Labor Day Wine Tasting and Croquet

What to do with nine visiting relatives over Labor Day? Besides cooling off in our swimming pool, two of the best activities Ed and I planned for them was a tour, tasting and lunch at Robert Sinskey Vineyards, in Napa, and croquet and dinner on the croquet lawn at Meadowood Resort, in St. Helena.

Robert Sinskey provided a wonderful experience, which included touring its vegetable garden, cave (where we viewed its fermenting tanks and oak aging barrels), and where we had a fabulous lunch, named "A Perfect Circle," paired with Sinskey wines. My favorites of the "Perfect Circle" were: in the"Beginning," the everything lavash, smoked salmon, garden cucumbers, and creme fraiche, paired with a 2013 Carneros/Sonoma Pinot Blanc; in the "Middle," Gnocchi, Duck Confit Chanterelles, Romano Beans, and Parmesan, paired with a 2013 Carneros/Napa Valley Pinot Noir; and in the "End," a Hudson Ranch pork, with early girl tomatoes and Huckleberries, paired with a 2010 Marcien, Proprietary Red from Carneros/Napa Valley. We finished the lunch off with a  great late harvest wine and sweets.

Croquet at Meadowood was a totally different experience--outdoors (no cave!)-- that included a friendly family competition. We started out with tips on how to play the game from croquet pro Mike McDonnell and some of Vineyard {511} soon-to-be-released 2015 Carneros Chardonnay. We broke up into teams and soon we were all playing like pros, helped along by our Chardonnay. Not bragging, of course, but have to say, my team, consisting of Ed and me and our Chardonnay, were the champs of both our games.

Our dinner that followed on the croquet glen overlooking the croquet lawn included delicious grilled veggies, salmon and roast beef, paired so nicely with our Vineyard {511} Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon. Chocolate cookies too.

Oh boy, now how will we follow that up next year???