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Meritage Resort and Spa (Napa Valley)

Address: 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa, CA 94558

The Meritage Resort and Spa along with Vino Bello Resort a timeshare property opened its doors in July 2006. The Meritage Resort is located in Napa Valley which is known for its wide-ranging mix of charming B&B’s, chic luxury hotels, restaurants, and a wide variety of wineries. The resort offers a high-end 322 room property located in the business with free bottles of wine. Some of the rooms have a patio with an amazing view of the outdoor swimming pool, underground cave, and the vineyard situated on the hill.

It took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes (53 miles) to drive from San Francisco to Meritage Resort and Spa via I-80 East, CA-29 North/Sonoma Blvd, exit 19 from CA-37 West. We were surprised to see that they also have a unique, and vintage dining car restaurant on the premise. Some of the Hotel’s amenities are a spa treatment on an underground estate cave called Spa Terra, a winery vineyard, heated outdoor vineyard pool, bowling alley, farm-to-table restaurant Olive and Hay, fitness center, and a wine tasting room.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a friendly front desk attendant and was checked into our room. I contacted the hotel a few days earlier and asked them if they can set up something for our Wedding Anniversary. I let my wife and daughter open the room and were surprised, happy, and speechless to see a complimentary plate with a wide variety of cheese, crackers, and a free bottle of champagne for our Wedding Anniversary. Our room had a really nice Tuscan style decor with an outdoor patio overlooking the beautiful vineyard, underground cave, and the clear blue water outdoor pool. There was even a complimentary slice of delicious chocolate cake with a note saying “Happy Anniversary. Our room was moderate size with a very relaxing and cozy ambiance.

After we checked in our nice room, we went out to check most of the property amenities. The one that caught our attention is the “Spa Terra” which is the world’s first underground spa. We didn’t get a chance to go inside the cave but were informed that it has soaking pools, water walls, steam grottos, and private treatment rooms. We then proceeded upstairs or up the hill that led us to the 9 acres, a sloped vineyard located on top of the underground spa cave. My daughter’s eyes widen as she saw the two large outdoor heated pools with private cabanas. We passed through a few corn holes along the walkway closest to the outdoor pool by the vineyard.

The best part was when we visited the “Crush Lounge” with 6 luxurious bowling lanes, foosball, pool tables, and shuffleboard games. We ended up playing bowling and ordered a few food items on the bowling alley menu. My daughter was surprised and danced when they turned on the disco lights in the bowling lanes which made it exciting. The food that we ordered was good and was delivered into our lane.

Overall, we enjoyed our short stay at the Meritage Resort and Spa which is a hidden gem in the Napa Valley area. It was a one-of-a-kind experience for my family to sleep inside a genuine train caboose with modern amenities in a rustic setting. It was fun waking up in the morning with the stunning view of an underground cave, swimming pool, and a vineyard. The gardening landscape was very colorful due to its colorful flowers. It’s a great unique and romantic place to stay with your family and loved ones while enjoying tasting wine. It was a fun and memorable experience to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary in a luxurious, Tuscan Themed style resort in the heart of Napa Valley.

Tips: The resort’s vineyard on the hill is a good spot to watch the sunset. There were several fire pits with outdoor seatings available throughout the property. The resort is about a 15-minute drive to Oxbow Public Market, Napa Valley Train, Napa River Inn, Morimoto Restaurant, and a wide variety of local restaurants. There is also a premium shopping outlet located near the Resort. And don’t forget to visit the “Grape Crusher” sculpture located on top of the Vineyard on the hill. Vista Collina Resort is located adjacent to the Meritage Resort. There is a farm-to-table restaurant located at Meritage Resort called Olive and Hay.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Meritage Resort and Spa after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel/room at Meritage Resort and Spa or around the area close to the Resort.

