Interesting comment about Grgich Hills. We had exactly the same unfriendly
experience. Very unusual.

Another good book on the area is "Access - California Wine Country". There
is a recent edition out. It is very well organized, and we've found the
guides to be accurate in many places we've visited. They have a knack for
finding little known restaurants.

In Sonoma, we found the people at Valley of the Moon to be very helpful and
friendly, and the wines are pretty good. We also really liked visiting
Chateau St. Jean.

If you enjoy sparkling wine, the tour at Domaine Chandon is educational.
Opus One is quite beautiful, and you have the opportunity to buy their
second label wine - Overture - which is (or was on our last visit) a very
good value.



Though our topic here is typically wine, "food" is in the title, so here are
a few more suggestions:

1. Assemble a nice picnic lunch at V. Sattui, Oakville Grocery, or Dean &
DeLuca, and take a drive to Joseph Phelps for nice views and a good area to
enjoy your meal. They have picinc tables. Better yet, make an appointment
ahead of time for a tour and tasting while you're there, too.

2. Absolutely visit Bistro Jeanty in Yountville. Great food, good
atmosphere, very friendly. The one place we always go whenever we visit the
area.

"D. Brown" > wrote in message
news:0oXLc.6437$eM2.3726@attbi_s51...
> I would add Cakebread in Napa. Skip Griggich - I like the wine, but
> really disliked their folks doing the tastings. Too much like we were
> intruding that day.
>
> Furious Shepherd wrote:
> > Second the recommendation for Gundlach-Bundschu.
> >
> > "Midlife" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>in article , R&M at
> wrote on 7/21/04 8:49 PM:
> >>
> >>
> >>>Going to Napa Sonoma for a week next month for the first time...wanted
> >>>to know what are must do's for newbie...thanks in advance for all your
> >>>help!
> >>>
> >>>R&M in San Diego
> >>
> >>"Must do's" have a lot to do with your level of wine experience. If you
> >
> > are
> >
> >>newbies to visiting the area, but experienced with wine, your list will
be
> >>different, I would think. If you're new to wine, in general, start with
> >
> > an
> >
> >>area guide: The AAA has a pretty good guide book that's free to members;
> >>otherwise, the best we've found is "Wine Country - California's Napa and
> >>Sonoma Valleys", by John Doerper for Fodor's. The latest edition was
> >
> > written
> >
> >>in 2000, so some of the newer wineries won't be included, but the book
is
> >>otherwise very thorough and useful.
> >>
> >>Assuming, again, that you're new to wine and wineries..... we've found
the
> >>best public tour to be at Robert Mondavi, in Oakville (Napa). I have to
> >
> > say,
> >
> >>though, that the best experiences we've had have been at the smaller
> >>wineries, usually those that are by appointment only. There's something
> >>very magical about meeting, touring and tasting with the people who
> >
> > actually
> >
> >>run the operation on a daily basis - something you don't generally get
to
> >
> > do
> >
> >>at the larger wineries.
> >>
> >>Our "must do" list would include: Napa - Mondavi, Sinskey, Caymus,
> >
> > Chateau
> >
> >>Montelena, Nickel & Nickel, Phelps, Shafer, Stony Hill, Schramsberg,
> >
> > Jarvis;
> >
> >>Sonoma - Gary Farrell, Davis Bynum, Ravenswood, Gundlach-Bundschu,
> >
> > Rochioli,
> >
> >>Arrowood, Jordan, Acorn, A. Rafanelli. I'm sure I'm leaving out some
good
> >>ones, and that other posters will add or subtract....... but this list
is
> >
> > a
> >
> >>pretty good start.
> >>
> >>Enjoy!
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>