NAPA VALLEY TOUR: PART 2

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BY ERIC ROSEN >LA.COM

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St. Helena

About 17 miles north of Napa, St. Helena is right in the middle of Napa Valley, and is a charming little town with great restaurants, shops and wineries sprinkled all around. Don’t make the mistake we did and try to say St. Helena with any hint of a Spanish accent. It’s straight-up Saint Hell-ee-nah, and was named by Russian explorers after their Empress. St. Helena is also a great place to rent a bicycle and head out to the Silverado Trail since it’s a little quieter up in this part of the valley and you won’t have to worry about dodging drunk drivers or tourists who have no idea where they’re going. Traffic does get a little backed up here since Highway 29 narrows down to a two-lane road that passes right through the middle of town, but brave it and you won’t be disappointed. You’ll eat well, you’ll drink well, you’ll shop well and you’ll sleep well here.

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HOTELS

Inn At Southbridge St. Helena
1020 Main St.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 967-9400
www.innatsouthbridge.com



A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World Group, and part of the Meadowood Resort family, the Inn at Southbridge is a lovely little place to call home in the heart of wine country. Right off Main Street in St. Helena, and within walking distance to all the town’s attractions and restaurants, the Inn at Southbridge has only a handful of spacious rooms, and they all have king beds—so go with someone you know well!—as well as working fireplaces, a little office area, and French doors that open onto balconies. Since the rooms are all on the second floor, you don’t have to worry about loud upstairs neighbors, and the bathrooms are naturally lit by skylights set into dramatic vaulted ceilings. Though it is right off the main road, the Inn is generally quiet since it is surrounded by small park-like grounds with gravel paths, fountains, and trees. The staff is accommodating and charming, and is ready to offer excellent personal winery, dining and activity suggestions so that you can make the most out of your trip. As a guest, you also have access to the fitness, locker room and pool facilities at the Health Spa Napa Valley next door. Because of its small size and attention to individual guests, a stay at the Inn at Southbridge is like staying at a bed and breakfast, only without the ugly floral patterns and nosy hosts. Rooms start at about $400, so it is not on the bargain side, but it is still a better option than most of the other hotels in the area.

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OTHER HOTELS

Auberge du Soleil
180 Rutherford Hill Rd.
Rutherford, CA
(707) 963-1211
www.aubergedusoleil.com



Of course we need to mention perhaps the most well-known of Napa’s luxury inns, the Auberge du Soleil. The distinction is well deserved, too, since the rooms are beautiful and spacious and feature all the best amenities like Italian linens, plasma TV’s, CD/DVD players, and all the makings of an office away from home. But don’t even think of staying here unless you’re ready to pony up around $600 for a standard room. Its location in the foothills outside Rutherford offers unbeatable views of Napa Valley, so if you can’t stay here, at least drop by for a drink on the terrace.

El Bonita Motel
195 Main St.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-3216
www.elbonita.com

One of the best deals in Napa Valley is this charming little motel right along the main highway just south of St. Helena. With rooms starting at under $100 a night in low season, you won’t find anything cheaper. But that doesn’t mean they skimp on the amenities. Sure, the rooms are simple, and it can be a little loud near the road, but it is really close to some of the best dining and wineries in Napa, and the staff will make you feel right at home. Plus, there’s even a little pool for you to take a dip in after your full day of wine-tasting, so you can work up an appetite for dinner and cool off from a long, hot, dusty, thoroughly enjoyable day.

Meadowood
900 Meadowood Lane
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-3646
www.meadowood.com

The parent property to the Inn at Southbridge (see full review above) is one of the finest accommodations in Napa Valley. Located just off the Silverado Trail in St. Helena, it is off the beaten path in the foothills of the Vacas Mountains. Meadowood feels like a fancy East Coast resort thanks the profusion of little lodges that dot its landscape, tucked into the corners of the golf course, and near the tennis courts, not to mention the white-washed wood and local stone construction. The resort restaurant has two Michelin stars, and the staff will cater to your every need. They’d better, considering rooms start at nearly $1000. This is the place to come for a special occasion. A very special occasion. A very special, very expensive occasion.

