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How to Squeeze in an Evening at Napa Valley and Why You Don’t Need a Whole Weekend to Enjoy It

Our trip to California was organized at the last minute with only a week or so to fill up our 9 days there. The original plan was to start in San Diego, drive to LA, and then round off our trip in San Francisco. Of course this sounded like an amazing vacation filled with three famous California cities with all different vibes and wonders to offer. However, there was one thing missing - the city of something very near and dear to my heart. Something that is part of my nightly ritual and all of my travels. I’m talking about the one thing that never fails to amaze me. And since my husband is already a part of this trip… I’m talking about wine! Vino, sweet, sweet (or dry) vino! There was no doubt I had to make a trip to the famous Napa Valley!

With that being said, our itinerary was already jam packed with activities in the three cities we planned to visit. However, we decided to squeeze one evening at Napa Valley in our schedule to make this wine-o a happy lady.

First things first, we needed a place to lay our heads at night. We looked at all of the nice hotels in the downtown area of Napa and every single one of them was booked - except one. That’s what happens when you book a last minute overnight in Napa on a Saturday. Rookie mistake.

My husband and I left an overnight stay in Pismo Beach in the late morning and arrived in Napa around 2 o’clock. That was enough time to grab a quick bite, come up with a game plan, and hopefully visit one or two vineyards since most of them close at 5:00 or 6:00 p.m.

We needed to find some tasty, trendy, and affordable vineyards and wineries to experience. We were taken aback when we saw how much some of these tastings were and most of them required a reservation. The one’s we were interested in were already fully booked. So our next plan was to look elsewhere. That’s when the wonderful app Groupon came into the picture. We searched coupons for Napa Valley wine tastings and saw an awesome deal at Starmont Winery & Vineyards for a tasting for two for $39, plus we had a $10 coupon AND got a free full sized bottle of their Chardonnay. We didn’t even have to think twice about the offer. I gave them a quick call and they were open for a tasting. Score! Off we went with parched mouths aching for a smooth glass of red and white.

At first impression I was blown away by how modern and trendy the winery was. The outside patio was filled with groups of people both young and old who were taking advantage of the great deal just like us. As we went into the tasting room our ears were greeted with funky music that included disco, hip hop, pop, mo-town and more! We were soon acquainted by one of Starmont’s pleasant employees who sat us down right away and began our wine tasting.

Our tasting began with perfectly worded explanations of each wine as we tasted them. We started off with the whites and of the two the Pinot Grigio was my favorite. Next we began with the reds including a Pinot Noir, a red blend, and a Syrah. All of the wines had a rich flavor, were very drinkable, and were all generously poured. Out of the five the Pinot Noir was by far my favorite because it was the lighter of the three red wines and had an amazing smooth finish. California wines are now my favorite, but shhh, don’t tell my Georgian friends! ;)

With the last glass of wine in our hands, we decided to take a look around the vineyard and enjoy the California sunshine. The vineyards were absolutely stunning and looked just as I imagined them in my mind. I was surrounded by beautifully structured grape vines, green grass, and gravel paths that made it easy to explore and enjoy the gorgeous, picturesque views that Napa Valley is known for.

Overall, I was blown away by our Napa wine tasting experience. The wine was delicious, the views were stunning, and the winery we got so lucky to find exceeded all our expectations. Starmont has the perfect modern twist and relaxed vibe that made us wish it stayed open all night long!

We rounded off our evening with more drinks in the downtown area and a delicious Italian meal at Oenotri. We started off with beverages. White wine for me and beer for my rebel of a husband. Soon came a mouth-watering cheese platter accompanied with honey, nuts, and bread. Nothing goes better with wine than cheese! I indulged in the carbonara as my main course and cleansed my palate with a lemon sorbet. I highly recommend Oenotri for a delicious and authentic tasting Italian dinner!

Even though we didn’t have a day full of wine tasting I still feel very fulfilled with our Napa experience. You don’t have to visit a ton of wineries to enjoy yourself, in fact all you need is one such as Starmont to have an amazing time!

The tips I have learned for planning a last minute stay in Napa:

- Check out Groupon to see about any deals happening at the wineries, hotels, and restaurants and take advantage of them! In fact, Starmont still has the same deal going on now, so act fast!

- When in doubt, Pinterest it out! You can find lists of all the best restaurants and wine tastings in already made lists and articles that takes the guess work out for you.

- Call the wineries to see if you need a reservation. Most wineries will be happy to squeeze you in, but it’s best to know before you show up and there’s no more spots!

- If you only have time for one wine tasting, then make sure to enjoy the wine at a slow pace, have fun with your company, and take in the beautiful views of the vineyards. Napa is a beautiful place to be!

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What would you do if you only had a few hours in Napa?!

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Thanks for reading and enjoy the quest!

#Napa Valley #California #Napa #Starmont #travel #jessonaquest #califonia road trip #wine #wine tastings #vineyards #wineries #downtown napa #traveling