Stags Leap Winery is absolutely breathtaking.
When we called for an appointment, we decided to go with an informal porch tasting. We took a few minutes to look around the grounds and then headed to our tasting. It was casual with about six other people in our group. With each pour, we were given a brief explanation and background. We sat on the porch and visited with others in the group and went up on our own to get the next pour. It was on our time, and we were in no rush. We tasted five wines, working from white, to rose and finishing with a cabernet. This was a different experience because we listened to others ask questions and discuss the wine. During these types of tastings you will often meet others who are excited to talk about their preferences and history with wine. This is an aspect that I love taking in with a visit. Always remember to take your time with the tasting, not only with your wine, but with those in your group and enjoy the scenery. After the wine tasting our guide gave us background on the winery. Stags Leap has a great history, so we decided to walk through the main house by ourselveshouse taking it all in. This was a completely different experience than our first stop at Saintsbury. We were a little more on our own at Stags. I did enjoy visiting with the others in our group and hearing their experiences, but we felt that we learned a little more at Saintsbury. This is why you should try different types of tours and tastings. The variety keeps it enjoyable and you can find the type of tour you prefer.
Next stop.... Dinner...with a little detour.
