At this stage in my life, I crave authentic and unique experiences. I’ve had all the material things I ever wanted and dreamed of having – and then some. Don’t get me wrong, I still love a good luxury bag or shoe splurge, and all things fashion. But I’ve tapped into my love for travel and experiences more, seeing even more of the world and experiencing all the places, spaces and things it has to offer.

For the past two summers, I headed across the country with my sister and my good friend to attend the Blue Note Napa Jazz Festival. Nestled in the heart of California’s wine country, we were treated to sunshine, smooth sounds by some of our favorite and legendary artists, great food, and of course, great drinks. I mean, what is Napa without great wine?!

A different wine tasting experience
I am no stranger to great wine. I’ve had some of the best over the years, all over the world, across multiple continents. Napa Valley, of course, is synonymous with wine and wine tastings, and is the cream of the crop, literally, when it comes to having some of the best vineyards in the world. But how do you choose from the thousands of vineyards to make the most of your winery and wine tasting experience?

An afternoon of divine wines at Gagnon Kennedy vineyards
We paid a special visit to one especially incredible winery: Gagnon Kennedy vineyards. I met one of the Vin Fraîche Wine Group reps earlier last year at an Aussie Beef and Lamb event, where we got to try out some new wines his vineyard would soon be premiering. And we got to try these recently unveiled wines, first-hand, at our afternoon winery experience.

A standard wine tasting, at least in my experience, typically consists of going to a vineyard, heading to the bar, selecting a few wines off the menu and standing at the counter among others, to drink a few swigs. This experience was completely different, unique, and elevated. Literally. Our incredible and personable estate host, Mark, greeted us at the entrance of the Cheese Shed – a historic building on the property that was used to age cheese and meats in the 1800’s, and now home to a couple, upstairs, and the cozy space below it. The shed looked like it was pulled straight from an interior design magazine. The space was rustic and cozy, with comfy couches and a dining table each set up with an array of wine selections and a sampling of bites for later in our visit. Mark walked us through the history of the company, as well as how they wound up hosting wine tastings in such a lovely, one-of-a-kind space. We sat on the comfy couches and tasted some of their best reds and a sparkling wine while we listened.

After our initial tasting, Mark took us out for a ride on a golf cart to tour the vineyards and wine cellar. We stopped atop one of the vineyards that overlooked all of Napa, standing among the vines that grew some of the wines we were drinking, and took in the incredible views across the vast skyline. We then explored the cellar’s grounds – underneath a mountain covered in dried lava and ash – where all the magic happens. We spied a number of cooling tanks, clay pots and barrels of fermenting wine, a beautifully ensconced dining room, and also made a stop in the wine lab – particularly of interest and incredibly exciting to us three ladies with science/medical backgrounds and careers.












After touring the property, we headed back down the hill, checking out more of the vineyard along the way. Once back at the Cheese Shed, Mark began a more in-depth, sit-down tasting for us, with a special spread of breads, meats, cheeses and chocolates – and wines, including:

Som Wines
NV Sparkling Brut
‘Méthode Champenoise’
Sonoma County, California

La Caccia di San Giovanni
2019 Super Tuscan Blend
‘La Caccia’
Terre di Casole, Tuscany, Italy

Gagnon Kennedy Vineyards
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon
‘Napa Cuvée’
Napa Valley

Gagnon Kennedy Vineyards
2021 Cabernet Franc
‘Old Federal Block’
Oakville, Napa Valley

Component Wine
2021 Petit Verdot
‘Seavey Vineyard’
Corn Valley, Napa Valley

We closed out the amazing day by leaving a special note for Mark and the team in their guestbook and taking a Polaroid pic to capture all of the fun we had.

If you are looking for something fun to do this summer, love wine and love unique experiences, I HIGHLY recommend booking a visit for a tasting at Gagnon Kennedy vineyards in Napa Valley, CA. Spending the day in a cozy home, sampling top tier wines, while learning the interesting history of the vineyards from an amazing host is an experience you won’t want to miss. Do yourself a favor and book it today! Visit www.gkvwine.com and vinfraichewinegroup to learn more and to make your reservation.