Another beautiful morning in Napa Valley welcomed our twenty-five minute Uber ride to the vineyard. The sunlight flitted about the lush well-developed grounds. More formal, their concierge greeted us and invited us to stand in front of the step-and-repeat for a photo.

We were early, we usually are, they served a splash of rose and invited us to wander, then wait on the front porch rocking chairs. We explored the main house and discovered the balloon molds.

We booked the brunch tasting in The Miller House, which is the newest edition to their long and storied history. Only commissioned two months prior it is a gorgeous glass clad, mid-century modern gem. Our pictures don’t do it justice- recommend exploring the website. Whoever decorated it—please come to my house and do the same.

The tastings started with an exquisite Blanc-de-Blanc, then moved to a round but fruity Chardonnay. We typically do not like Chardonnay, but both Brad and I enjoyed it. Cheese, meats, and nuts were the tasting pairings. The Pinot Noir, again something we don’t commonly like, was what the sommelier called a ‘Cab man’s Pinot Noir’. We both loved it. The tasting finished with a big reserve red that met the needs of the fatty meat and mustard to which it was paired.

The sommelier spoke of the Frank Family and the Patriarch (and they have a wine titled Patriarch) to exhaustion. We get it already, the guy was wildly successful and ridiculously rich. Everyone in the family, including two dogs, have wines or properties named after them.

We met lovely people. A daughter and her mother celebrating Mother’s Day and a wonderful couple. After the tasting we sat with the couple in pillowed repose and had a deep and stimulating discussion about a range of interesting subjects. We exchanged numbers and I hope we see them again.

We joined the club. Most winery’s sell certain wines from the club because they are not in distribution. Reservations required. The per bottle price ranged from $40-225. Even though the name rubbed me the wrong way, we ordered some Patriarch because Brad loved the rich wine with a staggering high rating and the label was amazing and will be fun to add to our label collection.

Ambiance: 5/5 Wine: 4/5 Friends: 10/10 Sommelier Talking Points: 2/5