Napa with Duong & Johnny

Tung and I drove my brother Johnny and his girlfriend Duong up to Napa for their first trip to wine country. Pictures here are courtesy of Johnny's fancy camera. We visited our favorites during the 1-day trip, including V. Sattui, where Tung snagged a bottle of his favorite Cabernet Sauvignon year, 2006. He says he plans to age this bottle, but we'll see how long that lasts.

We then took the aerial tram up to Sterling's tasting grounds, a white castle on the hill. Sterling is modeled after the bleach-white walls classic of the Greek island Myknonos's architecture.

Group picture on the courtyard of Sterling

Enjoying the breeze and the view with Duong

 Next, we drove to Castello di Amorosa. In the summer, the trees burst in a fresh yellow-green coat, and the view down a tree-lined path is very picturesque.

 This was Tung's and my first trip to Napa in the summer, and unlike the barren, clipped back vines that greeted us in the early spring, tiny baby grapes were growing on the vines. We are looking forward to coming during harvest season in the Autumn to see nature's play of colors in reds, yellows, and browns.

The castle beasts are up and about, enjoying a lovely summer. This rooster put on quite the show, cock-a-doodle-ing to impress the disinterested hens.

 The courtyard of Castello di Amorosa is where multiple events are held throughout the year for wine club members. They usually host a medieval Renaissance Fair where guests come dressed in costume, a "Hot Havana Nights" event featuring Latin cuisine and dance lessons from an instructor of "Dancing with the Stars," and a Lobsterfest night that sells out months in advance.

 No tour of Castello is complete without a swing by the dungeon and torture chamber. Not only are the bricks of Castello shipped directly from Italy, the owner of the winery, Dario Sattui, also had a knack for collecting ancient artifacts to furnish his torture chamber, including a real Iron Maiden and Rack.

Apparently, I am the height of a typical Medieval knight

Johnny hangs out in front of the castle

 For dinner, we dropped by Gott's Roadside for some burgers and hot dogs. This joint operates like a Wienerschnitzel where the kitchen staff remains indoors to prep orders, and you go up to the counter to order. The burgers were juicy and delicious; the hot dogs were mediocre, but they do Chicago-style (with fresh tomatoes but no ketchup).