TRENDING:

Wine Review: Sequoia Grove Winery, Rose of Grenache 202...
Napa Valley Diaries – #30DaysinWineCountry 2025
Everyday Wines That Feel Fancy
Book Review: Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
Recipe: Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Snap Peas
Life. Food. Wine.
  • Restaurant Talk
    • Restaurant Reviews
    • Reviews by Location
    • Napa Valley Diaries
    • Fab Dish Friday
  • Tracey on Wine
    • Wine Reviews
    • Wine Wednesday
    • The Wine List
  • In The Kitchen
    • In The Kitchen
    • The Kitchen Recipes
  • BLOG
    • Life Food Wine Blog
    • Shoesday Tuesday
    • Gucci Diaries
    • Thursday Thought
    • Story Time

Select Page

michael mcintyre on wine snobs

Posted by Tracey | Dec 19, 2021 | Wine Reviews, Wine Wednesday Fun | 0 |

Share:

Rate:

PreviousMy Favorite holiday movie
NextManhattan

About The Author

Tracey

Tracey

Join me on my journey as I taste and drink in all that life has to offer!

Related Posts

Toasted Head Untamed Red 2007

Toasted Head Untamed Red 2007

October 25, 2012

Wine Review: Frog’s Leap 2021 Chardonnay Shale and Stone

Wine Review: Frog’s Leap 2021 Chardonnay Shale and Stone

July 7, 2024

Napa Valley Diaries – #30DaysinWineCountry 2025

Napa Valley Diaries – #30DaysinWineCountry 2025

May 2, 2025

Allora Lieta 2016, Sonoma County

Allora Lieta 2016, Sonoma County

October 14, 2018

Search LifeFoodWine

INSTA-MOMENTS

lifefoodwine

Join me on my journey as I take one big gulp out of life one small sip at a time #lifefoodwine
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 -Day 26 – Exercise, Ce #30daysinwinecountry 2025 -Day 26 – Exercise, Celadon & The Tom 🍷🎬 After Jen’s late morning departure (cue tiny violin), I threw myself into something productive: Fitbit flexing. 18,000 steps, thank you very much. 💪 In the early evening, I headed to Celadon in downtown Napa to meet my lovely friend Traci for dinner before our big cinematic event: Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning (aka “Final Reckoning” in my heart and also… is it really the final? We’ll see, Tom). But first—dinner. Celadon has been holding it down in Napa for nearly 30 years, and there’s a reason. The vibe is cozy, the patio is magical, and the menu is seasonal, fresh, and just downright delicious. The Calamari with hot honey sauce = game-changer. The Crab & Artichoke Ravioli = next level, maybe spiritual. And now... let’s talk Tom Cruise. I love him. There, I said it. He’s a true movie star who consistently delivers edge-of-your-seat, adrenaline-pumping, popcorn-flinging fun. Final Reckoning was a full-on rollercoaster ride—I held my breath more than I should admit, and yes, I may have applauded. It’s a must-see in theaters. Run. Get tickets. Tom insists. 🕶️💥#CeladonNapa #MissionImpossible #DeadReckoning #TomCruiseForever #confessionsofawinelover
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 -Day 25 – Bubbles, Pic #30daysinwinecountry 2025 -Day 25 – Bubbles, Picnics & Bouchon 🍷 Jen’s last day 😢—how did the long weekend fly by so fast? We kicked things off with breakfast royalty: the Oprah-famous English muffins from Model Bakery. If you know, you know. First stop: Davies Vineyards, a Schramsberg location, where we settled in for a sparkling wine tasting paired with cheese. Our host, Kelly, was an absolute gem—graciously managing our indecisiveness on where to sit (sun? shade? umbrella gymnastics!). We loved all the bubbles, but the star was the 2016 J. Schram Rosé—elegant, graceful, and totally worth the hype. Next: a picnic from Oakville Grocery—turkey pesto sandwiches + a bottle of Scribe Rosé = yes, please. We camped out, soaking in the sunshine, people-watching, and being generally fabulous. Naturally, a little retail therapy followed because… Oakville. For our grand finale dinner, there was only one place it could be: Bouchon. Our beloved French bistro never misses. We began with the fresh & smoked salmon rillettes with croûtons—still the GOAT of starters. For mains: Jen went with the roasted leg of lamb with flageolet beans, garlic confit & lamb jus—declared it sublime. I broke tradition and skipped my usual Trout Almondine (gasp!) and tried the roast chicken with petits pois, bacon lardons & onion confit. It may have been the best chicken I’ve ever eaten. We paired everything with a Bourgogne Aligoté and toasted to a weekend of wine, laughter, and really excellent choices. #Day25Napa #SchramsbergSparkle #DaviesVineyards #BubblesAndCheesePlease #OakvillePicnicVibes #BouchonBistro #WineCountryWeekend #RoséAllDay #ModelBakeryMagic #LastSipsBestSips #ConfessionsOfAWineLover @bouchon_bistro @oakvillegrocery @schramsberg
