The story of Pago de Carraovejas began in 1987 when chef, sommelier and restaurateur José María Ruiz decided that he wanted to make a great house wine for his namesake Segovia restaurant, Restaurante José María. What began with 9 hectares in Peñafiel, Spain has now become one of the most recognized and important Ribera del Duero wineries. Focused on making wines that respect and reflect the diverse terroirs of Ribera del Duero the winery is now in the hands of Pedro Ruiz, José María’s son, who took the reins in 2007. Pedro, who originally studied psychology in college, was only 25 years of ag ..read more

Tucked away off the beaten path in the town of Oakville, California you will find one of Napa’s most iconic wineries. Far Niente, an Italian phrase that translates into ‘without a care’ was founded in 1885 by gold miner John Benson who hired architect Hamden McIntyre to make his dream come to life. McIntyre, a well-renowned architect of the times, who had also designed some other prominent wineries and buildings in Napa Valley spared no detail when designing this now-renowned winery. Like many other wineries in the United States, Far Niente had to close its doors in 1919 because of Prohibitio ..read more

With Christmas upon us, we thought it was a good time to unveil the 2023 Wine Destinations’ Wine of the Year in case someone might want to surprise their special person with it. This year’s recognition goes to the 2013 Bodegas Vega Sicilia Unico. We have no doubt that this one would make a wine lover very happy on Christmas Day or any other day. Earlier this year we were fortunate to be welcomed by Bodegas Vega Sicilia at their winery in Ribera del Duero, Spain. Having this privilege gave us the opportunity to better understand their philosophy and their wines. Focused on the idea t ..read more

Comprised of 440 acres, with 400 of those acres planted to grapes, Trefethen Family Vineyards is Napa Valley’s largest single-family vineyard. The Trefethen dream began in 1968 when Eugene Trefethen purchased the land and an 1886 run-down winery and created the Trefethen Estate. It was however his wife’s, Catherine, love for gardening, entertaining and wine that inspired the planting of their vineyard. The Trefethen dream took another major step into becoming one of the most important wineries in Napa Valley in 1973 when John Trefethen, Eugene and Catherine’s son, married Janet and together t ..read more

The beginning of the winemaking story of Ribera del Duero, which has become one of the most important wine regions in the world, dates back over 2,000 years but perhaps it was in 1864, when Bodegas Vega Sicilia was founded, that the story of this extraordinary region began to take shape. It was then when winemaker, Eloy Lecanda y Chaves, began to plant vines at the estate, making Vega Sicilia the pioneering winery of Ribera del Duero. Fast forward more than 150 years and under the guidance of Pablo Álvarez, who believes “The best wine is always in the making”, Vega Sicilia has become an iconic ..read more

Over 20 years ago, not knowing much about red wines, we embarked on our first Napa Valley adventure and a stop at Grgich Hills Estate changed the way we viewed wine forever. It is safe to say that our understanding of Cabernet Sauvignon started on that visit to Grgich Hills when a kind tasting room steward decided to treat us to an in-depth tasting of their Cabernet while at the same time giving us a brief history lesson of the valley. Fast forward many years and we decided to visit the pioneering winery once more. To our delight, we were again treated to an enriching experience. The story of ..read more

The story of Ridge Vineyards dates back to 1885 when vines were first planted on their Monte Bello Estate, however, it was in 1962 when the winery was re-bonded by its new owners that it began to catch worldwide recognition for its Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Shortly after, they produced their first Zinfandel wine and since then have been one of the biggest advocates of the varietal. When visiting their Lytton Springs property, which became part of their estate in 1991, it became evident to us why Ridge Vineyards is synonymous with excellence. Focused on making pre-industrial, singl ..read more

Born from hardship in 2017 after the devastating Napa Valley wildfires, Kanpai Wines is now flying high. The project is the vision of Peter Chiang and his wife Azumi Kubo. Originally the family’s plan when they purchased the highly regarded Meadowbrook Farm Estate was to grow exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and continue the Farm’s tradition of selling the fruit to some of the most important wineries in The Valley. However, with the tragic wildfires came uncertain times and many wineries canceled their harvest contracts. Faced with this dilemma, Peter and Azumi made the brave decision ..read more

Nestled in the Sonoma Valley side of the beautiful Carneros AVA district you will find The Donum Estate. Donum, which is focused on showcasing the expression of terroir through single vineyard Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, is also home to The Donum Art Collection, one of the largest privately owned sculpture collections in the world, making The Estate a must visit for art and wine lovers alike.  Donum, meaning “gift of the land” in Latin, was founded in 2001 and is comprised of 220 acres with approximately 100 of those planted to vines. Committed to organic farming practices ..read more

One of the most fun but sometimes stressful things when planning a trip to Napa is deciding where to eat. In this case, the stress is not from a shortage of options but from deciding which great option to choose. To try and help with this riddle here are some of our favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner spots when visiting The Valley: BREAKFAST Calistoga Roastery - We are not big breakfast people but discovered this spot a couple of trips back while staying at The Bungalows at Calistoga. Located on Calistoga’s Main Street, this eclectic space is perfect for a good cup of coffee accompanied ..read more