Category: Napa Valley Diaries

Napa Valley Diaries – #30DaysinWineCountry 2025

Posted by Tracey | May 2, 2025 | Cocktail Time, Featured, Napa Valley Diaries, Restaurant Talk, The Wine List, Tracey on Wine, Travel, Weekend Download, Wine Reviews |

Day 1. Well, hello, lover—and by lover, I mean Napa Valley, aka my happy place, my soulmate with...

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Far Niente 2022 Coombsville Chardonnay, Napa Valley

Posted by Tracey | Nov 13, 2024 | Featured, Napa Valley Diaries, The Wine List, Tracey on Wine |

Back in June I spent the entire month in Napa. As part of this month we took in a visit to Far...

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30 Days in Wine Country

Posted by Tracey | Apr 8, 2021 | Napa Valley Diaries, Tracey on Wine, Wine Wednesday, Wine Wednesday Fun |

Well, I did it. I had the Covid meltdown of “I have to get outta here!” When my family, who live...

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Allora Lieta 2016, Sonoma County

Posted by Tracey | Oct 14, 2018 | Napa Valley Diaries, The Wine List, Tracey on Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine Wednesday |

Enter Allora Winery into your GPS when in wine country and it will take you down a long gravel...

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The Bacon Bar at Press, St. Helena (Napa Valley)

Posted by Tracey | May 11, 2018 | Fab Dish Friday, Napa Valley Diaries, Restaurant Talk |

As anyone who has read my blog knows, I am a huge Wine Country/Napa Valley fan. At little...

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Join me on my journey as I take one big gulp out of life one small sip at a time #lifefoodwine

#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 4. I’m in the wi

#30daysinwinecountry 2025 - Day 4. I’m in the witness protection program now. Also, someone told me I looked beautiful, so I may never leave California. After a quiet breakfast at home—whole wheat muffins and poached eggs, because balance—I waved goodbye to my friends (🥲) and found myself solo in Napa on a stunningly perfect day. First order of business: movement. I threw on my sneakers and took myself on a 5-mile walk, partially for health, partially to justify more rosé later. Lunch was a make-it-work masterpiece: salad topped with leftover Ad Hoc fried chicken. Culinary genius or just lazy brilliance? You decide. In the afternoon, I wandered over to the R+D patio for a solo glass of Azur Rosé, which was light, crisp, and exactly what my afternoon needed. On the way, a woman randomly stopped me and said, “You look beautiful.” I mean—how lovely is that? Is this standard behavior in Napa? Because it’s definitely not happening on the streets of Chicago.
Then, just as I was settling into an Adirondack chair, soaking in the sunshine and sipping my rosé, a 93-year-old man plopped down next to me and casually told me he was in the witness protection program. Yes, really. He turned out to be a self-proclaimed movie producer who invited me to a film premiere in October featuring unsung heroes of Hollywood’s golden age. I looked it up. I found nothing. But he gave me a flyer, so either it’s real… or I truly did meet a charming man in hiding who also happens to love rosé. Napa, you weird and wonderful gem, I adore you.
#napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #napalife #roséallday #witnessprotectionwineclub #azurrose

#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 3. Fried chicken for

#30daysinwinecountry 2025
Day 3. Fried chicken for breakfast, wine for lunch, and Branzino that didn’t stare at me for dinner. We kicked things off with a slow morning of coffee and catching up before making the totally reasonable breakfast decision: Ad Hoc’s fried chicken. Once you’ve had it, you’ll understand why it’s sold by the bucket. We shared a crisp green salad (for show) and a glorious pile of golden, crispy perfection.
Colette headed back to Nevada just as Kathryn and Jaimee rolled into Yountville, bringing sunshine and fresh wine-tasting energy. We made our way to Sequoia Grove, where we happily lingered for hours on the members’ patio, sipping Cab Franc, Cab Sauv, a red blend, and a sneaky taste of Rosé of Grenache. The Cab Franc stole my heart—smooth, structured, and just a little flirty.
Next up, cocktails at North Block, where Jaimee praised their martini, aka two drinks disguised as one. Dinner was at Bottega, out by the wood fire. We shared the Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, then I ordered the Wood-Grilled Branzino—but not before asking them to remove the head. I draw the line at being judged by my fish. Jaimee and Kathryn shared the Spaghetti alla Sophia Loren and Braised Short Ribs, both of which were raved about in stereo.
Napa, you’ve still got it. 🍷
#napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #friedchickenforbreakfast #cabfranccrush #napalife

#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 2. Bouchon Bakery, H

#30daysinwinecountry 2025
Day 2. Bouchon Bakery, Hill Family, and Don G’s—aka carbs. My body clock is still doing interpretive dance routines, so I was up early and headed straight for Bouchon Bakery, where the croissants are roughly the size of my head—and just as flaky before coffee. We overindulged (because we’re not quitters), then laced up our sneakers and took a “guilt-cleansing” walk around town for about an hour, pretending we were earning back at least half a croissant. (We weren’t.) Our early afternoon was spent exactly how every afternoon should be: sipping sparkling, rosé, and white wines at Hill Family Winery in the company of good friends and no agenda. Their Rosé of Pinot Noir this year? Dangerously good. So good, in fact, a group text wine timeshare was formed on the spot with my Chicago friends. Two cases, divided three ways, and absolutely zero regrets. (Review coming soon once I stop swooning.) Dinner? Ohhh, dinner. We headed to the always divine Bistro Don Giovanni (or as the locals and lazy typers call it, Don G’s). We started with the dreamiest burrata, served with roasted red peppers alla puttanesca on garlicky toast—basically, a love letter to carbs. Then came the Lamb Meatballs in a white bean ragu, which made us briefly consider standing up and applauding. We paired it all with a Schramsberg Sparkling Rosé, which brightened our evening. Cheers to Napa for knowing how to do Tuesday nights properly.
#napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #yountvilleartofthestroll #croissantcardio #roséresponsibly