Harvest Inn
1 Main St.
St. Helena, CA
(800) 950-8466
www.harvestinn.com

This hotel is a beautiful retreat that feels like a secluded village in the woods. They have just added on 20 new guest rooms, bringing the total to 74. Most have fireplaces, but all have high-speed internet, voicemail, and televisions with DVD players. And when those stress you out, you can go to the resort spa to unwind. Stays also include a wine country breakfast and twice-daily maid service.

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RESTAURANTS

Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen
1327 Railroad Ave.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-1200
www.cindysbackstreetkitchen.com



Opened by Cindy Pawclyn, the James Beard Award-winning owner and chef of nearby Mustard’s Grill, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen is a lovely, casual dining spot that every local will recommend. Enter through the leafy outdoor patio and have a seat in the cozy white-washed bar dining area, or the more kitschy main dining room. Take a look at the food menu before perusing the tome-length wine list for a good accompaniment—or just order a well-mixed cocktail from the fully stocked bar. Appetizers like the rabbit tostada, or piquillo peppers stuffed with cumin-braised beef in a charred tomato sauce are great options, but you can also opt for the simpler rustic roasted artichokes in a lemon caper aioli, or one of the seven salads like the grilled rare ahi tuna with peppery greens, Spanish peanuts and wasabi-tamari vinaigrette. Don’t fill up too soon, though, because the main dishes are equally intriguing. A house specialty, the wood oven duck comes with a crispy potato croquette and citrus sauce over greens with chopped hazelnuts. The perfectly crisped skin seals in the juicy, gamy flavor of the meat, and you’ll scrape every last bone clean. Another great choice is the slow-smoked pork chop with English peas, baby spinach and whole grain mustard sauce. There are also standards like steak frites and “mighty” meatloaf. Desserts like Meyer lemon crème brulee, warm pineapple upside down cake, and a campfire pie with toasted marshmallow fluff, fudgy chocolate, almond ding and Oreo cookie crust will leave you with a light, sweet taste of mid-century American nostalgia. A little quieter than some of the flashier dining options around, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen is nonetheless every bit as gourmet with only a fraction of the pretention.

Martini House Cellar Bar
1245 Spring St.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-2233
www.martinihouse.com



Contrary to what the name suggests, Martini House is not named for that notorious cocktail, but rather bears the name of its original owner, Walter Martini, an opera singer who built the house for his Olympian-named wife, Dionisia. Located in a gorgeous, multi-level craftsman house with a beautiful garden and cool downstairs bar area (where Walter used to make bootleg whiskey and wine), Martini House is a great dining option right in the heart of the town of St. Helena. The décor is a mixture of California craftsman with all-wood construction and early 20th century style, and Native American influences like the beautiful light fixtures that resemble the local Wappo Indians’ woven baskets. One of the special features of the restaurant is a mushroom tasting menu that reflects Chef Todd Humphries’ passion for truffles. A dinner here is not inexpensive, but a smaller, cheaper menu is available in the Cellar Bar.

Mustard’s Grill
7399 St. Helena Hwy.
Napa, CA
(707) 944-2424
www.mustardsgrill.com

The operative word for this Napa hotspot is “grill.” They even have a special section of the menu for items from the wood-burning grill and oven like chipotle-rubbed quail, and calf’s liver with sweet onions. Don’t worry, we won’t force you to try the liver—there are soups, salads and sandwiches too. It’s a great spot to grab a spot of food between Yountville and Oakville.

Oakville Grocer
7856 St. Helena Highway
Oakville, CA
(707) 944-8802

Half-way between Yountville and St. Helena, this famous little store is adjacent to a lot of great, much-visited wineries, and a perfect spot to grab a quick lunch. Don’t let the name fool you, though, this is anything but a grocery store. It’s more like an artisanal fancy foods shop, and their lunch boxes are liable to have a gourmet sandwich on focaccia, a salad, and a homemade cookie. If you’re a more do-it-yourself independent type, stop in and construct your own picnic from a selection of local cheeses, charcuterie and smoked fish, and a variety of fixings.

