Sizzling Events This Summer in Napa Valley

June 24th, 2011

Mark Your Calendars!

CLICK HERE for 4th of July Weekend Events!

July 10 — Bastille Day at Domaine Chandon
Celebration: Join us for an early celebration of Bastille Day with bubbles, friends and live music. No reservations needed. No entrance fee, wine and food offerings will be available for purchase. Special prizes will be given to guests who dress up for the occasion.  Location: 1 California Dr., Yountville, CA
Fee: No entrance fee; Time: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.;  Phone: (888) 242.6366

July 15 – 24 — Festival del Sole
Celebration: Festival del Sole takes place every summer in California’s beautiful Napa Valley. The Festival features concerts by some of the world’s most celebrated musical artists, five-star cuisine, art exhibits, and wines from Napa’s top vintners, blended in a unique celebration of the art of life. Location: Venue varies; Fee: Call for information and reservations; Time: varies by event Phone: (888) FDS.NAPA

July 16 — Celebrate 125 Years of History at Freemark Abbey
Celebration: We invite you to join us at the winery for a very special day of events to celebrate our historic 125th anniversary. Includes the unveiling of “History,” our 125th anniversary blend, music, entertainment, and cooking demonstrations by Chef Cindy Pawlcyn of Mustards Grill. Location:  3022 St. Helena Highway North, St. Helena, CA 94574; Fee: $50; Time: 1-4pm;  Phone: 800.963.9698, ext. 3707

July 17 — Carneros Wine Country Half Marathon
Recreation: This popular running race attracts runners and wine enthusiasts from all over the country. Your race journey begins at Cuvaison Carneros Estate winery in Napa, then passes thousands of acres of vineyards, ranches, wineries and the Napa/Sonoma Marshes Wildlife Preserve on your way to the grand finish down Broadway into historic Sonoma Plaza. Fee: price varies;  Time: 7:10 a.m, – 1 p.m.;  Phone: (707) 933.1769

July 23 — Burgers and Bordeaux at Bourassa
Celebration: Please Join Us for another Burgers & Bordeaux Summer BBQ, and help us welcome our neighbor Napa Smith Brewery! Vic will be firing up the grill with juicy handmade burgers, and other tasty dishes and pairing it with tastings of Bourassa Wines and Napa Smith Brewery Beers! Children are welcome. RSVP required! Location: 190 Camino Oruga Ste 5., Napa, CA 94558; Fee: $30, includes souvenir wine glass; Time: 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.;  Phone: 800 499-2366 or 707-294-4922

July 30 — V.Sattui Winery Festa Italiana
Celebration: The picnic grove will be transformed once again into a traditional Italian summer festival with the live music, dancing and, of course, your favorite V. Sattui wines. Our chefs will fill bowls and platters with delicious pastas and garden-fresh salads, then slice and dish up roasted wild boar, grilled tri-tip and fresh salmon. Location: 1111 White Lane St. Helena, CA 94574; Fee: $69.00 per member/ $79.00 per Guest;  Time: 6:30pm thru 9:30pm;  Phone: 707-963-7774

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4th of July Weekend Events!

June 20th, 2011

See fireworks in Napa Valley

Where will you be July 4th weekend? Some of you might be relaxing at home with friends and family enjoying great weather (hopefully!),  some barbecue, a couple of glasses of wine, and fireworks from the comfort of your yard or on television. However, we hope a fair amount of folks trip over to Napa Valley for a weekend full of fun, wine, food, and firework festivities! See some of the must-attend events July 4th weekend. For the full calendar of events, CLICK HERE.

July 1 – 4 — Napa County Fair & Fireworks
Family Fun: Four days of summer sizzle with live music, strolling entertainers, competition for blue ribbons, antique truck and tractor show, 4th of July parade and fireworks. Showcasing local wines and arts. Location: 1435 North Oak Street, Calistoga CA; Fee: $5-$10; Time: Thurs-Fri 4p.m.-11p.m./Sat-Sun 12p.m.-11p.m. Phone: 707-942-5111

July 2 – 4 — Silverado Vineyards Magnum 4th Weekend
Wine Education: People who drink from magnums are just plain happier than the rest of us.” All Fourth of July Weekend Silverado Vineyards will be opening a wide variety of current and library magnums! Join to see why magnums are just more fun! Special offers this weekend only from a great selection. Location: 6121 Silverado Trail Napa, CA 94558; Fee: Depends on the bottle;  Time: All Weekend; Phone: 707-257-1770

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St. Helena: Upcoming Spring Events!

