Mike,

Sounds like a fun trip. We did our annual pilgrage in May. This year we also did a few appointment only vineyards, be aware that many of the appointment only are appointment AND tour in one. We ran into this problem with Caymus and Frog's Leap. This will considerably cut the number of wineries you will be able to visit in a day. Make sure you ask whether it is a tasting only when you set up your appointment. Then you'll be able to decide which wineries you really want to visit.

That being said, the attention to detail and small group settings of the appointment only wineries is quite refreshing.

That's quite a nice list of wineries to visit, I won't throw any extra suggestions out to muddle your choices.

However, I will suggest another couple lunch places (I love Rutherford grill too):

Taylor's Refresher - St. Helena and Napa - Upscale roadside burger joint. I challenge you to find better garlic fries - nice little wine selection too.

Market St. Helena - Great food - American grill-ish, laid back and relaxing. They give you a little hibachi to toast your own marshmallows if you order the s'more desert.

Dinner:
Mustard's Grill (always part of the annual trek) or Terra - if you have not been to either yet, do so.

Have a great time - I am soooooo jealous.

Last edited by DL30; 09/24/08 02:46 PM. Reason: spelling
DL