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Chateau Montelena Winery (Napa County)

Address: 1429 Tubbs Lane Calistoga, California 94515

*** On your visit please mention to Chateau Montelena Winery that you’ve seen the review via our travel blog at www.explore2places.com

The Chateau Montelena Winery was founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs and built the famous stunning French inspired Stone Castle that was carved into a hillside overlooking the vineyards, Chinese Garden and Jade Lake. The winery is one of the oldest six wineries in Napa and is located in Calistoga and grows good quality wine grapes and award winning wines. Chateau Montelena is a French inspired castle and California grown wines. It won the Paris Wine Tasting competition in 1976. The winery is about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours (85 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 North. It is open 7 days a week from 9:30 am- 5 pm. Reservations are highly recommended but also accepts walk-in customers. All visitors must be 21 years old or older.

I contacted the winery the same day and was informed that they accept walk-in customers only until 3 pm. The scenic drive to the winery was very relaxing with the gorgeous view of the mountains and beautiful wineries. But be careful as you drive through the Petrified Forest Road as it is a two way winding road. We arrived at Chateau Montelena at around 3:15 pm and the weather was a mix of light rain, cloudy and sun. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and relaxing with lots of trees and colorful flowers. The amazing view of the famous Stone Castle on top of Jade Lake was so picturesque, beautiful and rustic.

As we arrived at the door of the Chateau, we were immediately greeted by the friendly and welcoming wine tasting room staff members. They were very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with an excellent service. The architectural design inside of the wine tasting room is very modern with French influenced. And their semi-private wine tasting rooms were renovated and previously living quarters. Since we arrived late and they usually stop taking walk-ins at 3 pm. We just purchased their 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon based on their recommendation. My wife purchased a small (37.5 liters) bottle of their popular 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon wine for $120. The friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating Tasting Room Assistant Manager “Mark” provided us a brief history of the winery and showed us around. Mark took a picture with us and signed our wine bottle that we purchased for our travel blog.

As per my wife, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon’s flavor is robust but not overpowering and deceptively soft on each sip. She paired the wine with a hearty harvest salad with balsamic dressing.

Overall, we were very satisfied with the quality of the wine and the outstanding service of the Assistant Tasting Room Manager Mark Rettig and the entire staff. The unobstructed view of the beautiful vineyard, outstanding service, the beautiful Chinese Garden, and the Jade Lake made our wine tasting experience very memorable. The best part of our experience was getting our wine bottle signed, saw the ice snow on top of Mount St. Helena and the beautiful white swan swimming in the middle of the beautiful Jade Lake with the Pagoda in the background. It was like a scene from a famous Movie.

Tips: Don’t forget to visit the Jade Lake which is located near the customer parking area. They have a large parking lot area made up of sand and gravel for their customers. Chateau Montelena is about a 15-20 minutes drive from Safari West. Drive safely as you pass through the Petrified Forest (about 8 miles) as the road is winding. The winery is also close to a few wineries such as Tamber Bey which have horses in the winery, Newton Winery and the Old Faithful Geyser.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Chateau Montelena Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you. Please don’t forget to subscibe to our blog.

Click here to find a hotel/room close to Chateau Montelena Winery in Calistoga Ca.

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Holiday Ice Skating Rink at Meritage Resort and Spa (Sonoma County)

Address: 875 Bordeaux way Napa Ca. 94558

The Meritage Resort and Spa along with Vino Bello Resort a timeshare property opened its doors in July 2006. The Meritage Resort is located in Napa Valley which is known for its wide-ranging mix of charming B&B’s, chic luxury hotels, restaurants, and a wide variety of wineries. The resort offers a high-end 322 room property located in the business with free bottles of wine. Some of the rooms have a patio with an amazing view of the outdoor swimming pool, underground cave, and the vineyard situated on the hill.

It took us about 1 hour and 10 minutes (53 miles) to drive from San Francisco to Meritage Resort and Spa via I-80 East, CA-29 North/Sonoma Blvd, exit 19 from CA-37 West. We were surprised to see that they also have a unique, and vintage dining car restaurant on the premise. Some of the Hotel’s amenities are a spa treatment on an underground estate cave called Spa Terra, a winery vineyard, heated outdoor vineyard pool, bowling alley, farm-to-table restaurant Olive and Hay, fitness center, and a wine tasting room.