Taylor’s Automatic Refresher
933 Main St.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-3486
www.taylorsrefresher.com

Parked right at the entrance to the town of St. Helena is this delightfully nostalgic little spot that serves up gourmet burgers, sandwiches, salads, and deservedly famous chili cheese fries. Whether your wallet needs a break from Napa’s normal price point, or if you’re just craving a milkshake, Taylor’s is a great option.

Wine Spectator Restaurant/Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
2555 Main St.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 967-1010

We believe that if you ever come across a culinary school of any stature, you should try to get a meal at the restaurant there. The same holds true in Napa, where you should consider yourself lucky if you can get into the Culinary Institute of America’s restaurant at Greystone in St. Helena. The menu changes frequently based on what is in season and what the chef decides the students should prepare, so while you know you’re in for a treat, you might not know exactly what that treat is before you sit down. Entrees are around $20-30, and recently featured dishes like a California Rock Cod with a ragout of shrimp, grilled baby octopus, manilla clams, mussels and rapini. Apparently those chefs are on a steep learning curve.

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 WINERIES

Peju Province
Contact: Katie Lewis
8466 St. Helena Hwy
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-3600
www.peju.com



Cruising up the driveway to Peju Province is like taking a carriage ride in the south of France. The drive winds through vineyards along an avenue of sycamores groomed to look like poplars, and as you approach, you get a view of the dramatic and charming Peju tower, which looks as though it was transported from somewhere in the vicinity of Avignon. The winery itself continues the illusion as you step into the tasting room and peruse all sorts of crafts and foods on sale, from wine glasses to table settings, to artisanal cheeses and mustards, to every book about wine you could ever want. Peju produces just 35,000 cases of wine annually, and is still a family business—the original winery was located in an old garage on the property. You can taste that loving care in the bottles on offer for tastings. Start with their deliciously light but layered Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay before hitting the reds, most notably their signature Cabernet Franc, with its luxurious notes of spice, chocolate, currant, vanilla and violet. Their Zinfandel is also worth a taste, and the beautiful purple notes of blackberry and clove are moderated by some bold tannins. Of course, you have to try the Merlot and Cabernet, both very bright and lively, but with soft tannins that lend them robustness. Peju is starting to use organic techniques in all its vineyards, and has been certified organic at the Rutherford vineyard so far. They have also completed an initiative to generate solar power, and now a third of the winery’s energy needs are fulfilled by the sun. The sweetest part of Peju’s environmental commitments is for longtime Peju employees, though, since owner Tony Peju offers them a $2000 cash incentive to buy a hybrid vehicle.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines
1165 Rutherford Rd.
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-4768
www.elizabethspencerwines.com

On the other end of the spectrum from corporate wineries like Domaine Chandon is tiny Elizabeth Spencer Wines. Housed in the former Rutherford Post Office, the Elizabeth Spencer Wines Tasting Room is one of the best tasting experiences to be had in Napa, and its location at the corner of Highway 29 and Rutherford Road make it an easy place to stop right across from the Rutherford Grill. The room is tiny, the bar is tiny, the production is tiny, but the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the pours are generous and the wines are fantastic. The regular tasting at $15 is a great deal, but if you’re nice, they’ll even pour you some tastes from the $25 reserve tasting depending on what varietals catch your fancy. Their grapes are harvested all over northern California, from Napa to Sonoma to Mendocino, and the variety of sources for such a small production of each varietal makes for complex, interesting and ultimately delicious wines. Even the light Sauvignon Blanc has a little kick to it, with a mix of citrus and floral notes, and subtle hints of minerality. There is also a full-bodied golden Chardonnay to try that doesn’t display the least scent of oak or butter, but rather has apples, peaches, lemon and pepper in it. One wine that’s great for drinking even by itself is the Pinot Noir, with its beautiful garnet color and tastes of fresh-picked forest fruits. The real attraction, though is the Cabernet, which is dense, rich, a little smoky and with perfectly balanced tannins that make it entirely drinkable (or storable). If you’re lucky, you might get to try the ExS Syrah, a gorgeous purple wine with some of the qualities of a fine Malbec—mocha, lavender, evergreen, and berries and spice. It’s like drinking a plum. Splurge on the Reserve Tasting just to try the Mt. Veeder Cabernet. The appellation's volcanic soils translate directly into a terroir rich with black fruits, a hint of smoke and spice, and powerful but structured tannins that linger on your tongue for just a moment of pure bliss.

