Can you go away for one day and feel like you had a proper vacation?
I decided to find out if a one day outing would feel like an entire vacation by flying JetsuiteX from Burbank to Concord for wine tasting in Napa Valley, California.
My first education of the day was about the company, JetSuiteX. Jetsuite has been operating private jets for seven years and now has a division of public charter flights or “everyone’s private jet” called JetsuiteX which means you have “the best comforts of private air travel at commercial fares.” There are no security lines or airport crowds as you travel between private terminals with comfort and convenience and no subscription fees.
I learned that JetSuiteX has chosen to have only 30 seats in the Embraer 135 even though they often have 36 seats so you have 36-inches of pitch, free WiFi and the comforts of a private jet. I loved the flight attendant service, leather seats and power outlets at every seat. We did also have complimentary gourmet snacks and beverages including wine and spirits.
VIDEO: A Day in Napa with JetSuiteX
I arrived at the Burbank Terminal 30 minutes before my flight and left my car with the valet. To check in, I simply showed my ID and received my boarding pass and seat. I did not have luggage as I was only going for the day but 2 pieces of baggage are complimentary with the flight.
Boarding the plane was very quick and painless. No lines and no waiting. Upon arrival, we took a van from Concord to Napa and were ready for wine tasting.
Gabrielle Poston, founder of WhichWinery, joined us for the day and selected the wineries for us to visit. I asked her how she chose these two out of the nearly thousand choices in Napa Valley.
Poston explained: “I wanted to give the group wine country experiences that were unique – not your typical tasting room experiences – and would be memorable to everyone. It’s the experiences and the stories you take away from your trip that make the wine you bring home with you even better.”
Our first stop was Whetstone Wine Cellars which looks like a place that a fairytale princess would choose for their home; the setting is charming!
Poston continued: “I love the romantic, storybook feel that Whetstone offers – it’s a completely different tasting experience and makes you feel like you’ve been swept away to another world all together to sip and savor their wines. I especially love that Whetstone is truly a passion project for the Whetstone family; their story is so interesting of finding the property and the hard work that went into making it the winery they operate today. Being able to hear about it from owners Michelle and Jamey who work side by side on the property makes the experience so unique.”
Not only did we taste the wines under red umbrellas in the courtyard of Whetstone but Michelle and Jamey shared their personal saga of bringing their dream to life.
Our second stop was William Hill Estate Winery where we toured and learned about the stages of creating the wine. We also ate lunch with the breezes off the vines.
Poston shared: “The view at William Hill is absolutely spectacular! My husband and I love to grab a picnic lunch and head up to William Hill to soak in the view while sipping on their Chardonnay (my favorite!) and relaxing in the adirondack chairs – it’s the epitome of happiness and relaxation. I was thrilled that they gave us a sneak peek behind the scenes of the winery, with delicious barrel and tank tastes too!”
As someone who knows the wines of the regions, I asked for her favorites of the wines we tasted that day. Poston’s favorite at Whetstone Winery was the 2015 Pinot Noir ‘Pleasant Hill’ Russian River “It’s smooth and velvety with rich flavors of baked cherry, plum and cocoa. Yum!”
And at William Hill Estates Wine, her top choice was the 2014 William Hill Estate Winemaker’s Series Carneros Chardonnay as “They make several different Chardonnays – and all are delicious because trust me, I’ve tried them all many times, but the Winemakers Series Carneros Chardonnay is my ultimate favorite. At first sip, I can feel my shoulders relax and a smile cross my face – it just melts me away with delicious notes of brown sugar, fig, nutmeg and vanilla. Delicious!”
Spending the day in the hills of Napa was fantastic. I highly recommend flying JetSuiteX to Napa for a wine tasting experience. Maybe you want to stay more than one day and taste more wines, but if you only have a single day to get away and need to be back in Los Angeles for dinner, you can do it. I loved all the parts of our outing and cannot wait to do it again!
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