ML - Vegas Magazine

2013 - Issue 4 - Summer

Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.

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GATEWAY PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAN BALCIOGLU Take a break from steamy Vegas with a trip to Napa, where average summer temps are in the 70s. beckon with consistent temperatures in the 70s. And a getaway there feels worlds away from Sin City—despite being just a quick 90-minute flight and an hour shuttle away. Downtown Napa is really taking off, so book three nights at Andaz Napa, where General Manager Greg Nomura's contagious enthusiasm will put you in the best of moods for a long weekend in wine country (707-687-1234; napa.andaz.hyatt.com). Start your day at St. Helena's Trinchero Napa Valley (707-963-1160; trincheronapavalley.com), where the family's Italian heritage seeps into everything from the décor to the focus on food (Grandma Mary's recipe for bagna cauda is written on the walls of the hospitality center). Test your wine knowledge with a sensory guessing game, including a spin of the Aroma Wheel, then savor a tasting of rich Cabernet Sauvignon, petit verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Finish your day at the famed Oxbow Public Market, where Hog Island oysters are a must, but don't get too full. You'll want to have dinner at Morimoto, with its lively, sophisticated scene and creative dishes like a toro tartare that comes with paddles so you can add your own toppings. On day two, drive out to Sonoma, which is just as cool as Napa in the summer, to Benziger Family Winery (888-490-2739; benziger.com). Its four vineyards are Demeter-certified biodynamic, the highest certification level for organic farming, and the luxuriant grounds are the perfect backdrop to a tasting from an eclectic wine list that includes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For dinner, head back to St. Helena, to Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, a locals' hangout from Top Chef: Masters's Cindy Pawlcyn. Save Yountville for day three: After sipping Champagne on the patio of Domaine Chandon (707-944-8844; chandon.com), dine à la Thomas Keller, at Ad Hoc, Bouchon (sister restaurant to the one in Vegas), or the worldfamous French Laundry. If you're still kicking after dinner, save your nights for the brand-new lounge Empire, which is already earning buzz for its late-night (for Napa) scene, plus its small-plate menu and its wine board of the finest regional vintages. VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 99 098-103_V_Feat_Travel_Sum13.indd 99 6/17/13 10:23 AM

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