Frog’s Leap Winery
8815 Conn Creek Road
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-4704
www.frogsleap.com
       


With its playful mascot, a beautiful setting right in the heart of the Cabernet-producing Rutherford district, and a delightful little farm complete with a Big Red Barn, Frog’s Leap Winery is definitely one of the most fun and interesting tours around. The lighthearted nature of the place is reflected in its motto: “Time’s fun when you’re having flies.” Definitely stop by to taste some of their wines, like their crisp, clean Chardonnay, their fruit-forward Zinfandel, or even a glass of their inky, spicy Petite Sirah, with its hints of damp earth. If you have the chance, though, try to get in one of their tours so you can take a walk around the property and learn about their organic farming techniques and how they use different cover crops to complement the grapevines’ growth and replenish the soil after every growing season. Frog’s Leap has also operated completely on solar power since 2005. Their visitor center is constructed from renewable and salvaged materials, and temperature-controlled with geothermal energy. One of the most important environmental practices at Frog’s Leap is dry-farming—basically, they don’t water the grapevines, believing instead that through their organic and sustainability practices like planting cover crops and tilling the soil throughout the growing season, that they will produce more robust, deeply-rooted, disease-resistant and productive vines. Not only does dry-farming save water, but it also seems to work, their wines are great!

Gargiulo Vineyards
575 Oakville Cross Road
Napa, CA
(707) 944-2770
www.gargiulovineyards.com


  
If you can get your hands on a bottle of one of Gargiulo’s Cabernets, or, dare we say it, their Chardonnay, you should do it. No questions asked. This tiny family winery only produces about 3500 cases of single-vineyard wines a year. Total. That means you’ve got to get up to their vineyard in Oakville to try it, and it is definitely worth a visit. Embracing sustainability not only in their farming practices, but also in the construction of their tasting room, which used to be a work shed on the property, and was built out of recycled materials. We’re not talking about walls of aluminum cans, though. The wooden floor was reclaimed from St. Helena High School’s basketball gym, the roof was constructed from materials from a decommissioned bridge in Napa, and the chandeliers are made out of used barrels and ropes. Other construction materials, like the red rocks that form the walls, were gathered from the property itself. If you’re looking for a real, intimate Napa experience with an eco-edge, Gargiulo Vineyards is a great place to visit.

Grgich Hills
Contact: Ken Morris
1829 St. Helena Hwy
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-2784
www.grgich.com



There’s no misspelling here. This winery’s name is indeed Grgich. That’s because it is named after legendary winemaker Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, who originally hails from Croatia, and became a wine-world star when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the white wine tasting at the 1976 Judgment of Paris (see related link). In 1977, Grgich partnered up with the Hills family to start his own winery, and he has been turning out exceptional Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet ever since. The tasting room is nothing to write home about (or rather, nothing to write about on this page), so think about splurging and getting a reserve tasting in their beautiful and bright VIP Room. Start your swirling with a glass of their signature Chardonnay with its mild notes of pear, lychee and honey with just the slightest acidity. Next, move on to their Fumé Blanc which is flavorful enough to come after the Chardonnay, and tastes of tropical fruit and minerality. Their Zinfandel, a wine meant to be drunk with food, has delicious hints of raspberry and spice, while the Merlot is more silky and complex. Finally, the Cabernet is a nice balance of fruits and tannins with traces of cocoa, rose and black cherry. The wines are only part of the story here, though. Grgich Hills is pioneering the use of biodynamic techniques (see related link) in all its vineyards (which are also all certified organic), and operates completely on solar power—it even generates enough power to contribute surplus energy back onto the main electric grid. Grgich Hills proves that you can make fantastic, high-quality wines while helping the environment.

