processor to your desired texture. I like a mix of ground and large pieces.

5. In a small sauce pan over low heat, combine sugar, syrup, olive oil, and whisk to combine until sugar is just dissolved, remove from heat, and then add vanilla, molasses, and honey. Stir to combine.

6. Combine Oats, Nuts, Seed & Coconut in a large bowl, and fold into the liquids. Make certain to coat all of the dry ingredients well.

7. Line your sheet pan with parchment and spread the mixture over the pan. Bake until dry and browned, about 30-35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to avoid burning the edges. I like mine dark, it adds a depth of savory flavor, but test it out and find your timing.

8. Allow to cook on the pan before storing in an airtight container. It will stay crunchy in a good container for longer than it will take you to eat it!

Enjoy…and share it!

Perfect Pair? Champagne! My version of granola does not have any fruit, so you need to add your own. I do that with a nice blanc de blanc;)