Since we didn’t want to drive back to San Francisco late at night. We checked in at one of the nice and quieter rooms at Meritage Resort and Spa. After checking in at around 4pm we immediately proceeded to the Ice Rink and Christmas Tree Lighting area which is located across the street of the Meritage Resort and Spa. The place was like a Winter Wonderland with a 40 foot Christmas Tree, Carolers singing, Mimes entertaining the guests, vendors selling their holiday items, Famous Disney Characters such as Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf, Tinker Bell, and Santa Claus walking around taking pictures with children and families. It was a very festive atmosphere with lots of visitors and happy families.

The Christmas Tree lighting happened at around 5:30 pm and it was such a magical moment when the 40 foot Christmas Tree was lighted with colorful bright lights and holiday ornaments and decorations. All the visitors happily cheered loudly during the Christmas Tree Lighting. We enjoyed the fun performances on stage by the local caroler and local band entertainer. The Ice skating rink was situated in the middle of the lawn area facing or adjacent to the beautiful lighted Christmas Tree. There were a few VIP fire pits and special igloos for rentals available surrounding the ice rink area. We had to reserve a time slot online for a 1 hour and 30 minutes skating experience. There was a long line of excited skaters on the ice skating registration booth. The line was moving quickly as they have a lot of available staff to help with the registration and skate rentals. My wife and daughter enjoyed the awesome experience and took nice pictures on the ice skating rink facing the Lighted Christmas Tree in the background. There were lots of staff members that facilitate or watched over the skaters for safety precautions.

The best part was when we ate a late dinner at the “Crush Lounge” with 6 luxurious bowling lanes, foosball, pool tables, and shuffleboard games. All the food that we ordered was good and delivered promptly on our table. Our host server Lizabeth was very attentive, fast and helpful in serving our table. We ordered Buffalo Wings, Cheese Nachos, Fish tacos and chicken quesadilla. My daughter had the delicious Oreo Milkshake while my wife had a Margarita cocktail drink. All the bowling lanes were already reserved that night so we end up not bowling. But we had the opportunity to play bowling during our first stay in the resort.

Overall, we enjoyed our short stay at the Meritage Resort and Spa which is a hidden gem in the Napa Valley area. It was fun waking up in the morning with the stunning view of an underground cave, swimming pool, and a grape vineyard. The gardening landscape was very colorful due to its colorful leaves. It’s a great unique and romantic place to stay with your family and loved ones while enjoying tasting wine. It was a fun and memorable experience to celebrate a Holiday Christmas Tree Lighting, Ice Skating and Wine Tasting in a Tuscan Themed style resort in the heart of Napa Valley.

Tips: The resort’s vineyard on the hill is a good spot to watch the sunset. There were several fire pits with outdoor seatings available throughout the property. The resort is about a 15-minute drive to Oxbow Public Market, Napa Valley Train, Napa River Inn, Morimoto Restaurant, and a wide variety of local restaurants. There is also a premium shopping outlet located near the Resort. And don’t forget to visit the “Grape Crusher” sculpture located on top of the Vineyard on the hill. Vista Collina Resort is located adjacent to the Meritage Resort. There is a farm-to-table restaurant located at Meritage Resort called Olive and Hay.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Holiday Ice Rink at Meritage Resort and Spa after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel/room at Meritage Resort and Spa or around the area close to the Resort.

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Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch Restaurant (St. Helena)

Address: 738 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574

Farmstead at Long Meadow Restaurant is owned by Mr. Ted Hall and has a farm-to-table dining experience. Established in 2010, Farmstead is housed in a former nursery barn with a fun and relaxing ambiance. The restaurant features authentic farm-to-table menu selections and is vegetarian-friendly offering vegan and gluten-free options. Farmstead is open for indoor, heated covered dining, wine tasting, cafe, and Friday Farmers Market.

