Napa Valley
“Love, like wine, gets better with time.”-Anonymous
As a busy adult, I truly appreciate the beauty and tranquility of Northern California's Napa Valley. With its awe-inspiring views and culinary treats, Napa can quickly transform a wine novice into an aficionado with the peaceful nature and relaxed vibe of America's most celebrated wine region.
As we drove through acres and acres of vineyards, my first question was, "What keeps this beautiful region from becoming hyper-commercialized?" Napa Valley's wine industry is considered the most highly regulated in the world. But the purpose is clear: to protect the agrarian character of the Napa Valley. "Long before green and sustainable were buzzwords, Napa Valley became the home of the first Agricultural Preserve in the U.S. in 1968 and today has the most comprehensive and stringent land use and environmental regulations of any wine growing region."
Imagine yourself sipping Cabernet in the vineyards, surrounded by gorgeous grape vines and rolling hillsides. Because of the microclimates and soil, Cabernet is king in Napa. However, over 500 hundred vineyards lined alongside the countryside of Napa Valley produce many glorified grapes. As I delightfully prepared my senses for this experience, I had no clue what to wear or any of the formalities of wine tasting.
WHAT TO WEAR WHILE WINE-TASTING
Since my first wine-tasting experience was to be one of the exquisite pairings, I wanted to be dressed for the occasion yet still comfortable to enjoy and endure the elements of the Vineyard.
Wine tasting gives off an air of refinement, and wine tasting in one of the most agriculturally rich environments in the country while celebrating the birthday of one of my longtime friends, with my husband by my side, well, that is a win all the way around.
I had to pack outfits that matched the iconic vibe of Napa. A rule of thumb for a weekend packing list is: A wine-tasting outfit for each day you're there, a nighttime dinner outfit to change into after tasting, a cute light jacket or dinner jacket, cute flats or espadrille, a workout outfit if you plan on exercising, and a travel outfit for the way there/back to Napa, make sure you have something cozy for the flight if you are traveling from the East Coast because the plane ride is easily 6 hours.
THE WEATHER
Although the beauty of Northern California is prevalent year-round, springtime is particular. Napa is a gem because it's still warm and fresh.
The average temperature in Napa Valley By Season varies between 50-80°F
Spring 70°F/Summer 80°F
A breathable dress, linen pants, and a crisp-cute top. Although it is tempting to wear heels, don't. A better option is flat sandals, comfortable wedges, or espadrilles.
Fall 75°F/Winter 55°F
August-October is considered Harvest season in Napa Valley. During this timeframe, the idyllic scenery sits perfectly amongst the weather in the early Fall. The temperature drops at night, so a Fall Dress paired with a cute casual blazer, sweater, or jacket and a pair of knee-high or thigh-high flat boots will be perfect.
Accessories: A beautiful hat to shield from the sun, a wine purse or carrier, snacks, and a dinner jacket for evenings out indulging in the fantastic restaurants in Napa after wine tasting.
Men's Attire in Napa: I loved watching my husband enjoy wine tasting. As intrigued as I was about the experience, he shared the sentiment. A crisp linen shirt, some nice shorts or tailored pants, a comfortable casual sneaker, or a loafer is always a great Napa look for men.
SHOP MY FAVORITE NAPA ATTIRE HERE
WINE LOVER TIP: What's the perfect essential for enjoying wine? It's a good glass. An excellent investment for any wine drinker is the proper wine glass. A well-designed glass will heighten the taste of any wine. Once poured into the glass, the wine is swirled, so a bigger, more expansive glass is better than a narrower glass filled to the brim. This is important because countless studies have shown that swirling wine releases more aromas and opens it up, which makes the wine taste better. CLICK HERE FOR ALL WINE-LOVER ESSENTIALS.
Visit the Vineyard
Krupp Brothers Winery Our first Wine Tour occurred at one of Napa's most iconic vineyards, Krupp Brothers Winery.
Nestled at the foot of the Vaca Mountains just off the iconic Silverado Trail, Krupp Brothers Winery offers one of the most memorable tasting experiences in wine country.
"Although its harsh landscape riddled with rocks and boulders, choked with chaparral with no known water source and no road access," the founders of Krupp Brothers, Dr. Jan and his brother Bart, fell in love with the rugged mountain site, and they saw the makings of the world-class Stagecoach vineyard. Rising high above marine layer fog in the Vaca Mountains with red, volcanic rocky soil, Stagecoach Vineyard produces some of Napa Valley's most coveted fruit. Stagecoach is the largest contiguous Vineyard in Napa today, providing fruit for some of the area's finest wineries." Dr. Jan Krupp hand-selected his favorite blocks for the Krupp Brothers to create wines of great intensity, nuance, and structure.
