Enjoy Elevation Ten Wine and Discover the Clarksburg Wine Region

Summer dinners are best spent outside enjoying wine and making homemade personal pizzas for the family!  Living in Northern California has lots of great benefits - the weather, outdoor recreation activities, easy access to the beach, desert, mountains, etc.  However, one of my personal favorite benefits is access we have to some of the best vineyards/wineries in the world!  Many of you know that I love to gather friends and family together to go wine tasting and explore many of the great wine regions we have in Northern California  (e.g. Sonoma, Napa, Carmel Valley, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, etc.)  However, one area that's new to me that I recently discovered is Clarksburg! 

 

If you haven't explored the Clarksburg, CA wine region you should definitely put it on the list! The Clarksburg AVA is an American Viticultural Area that spans three counties in California's Sacramento Valley, located in portions of Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo Counties along the Sacramento River.  There are over 12 wineries and tasting rooms to visit, 7,000 acres of wine grapes grown in the region, and over 35 varieties to sample.  The most popular in the region being Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Petite Sirah, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Photo Credit: Clarksburg Wine Growers & Vintners Association

Many wineries and tasting rooms remain closed due to COVID-19 and some are just beginning to open up and welcome guests with new social distancing practices.  You'll want to check out each winery website for specific operating hours before you visit.  Check out this link for a list of the wineries and tasting rooms in the Clarksburg wine country...I'm sure you'll recognize some of these brands!    In the mean time, you can still support your favorite local wine brands by purchasing online.  

I am so excited and thrilled to team up with Elevation Ten Winery who recently sent me a few bottles of their wine to try!  They have graciously offered my readers a discount of 30% off your entire order and $10 flat rate shipping! Please use code: "elevationten2020" on their website when you checkout.  You can shop their fabulous wine selection here.  If you’re looking for recommendations, I highly suggest the 2017 Clarksburg Reserve Chardonnay and the 2016 Fairplay Malbec!   My husband and I recently uncorked these bottles to enjoy while making homemade pizzas for dinner at home!  

Have you been to the Clarksburg, CA wine region?  What is your favorite winery to visit and why?  I would love to hear from you in your comments below!  

Cheers!

Hayley

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Starmont Winery

We recently headed out for a quick day trip to Napa to celebrate my birthday!  My husband was traveling, so I brought along the girls with my two 9 year twin boys.  (Pictured below from left to right: my niece Brianna; my sister Heather, my aunt Diana, and me).

I saw a Groupon (details to follow below) for Starmont Winery and before I purchased it, I called ahead to confirm availability.  I wanted to ensure the winery offered a family friendly environment as I was traveling with kids!  I spoke with Spencer on the phone and he assured me that kids were welcome to Starmont and even had some fun activities to keep them busy such as puzzles, games, jump rope, cards, snacks and drinks.  



Starmont recently opened their tasting room this past summer.  The scenery was breathtaking from the moment we drove in.  Starmont is located on a portion of the historic Stanly Ranch and sits between Carneros and Napa Valley, a region known for it's Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varietals.  Spencer enthusiastically greeted us when we arrived and created a most enjoyable experience for my entire family.      

Just outside the open, airy, and modern tasting room is a beautiful outdoor courtyard.  This was our favorite place to relax by the fire pit and sip wine.  There are many different wine tasting experiences to try out.  You can check out Starmont's full list here.  

We enjoyed a portion of our wine flight in the courtyard but then decided to go inside to check out the new tasting room.  The indoor space was just as beautiful as the outside.  The interiors were modern and sleek with pops of color but still maintained that rustic Napa charm.   

Spencer's detailed knowledge and expertise of each wine in our flight was very educational. 

We tasted a number of different wines in our flight including:

2013 Viognier - flirty and crisp

2012 Chardonnay Stanly Ranch Estate - a hint of tropical fruit flavor, lemon, cinnamon & orange

2013 Pinot Noir Stanly Ranch Estate - suave, smooth, and sultry

2013 Syrah Stanly Ranch Estate - my favorite!

2012 Forward Kidd Napa Valley Red Wine - red blend with hints of raspberry, plum, and blueberry 

I love the red stools!  It's a perfect pop of color against the bright white tables and chairs and rustic wood plank walls.  

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Starmont Winery.  If you are planning a trip to Napa Valley, I would highly recommend a stop here.  The experience was the highlight of our day and we look forward to visiting again!  Of course before we left, we picked up a few bottles to take home and enjoy!  

Thanks for having us Starmont!

Happy Travels!  

Hayley

What's in Hayley's weekend Napa bag?  See see below and remember to bring layers because it gets chilly in Napa in the winter!  Oh by the way, here is the Groupon we used for our wine tasting at Starmont!  Enjoy!

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Weekend Napa Trip Part 2

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area has many perks...excellent restaurants, diverse culture, fun entertainment venues, great outdoor activities, etc. However, the best thing about living here is the close proximity to so many fabulous places to visit...the city, the beach, the mountains, and of course the Napa Valley/Sonoma wine country.

This past New Years weekend, I took a short road trip with my family to visit this "world famous wine growing region" where "the wine is bottled poetry".  The grape vines are dormant and the air is much cooler and crisp in the winter time.  Therefore, it's a good idea pack with layers in mind.  I made sure to bring a few cozy over-sized sweaters in my weekend bag along with a pair of jeans that mixed and matched each day.  I also brought a pair of boots that were comfortable to walk around in.  Don't forget to bring a beanie, a coat, and perhaps an umbrella this time of year!  We are currently having an El Nino weather pattern in California so it's best to be prepared.  However, don't worry too much about the weather...the winter months are less crowded and the accommodations are warm and inviting with cozy fireplaces and steam/mineral baths to keep you perfectly relaxed.

Shop what's in my winter Napa weekend bag below.
   

Our first stop after breakfast, previously featured in this post here, was a wine tasting and tour at Merryvale Winery and Vineyards located in St. Helena.  Reservations are not required for wine tasting.  However, if you are interested in a unique experience I would highly suggest the Artisanal wine and cheese tasting and their Profile Library tasting.  Both of these experiences require advance reservations which can be made online here.    

  

If you have never visited Merryvale, you will thoroughly enjoy the Cask Room where you are surrounded by two stories of century old 2,000 gallon casks which line the stone walls of the room. Check out these upcoming events which will truly make your visit to the Cask Room an unforgettable experience.  I may see you there for the Godfather movie night!!





As I mentioned, layers and warmth are essential for winter time in Napa.  I wore this cozy over-sized snowflake sweater with my favorite ripped jeans and these suede over the knee boots I got for Christmas and I was perfectly comfortable.    

We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Merryvale and look forward to our next visit.  Of course, we didn't leave without picking up a few bottles of wine to take home and enjoy!

Happy Travels,

Hayley

What's in Hayley's Winter Napa Weekend Bag?

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