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 24 – Walks, Sequ #30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 24 – Walks, Sequoia, Frog’s & Brix 🍷 We kicked things off with a brisk 2-mile walk around Yountville—proof that we do occasionally earn our wine.Quick change, and it was straight to Sequoia Grove, where Jen and I are both members. Hosted by the ever-charming Oscar, we sipped our way through Rosé, Chardonnay, and a lineup of Cabernets while nibbling on next-level bites: truffled popcorn, chips with caramelized shallot dip, meatballs, olives, bread, and candied pretzels (aka the snack table of dreams). Next up: Frog’s Leap. I love this place. Classic white house, giant wraparound porch, total charm bomb. Brian was our host and gave Jen the full download since she was not a member. We veered off-script a few times—one of the many reasons I adore this winery. Jen’s verdict? “I love all of it.” But standout faves were the Shale and Stone Chardonnay (also one of mine) and the Flycatcher, a beautifully light-bodied red. Oh, and we even did a side-by-side tasting of the same wine bottled and boxed—Frog’s is experimenting. Slightly different taste, still amazing. Rather than head home, we called an audible and went straight to Brix for an early dinner. Because, well… we’re at that “early bird gets the wine list” stage in life. Bar seating, shared plates, and all the good vibes. I toasted our upcoming visit to Schramsberg with a glass of Brut Rosé, and Jen zigzagged into cocktail territory with The Beekeeper—a lemony, honey-spiced surprise. For dinner, we shared: Smoked Blue Crab Cake (SO good). Jambalaya Pasta with shrimp, chicken & andouille in a dreamy Cajun cream sauce (plate-licking level delicious). Fermented Hot Honey Glazed Carrots (candy in disguise). Back home, we wrapped the night around the firepit with a glass of 2021 Regusci Cabernet Sauvignon. I interviewed Jen about it. The transcript is comedy gold—I’ll post that once I stop laughing. #SequoiaGroveWinery #FrogsLeapVineyard #BrixNapaValley #WineTastingDay #YountvilleLife #RoséAndWalks #WineBoxTestDrive #BrutRoséVibes #RegusciCabernet #ConfessionsOfAWineLover @sequoiagrove @frogsleap @brixnapavalley
Day 23 – Bistro Jeanty (because we just hadda), Day 23 – Bistro Jeanty (because we just hadda), a Persian Palace, and Charlie’s 🍷We started the day with a curveball brunch at Bistro Jeanty. Let’s just say... we had to assemble it ourselves. Not quite the brunch vibe we imagined, but we rallied. Now I know Jeanty only does brunch on Saturday and Sunday. We kicked things off with grapefruit mimosas—if you haven’t tried them, please do. Life-changing. Then came the Salade Lyonnaise (escarole, warm bacon vinaigrette, soft-boiled egg), and the ever-decadent Croque Madame with jambon de Paris, a fried egg, and that ridiculously good Camembert sauce. Plus fries, obviously. Next stop: Darioush. A return visit for me, and Jen’s first time. I love introducing friends to my favorite wineries—especially this one. If you’ve never seen it, picture a Persian palace dropped right into Napa. Here’s something I didn’t know before: every architectural element was imported directly from Shiraz, and it took six years to build. Six. Years. Wild, right? As for the wines, Jen fell for every one she tasted—but The Duel stole her heart. I get it. It’s something special. Later, we soaked up the sun in the backyard with iced coffee (yes, coffee, not wine—shocking, I know). Dinner was at Charlie’s in St. Helena—a bright, buzzy relative newcomer already beloved by locals. Loud in the best way, with a killer vibe. We switched from California wines and each had a glass of Château du Casse Bordeaux Blanc, which tasted like bottled summer. We shared the Crispy Watsonville Artichokes with Spanish caper aioli—crunchy, salty, just plain fun. Then came the main event: Charlie’s Fried Chicken with their house hot sauce. So crispy. So good. We paired it with the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with aged balsamic, toasted breadcrumbs, and Hobbs bacon—a match made in crunchy heaven. No dessert—just another glass of that beautiful Bordeaux Blanc and a happy sigh. Charlie’s is a gem. Add it to your Napa list, stat. #DarioushWinery #Charlie’sStHelena #NapaEats #WineCountryWanderings #GrapefruitMimosas #PersianPalaceVibes #TheDuelWine #ConfessionsOfAWineLover @darioushwinery @charlies_nv
