Dining Room Furniture

Archive for May, 2009

If you see more than 300 people waiting to get aboard one green, gold and burgundy train at 11:30 am or 6:30 pm on any day, do not wonder where they are going. This is the magnificent Wine Train that they are getting on to takes them on a 3-hour long joy ride that is truly one of a kind. This train that caused more controversy than the Hindenburg when it started in September of 1989 has carried more than 1 million passengers till date.

Most of the people who take a trip on the glorious Wine Train alight 3 hours and 36 miles later, having eaten the best food, tasted the best wines and seen some of the best wineries in a region that is scenic and produces the best wine in world. Most of these people 370 people that the train can accommodate admit that the adventure through Napa Valley was well worth the cost of this joy ride.

The train itself, apart from the journey it embarks upon, is beautiful. With its 370 people capacity, it is a step back into an era where romance and luxury were much appreciated. Each car of the train is unique and lavish. Classy upholstery, swiveling chairs, deep mahogany trimming, deep and soft carpets, velvet curtains, marble sinks, snowy white towels and tables set with the best damask linen, china and crystal are what sets the train apart from other touring trains. And ofcourse we must not forget the friendly staff and crew on the train who are there to make sure that you are comfortable and well taken care of during the 3 hour tour. And they won’t mind stopping for a minute or two to discuss the wineries, make a comment or two about the scenery.

Everyone is handed a brochure on entering the train. This is the Wine Train’s promotional brochure, which lists more than 60 wineries of the Napa Valley. Most of the wineries that are listed are not visible from the train but those that are visible are among the best and most interesting. These wineries are Trefethen, Domaine Chandon, Cakebread Cellars, Inglenook and Sequoia Grove. The most famous wineries are Robert Mondavi, a landmark winery and Beaulieu and Grgich hills. Do not be surprised if a crew member points out a winery or two like Far Niente or Conn creek. At the end of the 3 hour train ride, you will be richer in the knowledge of wineries and wines produced in the Napa Valley area.

The train makes two trips on weekdays and three trips on weekends, which include brunch. The lunch trip which lasts for three hours leaves at 11:30 am, while the three and half hour dinner trip leaves at 6:30 pm. The meals on the Wine Train are par excellence. They match the romantic and luxurious mood of the train. A typical lunch on the Wine Train would include a salad of lettuce tossed with hazelnut and sherry vinaigrette. The main course could be Chicken ****** marinated with white wine or Black Angus filet mignon with red wine. Pasta is always on the menu.

By: Kris Koonar

When you go to the wine capital of California, missing out on experiencing Napa Valley wine tours is the last thing you would want to do. There are lots of things you will get to experience when you go to Napa Valley, and often times, hotels in the area and even travel packages are already included with the activities you will choose doing while on the area. With an estimated number of over three hundred wineries established in the county, experiencing a Napa Valley wine tour becomes an exquisite pleasure.

Activities During Napa Valley Wine

ToursThere are plenty of stuff which are being showcased in such a tour. One of them is of course wine-tasting. But more than just letting you sip lots of wine from many refineries, tour guides (who most of the time are the owners themselves) also teach a few tricks and tips when it comes to reaching satisfaction in wine tasting. Some even teach you how to appreciate wine and note differences in various wine products. Aside from this, wine tours also let you on the colorful histories of many popular wineries, so you can get a glimpse of how these distilleries started out and what’s the secret behind their generations of success.

Aside from these really cool experiences, there are also wine and food pair-ups. One of the things that wineries keep in store for their visitors is to educate them about the ways in which food and wine can help enhance each other’s taste. If you are lucky, you will be in on some food and wine pairing festivity while experiencing a Napa Valley wine tour. This way, you will get to see and experience how wines can fare alongside various cuisines from all over the world. You will also get to meet a lot of people, and in essence increase your networks throughout these fun-filled activities.

What You Should Remember with Wine Tours

In order for you to fully maximize that wine tour experience, there a few important tips that you must remember. One of them is to at least get to visit three different wineries in one day. Doing this will help you realize how Napa Valley was able to achieve its worldwide popularity based from the wine industry, and it will also help you appreciate the beauty of the entire wine area.

Then of course, you should also remember to practice wine etiquette as you go along these wine tours. This involves the three S to wine tasting — you Swirl your glass, you Sniff it, and then you Sip the wine. If your host asks you what you think of the wine, it’s better to be honest than put on a fake smile and say that you like it. Remember that not all wine are meant to taste sweet and be ultimately pleasurable to drink. So, it’s better if you really say how the wine made you feel because wines also, are made distinct according to their own personalities.To cap your day of wine tasting tour, make sure you indulge yourself in some gourmet food for that full of wine experience. There are plenty of gourmet restaurants you can choose from while enjoying Napa Valley Wine Tours, so you can be guaranteed to never really run out of food choices.

By: Leon Endo

Napa Valley with more than 360 wineries is considered the heart and soul of American winemaking. This beautiful valley located in California is very small, yet where wine making is concerned it is very big. Napa valley produces more than 12 dozen varieties of grapes. The two most popular varieties of that Napa Valley produces are Cabernet Sauvignon for red wine and Chardonnay for white.

The Cabernet Sauvignon variety of grapes is used to produce the best red wines from the regions of Medoc and Graves. Chardonnay which is used to make the best white wines and white burgundies is considered to be the best variety of grapes of the Champagne region of France and is found in Napa Valley. When we talk about wines, we actually talk about the grapes that are used to make them. Here are some of the most popular varieties of grapes of the Napa Valley

Charbono

Charbono grapes, which were brought to California from France in 1869, are red grapes used to produce the best red wines. Inglenook, one of the oldest and best wineries in California started using Charbono to make the best red wine in the 1880s. Now with only 75 acres of Charbono grape vineyard left and most of it in the Napa Valley, it is fair to say that Charbono belongs to Inglenook and Napa.

The Charbono wine is a rich and deep colored wine with a spicy aroma. It is a full-bodied wine with hints of berry and roasted coffee. Its texture is like velvet and it has a cedar undertone to it. This Charbono wine can taste vital, fresh and young even after years of aging, the reason for this is because of the tannins, which keep the wine tasting fresh and young.

Semillon

Semillon though not so well known is a good white wine grape. This Bordeaux wine grape was brought to California and specifically to Napa Valley much later and only for it to be blended with the Sauvignon Blanc, which is a floral and pungent grape. Semillon on its own can make a good wine of a unique flavor and superior quality than the Sauvignon Blanc, but no region in France, which is considered the land of wines, produces a pure Semillon wine. California however has a few wineries like the Clos du Val winery in Napa Valley that makes pure Semillon wine.

Chenin Blanc

The Chenin Blanc grape is a functional grape. It is used to make many wines like Vouvray, Anjou, Saumur and wines that vary from crisp, fruity, dry to rich, full and smooth. California started using Chenin Blanc to make sparkling and jug wines, but in Napa Valley, Chenin Blanc is used to make fruity, airy and delicate fine wines. This was initiated by the Chappellet winery in the Napa Valley. The Chappellet Chenin Blanc wine is popular as being a wine of fine quality and a blend of aromas like green aromas, citrus with a taste of melon, peaches, spice and vanilla.

By: Kris Koonar