With over 400 wineries in Napa Valley, how are you supposed to choose? There is great wine everywhere you go, so to me the thing that really differentiates a winery is the experience they offer.
Clif Family Winery, owned by the same people as Clif bars, is located in the heart of St.Helena (across the street from Long Meadow Ranch, another one of my favorite Napa spots). Clif Family was inspired by the owners’ biking trip throughout Italy. They would spend nights at refugios, places of refuge where you could rest between long days and get a good meal. They have taken this love of hospitality and planted it in the heart of Napa Valley. On a bike ride through Napa Valley and want to stop in for a bottle of water, an espresso and a Clif bar? They can do that. Want to indulge more and drink some Howell Mountain cabernet with salted caramels or chocolate chip cookies? They can do that too.
You will not find your average four-wines-standing-up-at-the-tasting-room-bar tastings here. Clif is all about providing experiences that are centered around their passions: food, wine and cycling. My friend Anna over at @vinylsandvinos did a biking tour throughout the valley when she visited. Me? I’m not the most outdoorsy, so I stuck to the Farm Feast experience.
The Farm Feast experience is $75 a person and includes four courses and several wines. We were welcomed with Cowgirl Creamery cheese doused in their lemon marmalade and a splash of their 2018 rosé of Grenache. This is one of my favorite wines they make – the tart watermelon jolly rancher notes are perfect for summer. We then moved on to their 2018 Rte Blanc, a crisp sauvignon blanc that paired perfectly with our salads. We dug into some arancini over 2017 Gewurztraminer and then switched over to reds with their bruschetta. They make several kinds of bruschetta, but my top two are their mushroom and their porchetta bruschetta. Apparently, the chef tried to take the porchetta off the menu and all of the locals protested. Now? It’s always on there. For reds, we got to try their 2016 Gary’s Improv Howell Mountain Zin and their Bici Red Blend (a Grenache dominant blend.) We wrapped with delicious, slightly melted chocolate chip cookies and Howell Mountain cab. Needless to say, we had lots of wine, I was BEYOND full and we still had plenty of leftovers as well.
With tasting fees as high as $50 in Napa Valley for wine only, I actually think Clif offers an amazing deal on their tasting experiences. Furthermore, their wines are only available for purchase through the winery and very limited production. Next time you’re in Napa and want a laid-back, unpretentious, friendly and delicious experience – check out Clif and do the farm feast, you will NOT regret it! (In fact, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be googling recipes on the blog immediately upon finishing 😉 )
