A Taste of Napa
October 10, 2015
By Ashi Lavelle and Rachel Kapur
By Ashi Lavelle and Rachel Kapur
An hour away from San Francisco, Napa Valley is one of the most well known wine producing regions in the United States. With hundreds of vineyards and fine dining, this region is a romantic getaway for couples. We visited this beautiful region and wanted to share our tips on where to stay and what to do.
Where to Stay
|
The Vintage Inn, AAA Four Diamond hotel and sister property of the neighboring Villagio Inn and Spa, is located in the heart of beautiful Yountville, California. Yountville is an epicurean wonderland, home to the French Laundry, Bottega Napa Valley, and Bouchon among many others, and the Vintage Inn is walking distance to all of the above. It is more than possible to go on about all of the food for pages (and we just might) but first we must illustrate how utterly perfect our stay was at the Vintage Inn. Upon our arrival, we were greeted by the friendly staff, quickly checked-in, and whisked away through the stunning property to our incredible room.
The recently renovated rooms are beautifully furnished and decorated in a French countryside style. We fell in love with the bathroom’s double vanity and walk-in shower, which spanned the width of the bathroom with rainfall showerheads on each end (other rooms boast bathrooms with sunken bathtubs and whirlpool jets). Our private balcony was the perfect place to enjoy a glass of wine and when we were exhausted from a day of wine tasting (poor us!), we were grateful for the comfortable bed, dressed in luxurious linens. |
|
As typical with most aspects of The Vintage Inn, the complimentary breakfast went far beyond any complimentary hotel offering we have ever experienced. The bubbly on offer was high quality Napa Cuvée from just down the road, while the enormous selection of food made us feel like royalty. Omelet and waffle stations complemented the fine selection of pastries, fresh fruit, quiche, home fries and much more available. Coffee, like the champagne, was also high quality, always fresh, hot and plentiful; a perfect start to a day of wine tasting. In addition to the outstanding breakfast, afternoon tea and coffee was served in the lobby daily, complete with a lovely selection of pastries. Early evening brought a wine tasting in the lobby, accompanied by a variety of cheeses, fruit, breads, and crackers.
|
|
|
The pool and hot tub area was a true oasis of relaxation and a perfect way to wind down after a day on the road at Napa Valley wineries. The level of service poolside was just as excellent and unobtrusive as we experienced throughout the rest of the hotel: attentive without being intrusive. Everything we needed, from plentiful fresh towels, forever-flowing ice water, and ice buckets to keep our complimentary bottle of Chardonnay chilled, were all provided without us needing to ask. The hot tub was separated from the immediate pool area by beautiful Italian Cypress trees and was the perfect temperature to aid relaxation and rejuvenation. |
|
Walking through the grounds of the Vintage Inn was just as satisfying and relaxing of an experience as spending time in our room or the comfortable lobby area. We enjoyed following the fountains and mini reflecting pools, sometimes encountering the Inn’s fluffy residents along the way. Relaxed, with it own charming character, even something as ordinary as walking to and from our room was a calming and enjoyable experience.
NUMBER OF ROOMS 80 recently remodeled guestrooms and cottage-style villas. DINING OPTIONS The Vintage Estate is home to Chef Michael Chiarello’s Bottega Napa Valley, which provides Italian-inspired farm-to-table cuisine. SPECIAL OFFERS Yes, check them out here. |
|
What to Do
We had the most incredible time visiting the following vineyards and wineries in Napa Valley. We came away feeling much more knowledgeable about the processes behind creating quality wine, and with memories of some of the most beautiful landscapes we have ever seen. Each of our five hosts/hostesses were not only welcoming but made us feel as if we were old friends. All five establishments are not to be missed during a visit to Napa.
Shafer Vineyards
|
The tasting room at Shafer Vineyards, located in Napa Valley’s Stag’s Leap District, looks out on the picturesque vines lining the hillsides that Shafer Vineyards is known for. Our host, Andy Demsky, shared that at Shafer Vineyards they would like it to be as if visitors have stepped into a friend’s home for a wine tasting, and that is exactly how we felt. Andy walked us through the meticulous processes behind making one of Shafer’s excellent bottles of wine, which made us appreciate each magnificent wine we tasted that much more. Shafer Vineyards is perhaps best known for its Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignons and having had the pleasure of tasting the 2011 Hillside Select, we must say the world of wine will never be the same for us. Now that we are back home from our time in Napa Valley, we find ourselves on Shafer Vineyard’s Finding Our Wines webpage, hoping to track down a few bottles of any of the magnificent wines we were so fortunate to taste for the first time at Shafer Vineyards.
|
|
Shafer Vineyards should be on anyone’s list for a tasting while in Napa Valley. Reservations for tastings are required, so be sure to book well in advance (6 to 8 weeks) for the wonderful tasting experience, and take note that Shafer Vineyards is closed to the public on weekends. Tastings are $55 per person and include five wines with a cabernet dessert wine, which can only be had onsite, to finish off. Tastings are held for a maximum of 10 people, creating the ideal setting for conversation and enjoyment of the wine. |
|
Cornerstone Cellars
|
Cornerstone Cellars is located in the lovely town of Yountville, just a three minute walk from our beautiful accommodations at the Vintage Inn. From the outside, Cornerstone Cellars seems a charming little wine shop but once inside it is quickly revealed to be so much more. Cornerstone Cellars sparked our interest when we learned that their wines come from both Napa Valley and Oregon. We were also quite taken with the variety of tastings and pairings offered at their Yountville location.
