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A Tasting Tour of the Secret Garden
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Santa Rosa Plums at Jacobsen Orchards
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Future Escargot
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Off-Roading Through the Vineyards
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The Vinegar House at The Terraces
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Traditional Aged Balsamic Vinegar
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Under the Blue Oak at Aonair Wines
Hanging out with winemakers as you sip wine and enjoy the view of the valley. Tasting your way through a garden that's a favorite of some of America's best chefs. Zooming through the vineyard in an all-wheel-drive vehicle on your way to explore the ruins of a former winery: This is a Napa that anyone can experience, but very few actually do. Here are some off-the-beaten-path favorites from Napa native and guide
Paul Bailey
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Related story: Behind the Scenes in the Napa Valley
Ryan Hill (pictured, right) leads small tasting tours around Peter (pictured, left) and Gwendolyn Jacobsen's small but fascinating orchard and farm.
Snails that have been feasting on the abundance at Jacobsen Orchards wait for local chefs to come and collect them.
A tour at The Terraces includes an exciting drive through the rows of grapevines as well as a stop at the ruins of the original winery.
Six barrels of decreasing size, each made of a different wood to impart a new flavor into the vinegar, is part of the traditional Italian style of aging balsamic vinegar.
As part of the tour at The Terraces, you can taste small-batch balsamic vinegar being aged in the traditional Italian style.
This beats a traditional tasting room any day. Sit in the shade with Aonair winemaker Grant Long, Jr., and learn about grape growing, wine making, and what makes mountain grapes so special.
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