The Restaurant is by reservation only and it’s usually difficult to find an open time slot to reserve a seat. We arrived early for lunch at Farmstead restaurant at around 10:30 a.m. which our appointment was scheduled at 11:00 a.m. We registered/check-in with the host and were given a pager to inform us when our table is ready. Since, we arrived too early, we decided to check out the surrounding area. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and peaceful. The first thing that we visited was their organic garden full of a variety of fresh vegetables. My daughter and my wife enjoyed seeing an old truck and tractor located near the oak trees with a few chairs and tables set up to relax and enjoy your wine tasting. We also visited the General Store and the outdoor Farmstead Cafe where you can order breakfast and drinks in the morning. We were finally seated at a covered outside table and were impressed by the beautiful table set-up. All of the tables were surrounded by vines that made our table setting feel very private, unique and secluded.

Our server was very professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with excellent service. We first ordered an apple juice and shirley temple drinks for both myself and my daughter while my wife had the “Birds of Paradise” cocktail drink with Ilegal mexcal, aperol, passionfruit, caramelized pineapple, and lime for $12. There were a wide variety of appetizers but we ordered the appetizing Warm Di Stefano Burrata with roasted garlic, estate olive oil, baguette for $19, and their famous Cheese Biscuits. The savory smoked chicken wings with Alabama sauce for $18. And for our main entree, we ordered the flavorful Dungeness Crab Cioppino with manila clams, pei mussels, rockfish, calamari, tomato and fennel broth with a side of garlic bread for $48, the Grilled Idaho Trout with mushrooms, fennel, toasted almonds and bacon vinaigrette for $34, and the Dungeness Crab Roll with butter toasted brioche and housemade potato chips for $42. Lastly, for our dessert, we all shared the delicious and popular “Big Easy” Beignets with bourbon caramel sauce which costs $12.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the food and the outstanding service of the entire staff. The relaxing view of their organic vegetable garden, the great service, and the beautiful sunny warm weather made our farm to table experience very memorable.

Tips: Close to V. Sattui Winery and Gott’s Roadside Burger which has a good dessert wine and famous hamburger in Napa. Request for an outdoor seating when making a reservation and be there early as it gets crowded by noon. There is a separate cafe, outdoor seating lounge for wine tasting and a General Store located within the property. Few of the visitors end up parking in a residential area due to limited parking space.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch Restaurant after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch Restaurant in St. Helena.

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Russian River Vineyards (Forestville)

Address: 5700 Hwy. 116 N, Forestville, CA 95436

The Russian River Valley is one of the world’s greatest winemaking regions. Russian River Vineyards is owned by a fourth generation farmer and aspiring winemaker Mr. Giovanni Balistreri, and has a farm-to-table outdoor dining settings. The vineyard features authentic farm-to-table menu selections and is vegetarian-friendly offering vegan options. Mr. Balistreri won the “Best Red Wine in Sonoma County” award in 2016 at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair. Russian River Vineyards estate-grown Pinot was also named as the “Best Pinot Noir” by North Bay Biz Magazine. The Russian River Vineyards is about 1 hour and 20 minutes (72 miles) from San Francisco via US-101 North. It is open Monday-Thursday from 12 pm- 5 pm and Friday to Sunday from 12 pm- 6pm.

The Russian River Vineyards is by reservation and also accepts walk-in customers. We arrived early for lunch at the restaurant at around 12 noon which our appointment was scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Since, we arrived too early, we decided to check out the surrounding area. The property grounds are beautiful, clean, and relaxing. I also took a picture of a cool green truck that is in the middle of the parking lot area and owned by the winery. We were finally called, seated on an outside table with an amazing view of the vineyard. There were a lot of outdoor tables situated all over the property. And most of the tables have sunshade to keep their customers stay cool on a sunny day.

