Wine tasting? Yes. Elevated dining? Yes. Incredible scenery? Yes. Napa Valley has been known to have some of the best wine in the world due to its elevation and perfect location near the Pacific Ocean. Numerous chefs have come to open their restaurants in the area as well, because what is better than just wine? Perfectly paired dishes with locally sourced ingredients! Let me fill you in on my suggestions for a weekend getaway in this place that some people would consider food and wine heaven.
Where to Stay
Napa is really a big city covering almost 20 square miles with several smaller towns that you could choose to stay. Since you will want to do wine tasting, it is best to stay within 15-20 minutes from all of the vineyards. The Andaz Boutique Hotel is located in downtown Napa, and is within walking distance to the Oxbow Public Market, where you can pick up a quick breakfast sandwich or snacks for the day, or hop on the wine train. The hotel is swanky upswing compared to its sister Hyatt properties, with in-room spa services and restaurants with outdoor fire pits for the cool nights and a bold glass of Cabarnet. https://www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/california/andaz-napa/apcrn. If you want to stay even closer to the wineries, Yountville is the prime area! It is an adorable little town with restaurants, shops, boutiques all within walking distance. The Bardessono Hotel and Spa should be number one on your list. This hotel is comparable to a private spa resort with clean lines and contemporary design, while incorporating nature as much as possible. There is a pool with cabanas, incredible restaurant on site, and spa that encompasses tranquility like you would imagine. This is the ultimate hotel for relaxation, before or after your full day of wine tasting! https://www.bardessono.com/
Transportation
If you are going with a big group of people, it is smart to hire a private party bus with a driver so that everyone can ride comfortably without having to worry about cell service at some of the wineries. The drivers are usually around $60 per hour, but will wait for you at all of your stops and even have water or wine in the bus if you so choose to continue the experience. If you do not have a big group, your options are Uber or a private driver. Uber works really well for most of the wineries that are directly off the Silverado Trail, but for some of the locations higher up in the mountains, cell service can be very spotty at most. From personal experience, in these areas, we asked the Uber driver to wait for us while we did our tasting so that we had a ride to our next destination, although you may not always be this lucky. Of course, the private driver is the most convenient option, but also the more expensive. After a few glasses of wine, you do not want to have to stress about getting to your next appointment, so either option could work or a combination of private drivers and Uber!
Wine Tasting
With more than 375 wineries in Napa Valley, it can seem daunting to pick which ones to visit! This means, you will have to just keep coming back to try new wine and maybe join a wine club or two! Since I have been here numerous times, I will name my top favorites because of wine, location, food pairings, and scenery! Lets start with Far Niente. This is one of my all time favorite wineries because the wine is absolutely delicious, very secluded, but also has a great tour where you get to see the entire process of how the wine is made. The gardens that surround your tasting spot makes you feel like you’ve been transported to a small town in France and you may never want to leave! https://farnientefamily.com/visit. Next up, Darioush is such a picture perfect location, with its columns that were imported straight from Iran to incorporate the feeling of ancient Persia while tasting their signature Bordeaux style wine. It feels like the ultimate elevated tasting experience! https://www.darioush.com/our-journey. One winery which is not on many peoples’ list is Amizetta. This vineyard is exclusive in the sense that it is seated at the base of Howell Mountain with an elevation of 1,000 feet. You have an expansive view of the valley as well as tasting world class wine. This is one stop where you get to taste wine right out of the barrel; take full advantage of this exciting twist on wine tasting! https://www.amizetta.com/The-Estate/The-Vineyard. Lastly, Domaine Carneros is a must see property that emulates a scene right out France. This winery is right on the cusp of Senoma and Napa and overlooks the rolling hills of Carneros. They are best known for their méthode traditionelle sparkling wines and Pinot Noir. Domain Carneros is founded by the famed family that started Champagne Tattinger, so put this on your list of stops while in the area! https://www.domainecarneros.com/
Where to Eat
Napa is known for its culinary talents, and I can honestly say I have not had a bad meal anywhere, but there are a few that stick out as a must try while here! Let’s start with Thomas Kellers famous French Laundry. This is one of those hard to get in places due to its three Michelin Star rating, which makes Thomas Keller the only American chef to hold two-three Michelin starred restaurants. This is a once in a lifetime dining experience, which its tasting menu that changes daily, and limited seating. Reservations open two months in advance and fill up extremely quick, so put it on the calendar if you are wanting to enjoy this type of elevated dining, where you may even get to meet the chef himself! https://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl. Next in line is the restaurant Farm at the Carneros resort and spa. This unique place incorporates ingredients from its on-site garden into the simple, yet tasty dishes, as well as craft cocktails that can be had by one of its many fire pits. Live music also is available certain nights, which really makes for a perfect night to try this farm to table tasting menu along with regional wines. https://www.napavalley.com/businesses/4839/farm-at-carneros. For all of the sushi lovers out there, Morimoto is your place! If you haven’t heard this name before, this is your time to try this foremost chef’s Japanese flavor combined with the American palate. Chef Morimoto got his start at the first Nobu and was quickly promoted to executive chef before beginning his own series of restaurants scattered throughout the world. He has premiered on Iron chef, and even has his own line of knives crafted by Zwilling J.A. Henckels. Our group was very willing to try any and all of the dishes the chef recommends, and we were not disappointed. This swanky establishment is a place to see and be seen, while having a meal of a lifetime! http://morimotonapa.com/