Hall Wines Rutherford
45 Auberge Rd.
Rutherford, CA
(707) 967-0700
www.hallwines.com



Hall Wines, one of the most respected names in Napa, has two fantastic facilities to visit and try their organic wines. For your run-of-the-mill tour and tasting more on the budget side of things, we recommend the St. Helena location. But hold off until the new eco-friendly Frank Gehry visitor center is completed in 2010. The shape of the structure, which will be LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), is meant to mirror the form of the Mayacamas Mountains in the background. For a more intimate tasting experience, Hall’s Rutherford facility, where they produce their small-lot reds, is a truly magnificent experience. Just around the corner from the Auberge du Soleil, Hall Rutherford is housed in a beautiful little building perched in the hills above Rutherford with an incomparable view of the whole valley. Not only that, but the Halls have treated their visitor center like a private art gallery, and you will find works by Jackson Pollack and Roy Lichtenstein among others. Have a splash of Sauvignon Blanc as you meander the rooms of the center taking in the art, and then take a walk down to the lower level with your guide and delve into the 14,000 square-foot hand-masonry caves. The aging caves were fashioned from Greek limestone and bricks that came from one of the Hapsburg palaces in Austria—a salute to Kathryn Hall’s service as Ambassador to Austria from 1997-2001—and you can even see Maria Teresa’s imperial imprint on the bricks. The real attraction, though, is the breathtaking chandelier in the tasting room, which was designed by Donald Lipski and Jonquil LeMaster to resemble the spreading root structure of an old-growth grapevine, and which is dressed in sparkling Swarovski crystals (yet another salute to Austria). The space is perfect for an intimate party, and you can try some of Hall’s best red wines, including their velvety Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, the earthy and plush Bergfeld Cabernet, and finally their spectacularly aromatic Diamond Mountain District Cabernet, whose volcanic terroir lends the wine notes of dark chocolate, currant, toast and a touch of bay leaf. Take advantage of the offer to get a bottle any of them at a discount, because it’s one of the best deals in Napa.

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OTHER WINERIES:

Duckhorn Vineyards
1000 Lodi Lane
St. Helena
(707) 963-7108
www.duckhorn.com

Freemark Abbey
3022 St. Helena Hwy. North
St. Helena, CA
(800) 963-9698
www.freemarkabbey.com

Heitz Wine Cellars
463 St. Helena Hwy.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-3542
www.heitzcellar.com

Newton Vineyards
2555 Madrona Ave.
St. Helena, CA
(707) 963-9000
www.newtonvineyard.com

Quintessa
1601 Silverado Trail S.
Rutherford, CA
(707) 967-1601
www.quintessa.com

GO BACK TO PART ONE OF THE NAPA VALLEY WINE TOUR, FEATURING NAPA AND YOUNTVILLE

RELATED LINKS:
Napa Valley Tour: Part One
In Defense of Merlot
Grape/Wine Varietals
The Organic Taboo
Wine Country: Useful Links
The Judgement of Paris
A Glossary of Wine Terms
Spit or Swallow: Tasting Room Etiquette
Biodynamics

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Calistoga

The northernmost tourist spot in Napa Valley, Calistoga is about 25 miles from Napa. Its name is the conflation of California and Saratoga, named after the famous New York spa town by Calistoga’s founder, Sam Brannan, in 1859. He realized that the natural hot springs and mineral waters would be a huge draw for the wealthy health-seekers from San Francisco, so he soon set up shop and established a spa where volcanic mud baths put Calistoga on the map. If you’re sick of wineries and want to unwind at a spa, or to head out to the nearby Petrified Forest or Old Faithful Geyser (not the famous one, but another that regularly erupts), Calistoga is a great base of operations.