#30daysinwinecountry 2025 Day 1. Well, hello, love

#30daysinwinecountry 2025
Day 1. Well, hello, lover—and by lover, I mean Napa Valley, aka my happy place, my soulmate with vineyards. It’s been a whole year since our last rendezvous, but the second I walk into my little house here, it’s like we never broke up. (Cue dramatic slow-motion reunion scene.)
This time, I shook things up and flew into Sacramento instead of San Francisco. Living on the edge! Picked up curbside by the always fabulous Colette—a Brit friend from yesteryear who makes an entrance like she’s in a Jane Austen novel, but with better shoes.
We took a quick jaunt through Old Town Sacramento to stretch our legs (and make ourselves believe we were being healthy), then headed to Downtown Napa for a bite at Fumé, a beloved local spot that always delivers. Garden Salad and White Pizza with Chicken—light, fresh, and made even better by a chilled glass of Hogwash Rosé (which sounds like an insult but tastes like a dream).
Jetlagged and running on fumes (pun absolutely intended), we kept things chill and headed to R+D Kitchen for some bar dining—because deviled eggs and Spicy Tuna Rolls are a spiritual experience when you’ve been awake since 4:30am. Colette went for the Chicken Meatballs because she’s classy like that.
We caught up on a year’s worth of life, walked home in a Napa-fueled haze of joy, and I promptly collapsed into a deep state of napalepsy—the medical condition where one falls into a blissful sleep the moment they return to Napa.
So happy to be back. Let the 30-day wine-adventure begin. 🍷
#napavalley #napavalleywinetasting #yountville #downtownnapa #napalepsy #hogwashbutmakeitdelicious

#cocktailtime Early Saturday evening of Classic #f

#cocktailtime Early Saturday evening of Classic #french75 @gus_sipanddip #cocktails #gincocktails @debra_petritsch

✨4 Wines That Feel Fancy (Under $20!)✨ You don

✨4 Wines That Feel Fancy (Under $20!)✨
You don’t need a yacht—or even matching socks—to sip like royalty. These four wines bring big “I summer in Provence” energy without the price tag. 🍷👑
🥂 Louis Jadot Macon-Villages Chardonnay – $15
French, crisp, and drama-free (aka no buttery oak nonsense).
🍾 Gruet Brut NV – $16
Bubbly from New Mexico (yes, really). Dry, zesty, and ready to celebrate literally anything—even folding laundry.
🌸 Whispering Angel Rosé – $19
Dry, chic, and perfect for pretending you’re brunching in the South of France… in sweatpants.
🍷 St. Francis Old Vine Zin – $18
Jammy, cozy, and pairs well with grilled cheese and true crime.
Sip smart. Sip fancy. Sip under $20. 🥂
#WineUnder20 #BudgetBougie #SipSipHooray #WineVibes #EverydayFancy #winewednesday #louisjadotchardonnay #whisperingangelrose #stfrancesoldvinezinfandel #gruetbubbly

📚🔪 Book Review: Butcher and Blackbird by Bry

📚🔪 Book Review: Butcher and Blackbird by Brynne Weaver
aka: Confessions of a Traumatized Reader
I saw the warning. I ignored it. I regret everything. I also couldn’t stop reading.
Two rival serial killers fall in love over an annual murder competition. Yes, you read that right. It’s Dexter meets Dexter, with accidental cannibalism, graphic everything, and flirtation that feels like foreplay at a crime scene.
Is it messed up? Absolutely. Did I blush and cringe? Yes. Did I keep going? Also yes. Will I read the next book? …probably with the curtains closed.
💀 Dark comedy
💔 Twisted romance
😳 50 Shades looks like a fairytale
🥴 My brain is still recovering
🍷 Wine Pairing: Petite Sirah
Bold. Inky. Slightly dangerous.
Just like this book.
Sip cautiously and maybe hide the bottle from judgmental neighbors.
#BookReview #butcherandblackbird #DarkRomance #SerialKillerLoveStory #WineAndBooks #PetiteSirah #ReadAtYourOwnRisk #IGBookReview #ConfessionsOfAReader

Recipe: 🚨 Pasta Warning ⛔️ What started as

Recipe: 🚨 Pasta Warning ⛔️ What started as an innocent lunch at Eataly quickly turned into a full-blown culinary adventure (read: pasta shopping spree). I walked out with fresh spinach tagliatelle, a bottle of Vespa Bianco, and a dream. Fast forward to Saturday night and voilà: Tagliatelle with Prosciutto and Snap Peas—aka creamy, lemony, mascarpone-laced magic. Not entirely healthy, but very entirely worth it. Click on the link in the bio or lifefoodwine.com for the recipe, stay for the wine, and remember: you can’t spell “Eataly” without “eat.”
#PastaNight #HomeCookedMagic #CarbsAndConfidence #TagliatelleTales #EatalyEnabler #ConfessionsOfAWineLover #MascarponeMoments @eatalychicago

🍷 Confessions of a Wine Lover is LIVE! 🍷 Eve

🍷 Confessions of a Wine Lover is LIVE! 🍷
Ever tried to open a screwcap with a corkscrew? Or paired fish sticks with Premier Cru Chablis? 🙈 This 5-part series is all about those hilarious (and sometimes cringe-worthy) wine moments.
If you’ve ever butchered the pronunciation of Gewürztraminer, this is for you! 😂
Check out the full confessions and laugh (or cringe) with me. 🎉Episode 1 on lifefoodwine.com or by clicking on the link in the bio
#WineLoverConfessions #WineHumor #WineLife #WineWithASideOfLaughs

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