Our server/sommelier Leo was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, fast, and provided us with an excellent service. We first ordered an apple juice and soda drink for both myself and my daughter while my wife had the wine “Chester” as a complimentary drink. There were a wide variety of appetizers but we ordered the appetizing Artisanal Cheese Board with local & artisanal cheese, seasonal fruit, & honey roasted nuts served with Costeaux specialty bread for $31. Pulled Pork Sliders with sweet and tangy BBQ pork on sesame slider with coleslaw for $15. Roasted Beet Salad with roasted golden & red beets, goat cheese, shaved red onion, candied pecans, & arugula tossed in balsamic for $15. Grilled Veggie Focaccia with roasted eggplant, zucchini, winter squash, caramelized red onion, marinara sauce, arugula & mozzarella cheese for $18. Meat Lovers Focaccia with journeyman cured meats, mozzarella cheese, topped with parmesan & arugula for $18. All the food that we ordered was served on compostable plates, spoons, forks, and knives. We didn’t order dessert as we were all satisfied and full with all the food that we ordered. My wife bought 2 bottles of wines and we’re lucky enough that the Vineyard owner signed one of our wine bottle that we had purchased.

Overall, we were satisfied with the quality of the food and the outstanding service of our sommelier Leo, and the entire staff. The relaxing view of their amazing vineyard, the outstanding service, and the beautiful sunny warm weather made our farm-to-table experience very memorable. Covid safety protocols are in place, such as compostable tableware, low-touch wine service, and cleaning/disinfecting between seatings.

Tips: There is a good cheese factory called Bohemian where you can purchase a wide variety of good, quality cheese. Request for outdoor seating with a view of the vineyard when making a reservation and be there early as it gets crowded by noon. They have a large parking lot area for all their customers. They also have a live performance to entertain their customers. Dogs and kids are allowed in the winery. The parking lot area is made up of sand and gravel.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Russian River Vineyard after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

Click here to find a hotel close to the Russian River Vineyard in Forestville.

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Grgich Hill Estate Winery (Napa Valley)

Address: 1829 St. Helena Highway Rutherford, Ca. 94573

Grgich Hill Winery is located in Rutherford California in the heart of Napa Valley. Grgich Hill Winery was established in 1977 by Miljenko “Mike” Grgich which is a peasant in the communist country of Yugoslavia and came to America who later became a winery owner. It was in 1977 when Mike Grgich and Austin Hill started to build Grgich Hills Cellar. Grgich Hill Winery is natural wine-growing farming without artificial fertilizers, pesticides being used. Their vineyard is also certified organic and biodynamic. They offer wine tasting, winery tours, and seasonal grape stomping experience.

It took us about 1 hour and 30 minutes (70 miles) to drive from San Francisco to Grgich Hill Winery via I-80 East and CA-29 North. We arrived at the winery around 10:30 a.m. to avoid the crowd and get to finish early. The winery is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. We were greeted by a friendly staff member and were politely directed to the grape stomping area. We paid $20 per person that came with a t-shirt and a grape stomping experience. There were 3 barrels with crushed grapes already prepared for the customers in the stomping area. There was already a group of people waiting in line for their turn. We were instructed to remove our socks/shoes and each one of us hopped inside our respective cur off wine barrel. It was a cold, mushy feeling but we weren’t bothered because we were excited and having fun. They kept on adding a few fresh grapes while we happily stomped and dance on them. After our stomping, we all then stepped out and placed both our feet on the t-shirt with our stained footprints. The staff member immediately hang our shirts to let them dry and informed us that we can walk around their garden or vineyard while waiting for our shirts. The cool thing is that they allowed us to picked the grapes right off the vines for us to taste their wide variety of fresh grapes.

We even took a picture of the unique go-kart that was on display in front of their wine tasting room. After the grape stomping we then proceeded to the tasting room as my wife tasted a few wine samples and my daughter enjoyed the olive oil samples. It was very nice inside the wine tasting room with all the beautiful wine barrels on display while we enjoyed our tasting experience. Overall, we had a great, fun and unique grape stomping experience that we will never forget.

