Saint Helena is in the center of the traditional winegrowing areas in the Napa Valley so it is a good base to discover wine country. Saint Helena is also an attractive place to stay because it is relatively compact, with most shops and restaurants within a four-block area on and around Main Street. It is a small, family-oriented town of about 5,000 residents where one gets the sense that the community spirit has never really changed over the years.
Dining options abound in Saint Helena, from small, local cafes such as …

A nice base for us visiting the Southern Rhone was the Hotel Bellerive in Rasteau.  It is “homey”, very quiet, with beautiful views of vineyards and the Dentelles de Montmirail.  It is within half an hour to Vinsobres, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Beaumes-de-Venise and the Cotes du Rhone Villages of Seguret, Sabelet and Cairanne.  Like most hotels in rural wine regions, don’t expect wifi or even a reliable wake-up call, but they do have the most hospitable cat I have ever come across, and good breakfasts. 
Favorite Restaurants:
Les Florets in Gigondas.  One of the best …

Barnyard rooster with chocolate scent

Ribera del Duero is about 70 miles wide along the banks of the Duero River, with the large city of Vallodolid to the west and Burgos to the east.  Valladolid is one of the biggest cities in Spain, and an industrial one at that with many highways converging onto it and therefore may not be the best choice to stay while visiting bodegas.   Once out of the city, the wine region is a very bucolic and beautiful area with most bodegas within easy access from the central highway of N122.  …