Summer Vacation

Each year we plan a summer vacation with the kids and another family. We have been practicing this tradition for years and generally end up at a northern Minnesota or Wisconsin resort. This year, as the planning began, we were kicking around the usual resorts or perhaps the Black Hills when I thought, there is a perfect place to finally bring the kids where we can all kick back, relax, and enjoy a couple days from the hectic world we all live. Napa Valley is not the first place most think to bring children, and in all my visits I have not seen many, but there is no rule against it. It also seemed time for my teen-aged daughters to learn a bit more about how my wife and I make our living.

With little notice, I found myself planning a trip for four adults and four children to Napa on the Fourth of July weekend. While this task would generally be very difficult, some very good and long-standing business partners stepped forward to accommodate.  It is fitting that the first winery my kids toured and stayed with was Franciscan as this was the first place my wife and I visited. We have stayed with Franciscan so many times over the years we affectionately refer to their guesthouse as our Summer Home. Our next stop was Trinchero. With the best hospitality in the valley, it is a perfect place to bring the kids. The breakfast served by the folks at Sutter Home is beyond compare and the kids loved it!

Four teen-aged kids touring the valley and learning about viticulture while their parents tasted wine was a recipe for fantastic memories. The kids performed beyond our expectations and learned valuable lessons about wine making that many professionals I deal with have not yet experienced. It was a great trip for my family and our friends. I look forward to the day I can bring the group again when our kids are over twenty-one and we can share the wine as well as the ambiance.