Diamond Oaks: another great place to picnic in Napa Valley.
Monday, March 24th, 2008We had friends visiting and decided to take a ride up the Valley and to try one of the recommended places for a picnic. Stopping off at the Oakville Grocery we picked up sandwiches, chips, and something to drink. Despite its busyness, it amazed me how quickly they got food to the consumer. Jamie had the curried chicken salad sandwich (his favorite) and I went with the smoked turkey on foccacia with pesto (I love that sandwich). As you pull out of the parking lot of the Grocery you make a quick left, then right up the Oakville Grade Road. Drive for about 1/2 mile and you will see the Diamond Oaks winery entrance on the left. The picnic grounds are visible as you pull into the parking lot, and sit under a stand of oak trees. Imagine a hot summer day, a chilled bottle of Chardonnay or a lovely Pinot Noir as you nibble on your sandwich from the Oakville Grocery. It really is a lovely place to picnic. They require that you register in the tasting room, which really means that you should buy a bottle of wine and tell them you are going to use a picnic table. It’s just common courtesy at any winery to do so. The views from the picnic ground are beautiful. The vineyards, the mountains, and at this time of year, the light pall of smoke coming from the wineries that are burning the pruned branches off the vines. This is really a great time in Napa. Spring is here and that sweet smell of smoke is like incense, singing the praises of the wine yet to come. All the fruit trees are in full bloom and when a breeze picks up the white blossoms fly off into the air creating a symphony of snowfall without all the cold and wetness of winter. I love it!