California
Wine Country Part Two
Travel Excursion
Carneros Region – Photo By Patrice Raplee
By Patrice Raplee
The
late afternoon sun sprays its last delicate golden rays across the
Carneros Vineyards in California’s wine country.
In the distance, the Mayacama Mountains lend a shadowy backdrop against
rolling green hills, scattered with perfectly rounded oak and apple
trees, their leaves rustling in the bay breezes. This archetype region
is where a large quantity of chardonnay grapes are grown. The region’s
distinct microclimate and soil conditions are supreme for chardonnays,
sparkling wines and pinot noir.
Carneros Inn
The Carneros region, between Napa and Sonoma, is a picturesque
landscape and idyllic setting for the magnificent and ŕ la mode Carneros
Inn. Established three-and-a-half years ago, the 27-acre PlumpJack
Resort was created to take advantage of the natural surroundings
and incorporate an environment conducive to relaxation and well-being.
The modern rancher-farmesk design of the inn integrates throughout
the grounds and structures with an appealing draw. The guest cottages
are unequaled in their light-filled, yet cozy atmosphere. Exquisitely
luxurious Frette sheets adorn the beds and Brazilian cherrywood floors
capture the flickering light from an eco wood-burning fireplace.
French doors lead to a private, landscaped garden and natural wood
patio, with rockers and outdoor space heaters for cooler months.
The bathroom is an utterly amazing affair with heated slate floors,
a limestone-countered vanity and a garden-view soaking tub. The tile
and glass-encased shower features a door that opens to an outside
private shower with an incredible view of green pastures and vineyards.
The utter seclusion and beauty of Carneros Inn’s guest cottages purvey
the perfect country life with modern amenities and a focus on green-friendly
products and practices. The inn’s three restaurants offer locally
and organically-grown cuisine. The Farm restaurant is a particularly
inviting with indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating reflects
the comforts of a large, square shaped living room with fireplaces
and vast ceilings. The delectable Farm fare ranges from wood-stone
oven pizza with tapenade to Pacific salmon. Of course, the 14-page
wine list is a veritable treasure chest of offerings for wine enthusiasts.
The dining options at Carneros Inn are as casual as the Boon Fly
café, to ordering a special meal prepared and served in your private
cottage or patio. The culinary talents of the inn’s chefs are exceptional! Spa
services at Carneros are truly extraordinary and offer guests a palette
of natural herbs, flowers, berries and minerals in their alchemy
of massage treatments. In cottage, or in the airy and lovely surroundings
of the spa facilities with spectacular views, the bliss of drifting
off into total relaxation is sublime. Try the warm goat butter massage;
it is completely soothing and your skin feels like silk for days
afterwards.
The guest facilities at the inn, such as the perfectly still,
outdoor pool with expansive views of farmland and grape vineyards,
are splendid. The shimmering pool is juxtaposed with wooden chaise
lounges atop a small hill and is open for guests 24 –hours, seven
days a week.. The spacious hot tub, located in the pool area, is
also open 24 by 7 and is perfect for those who wish the remarkable
experience of watching the sun come up over the hill.
The
Carneros Inn – Hilltop Pool
The Carneros Inn is a magnificent resort and rated one of
the leading romantic get-a-ways in the United States. The attention
to detail is superb and the amenities and services of the inn are
too numerous to list. This country retreat is essential for those
seeking a tranquil environment a world away. For additional information
on Carneros Inn, visit http://www.thecarnerosinn.com Napa River Inn
The lovely Napa River Inn, located by the river in historic
downtown Napa on Main Street, is a chic boutique hotel. This gorgeous
brick inn was once a mill in 1884, then became a roller rink and
was later renovated. It is now a National Registered Landmark. The
inn’s rooms feature a Victorian design, but are sumptuous, well-appointed
and spacious. Each uniquely designed room offers the luxury of another
era but with modern reproductions and amenities. Richly warm tongue
and groove floors (restored from the roller rink), combined with
white mantled or stone fireplaces, canopied beds, lavish claw-footed
bathtubs and river-view balconies, gracefully adorn the various suites.
Indeed, the rooms are not reminiscent of a typical luxury hotel,
but reflect the taste and style of a private upscale Victorian residence.
The hotel’s designers didn’t stop with the rooms. The hallways, business
office, conference rooms and lobby all feature décor of wainscoting,
cornice moldings, ornate brass chandeliers and original features
such as a 1905 punched-tin wall.
The hotel services and amenities include European spa treatments,
indoor and outdoor theater, cabaret and many additional luxuries
one would expect of this caliber of hotel. For dining options, The
Napa Mill (all within the same complexes as the Napa River Inn) offers
a variety of award-winning restaurants from French country cuisine
to the delicious Sweetie Pies bakery. In fact, the heavenly aroma
of breads and baked goods waft up into the guest rooms of the hotel
during the day. It’s a good thing the hotel offers the bakery’s fare
for their guests’ breakfast. Sweetie Pies has an amazing selection
of the best tasting pastries, specialty desserts and savory items
that will no doubt cause guests to walk an extra few miles just to
atone for their bakery indulgences.
Within the historic downtown area, the Napa River Inn is certainly
the best choice for an elegant stay and the location is a perfect
base for exploring a beautiful river walk, as well as business and
leisure activities. For additional information on the Napa River
Inn, visit http://www.napariverinn.com
Walking Tours
Close to the Napa Mill, the now popular Walking Tours of Historic
Napa is a popular fun and interesting expedition. The self-guided
tour outlines the city’s history through its architectural legacy.