Tips: The grape stomping experience is only available during Sept-October. The grape stomping is not offered this year due to Covid-19 restrictions. The place is also a kid and dog friendly winery. They also have a beautiful area in the back terrace with a gorgeous views of the vineyard.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about the Grgich Hill Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Bounty Hunter Restaurant in Napa

Address: 975 1st St Napa, California 94559

The Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ is established in 1992 and is situated in the heart of Downtown Napa. Casual, brick-walled establishment offering a wide variety of fine wines and great selections of craft brews. A full lunch and dinner menu serving sandwiches, salads, real BBQ, their famous beer can chicken bbq, and barbeque is served ’til 12 am on weekends.

We are looking for a place to celebrate the 4th of July and for our daughter’s early birthday celebration. We were craving for an authentic or good barbeque restaurant with a nice view. It took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes from San Francisco and passed through a couple of wineries in the Napa area. We arrived at the Bounty Hunter Restaurant around 10:45 am and were lucky enough to find parking in front of the Restaurant(free and 2-3 hours max). Both indoor and outdoor seatings are available at the Bounty Hunter Restaurant. There were some cool and nice decorations inside the restaurants such as a horse saddle, articles from newspapers recognizing the restaurant and its history, a big moose head hanging at the wall.

But we decided to eat at their outdoor seating overlooking the Napa River since it was sunny and beautiful day. We were greeted promptly by a friendly server and recommended their two famous signature entrees which are the Bounty Hunter beer can chicken for $34.95 and the B.H. Smokin BBQ Platter for $49.95. We also had toasted baguette with pimiento cheese and their famous cornbread as a side dish/appetizer. We were surprised when our order arrived because it’s more than enough for just the three of us. But the main highlight of our lunch was the savory, unique and delicious Beer Can Chicken which is a cajun spiced whole free-range bird perched on a Tecate beer can. It was big, soft, and lots of juice was coming out while we were carving it. What’s even surprising was the B.H. Smokin BBQ Platter which includes a combination of pulled pork, smoked beef brisket, half rack of St. Loius ribs, and coleslaw on the side.

The St. Loius ribs were so delicious and soft that the meat came off easily from the bones. The B.H. cornbread was warm, soft, moist, and served with melted butter on top. The Best part was eating savory BBQ with a view of Napa River where people are kayaking, Stand up paddle, and walking along the River. And lastly, the server brought out a dessert which is a chocolate cupcake with vanilla ice cream on top and a strawberry swirl for my daughter’s early birthday celebration compliment of the Chef. We were so full that we end up bringing the leftovers home for dinner.

Tips: Come in early before 11 am to find parking in front otherwise you may end up parking on the street or at a public parking(fee) about a block away. You may also rent a kayak, stand up paddle board, ride a Gondola under the bridge by the Napa River.

Let me know if you have any questions, comments or what you think about the Bounty Hunter Restaurant after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Matanzas Creek Winery

Address: 6097 Bennett Valley Road Santa Rosa Ca. 95404.

Matanzas Creek Winery is situated in a remote area of the Bennett Valley region of Sonoma. The winery’s fruit comes from sustainably farmed estate vineyards. Matanzas Creek has a great landscape and lots of picnic tables for rental. It is also famous for its lavender gardens. Some lavender products are available for purchase at their gift shop.

We passed and drove through a narrow winding road in the Bennett Valley to get to the winery. Matanzas is perched up on the hill and it is across the Bennett Valley golf course. There was a sign posted in the entrance and we drove through a long two-way road all the way to the winery. As we arrived, we were greeted by Russell and Nicole which provided us with great customer service. My wife bought their popular bottle of 2017 Sauvignon Blanc. Nicole showed us the picnic areas and it was in a nice location under the old oak tree. We picnicked, open the bottle of wine, and ate our lunch with beautiful scenery of the winery and the lavender garden.

After our lunch, we walked around the property and enjoyed their beautiful landscaping. We took a lot of pictures of their Bocce ball areas and the lavender garden. My wife enjoyed her glass of wine on the Adirondack chairs located in the middle of the garden. The month of July is when the lavender is in full blossom. We also took a picture of their unique water fountain on our way out.

Overall, this is a good winery if you want a secluded place, have kids, and love having a picnic, drink wine and enjoy a lavender garden. They have clean restrooms and friendly staff members.

