I walked along a sunshine trail. That kind of path one falls upon, easily and joyfully, with light wind at your back and warmth all around. St. Helena is an in-the-moment kind of place. One with exquisite weather, abundance of nature and where wine tastings abound.

I recommend wandering over to Whitehall Lane Winery. This family-owned Napa Valley outpost offers tastings of their finest Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Reserve wine. Our effervescent host, Chandler, took his time by sharing tidbits of Whitehall’s history, answering our questions and ultimately turning a usual Cab drinker (me) into a bonafide fan of Whitehall Lane’s Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc.

Throughout our day in a piece of paradise, among barrels of French and American oak, we learned all sorts of new wine facts. One diddy stood out for its fun name, Brix. This measurement of the sugar content of grapes is the degree of the grapes’ ripeness at harvest. Most table-wine grapes are harvested at between 21 and 25 Brix. Wine and science, how can you go wrong? You can’t! A day spent in St. Helena is a day well spent.

Image Credits: Jenny Graham