Soul of the Valley
A Culinary Tour Down the Silverado Trail

TRAVEL - June 1, 2009

Experience the passion that is the soul of wine country on this amble down the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley.

Start at 11:00 with a visit to the self-proclaimed dirt farmers at Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Sign up for the Culinary Tour. Pluck and sniff organic herbs from the garden then settle down in the vineyard kitchen for a feast of local artisan cheeses and charcuterie prepared by chef Alex Bolduc. For us, he added a Roman-style, super-thin pizza made in a brick oven stove. The traditions of home and hearth are ever present, from the weed-eating sheep to copies of the cookbook, "Family Meals," by award winning chef and author, Maria Helm Sinskey, Rob's wife. The acclaimed wines found here are made for drinking with food. Don't miss the Cabernet Franc, a favorite, we were told, of the farmhands who work the dirt at Sinskey.

Visible from Sinskey patio are the rooftops of Cliff Lede Vineyards. Head west on Yountville Cross Road to sample critically praised wines and relax on the porch amid casual but tasteful surroundings. This unpretentious stop is the fulfillment of a dream of Canadian entrepreneur, Cliff Lede, who grew up in Edmonton cherishing Bordeaux style blends and making "basement wines" with his mother. Stroll peacefully around the elegant Parisian-style gardens and tasting spaces complete with fountains and sculptures. Take time to visit the small but stylish art gallery on the premises. It houses a rotating collection currently curated by I. Wolk Gallery in St. Helena. Overall, this is a great place to unwind and prepare for more culinary delights at your next stop.

Head south on the Silverado Trail and keep an eye out for Signorello Vineyards on the left, up the eastern valley slope toward Stag's Leap. Its modestly appointed tasting room only hints at the fun that awaits the Enoteca Signorello tasting. Sip wines around the infinity pool, sample American Kobe Wagyu beef from Snake River Farms while marveling at scenic vistas. The pairings were divine but the highlight was a widely acclaimed Bordeaux-style blend, the 2005 Padrone, with food or alone.

Rest up, this itinerary takes energy! But it's worth the effort. By days end you'll have captured the soul of wine country.

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