Napa / Sonoma/ Point Reyes

Napa

We spent a day in Napa and booked a tour with a guide to drive and book us in a few wineries. Mark was great, very knowledgeable and booked us for quiet private tastings at two awesome wineries.

Our first stop was at the Grape Crusher statue - a sight to behold!

The Grape Crusher is the largest sculpture cast west of the Mississippi, measuring three times life size and weighing 6,000 pounds. It is 15 feet high excluding a six-foot base. If the figure were standing upright, it would be 18 feet tall. The sculpture was cast using the lost art of cire-perdue - a method of metal casting in which a molten metal is poured into a mold that has been created by means of a wax model. Once the mold is made, the wax model is melted and drained away.

Wine Tastings - we enjoyed private wine tastings at Frog Leap and Jessup Cellars Tasting Gallery. Frog Leap was situated on the vineyard with tastings on the porch that overlooked the vineyards and wildflower and fruit gardens. Jessup Cellars offers tastings in an Art Gallery that has revolving exhibits from local artists. The weather was sunny and warm and we enjoyed the tasting locations as much as the delicious wines!

Sonoma

We enjoyed driving through the Sonoma countryside. We were so happy that we happened upon the Sunset Test Gardens at Sonoma Cornerstone- we really enjoyed strolling through them!

Cypress Tree Tunnel - Point Reyes

Monterey Cypress is one of the few tree species adaptable to the wind and ocean weather conditions of Point Reyes and these trees planted in the 1930s now form a spectacular tree tunnel!

Point Reyes National Seashore

We drove to Point Reyes National Seashore - in addition to the gorgeous beaches and lighthouse- we saw a coyote, cows, hawks, deer and elk! Breathtaking nature day!!