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MUD BATHS

Indian Springs Resort and Spa
1712 Lincoln Ave.
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-4913
www.indianspringscalistoga.com



Calistoga is known for its mud baths and mineral pools, so you’d be crazy not to “take the waters” while you’re in town. If you want a real treat, though, try one of their famous mud baths, where you swelter for a few minutes in black volcanic mud heated by natural geyser steam and water, then cool down in a mineral bath before taking a steam and sweating out all your toxins. We won’t lie, it’s intense, and it’s probably the only spa treatment where you feel like you’ve run a marathon afterwards, but we guarantee you’ll feel great once you rehydrate. There are several spas in town and all come in at about $80 for a mud bath, but one of the best places to take one is the Indian Springs Resort just off the main drag in town. It has a rich history—it was first owned by the founder of Calistoga, Sam Brannan, and then by Leland Stanford—and an afternoon there feels like you’ve stepped back in time to the ’20’s, partly because of the history and partly because the facilities could use a little updating, though they are clean and well kempt. There is a humongous old-fashioned mineral pool heated to 102 degrees, with plenty of sunbathing chairs to dry off on after you’ve changed into your bathing costume in one of the cabanas. The spa facilities themselves also feel a little dated, and the mud bath experience is…how shall we put this delicately…not for the meek. In fact, if you have any body issues at all, you might consider skipping it since you’ll spend a lot of time naked, most likely with people you don’t know. That is part of the charm, though, and it is a good way to sweat out the alcohol at the end of the day. We don’t recommend going at the start or the middle of your day since you likely won’t want to do anything else afterwards except drink water and take a nap, so plan for a late treatment and have a snooze before dinner. The resort is also a well-priced hotel, so consider getting a room here for the night so you can concentrate on being pampered as much as possible.

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HOTELS

Calistoga Inn
1250 Lincoln Ave.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-4101
www.calistogainn.com

The Calistoga Inn has been around for over 100 years, and while some of the rooms look like that’s when they were last decorated, you can’t beat the $89/night price tag, even if you do have to share a bathroom with another room. The rate includes a continental breakfast, and the central location means you can walk to all of Calistoga’s sights.

Calistoga Ranch
580 Lommel Rd.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 254-2800
www.calistogaranch.com



A sister property to the Auberge du Soleil, Calistoga Ranch is at the high end of the price spectrum in Napa, and only has 46 guest “lodges” that start at about $800 a night and top out at nearly $5000 for the 2400 square-foot lodge. Depending on what you’re looking for in Napa, the price could be worth it. Exclusivity is the name of the game here, and there are several special amenities, including a roster of Vintner Members who offer special tastings and events to guests of the Ranch.

Chanric Inn
1805 Foothill Blvd.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-4535
www.chanricinn.com

Ordinarily we hate B&B’s, but if they were all like the chic little Chanric Inn in Calistoga, we’d be willing to change our minds. You won’t find a single floral print in the clean, muted room décor, which looks like it was all ordered from Crate & Barrel, and the king and queen beds are all swathed in Egyptian cotton. Each morning presents a new gourmet breakfast menu of seasonal ingredients, and you’re close to all the town’s activities. Best of all, rooms at this gay-friendly little haven start at $189.

Solage Calistoga
755 Silverado Trail
Calistoga, CA
866-942-7442
www.solagecalistoga.com

Located just outside Calistoga this “eco-resort” sits on 22 newly developed acres, and features several different categories of studios and suites starting at about $350 going up to $1000. The resort has an on-site restaurant, Solbar, that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as a spa offering Calistoga’s signature mud bath.

