On Saturday, we drove up to Napa for Nickel & Nickel’s Barrel Tasting Event.  It was basically a preview of all the reds that they will be bottling next March and we got to taste quite a few.  They also had cheese and meats out for us to taste as well.  We found a really cool cheese that basically tasted like a Philly Cheesesteak.  Who knew that you could somehow get the taste of meat in a cheese?!

The four of us had a pretty good time sippy and snacking until our lips and teeth turned purple.  I’d have to say that out of all the ones we tasted (about 10 different wines), I liked Dragonfly, C.C. Ranch, and Sullenger the best.  I’ll just have to wait until next year to taste the real deal to see if they’re still my favorites.

On our way down the road, we stopped at Opus One for a $30 glass of wine that was just as mediocre as I had remembered about 10 years ago.  I thought I’d have a greater appreciation for it now but I don’t think we’ll be returning there.

Afterward, we did a little outlet shopping and then headed over to FARM at the Carneros Inn.  We were a bit early so we lounged in their outdoor patio area, which was a really nice relaxing place to rest up before dinner.

For dinner, we were seated outdoors and the weather was perfect.  We all shared a bunch of dishes including the scallops (above), hamachi crudo, lamb, lobster, and beef.  We stuffed ourselves silly, finished off two bottles of wine, and even ordered two desserts at the end of the meal.  We pretty much had to roll ourselves back to the car.

Here are photos from our afternoon in wine country.