ISES WINE COUNTRY TOUR 2009

This year, for the Annual ISES Northern California Chapter’s Wine Country Tour, we went to Pine Ridge Winery located in the heart of Napa Valley and the infamous Villagio Inn & Spa in Yountville.

Early that Tuesday morning of the tour, guests boarded two complimentary shuttles in San Francisco to promote car pooling.  Once the shuttles were full, they began their scenic journey into the Wine Country.

Upon their arrival at Pine Ridge Winery, guests were welcomed into the cocktail hour on the lush green front lawn by soothing sounds of live guitar music.  Towards the end of the cocktail hour, guests were invited to tour the grounds for a behind-the-scenes peak of the inner workings of Pine Ridge Winery As the tour worked its way into the barrel rooms and through the caves, guests were excited to see that they would be dining in the caves themselves.  The tables were covered in a deep warm fabric and napkins were golden yellow to compliment the romantically uplit wine barrels and Chihuly glass sculptures.

Executive Chef Kevin Miller of Villagio’s off-site catering service began lunch with a butter lettuce salad with strawberries, skyhill chevre, candied hazlenuts, champagne vinagrette and a glass of the 2006 Pine Ridge Dijon Clones Chardonnay.  The star of the show was the mouth-watering 5-star Coq Au Vin with wild mushrooms, roasted heirloom potatoes and red wine chicken jus as the main course which was beautifully paired with the 2005 Pine Ridge Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon.  Between the Coq Au Vin and Artisan Cheese Plate featuring Pierre Robert, Montbriac, Fig, Almond Cake, Blackberry honey, complimented by the 2005 Pine Ridge Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon, guest speaker and foodie, GraceAnn Walden, entertained guests with stories of the adventures upon which she embarked throughout her career.  I’m sure the laughter is still echoing in the caves.

Once lunch wrapped up, guests were transported to the Villagio Resort for desert.  Here, guests sipped on wine from Chimney Rock, Chalk Hill, Castello di Amorosa and One Hope upon classic Napa Valley lounge furniture draped in fresh spring citrus colors.

To see more images from the trip, please visit “The Scene” at Allure West Studios.

The Team

the designer | morgan doan of events by morgan

the speaker | graceann walden

the rentals and linens | classic party rentals

the transportation | pure luxury transportation

the wineries | pine ridge winery & villagio inn & spa

the guitar | star sound productions

the audio and lighting | lux productions

the florals at pine ridge | michael daigian design

the florals at villagio | julie stevens design

the photographer | natalie wi of allure west studios