Day 22 – Work, Hill, Market, and Jen 🍷Work: a Day 22 – Work, Hill, Market, and Jen 🍷Work: accomplished. Gold star for me. Late afternoon rolled in with my wonderful friend Jen, who got zero downtime. Quick change, short stroll, and suddenly we were sipping Hill Family Sparkling Rosé at one of our favorite wineries, where they know us by heart and pour accordingly. We followed it with the Rosé of Pinot Noir, basking in the sunshine and catching up while Eric, our wine whisperer for the day, kept the good times flowing. Dinner? Next-level. We went to Market in St. Helena—a locals’ favorite, and for good reason. We grabbed a breezy table near the door and met Alfie, our server and unofficial menu poet. He’s been there 17 years and could probably pair wine with a personality type. We started with Cade Sauvignon Blanc, which Alfie described as “sunshine in a bottle.” Accurate. It was perfect with our East and West Oysters. Then came the Dungeness Crab Cake with corn, peas, and a citrus coriander sauce—hands down the best crab cake I’ve ever had. Followed by the Alaskan Halibut with mushrooms, crispy bacon, basil mashed potatoes... and no photo, because we inhaled it. Oops. And then Alfie insisted—insisted—we try the Butterscotch Pudding in a waffle cup. I said, “No sweet tooth. Allergic to cinnamon.” He said, “Trust me.” We did. And thank goodness. It was magic. How have I never been to Market before? Shame on me. I live here. That’s officially changing. #NapaValleyNights #HillFamilyWinery #MarketStHelena #LocalFavorites #RoséAllDay #BestCrabCakeEver #WineAndDine #ButterscotchRedemption #ConfessionsOfAWineLover #NapaFoodie @hillfamilyestate @market_st_helena
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 21 – Work & Don G’s 🍷🕵️‍♀️ Work was productive. The end. (We don’t need to unpack the two days of clean eating and questionable TV binging that came before. Some things are better left on the streaming service.) Anyway, on to the important stuff: dinner. I met up with my Napa friend Traci at the bar at Bistro Don Giovanni, which felt like a fun little plot twist. I usually show off the dreamy patio to out-of-town guests, but tonight was more local, relaxed, and just right. We kicked things off with a chilled glass of the Domaine Gott Rosé and a game of Shishito pepper Russian roulette. Guess who got the zinger? Yep—me. My mouth was on fire, my eyes may have watered, and it definitely took a minute (or five) to recover. But honestly? I loved it. I’m a glutton for punishment when it comes to spicy peppers with personality. Then came the entrées and a new friend: Hillary from Georgia, who was the human equivalent of sunshine wrapped in Southern charm. She ordered what can only be described as the entire left side of the menu, just because she felt like it—and I adored her for it. She generously shared everything, but the standout for me? The special of Cauliflower Rigatoni. I could’ve devoured a full plate of it even after my peppers and perfect Branzino (which, by the way, never misses at Don G’s). It was one of those unplanned evenings that ends up being exactly what you needed—good food, great wine, surprise new friends, and the joy of saying “yes” to everything on the menu. A classic Napa night. #NapaValleyNights #BistroDonGiovanni #NapaFoodie #WineAndDine #ShishitoRoulette #BranzinoBliss #RoséAllDay #CauliflowerCravings #NapaEats #LocalVibes #DinnerWithFriends #FoodWithAStory #ConfessionsOfAWineLover
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 20 - The Great Nap #30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 20 - The Great Napa Wine Heist 🍷🕵️‍♀️- Every time I am in Napa, I hear the most marvelous stories. Last year, I shared the story of Ghost Wineries and one on Black Chickens during prohibition. Well, here’s another one for you, which I can’t believe I hadn’t heard before! In 2014, someone pulled off the classiest crime Napa Valley has ever seen at one of the world’s most famous restaurants, The French Laundry. No ski masks. No lasers. Just one smooth operator with expensive taste and zero respect for wine cellar boundaries. 💸 $300,000 worth of wine—poof. Gone faster than a half-price case of Cab at Costco. They stole Screaming Eagle (just look up how much this bad boy costs!), DRC, and other wines that cost more than my mortgage! The kicker? Many bottles were sold, but to this day, many are still missing, and somewhere out there... someone’s pairing a stolen 1990 DRC with Hot Pockets. 🍷 Justice? Yes, for those who received a prison sentence 🕵️‍♀️ The sommelier? Still recovering 🥂 Me? Still suspicious of anyone bringing “rare” wine to a potluck #CabernetCaper #WineHeist #NapaValley #FrenchLaundry #WineCrimes #ScreamingEagle #TrueCrimeButClassy #WineLover #WineHumor #SipResponsibly