Tips: We bought some sandwiches at Glen Ellen Market which are so delicious and are only 20 minutes away from Matanzas Creek Winery. We also loved their premium black truffle potato chips and pull apart sourdough bread with olive oil.

Let me know if you have any questions and what you think about Matanzas Creek Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Tamber Bey Vineyards

Address: 1255 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga Ca. 94515

Situated at the north end of Napa Valley with a view of Mount St. Helena. Tamber Bey Vineyards is a combination of a winery and amazing equestrian settings. The owner is very passionate about both wines and horses.

We drove thru a long driveway and saw a few horses throughout the property. We were greeted by the friendly staff members Robert and Cher. Robert seated us on the outside table with a beautiful view of Mount St. Helena. There is also a bocce ball and some tables were set up on both sides near the horse’s stables. My wife opted for the wine tasting package while my daughter and I ordered the delicious boxed lunch package. The staff and guests were all wearing a mask and practiced social distancing. Restrooms are available on-premises and are clean.

My wife tasted and bought a bottle of the 2019 Rose Fore Family Vineyard and the 2018 Rabicano Deux Chevaux Vineyard wines. Robert provided us with drinking water on a very nice wine bottle with the Tamber Bey logo which we later purchased.

Robert was very patient, helpful professional, and well versed with the wine selections. We opted to do the wine tasting first, then the tour and lunch. During our property tour, we saw a variety of different breeds of horses such as miniature horses, Arabian, and Mustang. We even saw a few farm animals on the property. My daughter was so happy and excited when she saw the miniature horses and it was the main highlight of our tour.

For our lunch, we ordered the Turkey Pesto sandwich with black truffle chips (which is so good) and the Roast Beef & Mozzarella sandwich with salt & vinegar chips.

Overall, it was a very relaxing and unique experience to do both wine tasting and enjoyed the beautiful horses on the property. For safety, there were signs to do not touch the horses or get too close to the fence. And guests are not allowed to wander around or visit the horses on their stables without a staff member being present.

Tips: You can purchase the truffle chips at Sam’s General Store. And if you want a good barbeque visit Buster’s Original Southern BBQ in Calistoga. Both places are about 10-15 minutes away from Tamber Bey.

Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Tamber Bey Vineyards after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site to your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.

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Truett Hurst Winery

Address: 5610 Dry Creek Road Healdsburg Ca. 95448

Truett Hurst Winery and Farm is located in the heart of Healdsburg Dry Creek Valley. It’s a beautiful property with 5 acres of garden. It specializes in Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. The winery is also a farm with several livestock on the property such as goats, sheep, and chickens.

We drove for about 1-2 hours from San Francisco via US-101. We called on the day of our visit and we were lucky that they had an open spot on that day. We parked our car and walked towards the wine tasting room. My wife ordered a glass of wine at the bar. While we got the cheese, crackers, and sparkling water in their grab-and-go area. It wasn’t too busy that day due to Covid restrictions and by appointment only rule. We then proceeded to their outside patio and consumed our food and wine. My daughter got excited as soon as she saw the goats, sheep, and chickens. What caught our attention were some of the goats standing on top of the barrels. (wow! good balance)

There were a few families having a picnic throughout the property. We found out that the picnic tables were available for rentals and that you can bring your own food. My wife walked towards the dry Creek and noticed a few red Adirondack chairs near the bank of the river that are reserved for members only. Our stay was limited hours due to the next group of scheduled customers are due to come in. It prevents overcrowding and is part of the Covid restrictions.

Overall, we enjoyed the unique experience of watching the farm animals while drinking wine. And we loved the fact that the picnic tables were for rent and that you can bring your own food.

Tips: We visited the winery during the fall season and were amazed by the color of the leaves changing for fall. We also drove through the Dry Creek Road for a few miles and took pictures of the other wineries with gorgeous fall colors.

Let me know if you have any questions and what you think about Truett Hurst Winery after your visit in the comments below. And kindly share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you