Have you ever been to a BYOW/B restaurant? Well, you definitely should venture out and try it! I had the pleasure of going to one of these types of restaurants recently. If you are unfamiliar…it is a restaurant that allows you to bring your own bottle(s) of wine or beer. They usually charge a nominal corking fee but if you have some really nice bottles of wine at home that you’ve been saving for a “special occasion”, this gives you an excuse or rather an opportunity to drink them in a fun, enjoyable and/or romantic atmosphere.

The restaurant was Italian cuisine, on the small side but very quaint. The vibe was laid back which was perfect! I chose a wine in my wine fridge that I’d had aging for 11 years. I really wanted to try it but I didn’t want to just crack it open and have it at home. The opportunity came to bring it to this restaurant and enjoy it for everything it was…it didn’t disappoint! The years were extremely kind to this lovely bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon.

I had purchased it on a trip to Napa and thought it would be the perfect bottle to age for a few years. Fast forward about 9 or 10 years and I would finally taste it, drink it, and enjoy it.

We walked into the restaurant, sat at a table and took in the Italian inspired atmosphere. I couldn’t wait to open this bottle! I knew it would be good and the whole experience of tasting and savoring it was exciting! The waitperson approached with a corkscrew…

The bottle I chose to bring was a 2010 Inglenook Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. While I was in Napa, I was on a mission to visit this winery. It has such an amazing history and I wanted to learn more. I made it a point to go there, taste, and purchase a bottle to bring home with me.

So, here’s a bit of the info and history behind this vineyard:

The Inglenook Winery is located in Rutherford, CA in the Napa Valley. It was established in 1879 when Gustave Niebaum purchased the farm property and turned it into a vineyard. In 1881 he began construction on the Chateau which will become the winery. He left for Europe to do research and returned with the first Cabernet Sauvignon vines to be planted in California. The first harvest was in 1882. It produced 80,000 gallons of wine! Inglenook’s Chateau was completed in 1887. Over the next several years, Inglenook became a prestigious winery winning medals for their wines across Europe and later in the United States. Then, along came Prohibition…Mrs. Niebaum kept the winery running by producing and selling sacramental wine to the Catholic Church. When Prohibition ended in 1933, the Inglenook winery passed to the hands of Niebaum’s grandnephew, Daniel who brought the winery into a new era. The Cabernet Sauvignon is its premiere wine, winning several prestigious awards including a rating of 100 for its 1941 Cabernet. This wine earned the reputation of being “among the best red wines ever made”. That’s pretty incredible!

Fast forward to 1964 and some hard financial times, the Inglenook winery, brand name, and 100 acres of vineyards were sold to United Vintners. After Daniel’s death, his wife, Betty decided to sell the rest of the Inglenook estate to Francis Ford Coppola in 1975. Many years and many award-winning vintages later by the Coppola family, the estate re-named Niebaum-Coppola Winery was completely reunited to include all of Inglenook Estate (1995).

My visit to this historic winery was amazing. It has exquisitely beautiful architecture and grounds and a series of 16,000 feet of Infinity Cave cellars that are built into the hillside behind the Chateau. The tour is amazing and is something you definitely should do if you find yourself in Napa.

Anyway, I digress…this elegant bottle of 2010 Inglenook Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was delicious! The tannins were tame and smooth and the smell and tastes that came through…cherry, blueberry, black currant with oak undertones (due to aging in American and French oak barrels). This was a smooth, luscious wine. I’m so glad I chose this one to take to our first adventure to a BYOW/B restaurant. It just made it that much more special!

Take a look in your area for a restaurant where you can bring your own wine…it’s a treat to open a bottle of your own special wine, have a great meal, and a great experience with a significant other, some friends, or family. Don’t be afraid to open a bottle that you’ve been saving. It was a freeing experience and it was truly memorable!

Cheers!

www.inglenook.com