Meadowood Resort( courtesy Meadowood, Napa Valley) touring napa valley: THREE TOURS FOR THREE BUDGETS
By Tina Jones, Mike Muirhead, Sommelier( ISG, CMS), CSW, and Gary Hewitt, Sommelier( ISG, CMS), CWE
Napa wine country suits all manner of vacations, from hedonistic luxury escapes to moderately priced excursions and casual outdoor adventures. We offer the following suggestions and tips, based on the experiences( mixed with a dash of wishful thinking) of Banville & Jones travellers about how to build a complete Napa experience. Let the dreams begin.
TINA’ S“ PLATINUM” NAPA Napa Valley, North America’ s most romantic getaway, is a long stretch of premium vineyards and home to some of the finest wineries, hotels, restaurants, and dens of luxury in the world. Do you want to splurge and celebrate? Napa Valley is just the place.
For luxury accommodation, consider two of the most highly rated resorts in the USA, Meadowood and Auberge du Soleil, each nestled in the hills outside of the quaint town of St. Helena. Our family favourite is Meadowood for its lovely cottages and full resort amenities, including croquet, tennis, golf, and a Michelin 2-star restaurant. If you’ d like some deluxe comfort at the south end of the valley, try The Carneros Inn.
The charming town of Yountville boasts a number of exquisite restaurants including Redd, where Chef Richard Reddington interprets wine country cuisine with influences from Asia, Europe, and Mexico; Bottega, arguably the Valley’ s best new restaurant, led by Chef Michael Chiarello; and“ the best restaurant in the USA,” The French Laundry, owned by Chef extraordinaire Thomas Keller. If you’ re lucky enough to score a reservation at this 60-seat Michelin 3-star restaurant, it will set you back approximately $ 500 per person, but you will leave there utterly amazed at the service, the food, and the setting. Elsewhere, La Toque in the Westin Verasa in Napa showcases Chef Ken Frank’ s sensational cuisine and thoughtful wine pairings, and Domain Chandon, a sparkling wine specialist, runs the Valley’ s only upscale winery-based restaurant, Étoile.
Getting around? Of course you can rent a California-livin’ convertible or luxury sedan for the drive up from San Francisco and around the Valley, or you can leave the driving to pros such as California Carriage Limos, and recline in your stretch limousine. Get up in the air with a hot-air balloon trip with Calistoga Balloons, or ride the rails on the Napa Valley Wine Train, complete with dining and beverage car( say no more!). www. banvilleandjones. com 43