April 29th, 2011

HALL St. Helena

April 30 — Annual HALL Cabernet Cookoff!
Food & Wine Education, Benefit: Professional chef teams and amateur home cooks will serve up dishes paired perfectly with HALL Cabernet Sauvignon and compete to win money for their favorite Napa Valley non-pro fits. Taste each dish, vote for your favorites and enjoy incredible wines! Food, wine, music and more all included.
Fee: $55 General | $45 Wine Club Members; Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Phone Number: (707) 967.2626
Can’t attend the event? Visit the winery on another day!

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The Tangled Vines of Shady Oaks

April 28th, 2011

Shady Oaks Country Inn, St Helena CA

If you’ve ever stayed in a bed and breakfast,  you know what a  unique and charming experience it is with quaint, serene settings with comfortably furnished rooms, gardens, and of course, a delightful wine country breakfast served each morning.  Innkeepers are happy to recommend nearby wineries for tasting, tell you where the best wine country dining is, and a host of other activities in the area. Clearly, innkeepers love what they do. But ever wonder what innkeepers did before they were B&B owners or even what they do in their spare time?

Meet John and Lisa Runnels,  the owners of two bed and breakfast’s – Shady Oaks Country Inn and Ambrose Bierce House,  both in St. Helena. Lisa is a charming, exuberant lady full of life and able to give you the best local insider information on wine country. But what may surprise you to know is that her husband  John (along with his partner John Lansingh) is behind the award-winning wine “Tangled Vines”.  Their homemade Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah and Pinot Noir have won several awards in the Napa Valley Home Winemakers Classic held each July at St. Supery Winery, a competition for home winemakers.

Tangled Vines of Shady Oaks

The partnership and enterprise began over 20 years ago and the moniker “Tangled Vines” is the amusing result of the tangled or gnarly relationship of the duo.  According to John Runnels, “John (Lansingh) does things the old-fashioned way and he’s a little hard-headed and I do things the modern way and I’m a little hard-headed, so we tangled a lot. So we said, ‘let’s call it Tangled Vines.’ ’” John and Lisa  both enjoy sharing their love of wine and the story with guests of Shady Oaks Country Inn. To John Runnels, “it’s the only thing I can do creative. I’m not a painter or an artist, but I can create wine in my style.”

So next time you think about visiting Napa Valley for a mid-week vacation (See Special Offer) or weekend respite, be sure to check into Shady Oaks Country Inn where you might get the chance to taste John’s creativity and perhaps meet the master mind himself! Either way,  be prepared to thoroughly enjoy what John and Lisa have created together with their beloved bed and breakfast. CLICK HERE for reservations.

Mom Deserves a Glass of Wine

April 27th, 2011
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Pamper Her Pink Basket

Ah, Mother’s Day!! When the sun is shining and Mom is serenely smiling while her children play happily and quietly in a flowery meadow, frolicking with brand-new puppies . . . at least that’s what it looks like in that greeting card commercial.

In reality, Mother’s Day is when children of all ages shower their mothers with well-deserved Mother’s Day gifts and praise, blissfully forgetting the frustration and stress they’ve caused.

Moms have handled it all and she really deserves the best. Is it any wonder why Mom always keeps a bottle of wine around? She deserves a little luxury and relaxation now and then! Mother’s Day allows us all to show our moms the appreciation she deserves.

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Luxury Wine and Spa Basket

This year, pamper her with gifts from MyWinesDirect.com. For ultimate relaxation, give her a homemade spa day with the Luxury Wine & Spa Basket or the Pamper Her Pink Wine Gift Basket. In addition to a bottle or two of wine, each basket is filled with soothing and sweet-smelling bath and body soaps, lotions and treats from San Francisco Soap Company.

Allow her to indulge in her passion for chocolate and wine with a bottle of Looking Glass Chardonnay wrapped in luxuriant Belgian milk chocolate. Or bring her the Send Your Love Wine Gift Basket, which is filled with wine, cheese, crackers and an assortment of award-winning chocolate treats from Ghirardelli Chocolate Company. Send her into a state of bliss…Red Bliss with 6 red wines from around the world.

Yep, Moms have definitely earned a day to be spoiled… so send her a gift she’s surely earned. Mother’s Day wine gifts to wine gift baskets to a gift card letting her choose; your thoughtful and well-received gift will be sent direct to her with $0 shipping. Finding the perfect Mother’s Day gift just got easier!

For a limited time, save $10 on Mother’s Day gifts with code: WINE4MOM

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