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Napa Valley’s Historic Wineries: Preserving the Legacy of Wine in California
Certain wineries are the essence of the California wine industry, a premiere accolade for one of the several hundred wineries throughout the region. Whether you visit these during your Napa Valley wine tour or Sonoma wine-tasting outing, you should be aware that you...
Napa Valley Art and Wine Scene: Where Culture and Creativity Meet in the Vineyards
Art and wine become natural partners as people visit the area to experience both. While this is only a glimpse, you get the idea that the art and wine scene in Napa Valley is stronger than ever. Wineries are art lovers. Whether winemakers exhibit their artistic nature...
Sirah vs Shiraz vs Syrah vs Sera
Sometimes a single letter can mean a world of difference, but yet we need to be careful about why we may face different spellings for the same thing. Or sometimes we see similar spellings that mean very different things. In some cases, they may be the same, only...
Recipe Feature: Apple Cider Chicken Skewers
The culinary experts at Platypus Wine Tours, a premier wine country tours company in Napa Valley and Sonoma County, frequently share recipes for some of their delightful and unique creations. Platypus Wine Tours’ Sonoma and Napa tour guests will often ask how certain...
Recipe Feature: Taco Salad
PLATYPUS WINE COUNTRY TOURS’ TACO SALAD RECIPE INGREDIENTS 2 Heads of Romaine Lettuce Chopped 1/2 Cup Shredded Jack and Cheddar mix 1 handful of Tortilla Chips Crushed 2 Roma Tomatoes, Small Dice 1/3 Cup of Sliced Black Olives 1/4 cup of your favorite Ranch Dressing...
Recipe Feature: Classic Spring Fritters
Recipe for Platypus Wine Tours Classic Spring Fritters Ingredients to Assemble 2 Eggs 1 Cup Milk 1 tsp Salt 1 1/2 Cups AP Flour 1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder 1/4 tsp White Pepper Vegetables 1 Cup Fresh Peas 1 Cup Fresh White Corn 1 Cup Zucchini (small dice) 1 tsp Fresh Dill...
Recipe Feature: Potatoes Au Gratin
Potatoes Au Gratin by Platypus Wine Tours Ingredients 2 lbs. potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced) 2 cups heavy cream 1 tbsp crushed garlic 1 tsp thyme 1/2 cup panko/bread crumbs 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded) 1 tbsp salt 1/2 tsp white pepper Method Preheat the...
A Guide to Tasting Room Etiquette: Navigating Wine Tasting Like A Pro
Wine tasting should be a relaxed, educational, and enjoyable experience. Wineries tend to strive to create a comfortable experience for all, hoping that guests will purchase their wines, become regular consumers of it, and spread the good word about their product. As...
Recipe Feature: French Onion Soup
The culinary staff at Platypus Wine Tours of Napa is always looking for and testing new recipes to share with their California wine tour guests. During a typical Platypus Wine Tour, guests are treated to a high level of comfort in the tour vehicles, enjoy a carefully...
Recipe Feature: No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Platypus In-House Culinary Team Platypus Wine Tours offers a delicious lunch and tasty bites for guests to enjoy during their Wine Country California tour. Dedicated to making each experience as delightful and flavorful as possible, the Platypus Culinary Staff has...
Recipe Feature: Turkey and Brown Rice Soup
Ingredients: 1 Yellow Onion (Diced) 6 Celery Stalks (Rough Chop) 2 Carrots (Quartered and Chopped) 3 Tbsp. Garlic (Fine Chopped) 2 lbs. Diced Cooked or Raw Turkey (also may be ground turkey rolled into meatballs) 2 Cups of Brown Rice 4 Tbsp. Quinoa (may use Chia...
Holidays in Napa and Sonoma Valley
Wine Country California is the perfect place to experience the joys of the Holiday Season. The businesses and communities of Napa Valley and Sonoma County are once again extending their famous hospitality in so many ways, with each year bringing new, exciting events...
Recipe Feature: Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake
Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Ingredients: Crust 1 cup crushed graham crackers 1/4 cup of melted butter 1 tbsp spoon of sugar Filling 16 oz of Cream Cheese (2 packs) softened 1 cup of Sugar 2 large Eggs, lightly beaten 15 oz of Roasted Pumpkin (1 Can) 1 1/4 tsp Ground...
Panzanella Salad Recipe
Here is their recipe for creating your own Panzanella Salad à la Platypus Wine Tours: Panzanella Salad Ingredients 2 Cucumbers or 1 English Cucumber (Medium Dice) 2 Medium sized Tomatoes (Medium Dice) 1/2 Red Onion (Sliced Thin) 1 Tbsp Garlic (Fine Chop) 4 Oz Sherry...
Mushroom Cream Pasta Recipe
As the weather begins to cool during the Fall months that coincide with Harvest Season in wine country, foods that are warmer and more comforting during this time are more appropriate. We are featuring the Platypus Wine Tours’ version of a Mushroom Cream Pasta Recipe....
Rich Mushroom Soup
As a winery tour company, we are always seeking ways to delight and entertain guests and friends. That's why we love featuring delicious recipes and wine pairings that will help you bring a piece of wine country home. This delicious offering, now part of the Platypus...
The Platypus Kitchen and Lentil Salad Recipe
Besides the excellent commentary and memorable visits to some of Napa and Sonoma County’s boutique wineries, Platypus Wine Tours is also popular for the delicious food they serve. Unlike other tour companies, the culinary staff prepares fresh meals for each outing in...
What Napa Valley AVA Districts sit higher than the valley floor?
Several distinct growing areas lie within the comparatively small agricultural region of Napa Valley’s Wine Country California. Challenged by the diversity of microclimates, soils, moisture levels, elevations, and other conditions, vintners successfully produce a full...
