Napa Valley

This past Labor Day we took another trip to Napa Valley and had some of the best food and best wine we had ever had.

Some of the highlights: 

Cosentino Winery. The Cab Franc here knocked our socks off. They also offer a drinkable Zinfandel called The Zin that is lighter than many of the Zins we have tried. We joked it is a warm weather Zin. They have a lovely tasting room and a barrel room you can reserve for large parties.

 The tasting room is located next to Mustards Grill. 

Mustards Grill. We had an amazing meal at Mustards. The food was very good, but the real star was the desserts. A sky high key lime pie and a caramel chocolate brownie that will change your life. 

Big Bear Cafe. I believe this a California chain. I had the best pancakes I have ever had - multigrain with honey.  The service and coffee were great. Plus it opens really early to accommodate my 5 am wake ups since I usually stay on East Coast time. 

Etoile. This restaurant is at the Domaine Chardon tasting room. The menu is inventive and delicious.  The star was pressed melon with Spanish octopus dish. 

The tasting room was a little bit of a zoo so this was a nice way to enjoy the winery. We had a great table on the patio. 

Cuvaison. I loved the tasting experience at this winery. You reserve a table on the patio with a gorgeous view. 

Then you try the different wines at your own pace with the chance to ask a lot of questions. My favorite wine was the rose.