A Great Weekend in Napa Valley! May 20 2014

(Photo from Achetypenapa.com website; we do not take credit)

I enjoyed a lovely dinner with the Partridge's at a new restaurant in St. Helena called Archetype this past weekend. 

As we entered the former building of French Blue at 1429 Main St., we were blown away by the rustic, simplistic beauty of Archetype. 
 
With a wide open floor plan, high ceilings, fresh flowers, and busy chefs preparing culinary delights in an open kitchen it felt like we had stepped into a white party in the Hamptons.
 
As is typical for Napa Valley, Executive Chef Ryder Zetts uses local and seasonal ingredients in his preparations, and dishes are flavorful and beautiful in presentation – plates are informed by the comingling of ingredients, and the whole is definitely greater than the sum of the parts. 
 
Some of the meals enjoyed at our table include Alaskan halibut with bacon crust, manila clams, grilled ramps, and marble potatoes; carola potato gnocchi with green garlic butter, young carrots, pea tendrils, and mushroom condiment; and chilled Dungeness crab with pearl tapioca, hearts of palm, red curry, and fried coconut. 
 
Sounds amazing, right?

Working for a winery, it’s often funny to enter new restaurants and become familiar with their protocol on corkage fees.  We were happily surprised with Archetype, where the fee was minimal (and free for the first bottle)– we have to be able to drink the good stuff, ya know. 
 
But let’s be honest, while the restaurant was fantastic, the company was even better.  Sometimes you just have to stop and say thank you to the great people who make living out your wine inspired dreams possible.
 
Jessica Stock
National Sales Manager