Food Friday: Durant and Booth

Durant and Booth 7856 St. Helena Highway, Durant House, Oakville, CA 94562

I've been fortunate enough to make several trips to wine country this year. But, in complete honesty, I've never been much of a wine-o. That is - until this year. I'm far, far, far from being a wine connoisseur, despite how many wine tastings I've been to. Though, I'd like to think the more tastings I take part in, the closer I get to figuring out what I like in a fine wine. My last wine tasting this summer season was at Durant and Booth, a new wine house located in Oakville in Napa Valley. Ever since my visit at the end of July, I have been dreaming about my next visit. After the jump, you'll see why.

Durant and Booth, located right next to Oakville Grocery, oozes with class and charm. I mean, just look at that interior! Durant and Booth mimics many of qualities you'd find in a library (yes, a library) - from the wine displays that tower up (like books) to the library-esque checkout cards served with every tasting. If you take a close look, you'll notice that even the wine bottle labels themselves take after book bindings. There were very few details that weren't thought through.

Durant and Booth has three tastings available - The Dandy Tasting, Dapper Tasting and Flight of Fancy. I participated in the Dapper Tasting, which included five pours accompanied by a beautiful charcuterie plate. True to a good tasting, each cheese and meat paired with each wine to bring out subtle notes and tones in the various blends. I, myself, am partial to a good red, so I really enjoyed the Malbec and Pinot we were served.

What you can't see from these photos is the beautiful back patio at tasting room. We chose to sit outside and enjoyed the calm atmosphere, under the warm, summer sun (complete with misters, so don't worry about getting too hot!). Our tasting at Durant and Booth was so lovely that we ended up spending hours there - complete with a pre-tasting pitstop at the Oakville Grocery, which I highly recommend for the full experience. The coffee bar there is a must, by the way. I think often about my visit to D&B and really can't wait to return. Special thanks to Durant and Booth for hosting us that lovely Saturday afternoon - your hospitality was unlike any other!