Our room rate includes a buffet breakfast, which wasn't all that bad. We dined on the patio and two geese stood on the other side of the fence waiting for a morsel. After breakfast we hopped in the car and headed up the road to the Beringer vineyard where we had an 11:00 tour. On the way, we popped off the road in Yountville to see where we were eating that night. What an adorable little town. Can't wait to go back for dinner. On to St. Helena, where we stop at Dean and Deluca and marvel at all the tidbits. We had thought about having a picnic, but didn't want to go to all the bother. I swooned at the salt display when Frank took the lid off the Black Truffle salt. I bought a jar. (Hopefully the TSA dogs at the airport won't think it's drugs or explosives)
Our tour at the Beringer vineyard was wonderful. We started with a wine tasting in the garden behind one of the Beringer brothers homes. We took our wine with us out into the vineyard where we got to taste the grapes that were used in the wine. We then moved inside the cellar for a tasting. The wines were pretty good. I've mostly had their low-end offerings at the grocery, but their high-end wines are very good, especially the port. We sampled the port with chocolate, which enhanced the flavor tremendously. Unfortunately, during one of the pours of red wine, the tour guide pulled the bottle away too soon and dumped red wine all down the arm of my white tunic. I was pretty upset as I didn't want to look or smell like a derelict for the rest of the day. They gave me a bottle of wine-away, which did me no good for that day. I just rolled up my sleeves. More wine please. The poor girl sitting next to me got a splash of red wine on her lovely white dress as well.
New Rule: Do not wear white or anything expensive to a wine tasting.
After the tour, we headed to Go Fish for lunch. I guess it was the heat of the day that caused us to chose sushi for lunch. Frank had edamame and I chose a cucumber salad as starters. We dined on the patio. I showed the waiter my red wine stains and asked for an iced tea. I've had enough wine today thank you very much.
After lunch, we decided to put the top down on the car and take a drive out to Lake Berryessa. My friend, Heidi, had recommended a few wineries out in that area. The drive was wonderful. Curvy roads so Frank got to practice his race techniques. Here we are on a driving vacation when the price of gas is at an all-time high. (the Volvo's tricked-out dashboard display told me we were averaging 25 mpg, which isn't bad considering my foot was to the floor)
During our drive, I developed intense stomach cramps, probably from the salt at lunch and we had to to back to the hotel... in a hurry. (I was still tailgated by locals in beat up pickup trucks. I guess having a turbo is no substitute for knowing the road.) Just as well because we both needed naps. It's hard to start drinking in the morning. I was in a lot of pain and couldn't think. Poor Frank was just flying down the Sliverado Trail probably thinking I was dying. I barely made it back to the room. That would have been a first in my life. (Reminds me of the scene in Sex and the City, The Movie, where Charlotte barely made it back to her room)For dinner, we went to Bouchon, which is my absolutely favorite restaurant. We drove past the French Laundry and I sighed heavily. Couldn't get a reservation and Frank is a little leary of paying $250 each for a meal even if it's the best restaurant in the world. I'm a big (chef) Thomas Keller fan. We always eat at Bouchon when we go to Vegas and now we were going to the source. Our dinner was magnificent. I started with a chilled tomato eggplant soup and Frank had a small order of moules and frites (mussels and fries, for those of you who had the good sense to study Spanish instead of French in high school). I then had the short ribs, which Frank usually gets and now I see why. Melt in your mouth goodness. Frank had the veal, and he was a little disappointed, which is how I usually feel when I don't get the short ribs. In short, get the short ribs at Bouchon. We ended with a cheese course that just blew me away. I just love that place.
Put the top down and cruised back to the hotel where we sat by the fireplace and had a glass of Beringer Port, which we had sampled at the winery. The day could have been a disaster, but the good far outweighed the morning's wine dump down my arm and the afternoon's intestinal emergency. The good news is that the intense orange smell of the Wine-away completely freshened up our room.
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