May 17

May 17 Andretti Winery - Napa Valley, California

The final stop on our wine tour in Napa Valley is the nostalgic Andretti Winery. I've never been to Italy but I have a feeling if I went to a remote Tuscan village, Andretti would resemble it. There isn't much more for me to describe than what you'll find in these photos. The winery is surrounded by acres of vines. If you shut away all the people and just stared at the landscape, you could imagine yourself driving in Tuscany like in Letters to Juliet. It really is a breathtaking site, Napa Valley. I must sound like a broken record but the entire valley is stunning. I can't imagine living here and being unhappy. All you'd have to do is look out your window and forget about life's struggles.

Mario Andretti is a former race car driver who was born in Italy. Traveling for work led to his love of wine. When he retired in the early '90s, he decided to open his own winery. In 1996, Andretti Winery opened its doors. The winery offers tours and tastings, food and wine pairings, events and more. They have a shop with plenty of memorabilia to browse as well as foods like cheese, snacks, pairing suggestions and more. To be honest, I was happy enough just to walk around and take in the beauty of the property.

Unfortunately, I do not have tasting notes for this winery. I didn't have a tasting sheet to take notes and it would have been difficult standing without tables. On top if it all, my phone was dying so I didn't want to drain the battery typing notes. Our hostess was knowledgeable about the history of Andretti, the wine making process and the wines they were currently selling. We tried several reds and whites and even got to taste wine still in the barrel. That was one of the more exciting experiences I've had wine tasting.