Detour to the Napa Valley
Wine, Art and Seriously Good Food
Flying home from San Francisco presented BT with the perfect excuse for a few days in Napa. An Uber straight from the airport takes only about an hour and a half, and with 600 wineries and some of the best food in the US on offer, how could we resist? What’s more, the drive takes you across the Golden Gate Bridge, with stunning views of San Fran and Alcatraz, through farmland and into a long, wide valley nestled between rounded mountains. John Steinbeck was right: “it lifted the heart just to look at it.”
Napa Valley is a place of bounty as much as beauty. Of course, it helped that when we were there the sun was out and the Californian wild poppies were just starting to show their golden faces.
We seized the opportunity to experience some Western hospitality at Stanly Ranch, and from the get-go, it was a hoot. The cowboys at check-in dipped their four-gallon hats and greeted us with a cheery ‘howdy’ before whisking us away to our own little farmhouse, wrangling electric golf carts like seasoned cattle drivers. Yee-hah! Yes, it’s a bit quirky, but it’s impossible not to enjoy yourself at this exceptional Auberge property. It’s an expansive place where you can see for miles down the valley. There’s a big barn up on the hill with the ubiquitous Californian Republic flag flying proudly. Everything here makes you feel happy, healthy and spoiled. The ranch restaurant sources as much of its produce as it can from its own culinary garden, chicken coop and beehives. And their attention to detail doesn’t stop at the food. Even our transfer back to the airport was something special. Drivers are asked to ditch the suits for denim ranch gear and use their own Spotify playlist to set the mood. A small touch? Maybe. But that’s the kind of thoughtful, playful hospitality that made us fall in love with this place. We’ll be back and next time we’re bringing our cowboy boots.
We sampled a couple of wineries at either end of the valley – one up in Mount Veeder and the other down in Sonoma – both chosen for their wine, food and art offerings. Hess Persson Estate delivered breathtaking mountainside views among the giant redwoods, and the Hess Collection Art Museum was beyond belief. Any self-respecting gallery would be green with envy at the collection, and the estate’s food and wine pairings were simply divine.
While up that end of the valley, we took in the charms of Yountville and couldn’t resist a treat from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery.
The second stop was an unforgettable visit to The Donum Estate in Sonoma, where our tour began with a chilled glass of chardonnay before a guided walk through its jaw-dropping open-air sculpture collection. Again, there was close attention paid to the art–food–wine trifecta, with farm-to-table canapés accompanied by exquisite wines, served on custom-made plates crafted from the estate’s own clay.
We found it easy to get around by Uber, although we were warned ride-share services can be patchy during busy times, especially up-valley, and the mobile coverage isn’t perfect. That said, we didn’t have any issues.
We may have sampled this region only briefly, but like a fine wine, the flavour lingered pleasantly long after. Oh, please let our next flight home from the US leave from San Francisco. We can’t wait to see you again, Napa.
Some of BT’s highlights:
Wineries:
Hess Persson Estates
The Donum Estate
Food:
Bear
Angele Restaurant and Bar
Bouchon Bakery
Hotel:
Stanly Ranch
Elise Wackett, Travel Writer