Note: This is part two of the series, Long Weekend in California Wine Country. Click the image for part one.
Sunday: Papapietro Perry Winery, Trattore Estate Wines, Dry Creek Olive Company, Dry Creek General Store and Armida Winery
To commence our final two days in Napa and Sonoma, we drove to the Warm Springs Dam, where there is a scenic lookout over Lake Sonoma.
We then followed the Dry Creek Road down to a cluster of tasting rooms. Our favorites were the Papapietro Perry Winery and Trattore Estate Wines and Dry Creek Olive Company.
With an unassuming, but cheerful interior, Trattore offered friendly service and a lovely sampling of wines. We couldn’t resist purchasing the 2011 Viognier. Knowing that we would be flying back overseas soon, we didn’t snap up any of the wonderful olive oils and vinegar also on sale there. Shawn’s mother did, though, and we would later enjoy sprinkling both in our salads while preparing lunches back at his parents’ home. (Our favorites were a subtly-flavored lemon olive oil and pomegranate vinegar).
Across the street from Trattore is the Papapietro Perry Winery, so we naturally headed there after trying Trattore’s wines. Shawn’s father purchased an extraordinary 2009 Pinot Noir, which we enjoyed on their cozy porch that overlooked a red barn, and more vineyards.
We picked up take-out sandwiches at the Dry Creek General Store before heading to the Armida Winery, a spot inextricably associated with bocce ball matches and wine for Shawn and his family. There, we savored our Dry Creek General Store sandwiches. (I had chosen well with a perfectly spiced chicken curry salad sandwich. Thank heavens this weekend landed on our agenda before I had to embark on a gluten-free lifestyle!)
Under the watchful eye of a lion sculpture, we played several heated matches of bocce, a ball sport popular in Italy and France that’s similar to games played in the Roman Empire. I was pleased that I experienced the beginner’s luck phenomenon during one of the rounds.
Monday: Petrified Forest and V. Sattui Winery
En route to Napa, signs to the Petrified Forest caught our eye, nudging us to pay homage to the park’s redwoods, which were turned into stone over three million years ago following a volcanic eruption. During all of Shawn’s familial pilgrimages to Napa, they’d never stopped at the Calistoga natural wonder. The park was small, but we enjoyed seeing the age-old redwoods (particularly since we’d just visited the famous coastal redwoods farther north, a bit earlier in the season). As we turned back to the car, a harmless fellow even slithered along our footpath, just to show that there’s much life among those stone, lifeless Calistoga trees.
Our last stop before heading back to my in-laws’ home was the V Sattui Winery. On the way, we passed through Napa’s charming downtown, and the Napa Wine Train zipped past us. (Both are on my itinerary the next time we are in California wine country!) As we entered the V. Sattui grounds, we brushed by chest-high buckets of grape bunches which had just been harvested.
I immediately fell for V. Sattui’s old world charm: its inviting grounds, shaded by a canopy of old oak trees; its flower-studded landscaping, and its classic stone structure, which was built relatively recently. I also loved our informal picnic offerings, reminiscent of those we’d feasted upon at Ledson two days earlier: cheese, bread and artichoke spread. A 2011 Gamay Rouge rounded off the picnic, and then we bode farewell to Napa and Sonoma. At least for now.
Where in the World?
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
Travels With Tricia 
Your pictures just made us want to rush back and experience the joys of Napa again. Thanks for bringing back so many wonderful memories.
Putting together the post elicited the same feelings for us too, Mary Ann. :) Here’s to next time!
I probably said this after part 1, but I love wine country! It makes for such a romantic get away.
I couldn’t agree more. What are your favorite wineries/wine country spots?
I love wines from the Russian River and Alexander Valley. I also love Paso Robles. In fact, I got engaged in Paso last May.
Congratulations on your engagement! I’ve not visited Paso Robles, but wine country has such a universally-beautiful appeal that I’m sure it was a stunning backdrop. How fun to be able to return there in future years to celebrate too. Where will you/did you get married?
That’s great idea… I’ll have to suggest we do a wine trip for our first anniversary.
Great post … lovely pics … makes me want to jump in the car and head up there. We’ve never been to the petrified forest either, but now it’s on my list. On your next visit, be sure to stop by Porter Creek Vineyards – fabulous pinot noir and a beautiful plot of land on one of the prettiest roads in the county.
Carolyn, thanks for the recommendation to visit Porter Creek; I’m not sure when we’ll be headed to Napa next, but I have a feeling my in-laws and their good friends will be soon. It sounds quite scenic.
The Petrified Forest is a fun diversion, and a great place to start the day if it’s too early to start sampling wine. :)
Too many well composed images to list but I really enjoyed looking through them :)
Thanks, Bashar – do you make it to this part of California much?
Unfortunately not… I can’t believe I’ve been here for 4 years already! There is just so much to see & do… and then that thing thats called a job gets in the way :)
Bashar, I can relate – it’s often the sites ‘in your backyard’ that get forgotten. Here’s hoping you’ll be able to get out and explore more soon.
These photos are all so beautiful and summery. It looks like a great place to visit.
It is, Carol. I’d wanted to see this part of the United States for many years, and we couldn’t have ended up there during a more picturesque time of year.
Tricia, Thank you for the beautiful wine tour!!
Happy to have you along, Judy. :)
What a lovely place to picnic – enjoy wine – and have a romantic time. Virginia
It was – I’m wondering if it was even more romantic during its earlier days when you visited there, Virginia?
My stomach’s rumbling at the thought of thought of that sandwich, and you recent cookie recipe. :)
It was pretty sleepy. Just a few wineries having tasting. I absolutely fell in love with it. Now I don’t think it would be my cup of tea. A little too precious. V.
Virginia, makes me wonder what the next up and coming wine spot is? I agree that it’s fun to explore an area before the crowds come full force; I think that’s why I always enjoyed France’s Alsace region. Seems less commercialized overall.
Wonderful photo essay
Many thanks, Mona! It sounds cliché, but it was a picture-perfect weekend. We couldn’t have timed our autumn visit better.
Wow looks like a great day.
A great day, and a great 4-day weekend! Have you had the chance to explore New Zealand’s wine country at all, Mark?
Yes, spent many long afternoons in Vineyards around Nelson (South Island) and Auckland (North Island)
I miss california and this place will be added when I am back there on my ‘to visit” list :D
Nessy, isn’t it funny how that ‘to visit’ list seems to get longer the more of the world you see? :) In what part of the world are you now?
Beautiful photos Tricia. Who’d have thought flowers in a jar could look so pretty.
Thank you, Melinda! There is a sort of effortless beauty with that combination, isn’t there?
What part of Australia do you hail from, and how often do you make it to France?