On the 1st of June 2013, we did a balloon flight over the vineyards of Napa valley. The flight started just after the sunrise on the golf course situated near the Domaine Chandon winery (from the French LVMH group).

Domaine Chandon in Napa Valley brings French tradition to the New World. The story began in 1743, in Champagne France, where Claude Moet founded Moet & Chandon. Fast-forward 200 years, and Moet-Hennessy bought land in Northern California, seeking to expand into the United States. Chandon in Napa Valley was designed, and vineyards were planted. The first sparkling wine produced from these vineyards was released in 1976. The next year, the visitor’s center welcomed guests, marking the first French-owned sparkling wine project in the United States.

The Chandon winery Napa focuses mainly on sparkling wines that capture the vibrant nature of California fruit. Some still wines are produced as well, and the winery's exclusive, limited-edition wines are greatly popular among wine-lovers. A lot of experimentation was done in the beginning of the vineyard, as varietals were tested in the California climate. Ultimately, Chandon in Napa Valley discovered that Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier proved most successful; these three varietals are the three traditional grapes used to make French champagne.

Domaine Chandon consists of 1,000 acres of vineyards spread throughout Yountville, Carneros, and Mount Veeder. Environmentally conscious practices and sustainable farming are of great important to the Chandon winery Napa, which seeks to preserve the beauty of the landscape for future generations. The three areas of vineyards each lend their own distinct quality to the wines. Yountville has a slightly warmer climate, and thus it produces even more ripe Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. On the other hand, Carneros is known as a cool and breezy district, which is important for sparkling wines. Mount Veeder has great drainage, another important element for Chardonnay.

The winemaking at Chandon in Napa Valley combines practices that are centuries old with the best of modern technology and equipment. The regional character of the wine is showcased while tradition is maintained during the winemaking process. Some members of the winemaking team have been with Domaine Chandon for more than twenty years, and they have helped to continually tweak the process over time. This winery takes joy in sharing its produce with visitors, and the estate was designed with the pleasure of guests in mind. From the tasting salon to the terrace, the art exhibits to the lush grounds, guests will be continually entertained.

We did this flight with a very good team of pro pilots from the Napa Valley Balloons Inc. You may find all the information on these great guys at the following internet address : http://www.napavalleyballoons.com/

The combined experience of the Napa Valley Balloons, Inc. pilots is well over 19,000 hours of flight in just hot air balloons alone, putting you in the hands of the most experienced balloon piloting staff in the Napa Valley. Our pilot was Kim, a very experienced guy, who in 1989 went to France with his balloon, invited by the organisation of the first edition of the new international balloon meeting created in Lorraine, which will become the ''Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons'', being now the most important international balloons meeting in the world.

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Between the 13th of May and the 3rd of June 2013 we spent 3 wonderful weeks in the west part of USA. It was our first trip in this part of USA, and each day was full of surprises, with countless breathtaking landscapes.

After 3 days in San Francisco, Sausalito, and on the north coast, we made a flight to Las Vegas, to began our long road trip