Ranger Does Napa
Come all my hearties, we'll range the mountainside
Together we will plunder, together we will ride
--The Wild Colonial Boy, Tommy Makem
_______________
[An aside: We are flummoxed by the fact that that
Google ads has decided Ranger is a good place
for a Wall Street Journal advert.
Makes us look like some kind of undercover gig.]
This is open invitation to any Northern California/Southern Oregon readers: Ranger will be in your neck o' the woods for two weeks, beginning next week. If you'd like to have a meet-and-greet, write us and we'll see what can be done.
He is doing a confab with some of his reunion mates in Napa next week; the following is open.
Ranger can guar-an-tee he will not lift his pinky finger when swilling the wine. We all know Sideways put the final nail in the coffin of Napa, so while his fellows are doing the right proper vineyard tours, he will probably drive over the mountain to Sonoma to look for more rugged gigs.
Recommendations are welcome. Tell us your favorite down-home, out of the way joints (does Napa have joints?)
Together we will plunder, together we will ride
--The Wild Colonial Boy, Tommy Makem
_______________
[An aside: We are flummoxed by the fact that that
Google ads has decided Ranger is a good place
for a Wall Street Journal advert.
Makes us look like some kind of undercover gig.]
Happy Earth Day.
This is open invitation to any Northern California/Southern Oregon readers: Ranger will be in your neck o' the woods for two weeks, beginning next week. If you'd like to have a meet-and-greet, write us and we'll see what can be done.
He is doing a confab with some of his reunion mates in Napa next week; the following is open.
Ranger can guar-an-tee he will not lift his pinky finger when swilling the wine. We all know Sideways put the final nail in the coffin of Napa, so while his fellows are doing the right proper vineyard tours, he will probably drive over the mountain to Sonoma to look for more rugged gigs.
Recommendations are welcome. Tell us your favorite down-home, out of the way joints (does Napa have joints?)
Labels: california, oregon, ranger does napa, ranger ranges
posted by Lisa at 8:11 AM
10 Comments:
Dam, you'll be far north of me!
As far as interesting wine tasting in Napa...hmm, take some extra cash, there are freebie wine tasting, but there is also a few who charge a nominal fee for their finer wines.
As far as food goes...wow...there are so many wineries, and eateries that it's all good.
Just follow the rule that my wife and I follow, "no eating at places that you can eat at back home."I wish I could remember the one restaruant the wife and I went to.
Nice view of the river, though I will withhold comment about the river and the contents of the embankments as the meal was fantastic, and the river was still flowing.
Oh yes, and pack shorts, or loose clothing during the day, and perhaps a light jacket for the evening. Um, what else...oh yes, expect high prices for everything, what can I say, it's California!
I think you'll like the area, and the drive to Sonoma is magnificent.
Beautiful countryside!
Sheer,
Light clothing clashes with my body armor.
jim
"Light clothing clashes with my body armor."
You do know there are lotions available that will soften that calloused, tough skin of yours, and return it to it's youthful suppleness?
;)
my favorite placealthough the mustard cafe is excellent too.
MB,
Thank you for your recommendations.
Sheerah,
Ranger cultivates his alligator-like hide.
Rutherford Grill has an excellent burger, a good chopped chicken salad, good wines by the glass and it charges no corkage fee.
Try a breakfast burrito at La Luna, also in Rutherford. I like the ham; the chorizo is too spicy for me, but I'm not a Ranger.
Giugni's in downtown St. Helena is a great traditional Italian sandwich joint, very unpretentious. Pick up a couple of sandwiches and head up Spring Mountain for a picnic. Pride Mountain Vineyards is a pretty spot (and they make excellent wine).
One piece of general advice: Don't pay more to taste wine than you would pay for a bottle. If you think $25 for a bottle of wine is too much, you're going to hate yourself, and the winery, for soaking you for that much for four tiny tastes. Some of the wines ARE worth $100 a bottle if you're the kind of person who spends $100 a bottle. But I hate opera, and I wouldn't spend $20 to sit in the very best seat at the Met. You get my drift?
Mr. Gray,
Thank you for your excellent and informed suggestions. I do so hate it when they charge a corkage fee with my burger.
Excellent advice all, and we're honored to have your oenophilic presence on Ranger.
Damn, y'all get around. The recommendations you've already gotten are fine. I think I've been to all of 'em. Whatever you do, don't venture near a place called the French Laundry. Not that it isn't good—it's sublime and has actually made #1 in the world in some rankings—but folks like us can't afford it. You wouldn't get in anyway—it's booked like a year in advance—but you might want to do a drive-by to see how the other 1% lives.
Napa's gone downhill. Too many tourists too willing to spend too much. Come to think of it, that kind of sums up California, my birth state, the state where I lived for a total of about 35 years.
Enjoy. And watch out for the diversity police. They're hell on hard-bitten rangers.
Next time you're up here in New England be sure to swing by central VT.
Terrible,
I would love to visit -- send me an email, pls.
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