Napa Food and Vine Review of 2016

This is our last post of 2016, so we thought that we would look back at some of the highlights on our blog this year. California Girl and I started the Napa Food and Vine blog back in March. We posted our first two articles on March 10. Before this article, we have published two-hundred posts.

Our most popular post on the blog was Off the Square, a restaurant in North Carolina. California Girl comments: My sister and brother-in-law treated me to a wonderful dinner at this restaurant. What a fantastic local foodie place! I can’t wait to go back and try the dark chocolate peanut butter pie.

Unsurprisingly, the country in which most of our readers reside is the United States; with the UK in second place.

We have visited nineteen new wineries since starting the blog; as well as revisiting many that we knew from before commencing writing.

Here are our awards from our new finds:

The Brit’s awards:

Favorite new winery: Keller Estates

Favourite white wine: Smith Madrone 2014 Riesling

Favourite red wine: Barnett Vineyards Rattlesnake Cabernet Sauvignon
Favourite sparkling wine: Keller Estates 2010 Sparkling Brut

Favourite bargain buy: 2012 Rutherford Hill Merlot

Favourite restaurant: La Mar, San Francisco

Favourite other experience: Napa Valley Distillery

California Girl awards:

Favorite North Carolina restaurant: Off The Square

Favorite Napa  Valley gourmet restaurant: Angele

Favorite San Francisco restaurant: La Mar

Favorite newcomer restaurant: Preserve

Favorite hotel: Jeakes House Hotel, Rye, UK

Favorite UK restaurant: Tuscan Kitchen, Rye

Favorite European restaurant: Triton Restaurant, Prague, Czech Republic

Favorite new tasting experience: Wines on First – Jean Edwards Cellars/PureCru/J.McClellan

Favorite “Old School” tasting experience: Smith-Madrone Vineyards

Favorite “Concept” tasting room and experience: Silver Trident Winery

Award for consistent quality and excellence: Luna Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery

Award for beauty and overall atmosphere: Castello di Amorosa

Favorite wines of the year:

Chardonnay – Rombauer Chardonnay

Reisling – Smith Madrone

Sauvingnon Blanc – Vezer Family Winery

Sangiovese Rosé – Castillo di Amorosa Gioia

Sparkling wine – Domaine Carneros

Pinot Noir – Silver Trident

Malbec – Malbec blend – Keller Estate Processio

Cab Franc – Dracaena

Zinfandel – Rombauer El Dorado Old Vine Zinfandel

Merlot – Rutherford Hill

Sangiovese – Luna Vineyards

Red Blends – Rutherford Hill Peak Series

Special Super Award from us goes to The Napa Deli who feeds us the most.  We love you all..

This wraps up our year. Thank you all so much for following us, liking us, retweeting us, and inspiring us to get out there and enjoy the amazing wine, food, and experiences.
Let’s hope 2017 is a better year for us all!