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 19 – Bye to Laur #30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 19 – Bye to Lauren and Libby :(, Work, and a Deep Dive into English Muffin Madness - It was time to say goodbye to Lauren and Libby—cue the sad violins. After five days of wine, laughter, and menus we overanalyzed like sommeliers in training, they returned home. I, meanwhile, returned to something called work… but first, a tribute to a true constant for all my visiting friends to Napa: The Model Bakery English Muffins. For the last five years, you’ve heard me rave about these Oprah-Winfrey-loving muffins. And yes, actual Oprah named them one of her “Favorite Things”—two years in a row. If that’s not gospel, I don’t know what is. But what makes them so good? Picture this: An English muffin walks into a bar and meets a crumpet. They hit it off, invite a donut to the party, then all take a clarified butter (ghee) bath together. Voilà: Heaven. Just toast them, slather on even more butter (yes, even though they’re already buttery), add a generous spoonful of strawberry jam, and close your eyes. You’ve officially left Earth. I found a promising recipe on Serious Eats… but I refuse to make them. I know myself. That road leads to muffin ruin, and after this 30-day Napa adventure, it’s time for veg and protein only until further notice. Probably. #EnglishMuffinDevotion #OprahsFavoriteToo #ModelBakeryMagic #NapaWindDown #BackToReality #LifeFoodWineApproved #ToastButterJamBliss
#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 18 – The Church #30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 18 – The Church of Chandon, Chimney, and The Bouchon - My Napa neighbor asked if we were headed to church since it was Sunday and we were dressed up. Yes! I replied—“The Church of Chandon.” Domaine Chandon is just five minutes away, and within ten, we were seated for their Terroir Tasting. But did we follow the script? Absolutely not. Our brilliant host, Daniel, listened to us chat about what we liked, what we didn’t, and simply said, “I got you.” And did he ever. I love dry dry dry and he delivered with the Reserve Meunier, an extra brut stunner that may be my new favorite. Libby, who isn’t big on sweet but likes a hint, was given a taste of the 50th Anniversary Winemaker Blend—a collaboration of four head winemakers that was, quite simply, delicious. We sipped bubbles on their dreamy patio, wandered the gardens, and enjoyed a Summer Spritz before heading to R+D Kitchen for lunch with our friend Jaimee—salads, sandwiches, and solid fuel for what was next. Chimney Rock Winery. Known for Cabernet, and rightly so. Two of us are members, so we lounged on the patio tasting an elegant lineup of reds and a standout 2021 Elevage Blanc that was crisp, floral, and fabulous. Jaimee headed home, and for our final night, the KC Gals and I met up with friends at Bouchon. You’ve heard me wax poetic about this place for years, so I’ll just say: it always feels special. Lauren and Libby ordered the Chicken Chasseur (mushrooms, tomatoes, wine—classic and perfect). Libby declared it the best dish of the trip. I got lucky—I took their leftovers. (Guess what’s for dinner tonight?) As for dessert, Libby said no, Lauren said yes to the Strawberry Meringue, and I said: “No… well, maybe… okay I could do ice cream.”The waiter asked what kind. I replied, “Mint… chocolate… something?” He returned with a dish of vanilla ice cream, poured crème de menthe over it, added warm dark chocolate, then sprinkled rock salt on top. WHAT?! It was insane. I’m recreating this at my next Chicago dinner party. Stay tuned. #ChurchOfChandon #ChimneyRockCabs #BouchonForever #BubbleBrunch #WineTastingLife #BestDessertHackEver #napavalleydiaries
Follow on Instagram

CATEGORIES

  • Blog
  • Book Reviews
  • Cocktail Time
  • Fab Dish Friday
  • Featured
  • Featured Video
  • Gucci Diaries
  • Guest Bloggers
  • Hotel Reviews
  • In The Kitchen
  • Insta Moments
  • Movie Reviews
  • Musical Reviews
  • Napa Valley Diaries
  • Play Reviews
  • Recipes
  • Restaurant Talk
  • Shoesday Tuesday
  • Story Time
  • The Wine List
  • Thursday Thought
  • Tracey on Wine
  • Travel
  • Weekend Download
  • Wine Reviews
  • Wine Wednesday
  • Wine Wednesday Fun

FEATURED VIDEO

Loading...
  • Valentine’s Day
  • michael mcintyre on wine snobs
  • My Favorite holiday movie
  • Julie and Julia
  • Uncorked – a netflix movie

FOLLOW LIFE FOOD WINE

  • Facebook

  • Google+

  • Youtube

  • Pinterest

  • Instagram

SUBSCRIBE

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Life. Food. Wine. | All Rights Reserved | 2024