My 35th Birthday Trip to Napa

Hey Guys! This post has been sitting in my draft box for far too long and in honor of another Napa trip that I am headed on today (currently on the plane), I am going to hit publish on this one.

Some of you may remember that last February, when COVID19 was just something we heard about while watching international news stories, I went to Napa with girlfriends. This post is long overdue, but I’m so excited to relive the last “normal” trip I got to take before COVID hit the US!

It all started with a long-running charity event that benefited a number of local organizations. One of the auction items was a trip to Napa that included private tastings, flights, lodging assistance, and the 9.0 Salmanazar from D.R. Stephens Estate that I posted after my Valentine’s Day/birthday party. A girlfriend got me on a group text about bidding on it, and next thing you know, we win! And win we did. It was a great way to celebrate my 35th birthday with friends from all over the country.

On Day One, we flew into San Francisco. I arranged for a private shuttle through our hotel, and Jim was waiting on us when we arrived. The drive from San Francisco was beautiful, although a little long. When I head back in August (the trip I am headed on now), we are going to fly into San Jose, which should cut down on our travel time hopefully.

We stayed at Hotel Villagio in Yountville, which is just outside of Napa. Y’all, I cannot say enough good things about this hotel. It was gorgeous and close to a lot of great spots. We had so much fun hanging by the fire pit, in the pool, watching the hot air balloons take off in the morning, and eating an amazing (complimentary!) breakfast. If you are heading that way, check it out. They typically run fourth night free specials too.

On Day Two, our first full day, Nathaniel Beckum picked us up for a fun-filled day. We started out in St. Helena at D.R. Stephens with our host, Andrew. We didn’t have a single bad bottle of wine our entire trip, so I apologize in advance if I keep saying how fabulous the wine was… but it’s true! Andrew was a great host. One of my girlfriends had never been to Napa before and that made him chuckle. “You peaked early. Most people don’t do Napa like this.”

Right next door is HUNNICUTT, D.R. Stephens’ sister winery. Justin and his family are THE cutest.

Another big aspect of our trip was the food. You may remember that I got a stomach bug during this trip which my kids had right before I left and I thought I had made it out the door escaping the nasty bug. But the afternoon of our second day of the trip, it hit me. It was terrible, but I tried to rally and stay positive. Overall, we did a great job of pacing ourselves and really tasting and enjoying the wine. We also split most meals, so we were able to taste all the yummy food without feeling full and sleepy.

Lunch at Farmstead.

Our third and final winery of the day was Arietta with Jessica. At the time, the tasting room was in a cave. They even provided cashmere shawls knowing we wouldn’t be prepared for the cool temperature. So fun.

You know we wouldn’t end our first day before the sun had even set. We headed to RH Yountville. If only every day could end with an outdoor happy hour under chandeliers!

One of my girlfriends made reservations for us at Thomas Keller’s ad hoc. Unfortunately, I started feeling bad, so I only watched everyone eat.

On Day Three, we headed to Saint Helena Winery with Lesley. With the added incentive of use of the guest house, some of the girls even joined the wine club. Who wouldn’t want to stay here?

Next up was William Cole Vineyards with Marissa and Cole himself. It felt like meeting a celebrity! I loved learning about the history of the winery, especially since it’s a family business. Near and dear to my heart 😊.

Lunch break at Gott’s. We ended up eating here twice it was that good.

Last, but certainly not least, was Pulido-Walker with Austin G. He was quite the character and kept us entertained. We got a two-pack to go and made good use of it back at the hotel. Some of the other pool goers were pretty jealous!

Just when we thought our trip couldn’t possibly get anymore amazing, we headed to the mountains! First up was Constant, a wedding present from a father to his daughter. Yes, you read that right! Could you not spend the rest of your days staring out at this?! Thanks to Amber for hosting us.

It wouldn’t have been another great day without another great meal. I still wasn’t feeling well but enjoyed Brasswood.

Our last winery of the trip was Cornell Vineyards with Austin P. Some of the girls didn’t think they were fans of California Chardonnay, but Cornell proved them wrong. Austin is now back in Texas with his cute wife (yes, cute couples are apparently a theme in the wine industry), but you can find him at Noblemen Wines.

Our last night was lowkey. Some of us laid low at the hotel and some headed to R + D Kitchen.

We couldn’t end a fabulous trip with anything less than a fabulous ride to head back to the airport. It’s true what they say. The best wines are the ones we drink with friends.

And because we had such a great time, we are heading back in August! A girlfriend turns 40, and we are planning to mix the old and new. We could never recreate this trip, but I hope to have more fun tips and stories for you soon. I promise not to wait so long to post next time around!