Napa Valley Events

Who was the lucky soul who first realized that a rich, flavorful wine goes perfectly with dark chocolate? We don’t know, but centuries later doctors tell us that chocolate has anti-oxidant properties.

ZD Wines figures it’s good health all the way by combining chocolate with red wine, well known as a fighter of heart disease. The winery releases its 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon this month, in a “Chocolate and Cabernet” special event.

ZD Wines is also a pioneer in organic growing practices in the Valley - all of its bottlings are certified organic. The release event features its fruity, aromatic Cabernet, and chocolate EVERYWHERE - chocolate bars, chocolate fountains, even chocolate-dipped bottles of wine.

The event is on Saturday, January 30th, 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM. Tickets are $25 per person ($20 for First-Taste members). Get tickets here, more information at the ZD Wines web site.

ZD Wines is located in Rutherford on the beautiful Silverado Trail, about 25 miles from our hotel. Click here for directions.

You say you want to dress up and see in the new year with a sparkle? You want champagne to celebrate? Well, how about a party with the masters of sparkling wines, Domaine Chandon? Bubbly at Chandon is a Napa tradition, and New Year’s Eve is the perfect occasion.

Head for the Glitter Ball at Domaine Chandon. Dinner looks sold out already, but join the Lounge Party for the live band, DJ and dancing. Chandon is an upscale and lively place with a great atmosphere. It’ll be a happening party, and you’re invited to dress “glittery” - black tie is optional, and formal portraits are available.

Lounge Party is 9 PM - 1AM (December 31st of course), complementary sparkling wine toast at midnight. Must be 21 or over. Tickets are $75, click here for info and to purchase.

Domaine Chandon is at 1 California Drive in Yountville, less than 19 miles from our hotel - click here for directions. Chandon’s phone is 707-944-8844.

Hurry, the Wine Train is leaving the station! Catch it if you can for Thanksgiving dinner and you’ll give your whole party an experience they’ll talk about for years to come. It’s almost sold out, but the Gourmet Car is still available at the time of writing.

Don’t cook - in fact don’t even lift a finger for dinner on this special holiday. Sit back and enjoy the wine country’s most unique ride. Let the stewards serve you aboard the luxury Wine Train, and let world-class chef Kelly Macdonald bring his signature flair to Napa Valley’s most mouth-watering ingredients.

The Napa Valley Wine Train leaves Napa at 5 PM and returns at 8:30 PM on November 26th, Thanksgiving Day.

Click here to check availability and reserve your seats (and view the menu). Click here for directions to the station from our hotel.

John Cleese may be the funniest man alive. Whether you know him best as a member of the seminal comedy troupe Monthy Python, as irritable innkeeper Basil Faulty from Faulty Towers or as sad sack Archie Leech from the classic comedy A Fish Called Wanda, Cleese, who turned 70 last month, has definitely made his mark.

Personally we’re quite taken with his video Wine For The Confused.

This Wednesday, November 11, you can see Cleese perform solo at the Lincoln Theater in nearby Yountville. It’s a rare chance to see a comedy legend live.

Tickets are $39-$69 and can be purchased through the Lincoln Theater web site

Stags’ Leap Winery is a Napa Valley icon, being the first Valley winery to win world-wide acclaim for its Cabernets.

On Saturday, November 7, you can join the Stags’ Leap’s 2009 Harvest Party. You’ll have a chance to meet winemaker Christophe Paubert, take a trip to the cellar for a barrel sample, take a winery tour, and have lunch as well.

The event costs $60 per person. Reservations required. Call Ken Swanson at 707.299.3012.

Stags’ Leap Winery is located in nearby Yountville, just 18 miles from our hotel. Click here for directions.

So you’re in a nice restaurant with your special someone and the waiter brings over the bottle of wine you just ordered. He offers you a taste and… what are you supposed to do exactly?

Kathryn Borel Jr. has the answer in a nifty video post over at BoingBoing.

If you can’t watch the video, the short answer is that you are supposed to swirl and sip the wine to see if it has gone bad (or become “corked”). The waiter doesn’t especially care if you approve of the vintage, he just wants to know if he needs to go back to the cellar to get you a better bottle.

The “grow local” organic food movement has become a big deal in the culinary world. Fresh, seasonal, local is the mantra behind the entire New American cuisine.

Now you can learn to cook this way while discovering some of the best local produce grown in the Napa Valley.

The Cooking With Julie cooking school will hold a special “Garden To Plate” class beginning September 24. During the 4 1/2 day class, students will tour local farms including Hudson Ranch and Dickson Napa Ranch, plus visit the Napa Farmers Market. Students will receive hands-on instruction in Julie’s home kitchen, including cooking in an Italian wood-burning oven.

Cooking With Julie is located in near-by Napa, CA, just 17 minutes from our hotel (get directions here)

For more information, visit the Cooking with Julie web site.

Mario Andretti may be best known as a race car driver, but in 1996 he founded Andretti Winery to capture some of the flavor of his native Italy. You can sample some of his wines at the winery’s Labor Day Weekend Lobster & Seafood Fest. Guests will enjoy Maine lobster, prawns and a complete seasonal menu.

Tickets are $100 and must be purchased by September 2. More information here.

Andretti winery is located outside of near-by Napa, just 15 miles from our hotel. Get directions here.

Peju Province Winery is a boutique winery in near-by Rutherford that is famous for three things: its award-winning wines, its beautiful gardens, and a tasting room staffed by the Valley’s only ““Yodelmesiter” (that’s right, he yodels while he pours).

Labor Day Weekend you can be among the first to taste Peju Wineries 2006 Rutherford Reserve Cabernet Sauvingon at the winery’s pre-release party. This is Peju’s signature wine and sure the be a crowd pleaser. Small bites will be served, presumably with some fine yodeling.

The event will be held Sunday, September 6, from 12 - 3 PM. Get more information at the Peju Province Winery web site.

We’re not big fans of amateur “How To Host a Murder” dinner parties. They usually fall flat when your party guests can’t get into character. But the Napa Valley Wine Train has taken the idea one step further, mixing professional actors in period costume with their dinner guests. The actors mingle with guests while subtly dropping clues to the mystery, leaving the guest free to play detective.

It’s a clever idea, and all the better because the mystery takes place on a historic train rolling through the Napa Valley. And its based on an actual 1915 case from the Bay area (sorry, you can’t Google the solution).

The Napa Valley Wine Train hosts this intriguing event on Thursday, September 3 at 5:55 PM. Get details and tickets here.

The Napa Valley Wine Train departs from 1275 McKinstry Street, Napa, CA, near downtown Napa, CA. Click here for directions from our hotel.