We were quite fortunate to try the Food and Wine Pairing Experience during our visit, the food menu for which was recently converted to accommodate a vegan diet. This progressive vegan menu is now standard for the Food and Wine Pairing Experience, as Cornerstone Cellars aims to be more inclusive of patrons with dietary restrictions. Our hostess, Stephanie, walked us through the proper way to experience a food and wine pairing and explained how the each wine complimented the specific ingredients and flavors of the food pairings. The experience was equal parts enjoyable and delicious, the food was fantastic (and undetectably vegan, for the vegan-phobics out there) and we loved getting the chance to try some of their Napa Valley and Oregon wines (the 2011 Cornerstone Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir was our favorite). Cornerstone Cellars is a must to visit for anyone looking for a perfect pairing experience. The Food and Wine Pairing is $35 per person and includes four wines and four accompanying bites. Cornerstone Cellars offers six different tasting experiences, in addition to a Blitzing Blending Experience. Reservations can be made here; although they are not required for groups of less than six people, unless someone is interested in the Blitzing Blending Experience or hosting a corporate event. |
Truchard Vineyards
|
Upon arriving at Truchard Vineyards, located in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, we were struck by the commanding presence of the Truchard wine cave and at the same time charmed by the little house just a few steps back with a goat grazing in the front yard. Truchard Vineyards was described to us as a small family vineyard by our host, Anthony Truchard II, and that was easy to believe, considering Anthony’s parents live in the charming little house just a few steps away from the Truchard wine cave.
|
|
Our visit to Truchard Vineyards was far from the average tasting experience. Anthony guided us through the vineyards on foot, explaining the history of the property and the wines, while we sipped Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. We tasted grapes right off the vine and made friends with Paprika, one of the many vineyard cats, while taking in the beauty of the rolling hills and low valleys of the property. We walked through the Truchard wine cave, which was filled with the intoxicating smell of aging wine and the different woods that made up the wine barrels. Our visit ended with Anthony pointing out a picture in the tasting room of his father planting grape vines with one hand and holding a can of beer in the other, which we felt perfectly encapsulated the almost whimsical experience of visiting Truchard Vineyards. A visit to Truchard Vineyards guarantees a unique and unforgettable sensory experience. Tastings are $30 per person and appointments for tastings must be made in advance.
|
|
Chapellet Winery
|
Chappellet Winery, located in St. Helena on the Chappellet trademarked Pritchard Hill, is simply one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. We walked through the art-filled lobby into the pyramid shaped tasting room, mouths agape. The space was a pleasure for the senses; the visually striking architecture, the harvest smell filling the air, and of course the taste of the 2014 Signature Chenin Blanc our host, Dominic Chappellet, filled our glasses with.
Dominic made us feel as if we were old friends over for a visit as he led us on a tour of the breathtaking property and explained the history of Chappellet wines. The Chappellet family’s passion for the winemaking process was immediately apparent and Dominic was so generous with sharing the little details that make up the one and only Chappellet brand. We found it so charming that Dominic’s sister, Carissa, draws a dragon for the label of the Chappellet Malbec each year and we love the Chappellet ideal of wanting to make amazing quality wines that are fairly priced. One of our favorite moments during our visit to Chappellet Winery was sipping the 2012 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon while enjoying the unbelievable view pictured above. |
|
Tastings at Chappellet Winery normally take place in the beautiful tasting room; however, those lucky enough to call themselves members of Chappellet’s wine club can come in for a tasting and proceed to purchase a bottle to be enjoyed in one of the picnic areas on the grounds, overlooking the stunning vineyards. Tastings range from $35 to $75 and require an advanced appointment. For those looking to host a special event or plan the perfect moment in Napa Valley, we could not think of a better place than Chappellet Winery; contact Chappellet Winery directly to learn of special options not documented on their website.
|
|
Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley
|
The Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley, located in the charming town of Yountville, is a winery collective (consisting of 24 small and independent wineries), a beautifully eclectic art gallery, and an outdoor oasis all packaged in one perfect little property. We were led out to the garden for our custom tasting and met by our host, Brian, who greeted us and took the time to diagnose our preferred wine flavors and experiences we were looking to get from a bottle of wine. Brian then proceeded to bring out glass after glass of the most incredible wines for us to taste all the while dropping little gems like “buy wine in threes” to get to a point where we are always drinking aged wines. We spent hours at the Ma(i)sonry, staring at their never ending list of wines and relaxing in the beautiful garden amongst the one-of-a-kind sculptures (all for sale to the public). The Ma(i)sonry was undoubtedly the perfect last stop after a day of winetasting. The Ma(i)sonry offers a variety of tastings, in addition to meal pairings; tastings start at $25 per person for a Curated Artisan Wine Tasting. The Ma(i)sonry is a perfect place for more casual wine enthusiasts who want to try a variety of different styles and not be tied to a single vineyard or style of wine.
|
We enjoyed our trip to Napa Valley, everything was perfect from our stay at The Vinatage Inn to our visits to the amazing vineyards. We definitely will be visiting again very soon!