Places I've Stayed:

Harvest Inn by Charlie Palmer: I actually enjoy this place quite a bit--and for the price even more so.  Each room has a fireplace & suite setting, with complimentary rides to and from dinners in town.  They generally have wine tastings in the lobby with a newly renovated dining experience.  Generally, after a day of wine tastings we grab some cheese and wine from the market in St. Helena and enjoy the sun by the pool. We own a sumo photo book by Annie Leibovitz that was offered from the local Aerena Gallery in St. Helena.

Auberge du Soleil: Top Tier stay.  I cannot stop raving about this place.  My best friend, Chelsea, works for Hotel Jerome in Aspen, which is a sister hotel--she always raves about the superior quality of the hotel.  When I arrived--I never wanted to leave.  Yes, I say this about my favorite stays, but you get the royal treatment here.  *Spoiler Alert: This is a pricey stay--all rooms are private suites with a porch over looking vineyards, with a bottle of wine and champagne on entry.  One of my all time favorite pools... yes, I haven't seen a pool I haven't liked, but even Scott will tell you he had to drag me to the wine tastings.

Buy paying top dollar you also get the best perks-the hotel has multiple offers, one being a free wine tasting you choose from the list of offered wineries.  We chose Cliff Lede  and it was an amazing one-on-one experience where our wine education increased drastically--as well as our wine collection--EEK! 

I will say--if the price tag deters you from staying, which is completely understandable, you MUST get a drink on the wraparound deck at sunset (any time really..but i'm a sucker for a great sunset.)  There is also a fantastic restaurant here; however, you can eat and drink your way through Napa hardly making a bad decision. If you do go, check out the spa--even if you aren't getting a treatment, there is a relaxing infinity hot tub with a breathtaking view. 

Favorite Spots to Eat:

Tre Vigne:  Was a fantastic Italian Restaurant.... the bad news.. they decided not renew their lease.. fingers crossed something develops.

Press: Chophouse with great food & wine.  Depending on the time of year, do request seating out back.  Right on St. Helena hwy in St. Helena. Close Proximity to the Harvest Inn.

French Laundry: I have not eaten here--it is a fixed menu, you need to book 60 days minimum in advance, not even AMEX will get you in, although I've heard through the grapevine to get put on waitlist because its Napa and people over drink and cancel. You will find if I'm going to spend money its on wine not super expensive food--unless its at NOBU of course. 

Wineries:

The first trip we took to Napa, we checked out: Frank Family Vineyards, Rombauer, Heitz, Caymus, Duckhorn, Stag's Leap, etc. It was a great weekend...but we kind of entered Napa a bit uneducated. The first trip was solely to learn and appreciate the process of wine making. 

We had taken some notes from friends in the San Fran area, then by word of mouth checked out other spots.  We now plan our trips solely through recommendations from our favorite wineries and friends to find smaller, more intimate wineries.  Either way you choose to do Napa is great, it really depends on your vested interest, wallet, and wine cellar goals.

Our good friends in River North-Chicago recommended a place called Maisonry.  Maisonry offers private boutique tastings, offering multiple different vineyards, while showcasing a contemporary art gallery.  For Christmas this year, we engraved a bottle of wine from a vineyard through Maisonry to give to our friends.  It was a great suggestion and introduction to new vineyards.  

Caymus: We blindly entered Caymus Vineyards, unknowing they would introduce us to our favorite wine (with reasonable price point as well!) The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon 40th Anniversary wine.  We went a tad overboard and purchased cases and cases--now desperately seeking more for our cellar.  Caymus is owned by the Wagner Family, who all specialize in a different type of wine.  Caymus remains one of our all time favorite wines.

Far Niente: We visited this winery in the fall---and it was amazing.  I had been trying to get to Nickel & Nickel for the past 3 trips unsuccessfully and Far Niente is the parent company.

 The experience here was the most in-depth and informative tour.  We were taken into the caves and shown the barrels, taught about the storage and everything that takes place with winemaking process.

 To date this has been the best experience I've had in Napa. We immediately signed up for a wine club and put on the waitlist for the Cave Collector's Club--which (PHEW!) we were accepted into this past January.  I highly recommend Far Niente--even for the experience itself.

Corison: 

Duckhorn:

Cakebread:

Opus One: Gorgeous facility& impeccable wine.  I would not recommend Opus for a traveler who isn't a Wine Enthusiast; it's very costly and you will get more for your money at many other tastings.  If you are a Cabernet lover, like myself, then I would add this to your list of wineries. 

Cliff Lede: This was an unexpected spot--part of our hotel offer at Auberge du Soleil was a tasting here and it was great.  We had a one-on-one tasting with a fine gentleman who educated us on aspects of Napa we were clueless to.  

There is a special room at Cliff Lede that we had the opportunity to check out--generally you need a "backstage pass."  The exhibit being shown was all about the Grateful Dead!  

The owner of this vineyard is a Canadian who loves Rock n' Roll-to the extent he names the blocks on the vineyard different album titles... Dark Side of the Moon... Abbey Road.. etc Gotta love a guy into his music! 

Wine Clubs: A great way to get a collection started and also diversify your cellar is to join a few clubs.  Each winery has different allotments and tiers, so you can decide which works best for you.