Our first stop was Mumm Napa. Having found a coupon for a two-for-one tour and tasting, we showed up just in time for the 11:00 tour. (The 10:00 tour is free.) The tour was quite nice, giving us a history of the grounds, as well as an insider's tour of the facility. There were several stops along the tour that featured videos to complement the guided tour, as well as three stops that allowed for tastings of Mumm's featured sparkling wines. I especially enjoyed watching BOB, the machine that moved the wine bottles in and out of riddling baskets. And the cute little tasting class that was a complimentary part of our tour. Following the tour, we sat inside the tasting room patio and tried a few glasses. Each of the four of us tried something different: Aaron and I each tried one of the two sparkling red wines, while the celebratory couple shared a glass of Mumm's prestigious DVX.
Tasting wines while enjoying the view of a gorgeous vineyard can really make a person hungry. We made our way to a recommended local brewery for lunch. There we tried some tasty food and local brew from the Silverado Brewing Company. Our friends even went home with a growler box of the house specialty. (Yes, I said box. They thought they were getting a cool growler bottle full of ale, but alas, it was a box. A gallon sized box o' beer.)
We were hoping to hit another beer tasting room on the way to our last tour of the day, but we were just a little too slow. Another time.
I think you have to call it a good day when you get to sit in the sunshine, drinking the area's best bubbly, celebrating good times with great friends. Happy Anniversary to the Mr. and Mrs!
Bonus picture: our friends decided that it would be fun to share their box-o-beer with us, so they refilled Aaron's growler (we brought with us in case we made it to the second brewery) in the parking lot before leaving.