We enjoyed a private tasting experience at Krupp Brothers' bucolic Tuscan-inspired estate, accompanied by a tour of delicious seafood paella and an intimate conversation with the founder, Dr. Jan. We shared memories and deep belly laughs while celebrating my beautiful friend's birthday, Ryann Casey.
Castellucci Winery The second Vineyard we visited in Napa Valley was Castellucci Wines. It is a family-run business operated by Maria and Marco, brothers and sisters who grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and now live in Napa Valley.
The Castelluci family owns more than 50 acres of vineyards in Napa Valley, including Spring Mountain, Rutherford, and St. Helena (home of their Merlot).
We enjoyed the exquisite Castelluci Merlot on the grounds of the gorgeous Villa Mille Rose in Oakville from the previous proprietor and philanthropist, Maria Manetti Shrem; after building a career as a distributor of Gucci accessories, in 1994, she built a summer home on a 60-acre estate in Oakville and named it Villa Mille Rose, ("villa of a thousand roses"). In late 2021, the family acquired the gorgeous estate, which features 6.5 acres of vineyards, a rose garden, and an olive orchard.
Rather than hire an outside vineyard management company to manage their vines, Marco oversees several employees and manages them in-house. They continue to sell grapes to select wineries. Maria oversees the business operations of both their wines and their various properties. In addition to helping manage her family's real estate holdings, Maria is also an author. In 2023, she published a children's book titled Vivienne in Paris.
The Castellucci wines are grown and harvested to be balanced. Rather than release wines within the typical two-to-three-year release window of many wineries, they elect to hold on to them, giving them additional age. The red wines have savory sensibility and freshness, even some older bottlings. They are crafted to be enjoyed in their youth but with a simultaneous nod to the future. With proper cellar aging, their wines age wonderfully.
Celebrating with longtime friends:
Napa is the perfect location to indulge in delicious wine, eat fantastic food, and build lasting memories with friends and family. Amid all this magic, Coty's former teammate Jurrell Casey brought us together for an exquisite surprise birthday celebration for his beautiful wife and my longtime friend, Ryann Casey.
Ryann is a decorated criminal defense attorney licensed in California, Tennessee, and Colorado. She also co-founded the Casey Fund (TCF), an organization aimed at leveling the playing field for all to curb the school-to-prison pipeline and stop prison recidivism. She enjoys new adventures with her two sons and husband in her spare time.
Let's rewind to circa 2012, during my time in Nashville, TN. When Coty was drafted to the Titans, he played alongside Jurrell Casey, who was engaged to a beautiful queen named Ryann. I met Ryann at a Tennessee Titans Community Service event, and from the moment we started chatting, her intelligence, kindness, and loving spirit were a breath of fresh air. When she wasn't studying Law at Loyola Law School in Las Angeles, she was visiting her then fiancé Jurrel in Nashville. When the guys were away traveling during the season, Ryan and I built a lifelong friendship; here is a fun fact: When Ryann and I watched Titans games together, we would talk about world affairs during offensive plays and scream expletives during defensive plays while cheering on our future husbands. When Jurrell invited us to Napa Valley to celebrate her 35th birthday, it was a no-brainer to travel across the country to join these epic festivities.
Napa is also an extraordinary place for her because she is a winemaker and cofounder of Mela Wines. The word Mela, short for melanin, honors our shades of brown. In other languages, including Sanskrit and Hebrew, 'Mela' is defined as "to gather" and "to be full," respectively. Mela, which is made in Napa Valley, beautifully marries the essence of friendship, longevity, and quality.
Ryann and her beautiful college besties created the luxury wine brand Mela in 2020 when many things were seemingly unpredictable, and the need to stay connected with loved ones and treasure each day felt ever more pressing. One evening, during a walk down memory lane, Mela was born between sips of Cabernet and fits of laughter.
Mela creates wine for the modern wine enthusiast. Whether you're uncorking solo, tasting with friends, or pouring a glass for the whole family, Mela adds the finishing touch to any occasion.
Follow Mela and join the Mela Coterie today with Benefits: 2 Shipments Per Year, Spring & Fall, Ground Shipping is included in the total price, Discounted wine per club shipment, Merchandise discount, and Access to exclusive events and perks.
Until our next travel adventures, keep living, enjoying life, and spending precious moments with those you love.
XO,
Dom
