Wine - and Dine - Country

Napa Valley Lodge

It’s difficult to resist indulgence in Napa Valley. Food and wine beckon incessantly. Just eight days after resolving to curb excess in the new year, here I am throwing resolution to the wind with a venture to wine country.

Arriving in Yountville on a rainy Friday, I see one street and limited activity. I soon discover that Washington Street, set off the highway and lacking stoplights, boasts more character than most. In its 1.3 square miles, Yountville is both quaint and cutting edge—a wine-country hamlet where historic landmarks house funky galleries, chic boutiques and sophisticated eateries.

I check into the Napa Valley Lodge, a quiet property on the northern edge of town. My room overlooks the pool and a distant vineyard barely visible in the mist. In this dreary weather, I could easily curl up by the fire with the man of my dreams. Alas, I left him at home, so I join my travel companions for lunch.

Upon entering Hurley’s, I’m instantly glad I left the hotel. Chef/owner Bob Hurley has created a cool yet welcomingly warm atmosphere that he says encourages people to enjoy their meals without taking anything or anybody too seriously. Lack of pretension is hard to come by in Napa Valley, yet it seems commonplace in Yountville. People go to Hurley’s not only for his theme menus—such as our Wild Game Weekend selection—but also for Hurley, who takes pride in his community. I’d return for the salmon salad and venison ossobuco.

After a tasting at Bell Wine Cellar (Resolutions? What resolutions?), it’s time for another meal, this one at Yountville’s newest eatery, Pere Jeanty. It’s an elegant French bistro. I expect to be discomfited by suspicious French fare and a pretentious staff. Instead I’m treated to friendly service and the pizza du jour: a delicious blend of mozzarella, spicy sausage and potatoes, topped with arugula. C’est magnifique!

Afterward, a chauffeured Bentley awaits. The Napa Valley Lodge is just around the corner. But so what—we’re all allowed our J. Lo moments.

I call it a night, in preparation for a sunrise hot-air balloon ride. Unfortunately, NorCal’s temperamental winter weather doesn’t permit. Luckily, Sunday morning is clear. We get a bird’s-eye view of the valley and beyond—all the way to the San Francisco skyline. It’s a sensation not to be missed, a buzz no amount of wine could create.

I spend one morning meeting locals who recount the past, when Yountville B&Bs meant bars and brothels, not bed-and-breakfasts. Yountville’s down-and-out days have passed, but old-fashioned charm remains. As Mayor Todd Carlson guides me through town—past his house with a white picket fence and the church with a white steeple—residents wave hello. If it weren’t for the trendy restaurants and the hint of European flavor, I’d swear this was 1950s middle America.

The late afternoon is time for Yountville’s other flavors: zinfandel, Syrah and champagne. The town once again displays duality in wineries: I go from sipping wine with the family at the homey Goosecross Vineyards to touring the massive compound of Domaine Chandon. Here, if you’re lucky, you can catch the corking machines in action. This isn’t my day; instead, I sample eight varieties of bubbly in Chandon’s lively bar.

Bouchon may be jumping, but ask any local where to unwind and the unanimous answer is Pancha’s, the one remaining throwback to Yountville’s rough-and-tumble times. It’s the diviest of dive bars, fitted with hitching posts for locals who opt to drink and ride horseback, and yet another reminder of the contradiction that is Yountville—a beer bar in wine country.

Late Sunday, my sense of taste has had its fill, so I indulge my sense of touch with a wellness massage at the Spa at Villagio. I’m wishing my 50 minutes would never end, because then it’s back to reality. Back to the city where I’ve never seen the mayor, let alone his house, and where dive bars are a dime a dozen.

If You Go

Direct flights on Southwest (800-435-9792) depart regularly to Oakland with fares as low as $39 each way. Evans Airport Shuttle (707-255-1559) runs from Oakland Airport’s Regional Transit terminal to Napa; $58 round trip. In Napa Valley, hire a chauffeured Bentley through American Luxury (707-944-9009). Rates at Napa Valley Lodge (707-944-2468) range from $200 to $445. View the valley from above with Napa Valley Aloft (800-627-2759). The Spa at Villagio (707-948-5050) offers a full menu of services.
Saturday’s dinner destination, Bouchon, is hip, the kind of place urban restaurants try so hard to be. The French onion soup is noteworthy, and the frites here are the best outside of Paris.

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