Honeymoon Series – Day 3: Simi Winery & a Memorable Lunch

On our third day in Napa, we traded the rush of back-to-back tastings for something slower and more relaxed: a visit to Simi Winery in Healdsburg. It took a bit of a drive to get there, but it turned out to be well worth the effort.

Simi has a long and storied history. It’s one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in California, dating back to the 1800s.

We were curious to see it for ourselves, and soon found out that the setting was absolutely beautiful.

The tour itself was short, and our guide felt a little formal. We didn’t come away with any standout stories, but it was ok. The real highlight was what came next.

Scott’s distributor connections had arranged a private, complimentary lunch hosted outdoors with two other couples and the chef. The setup was intimate and quiet, tucked into a leafy garden space.

One couple was from Aspen, and the woman worked in the wine industry. The other pair was from New York, Nicholas and Victoria. Nicholas turned out to be the Beverage Director for both Tavern on the Green and the Russian Tea Room. Not surprisingly, we had great conversations about wine, food, and restaurants on both coasts.

The lunch itself was thoughtful and delicious:

We lingered for a few hours, enjoying every course and each other’s company. It felt less like a winery visit and more like a garden party with people we had just met but somehow already liked.

Here are two pages from our journal about Day 3.

After lunch, we wandered the grounds and sat by the fountain for a while. Then we made the drive back to Napa in the late afternoon.

That evening, we took it easy, walking around, shopping, and eating at a small Italian restaurant downtown. Nothing fancy, just simple and low-key. Exactly what we needed.

Some of our best memories from this trip came from the quiet, unexpected moments like this one.

The next honeymoon post will be about Day 3, when we visited Hess Collection, Raymond, Markham, and St. Clement. For the full honeymoon itinerary, check out this post.

And, before you leave, don’t forget to subscribe to our blog and also check out our Facebook group, Finger Lakes Food and Wine Adventures.

Cheers from the lake!
—Niki and Scott