One Day in Napa (Part One) - Merryvale

If you have caught Disney's animated film, Cars, you will understand how I have felt when we first drove into Napa Valley. As Lightning McFlash was in awe of the great Grand Canyon, my eyes brightened at the first sight of the wine county.

Though it is still cold winter and the vines are bald, the rustic and simple beauty of Napa Valley naturally shines under the sun. I went passed wineries after wineries, mentally trying to capture images of the lovely country.

Today, we (Gretchen & 1) drove to St. Helena, Napa with a purpose. George is celebrating his 50th birthday on 24 March and sweet Gretchen is throwing a party at Merryvale, a beautiful winery. So we went to Merryvale to check out the place and mind you, what a fabulous place it is!


The Dining Room at Merryvale

Dinner will be served at the above Dining Room, which glows from the light of candles; the row of wine casks add a rich tone of warmth and happiness as the room is decorated in Burgurdy. For someone who lives in the city, this will be one unforgettable party and I'm already deciding on my dress!


Wine Tasting at Merryvale

Merryvale is one of the hundreds of wineries in Napa Valley and definitely an elegant one. They do a small selection of red and white wines, with an excellent dessert wine called Antigua. Made from Muscat grapes, Antigua is bottled in a Johnnie Walker lookalike bottle and was intensely smooth with rich burst of nutty flavour. This is absolutely great with chocolates!


Merryvale, located in the First Winery built in Napa Valley following the Prohibition

I'll post more on Merryvale soon. Meanwhile, you can visit them at www.merryvale.com