Napa Itinerary: Envy, Tudal & Bistro Jeanty

Aug 25

Aug 25 Napa Itinerary: Envy, Tudal & Bistro Jeanty

When you go to Napa, it's overwhelming.

There are so many vineyards that are priced differently AND have different wines AND have different ambiances AND are different distances apart.

Needless to say, it's hard to put together an itinerary. This itinerary is a suggestion for what can be done in a day in magical, snobby Napa Valley.

Helpful Tips

The thing to keep in mind when you visit Napa Valley is that you can realistically only do 2 or a maximum of 3 vineyards in a day (unless you're on a mission to get drunk on wine... #classy).
Chill, grab a drink: the point of Napa Valley is to enjoy the wine, not to marathon through it like a college kid with Franzia.
Don't be intimidated by wine snobs. You have a right to have an opinion on wine as well.
Wine tasting is subjective and everyone likes different wines, making it hard to rate. I've ranted about this previously in Napa Tour #1.

So my advice on wine tasting is:

Know a few grapes and variations you like
Like what you like
If you don't like wine, go to a place with a view

Without further ado, here's a sample itinerary for a day of wine tasting.

Envy

Envy is your regular Napa Valley vineyard. It has an indoor and outdoor seating area and a nice view outside. Unfortunately, it lacked character.

Ambiance: 3
Service: 4
Wine: 3 (per my taste- which may not be YOUR taste)

Envy Wines- Sorry about these unhelpful photos. They were taken before I knew I wanted to make a blog of them.

Tudal

This vineyard has a lot of character. It has a beautiful outdoor tasting room. The owners are dog lovers, so you'll likely see a cute doggy running around.

The service was great. We didn't have a reservation, but they accommodated us and gave us a thorough tour. There was a lot of seating and a lot of tables were equipped with wine dog books. This vineyard had plenty of places to wander - conducive to wine-xploration, which is a made up term. Great wine, great ambiance - I would recommend it!

Ambiance: 5
Service: 5
Wine: 4
I'd go back!

Tudal Winery - Where you can write on the wall

Bistro Jeanty for Dinner

If you want to have a fancy French dinner without going to a French Laundry-priced restaurant, try Bistro Jeanty. Bistro Jeanty is still expensive, but you won't have to book months in advance.

It's French so expect to be swimming in savory, buttery flavors. I'd recommend the stew.

While you're there, walk around French Laundry's garden.

If you haven't already, check out Napa Tour #1 for more options.