Good Morning!

After the three great wine tastings, we needed a snack or maybe a full on lunch. One of my favorite places to hang out in wine country used to be called Taylor’s Refresher…it’s right n the main highway as you are driving through St. Helena. Last year the place was bought by another owner and it is now called Gott’s Roadside and this is not just a regular diner. This place has earned a James Beard award for it’s food…so it’s for real.

Over the years I have had Ahi Tuna, Champagne fish and Chips, fish taco’s, sweet potato fries, bacon cheeseburger, REAL milkshakes, mini-corndogs and of course they have a full wine list (and they are good wines, by the glass or by the bottle). They have a huge area filled with picnic tables and you can find a shady spot or enjoy the sun. Normally, the food line is backed up at least 10-20 deep, but we were there on a Monday at 2:45 so we missed the craziness of the crowd.

My wine tasting pals had never been there and we sat in the front of the building at a big table and the food was as awesome as I remembered. With this we soaked up some of the wine we had consumed…it’s not fancy but I think no trip to Napa is complete without them calling your name and you go get your food and bring it back to the table.

Across the street is the Merryvale tasting room, we always do these things together. Either before or after the sweet potato fries we hit up Merryvale and I have always used Merryvale as one of my “go to” tasting rooms when I have company visiting and they want to experience a great time. I love Merryvale’s wines, they are not cheap, I love their Oakville Cabernet…it will be at least $100 a bottle but I always buy a bottle or two to add to my personal cellar.

This trip to Merryvale tasting room was LAME. Normally, the hosts are totally engaging and they are excited to set up your tasting. Also, one of the coolest and most fantastic room/cellar/private dining areas, I have ever experienced and when we walked in and started looking into the room with huge dining table surrounded by barrels and dimly lit…it is quite spectacular, one of the hosts, walks over and closes the curtains and says we are having a private party in later and you can not see the room. Ok…well we strolled through their shop and I headed over to the tasting bar and stood there for about 7 minutes and with only one other couple in the massive tasting room and 2 other guys we working, but I could not get eye contact or engagement at all. I thought, well, I am not going to drop at least $200 and not get at least a hi..I’m outta here.

It might sound a little cranky (bitchy) but, I was done with that and the energy in the place was not at all what I have come to love and look forward to sharing with my friends. This experience will not stop me from going back to Merryvale and I will still love their wines, but I think this is one of my biggest complaints about certain tasting rooms, some are so welcoming and engaging and others are so stuffy and stand offish. I had an experience a few years ago on my first trip to Napa and we stopped in at one of my favorite wineries Whitehall Lane and I could not be more disappointed with the experience. I have been back to Whitehall Lane 3 more times since and still have not had a stellar experience in the tasting room, but I still enjoy their wines.

I think this is why I like to shout out great wine experiences whenever I can…I loved the experience we had at Truchard, Artesa and Crocker & Starr that day and over the years, I have had a tour and tasting at Beringer, Opus, Rabbit Ridge, Wente, Mumm, Peju, Merry Edwards, Cakebread and Far Niente all have been fantastic. Each place I had a blast, learned something really cool and the energy of the tasting room was vibrant and not the rushed feeling of hurry up and buy something and I can wait on someone else.

I love a great service experience, I made my living for years helping other people make a major career shift and I would bend over backwards to ensure the process felt exciting and motivating for each person. I just expect anyone in the service business to make the same effort I would for them if I were working with them.

Anyway, I wanted to share some more of my day in wine country with you…tomorrow I want to share with you the evening we had at a very famous chef’s place…Bottega.

Much LOVE and wine,

Tammi