 |
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
Sip, swirl and savor the pleasures of the wine country.
Thanks to the success of the hit movie Sideways, the wineries in the Santa
Barbara wine country have been deluged with movie-going oenophiles. But
the Napa Valley, an hour and a half north of San Francisco, is still the mother lode
when it comes to great wines and all their attendant pleasures.
Day One
Drive up from San Francisco and check into your Preferred Hotel Group resort.
In the southern end of the valley, The Carneros Inn combines rural charm with
stylish, modern interiors and luxurious amenities. The Meritage Resort at
Napa is surrounded by rolling hills and a private vineyard — an idyllic setting for
relaxation and rejuvenation.
Day Two
A.M. The Carneros region, a rustic bit of unspoiled countryside tucked in between
the Sonoma and Napa valleys, is a great starting point. Nestled in its gently rolling
hills are several superb wineries — Carneros Creek, Artessa and Domaine
Chandon. Wine seems to act as a natural magnet for great art — witness the
world-class collection at DeRosa Preserve. Located on the estate of a former winery,
the buildings house a collection of 17,000 paintings, sculpture and drawings.
At first glance, the town of Napa seems somewhat unprepossessing.
However, as you explore the downtown area, you’ll discover charming turn-ofthe-
century Victorians, along with some excellent galleries and restaurants.
Copia–American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts sits on a bend in the
Napa River. This Robert Mondavi–funded enterprise features wine tastings, demonstrations,
exhibits, artworks, gardens — everything to do with food and wine. You
can lunch at Julia’s Kitchen, a culinary homage to the late, great Julia Child.
It’s time for some serious wine tasting. Most Napa wineries have tasting rooms,
and some offer tours. The Robert Mondavi Winery, housed in a spacious Spanishstyle
building, offers two informative tours. St. Supéry Winery has spiced things up
with a first-rate art collection, an exhibit on wine-making and outdoor tasting.
Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery, Francis Ford Coppola’s foray into wine-making,
offers sneak previews of its latest vintages, along with Godfather and Apocalypse Now
memorabilia in the gift shop.
Lunch. Stop by the Oakville Grocery and stock up bread and cheese to sandwiches
and desserts. You can take your cache and picnic at one of the wineries (La Familia,
a small winery up the Oakville Grade, has a lovely picnic area). Another option is the
Napa Wine Train, which departs from the Napa Depot — you can experience the
beauty of the wine country while sipping local vintages and enjoying gourmet cuisine.
P.M. Head to the picturesque northern end of the valley — called “up valley”
by the locals. The town of St. Helena possesses a Main Street lined with nineteenth-
century stone buildings that house boutiques and restaurants. Author Robert
Louis Stevenson was a frequent visitor, and the town has paid homage with
the Robert Louis Stevenson Silverado Museum, which houses letters, manuscripts,
photographs and other memorabilia from the author’s life.
Calistoga, named after New York’s
famed Saratoga Springs, is burbling with euphoric mineral springs that many believe
to be medicinal. Calistoga Spa Hot Springs is built on the site of Dr. Adler’s Hot Mud
Baths, a 1920s precursor. Dr. Wilkinson’s Hot Springs and Nance’s Hot Springs
have been around since the ’20s and have retained their aura of simplicity.
Dinner. Yountville, about midway in the valley, is a small town with a big appetite
for fine cuisine. Here you’ll find two of the Napa Valley’s most widely acclaimed
restaurants: the French Laundry, which renders contemporary American cuisine
with a classic French influence, and Cindy Pawlcyn’s Mustards, a Valley favorite. For
a casual eatery, the Diner, popular with the locals, features Mexican specialties,
along with the usual burgers and salads.
Day Three
A.M. Having survived the pandemonium that is Highway 29, you might want to hit
the Silverado Trail, an old stagecoach road running parallel to Hwy. 29. This lesstraveled
road offers a more leisurely sampling of the wine country, with such small
but prestigious wineries as Sterling, with gondolas carrying visitors up to its lofty
hilltop perch, and Stags Leap, the upstart winery that beat the French in the muchcelebrated
Bicentennial Tasting in Paris. Speaking of Paris, mum’s no longer the
word on methode champenois at Mumm Napa Valley, where you can sample flutes
of the sparkling wine produced by this old-world method.
P.M. If you’ve had your fill of wine tasting,
there is much to do in the Napa Valley: golf, hiking, biking, horseback riding, hotair
balloon rides and shopping (Napa’s Premium Outlets is home to Ann Taylor,
Calvin Klein and other top designers). The drive back to San Francisco has its
own reward — a spectacular view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the City.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
| Experience an exciting adventure skiing in New Zealand? Take pleasure in a relaxing weekend at a resort in Napa? Had a great architectural design tour? Felt like royalty staying at a classic palace? |
|
|
|
|
Please share your collage of daily memoirs throughout your stay. We'd love to hear about your personal Legendary Experience at one of our Preferred Boutique member hotels.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|