Tag Archives: wine country

St. Helena – California

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The City of St. Helena is located in the center of the world famous wine growing Napa Valley, 65 miles north of San Francisco. The area was settled in 1834 as part of General Vallejo’s land grant. The City of St. Helena was incorporated as a City on March 24, 1876 and reincorporated on May 14, 1889.

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The St. Helena area was home to the Wappo people, a Yukian-speaking group who were the area’s earliest inhabitants. The local Callajomanes tribelet village was called Annakotanoma or Anakanoma and was located where Sulphur Creek meets the Napa River. The earliest white settlers in St. Helena were John York, who lived on what is now Dean York Lane, and David Hudson, whose house is still located at Beringer Winery.

We loved the quaint feel of the town and so appreciated that the old buildings were kept in their original manner

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We were planning to have lunch at  the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

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….but alas…..they were closed!!!!

We came upon COOK and decided that the place was perfect for a lunch break..

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We loved the décor and found the wait staff to be relaxed and friendly..

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The Menu was quite lovely and promised all sorts of delights…

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The Kitchen was open so the Tin Man went to investigate the happenings…

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A cozy table was found and the culinary journey began…

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The faux trophy in the lobby was beautiful…

california 326 Of course then it was off to the streets to find a sweet something…….

Oh look…….The Model Bakery……..

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It is lovely here in St. Helena ……but we must get back to Napa and have dinner….

Beautiful Vineyards ……..

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So……….finally some food!……….Dinner in downtown Napa..at Celadon..in the Historic Napa Mill

Lovely rustic environment and first class service…..

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Sangria…….Soup………Crab Cakes……….Mussels……..ah perfection…

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It has been a day filled with culinary delights…….hope you are ready for a nap……..I am!

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St. Francis Winery – Sonoma, California

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For more than four decades, the wines of St. Francis Winery & Vineyards have reflected the finest mountain and valley vineyards in Sonoma County.

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Founder, Joe Martin, fell in love with Sonoma Valley and established St. Francis Vineyard in 1971, planting 22 acres of Chardonnay and the first 60 acres of Merlot in Sonoma Valley.

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After achieving great success as a grower, Joe opened his own winery in 1979 with his business partner Lloyd Canton.

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Today, a new generation of winemakers, Katie Madigan and Chris Louton, continues the long tradition of luscious, elegant, fruit-driven wines from Sonoma County grapes.

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Currently,  more than 400 acres of Certified Sustainable estate vineyards in Sonoma Valley and Russian River Valley are farmed. 

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Each with varying compositions of loam, clay and volcanic soils.

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Well, the Tin Man, et al, embarked upon a seated, multicourse Wine & Food Pairing, orchestrated by Executive Chef Bryan Jones who created an assortment of small dishes  paired with hand-selected artisan wines.

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We enjoyed stunning vineyard views and an amazing fine dining presentation at a shared table.

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The seating was hosted by a knowledgeable and friendly wine expert, who created a relaxing, fun and unforgettable wine country experience. 

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If you are planning a trip to the wine country, this is an experience that should not be missed

Click HERE to make your reservations

The Menu was impressive and inspired..

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We began with the Smoked Beet Salad

Grilled Spring Onion – Green Garlic Purée – Aleppo Pepper – Goat Cheese Fondant – Almond Nougat

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Then the second culinary masterpiece was presented…. Red Wine Braised Duck accompanied by 2013 Pinot Noir

Coriander Spätzle – Endive – Pistachio – Tart Cherry-Apricot Mostarda

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Course Number Three…….Arctic Char a la Barigoule accompanied by 2013 Chardonnay

Celery Root-Yukon Gold Potato Puree – Saffron – Preserved Lemon – Parsnip Chips

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le Quatrième Cours…..Coffee & Cocoa Crusted NY Strip Loin with 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Roasted Cauliflower – Smoke Garlic – Crispy Shallots – Bordelaise

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La Finale …… Sucreries….Mexican Chocolate Pot du Crème accompanied by 2012 Ruby Port

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Marvelous Culinary Delights and the Creator himself….Executive Chef Bryan Jones…

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It was a most fantastic experience…..delightful, educational and most of all delicious!

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