Looking for that once in a lifetime
experience in California's legendary wine country? Look no
further. Vagabond Gourmet is pouring the perfect blend of wine trek and edible journey that is worth raising a glass to.
April 30-May 7, 2008 - Cost: $3,800.00 per person
Double Occupancy, Exclusive of
Airfare and Car Rental
•
7 Nights Private Luxurious Lodging
•
All Meals & Unlimited Wine at Estate
•
Two Exclusive Vintner Dinners
•
California Celebrity Chef Visit
•
Chauffeured Wine Bus Tour
•
Lunch at the French Laundry
•
Exclusive Private Reserve Wine Tastings
•
Hands on Cooking
•
Guided Tour COPIA
•
Entertaining & Food Presentation Lessons
•
Visits to Markets & Local Artisans
TRAVEL ICONS
The Napa Valley
In California, just north
of the cosmopolitan city of San Francisco is a region that has
been producing fine wines for more than a century. The beauty of
Napa Valley is unrivaled. It's been painted, written about, featured
in films and trod upon by millions and millions of amateur tasters
and serious connoisseurs. Your journey here will not be the first
but it will be exceptional.
But here's the tough part. Sonoma County and Napa Valley cover more than 1,600 square miles. That's larger than the state of Rhode Island. So how do you decide where to stay, what to do, which wineries to visit and what kind of food to eat?
Let us make it easy and memorable for you.
On every Vagabond Gourmet tour, one thing is certain---we have great taste! Our itineraries and tours are carefully planned and we have gathered a team of local experts who will educate and enlighten you, as well as cook for you and show you the best of the region. You will meet local family wine producers, tour the small and quaint towns and farmer's markets of the valley, eat at some of the well-known restaurants, as well as learn cooking tips from our chef Laura, who has 30-years experience, in the kitchen of our luxurious 100-year-old estate.
The name Napa Valley is synonymous the world over with quality California wine. But did you know there is more viticulture diversity within the Napa Valley appellation than there is in the Medoc or Cote d'Or regions of France. Names like Pride ,Paloma, Del Dotto, Jarvis and Reverie are the reigning new royalty and gaining respect worldwide.
Tasting and Touring
We will visit several wineries, meet the families, and enjoy educational and informal tastings of the area's best wines, as well as discover some of the region’s best kept secrets. A guided bus tour will let you sip to your heart’s content.
One of our stops is Frazier
Vineyards, pictured here, whose winery is family run and whose wines continue to make headlines in local press, and with wine guides and connoisseurs like The Wine News and Robert Parker.
Several vintner dinners are lined up on our tour. These magical evenings are filled with fabulous food, glorious wines and hosted in the cellars of some of the area's most beautiful wine cellars.
Of course, the food
California Cuisine is a style of cuisine marked by an interest in "fusion"- integrating disparate cooking styles and ingredients- and is freshly prepared using local ingredients. The food is typically prepared with particularly strong attention to presentation. For California, San Francisco is the mecca of haute cuisine and fine dining. Just take a look at some of the San Francisco Bay Area's culinary stars, and perhaps plan an excursion to visit a few yourselves.
Alice Waters, of the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is usually credited with originating California cuisine and retains the reputation of offering the ultimate California cuisine experience Jeremiah Tower was a chef who worked for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and then opened his own restaurant, Stars, in San Francisco. Closer to our villa is the French Laundry located in the charming town of Yountville, in the heart of the Napa Valley. As part of our Vagabond
Gourmet tour, you will enjoy an exceptional lunch at this world-famous eatery where chef Thomas Keller earned his reputation as one of America’s finest chefs. Most recently, the French-based Michelin Guide bestowed "three stars" to The French Laundry and "one star" to Keller’s restaurant, Bouchon, in Yountville.
It seemed only natural we devote this adventure to “the art of the party” and share secrets for plate presentation, knockout buffet designs and how to be the perfect host or hostess. Entertaining, how to create fabulous dinner parties and the planning your own chic, wine country “soirees” will have your guests asking “who’s the new caterer” in town!
Join our own Vagabond Gourmet chefs in the kitchen of our manor house to create some of the golden state's best dishes and learn how to bring a little California back to your own table. The mild climate and sunny skies make grapes not the only thing that grows well in Napa Valley. There are dozens of farmers markets that dot the valley. Here you can meander the stands and plump and squeeze your way through rows and rows of ripe fruits, organic harvests and local cheeses. Follow along to scour the markets with Chef Laura for the best ingredients learn hands on why California cuisine remains one the nation’s most popular styles.
Home Sweet Home
Your home away from home for the week is this luxury 100-year-old neoclassical estate in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. You'll have all the privacy you need, but the estate's common areas will lure you to explore every corner of this gracefully-aged grande dame.
Imagine sipping a local cabernet one evening on the retro verandah, or strolling the lush gardens that surround the estate. The pool and patio area make for an inviting afternoon swim, or simply spend some time in the large and convivial kitchen where our chefs surely are up to something good.
Good wine is often paired with fine food, and at Vagabond
Gourmet, this is no exception. With Laura and our Vagabond
Gourmet chefs in the kitchen, you are guaranteed to eat Michelin- star quality meals that will match beautifully with your seductive Sangiovese or cheerful chardonnay.
This is the trip of a lifetime and you won't want to miss a single sip.
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In California, just north
of the cosmopolitan city of San Francisco is a region that has
been producing fine wines for more than a century. The beauty of
Napa Valley is unrivaled. It's been painted, written about, featured
in films and trod upon by millions and millions of amateur tasters
and serious connoisseurs. Your journey here will not be the first
but it will be exceptional.
On every Vagabond Gourmet tour, one thing is certain---we have great taste! Our itineraries and tours are carefully planned and we have gathered a team of local experts who will educate and enlighten you, as well as cook for you and show you the best of the region. You will meet local family wine producers, tour the small and quaint towns and farmer's markets of the valley, eat at some of the well-known restaurants, as well as learn cooking tips from our chef Laura, who has 30-years experience, in the kitchen of our luxurious 100-year-old estate.
One of our stops is Frazier
Vineyards, pictured here, whose winery is family run and whose wines continue to make headlines in local press, and with wine guides and connoisseurs like The Wine News and Robert Parker. 
Alice Waters, of the restaurant Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, is usually credited with originating California cuisine and retains the reputation of offering the ultimate California cuisine experience Jeremiah Tower was a chef who worked for Alice Waters at Chez Panisse and then opened his own restaurant, Stars, in San Francisco. Closer to our villa is the French Laundry located in the charming town of Yountville, in the heart of the Napa Valley. As part of our Vagabond
Gourmet tour, you will enjoy an exceptional lunch at this world-famous eatery where chef Thomas Keller earned his reputation as one of America’s finest chefs. Most recently, the French-based Michelin Guide bestowed "three stars" to The French Laundry and "one star" to Keller’s restaurant, Bouchon, in Yountville. 
Imagine sipping a local cabernet one evening on the retro verandah, or strolling the lush gardens that surround the estate. The pool and patio area make for an inviting afternoon swim, or simply spend some time in the large and convivial kitchen where our chefs surely are up to something good.
