Skywalker Vineyard@Marin Country ★★★

Mind-Blowing Tour & Wine Tasting at George Luca's Skywalker Vineyard. What an experience. Fantastic tour and tasting with impressive Charcuterie Board, followed by shopping time at the Gift Shop. Pictures allowed outside the buildings. Pictures not allowed inside the buildings. By invitation only. Become a wine club member or get the $5,000 Star Wars drink at Disney Cruise on the Disney Wish ship. [developing story]

Entrance of the Winery

Outside of the Gift Shop

Kenzo Estate Winery@Napa ★★★

Tour & Wine Tasting at Premium Japanese Winery in Napa. Excellent wine. Kenzo is the founder of Capcom (Street Fighter). We were greeted with a glass of 2019 sei sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, followed by history and tour of the beautiful winery, then tasting. We were able to purchase and open another bottle of wine at the end of the tasting. Estate tour & tasting $110 per person. Reservation via Tock. Went to their kaiseki restaurant for dinner the same night.

Compare to July 3, 2020 visit:
https://www.syorithefoodie.com/2020/07/kenzo-estatenapa-day-1.html

Welcome Drink - sei Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc

Got to try the grapes

Grape Tasting

Private Tasting Room with a Fantastic View

asatsuyu Sauvigonon Blanc 2022 $90

ren Sparkling Semillon 2020

Kenzo Estate
3200 Monticello Road,
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 256-1555
www.kenzoestate.com

Kenzo Estate Winery@Napa Day 1 ★★★

Exceptional Private Tour & Wine Tasting. Kenzo is the founder of Capcom (think Street Fighter). Limited to 3 groups each time due to pandemic. Must wear mask during tour. We wore our face shields on top of that. Tasting was outdoor. Very safe and distanced. Did not have to wear face shield during tasting. Aaron booked our reservation and also led our private tour. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. He let us decide if we wanted him to introduce all wine at once so that he can leave us alone during tasting (while still checking on us occasionally). It felt safer that way. He would suggest a dish pairing with each of the wine we were tasting. All their wines were amazing. Yui and Muku were some of my favorites. Taking WSET certificated wine course helped me understand wine much better. Aaron warned me that taking Level 1 make me keep going Level 2. He was also very helpful in terms of answering my questions related to WSET. Tour was $80 per person. One of our fees was waived because we bought so many wines. Our tour was at 2pm (booked a month prior). Went to their kaiseki restaurant for dinner the same night. Temperature checked upon check-in.

Aaron Ramo, our private guide

Wine Tasting after Tour

Spacious Environment with No One Nearby

Wine We Bought

Kenzo Estate
3200 Monticello Road,
Napa, CA 94558
(707) 256-1555
www.kenzoestate.com

Hillebrand Winery@Toronto★★★

3-Course Lunch for $35@Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Gorgeous View.

Marc's Foraged Wild & Tame Mushrooms
everspring farm duck egg & hillebrand herb ricotta, rosemary focaccia

Pan Seared Scallop
pressed pigs head terrine & cauliflower puree, apple, smoked bacon & raisin dressing

Crisp Romaine Hearts
snow crab, chardonnay shrimp, berkshire prosciutto, sweet cheeks garlic and parmesan dressing, cro farm quail egg & white anchovy

Cinderella Pumpkin Soup
fresh burrata, picard's peanuts, atlantic lobster

Wellington County Pork Chop
cranberry bean & icewine squash cassoulet, pork sausage & riesling sauerkraut

Everspring Farm Confit Duck Leg
icewine red cabbage, duck sausage, maple parsnip, cheddar & potato gratin

Hillebrand Trius Rib Eye Burger
icewine onion jam, peameal beacon, smoked blue haze, fall slaw & house ketchup, hand cut sea salt fries

Chocolate & Vanilla
vanilla & chocolate ice cream, chocolate tart, vanilla & chocolate sauce

Pear Almandine
ginger cream, caramel crunch, pear granite, pear puree

Artisan & Farm House Cheeses
walnut toast & nectarine jelly

Hillebrand Trius Merlot

Hillebrand Trius Merlot

Hillebrand Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake
1249 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake,
ON L0S 1J0, Canada
(800) 582-8412
www.hillebrand.com