The four divergent sectors feature the downtown commercial and public
buildings, lower Napa, the Fuller Park districts and First Street.
Many of the beautiful homes on the tour are in the Victorian style
and scrupulously maintained.
A wonderful free book that takes visitors on a self-guided
tour is published by the Napa Downtown Association and gives a detailed
map, house and building sketches and a numbered history of each residence
or establishment. To obtain a copy of the Historic Walking Tours
of Napa book, call (707) 257-0322.
Restaurants & Cafés
Napa Town
Center on Main Street features a bevy of great cafes. Gillwoods Café is certainly the locals’ choice
for breakfast and lunch. The stone and woodwork interior lends a
comfortable atmosphere
for a hearty home-style breakfast that is served all day. Their on-premise
bakery makes scrumptious goodies and a cinnamon roll twice the size
of your hand. For additional information, visit http://www.gillwoodscafe.com.
Caffé Cicero, located on First Street, offers an Italian/American
menu and delectable sandwiches and gourmet coffees. The café is a wonderful
place to sit and chat over a cup of joe, or enjoy live music several
nights a week. The café has the distinction of serving breakfast until
midnight Thursday-Saturday For additional information visit, http://www.caffecicero.com
The French Laundry, located in Yountville, is probably the
most recognized restaurant in the Napa Valley area and the United
States. Chef Thomas Keller is famous for his “tasting menus.” The
cuisine is based on a nine-course tasting menu or the nine-course
vegetable tasting menu. The wine list is excellent and designed for
pairings. The menu changes daily and reservations are required two
months in advance. Yes, the cuisine is that good and a culinary experience
of this nature must be indulged at least once and preferably several
more in a lifetime! The dinner is an extended event and one should
expect a meal for two without tax or wines to run about $500. For
additional information, visit http://www.frenchlaundry.com
The Culinary
Institute of America is the ultimate chef school. However, located
on their exquisitely beautiful campus resides their Wine Spectator
Greystone Restaurant. This upscale restaurant is another culinary
feast to experience, but is a bit less formal, requiring business
casual attire. The terrace views of Napa vineyards are breathtaking
and the cuisine is a luscious varied affair with a focus on California
components. The Institute is located 1/4 mile north
of the town of St. Helena on the left-hand side. For additional information,
visit http://www.ciachef.edu
Spas
Part of the California Wine Country’s draw is
the Calistoga spas. Whether you want to engulf yourself in a warm
encompassing mud bath, or zone out with a glorious massage, Calistoga
offers many inns and spas to accommodate those seeking bodily solace.
Calistoga Village Inn & Spa, located on Lincoln
Avenue in Calistoga, offers mud baths and even mustard baths. The
Village Spa’s combination of soothing baths and massages will make
you glad you elected to stay at their inn. The rates for both the
inn and spa treatments are very reasonable for Calistoga. And, that
will leave you plenty of coin to go wine tasting. For additional
information visit, http://www.greatspa.com.
If you prefer mineral baths, visit the Calistoga
Spa Hot Springs. Located on Washington Street in Calistoga, the spa
offers rooms with kitchenettes. They also offer an exercise room.
Their mineral pools (some even covered) are open to the public and
vary in temperature. Spa treatments include whirlpool mineral baths,
mud baths, massages and blanket wraps. The Calistoga Spa Hot Springs
is another excellent place to relax and is reasonably priced as well.
For additional information visit, http://calistogaspa.com.
Calistoga’s bevy of spas and hot springs offer
guests a multitude of options; however, if you wish to just take
a dip in the mineral ponds or hot springs and stay elsewhere, there
are numerous spas that feature public dips for an equitable price.
Make sure to ask the spa of your choice for these options.
Events
Napa Valley events occur all-year round and it’s
best to check with the Chamber of Commerce for dates and times (http://www.napachamber.org).
Two fun and popular events are listed to consider
when planning your trip. The annual Mustard Festival generally takes
place at the end of January to the end of March. For additional information
on the Mustard Festival visit, http://www.mustardfestival.org.
The Valley Wine Train tours are marvelous. The
train tours wineries throughout the Valley and the company offers
dinner and mystery excursions as well. Their Moonlight Escapade incorporates
champagne and a gourmet dinner under the stars and through the valley.
For additional information visit, http://winetrain.com.
With so many wineries, spas, restaurants, shops,
events and activities, Napa can seem a land of too many choices and
not enough pertinent information. A new trend in travel is to consult
a personal travel concierge. Generally, these concierges live in
the city you wish to visit and can offer a local’s knowledge and
perspective. Kathie Peterson of My Travel Concierge is an experienced
travel agent, who grew up in California’s Napa Valley. She knows
virtually every establishment and business owner in the Valley. Let
Peterson know what kind of trip you wish to book and she can help
you cut through the miles of online and brochure advertisements.
She can help you create a holiday specifically suited to your needs,
time frame and budget. For additional information contact Kathie
Peterson at kpete52844@aol.com.
California’s Napa Valley has developed into a destination
for those who not only love wine, but also yearn for a relaxing environment,
inspirational cuisine, natural spas and unique accommodations. It’s
all in an setting where a romantic get-a-away for two, a family vacation
or a group of friends can play and relax in the mild climate and
abundant sunshine without disconcerting the other. Napa Valley truly
is the new paradise.
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