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EXPERIENCE WINE COUNTRY NEWS
Featured Team Member – Alison Johnston plus St. Patrick’s Day Recipe
Featured Platypus Team Member - Alison Johnston After years as a tour guide Alison is now our Director of Operations. She basically does it all and happens to also be Irish. So if you call us here in the office and hear an Irish brogue, you are lucky enough to be...
Featured Tour Guide: Linda Wright
What Linda’s tour guests have to say about her: “I had toured with Platypus two times prior (both several years ago), and this recent tour did not disappoint. Linda was a great tour guide - caring, personable and knowledgeable. My mother, who joined the tour and...
Featured Winery: Ghost Block Winery
Ghost Block winery is often on our tour itineraries. They are part of the Pelissa family’s trio of wineries in the Napa Valley. They are excited to share with you their new offering of virtual tastings that you can enjoy at home. If you haven’t done a virtual tasting...
Black History Month
February is Black History Month and we’d like to share with you some Black owned wineries in Napa and Sonoma. Sonoma County wineries: Fog Crest Vineyards - Sebastopol - producing pinot noir and chardonnay in the Russian River valley. https://www.fogcrestvineyard.com/...
Selecting the Perfect Wine Gift
By Andy Hyman Your search should begin by considering the gift recipient's tastes. Most wine drinkers have specific preferences, whether they like a dry white wine or a fun and fruity sparkling Rose' or a bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Consider what you've seen the person...
Featured Winery: Materra Cunat Family Vineyards
There’s so much to admire about Materra Family Vineyards. Discover why we love this Napa Green certified winery located in Oak Knoll, Napa Valley. In 2007, Brian Cunat decided to combine his love of wine and his dream of farming by purchasing a 50-acre property in the...
Top 7 Red Wine Grapes Grown in Napa
The Napa Valley is home to diverse microclimates formed by the many hills and mountains. This creates the perfect home for many grape varietals to flourish. Let's look at the top 7 red wine grapes grown in Napa Valley: 1. Cabernet Sauvignon The most widely planted...
Recipe: Grilled Lobster Tails – Easy Elegance at Home
We are all about sharing simple and fun pairings and recipes to help you create your own food and wine memories. With Cupid’s day just around the corner, perhaps you are looking to create a fancy plate that will impress someone near and dear to your heart during your...
Featured Winery: Roche Winery & Vineyards
During your travels to the Sonoma wine country how would you like to visit a bucolic, family-owned winery with views of beautiful Sonoma Valley and rows of estate vineyards climbing up the golden slopes of the adjoining hills? How about a visit to a...
Holidays in Napa Valley This Year
While 2020 has not been the best year for everyone, there is still time to salvage the remaining days by engaging in some year-end holiday fun and excitement in California wine country. Breaking away to enjoy the fresh air, sights, and flavors of the region can be the...
Winery Feature: Nicholson Ranch
One of our favorite wineries to include in our Sonoma wine tours is Nicholson Ranch. You’ll often see Deepak, the owner and winemaker pouring wines or answering phones in the tasting room! And as of June 2020, they are now Certified Organic. Learn more about them by...
Featured Tour Guide: Rob Vanoncini
Our tour guides come from different backgrounds bringing unique experiences to the job. Guests love their engaging insight and unique personalities. This month, we want to introduce you to Rob Vanoncini. Here’s what Rob’s wine tour guests have to say about him: “Rob...
What stage are the vineyards at?
By late-October, Napa Valley and Sonoma vineyards have been in full swing over the past several weeks, nearing the end of harvest with some of the region’s most famous grape variety, Cabernet Sauvignon. Once again, despite the multiple wildfires in the area, our...
What are some Napa Valley Harvest Traditions?
Harvest season in wine country is a time to celebrate the fruits of nature. Teams at many of the Napa wineries and Sonoma wineries breathe a collective sigh of relief following months of early mornings and endless nights for some young training interns. The effort is...
Recipe: Summer Salmon Cakes
Summer is here and which means it’s all about seafood and white wine. As the weather continues to warm up, we’re bringing you the perfect recipe for a light lunch on a sunny patio, or romantic dinner under the stars. And of course, these salmon cakes pair perfectly...
Napa Valley Bud Break Season
Sound the bells, get the barrels ready, polish the wine glasses, because it is finally bud break season here in the beautiful and sunny Napa Valley! Now you may be wondering why this is such an exciting time here in wine country. Well, after months of sleeping vines...
Winery Spotlight – Bouchaine Vineyards
When visiting the Napa Valley and deciding where to do wine tours it can be overwhelming with the number of winery options today. One winery that is a beloved partner winery is Bouchaine Vineyards. Bouchaine Vineyards Bouchaine is the oldest continuously operating...
Valentine’s Day in Napa Valley
Valentine's Day is around the corner, and what could be more romantic than a getaway to Napa Valley and Sonoma, California's renowned wine country? Escape the ordinary and create lasting memories with your special someone with a meticulously planned itinerary by...
