Renovated Room and Women of the Vine

I headed back to The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa this week to meet with a few reporters and to attend the Women of the Vine event hosted by MORE Uncorked® (More magazine). On Thursday I checked in to my newly renovated room with a balcony and vineyard/pool view before meeting up with a visiting reporter from Southern California. We shared drinks and an appetizer at Crush Ultra Lounge before I headed to dinner at The Commons: A Wine Bar. The schnitzel sliders were fantastic and the desserts (Green Tea Crème Brûlée and Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake) were also great and I was glad I was able to share them.

On Friday, after a day of working I met up with my colleague who does social media for The Meritage for a Friday night wine tasting with the MORE Uncorked® group and guests of The Meritage (every Friday night all guests are invited to a complimentary wine tasting). After the tasting, we headed to the Trinitas Cellars Library for more wine tasting (and found out they have wine glasses that can fit an entire bottle of wine ... new meaning to the phrase "I'm just going to have a glass of wine tonight"). After our "glass of wine" we headed back to The Meritage and Siena for dinner ... roasted beet salad, crispy squid, poached lobster with gnocchi, chocolate decadence cake and angel food cake with lemon verbena with berries. Since that obviously wasn't enough food, I went to Crush again for a glass of wine and beignets with a raspberry sauce.

Saturday was a little more leisurely. I started with a trip to the fitness studio and walk around the hillside vineyards up to the Grape Crusher Statue before picking up a bagged lunch from the chef and heading to Napa Smith Brewery. I had wanted to go to the taproom of the brewery since I met their team at Oktoberfest, but this was the first time I had the opportunity. I walked in with no real idea of what to expect and decided to order the 10 beer flight for $10. All were great beers and I headed out with a four pack of beers to drink once I got home. With a few extra minutes to spare, I decided to take my lunch to Kennedy Park and eat along the Napa River where I had kayaked a few years ago.

When I got back to The Meritage I met up with a reporter and headed back to the Trinitas Library for my favorite wine and chocolate pairing, then back to Crush Ultra Lounge with a reporter for a Crab Louis Salad. Next up we headed to the Grand Tasting Event with 30 of the Napa Valley women winemakers and proprietors. After the tasting event, talking with reporters and Amelia Ceja, I was a little too late to make it into the Estate Cave for dinner, but again ended up at Siena for dinner alongside a few reporters. The duck confit flat-bread was mouthwatering and the lamb osso bucco fell off the bone and into my mouth.

Sunday I slept in (thanks in part to daylight savings time), went to Crush Ultra Lounge for a chicken Panini and salad, then headed back to Roseville for a long run and some rest.
Photos for those with iPads.

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