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 RESTAURANTS



Wappo Bar and Bistro
1226 Washington St.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-4712
www.wappobar.com



Wappo bears the name of the Native American tribe that settled the area, and you too will feel like a native if you choose to eat at this casual little eatery since it is a favorite among locals. It has a beautiful outdoor patio shaded by arbors wrapped in grapevines, but the interior is nothing to scoff at, with a beautiful redwood bar, and a cozily narrow dining room space that reflects the “bistro” in the restaurant’s name. The menu is all California freshness with appetizers like the chili relleno stuffed with rice, currants, cheese and pine nuts, and served with walnut and pomegranate sauce. Salads like the field greens with baked goat cheese and apple smoked bacon, or the salad Niçoise with seared tuna, potatoes, green beans, roasted peppers, white bean salad, egg, tomato, olive tapenade and herb-lemon dressing are hardy enough to be the main course. The dinner entrees are also Californian takes on international dishes, like the halibut in Thai green curry, the Wappo cassoulet of French beans and duck confit, sausage and lamb ragout, and the osso bucco gremolata with white wine, mirepoix and porcini mushrooms served over saffron risotto. The flavors are complex and myriad, but the combinations are not overwhelming, and the variety of choices means that everyone can find something to enjoy on the menu.

Brannan’s Grill
1374 Lincoln Ave.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-2233
www.brannansgrill.com

Named for Calistoga’ founder and decorated in a craftsman style, Brannan’s is a great setting to get the Napa version of a good old all-American meal like oysters on the half-shell or filet mignon tartare, an Ahi tuna and beet carpaccio, and Alaskan halibut or a rack of lamb. Splurge and get a twice-baked potato on the side, or go all out and get the blue Peruvian mashed potatoes. Plus, all the animals on the menu are humanely farmed or free range, so you can eat with a clear conscience.

Calistoga Inn
1250 Lincoln Ave.
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-4101
www.calistogainn.com

Right in the heart of the village of Calistoga, the Calistoga Inn is both a cozy (read: rustic) little hotel, and a great little restaurant that is the perfect place to grab lunch between wine tastings and mud baths, or after a full day exploring the northern end of Napa Valley. When you’ve been drinking wine for days, you’ll be thankful for the eponymous brewery it houses, so go ahead and get an ice cold Pale Ale or Oatmeal Stout. The food menu is nothing fancy, but the standard American fare like buffalo wings, calamari, Caesar salad and cheeseburgers should hit the spot.

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WINERIES

Chateau Montelena
1429 Tubbs Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-5105
www.montelena.com



Picturesque, ivy-covered Chateau Montelena is one of the most storied wineries in Napa. It was their 1973 Chardonnay that beat all the French white wine entries at the 1976 Paris Wine Tasting to be named the top white wine, and that put California Chardonnays on an equal or superior footing with white wines everywhere. Though the winemaker who concocted the winning vino has since started his own winery (see Grgich Hills in St. Helena), the quality remains excellent at Chateau Montelena, and for $15, you can try their famous Chardonnay for yourself…along with a Riesling, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, of course, since their reds are nothing to sneer at thanks to the rich alluvial and volcanic soils that produce them. In fact, Robert Parker calls Montelena “the Cal Ripken of California Cabernet producers” due to its consistency and excellence. At Montelena, they make wines to last, and Kiplinger’s even suggests buying a case of Chateau Montelena Cabernet as a good investment for the future since its value is sure to increase profitably. Long-term economics aside, a visit to this venerable vintner in the shadow of Mt. St. Helena is ephemerally enjoyable as well since the gardens have been manipulated into a Chinese fantasia complete with a reservoir called Jade Lake that is circumscribed by paths with picnic pagodas. Don’t feel too bad for the environment, though. Chateau Montelena runs on 100% solar power, cutting carbon emissions and saving trees. Now that’s something to drink to.

OTHER WINERIES

Clos Pegase Estate Winery
1060 Dunaweal Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-4981
www.clospegase.com

Cuvaison Estate Wines
4550 Silverado Trail North
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-6266
www.cuvaison.com

Ladera Vineyards
150 White Cottage Rd. South
Angwin, CA
(707) 965-2445
www.laderavineyards.com

Larkmead Vineyards
1145 Larkmead Lane
Calistoga, CA
(707) 942-0167
www.larkmead.com

Schramsberg Vineyards
1400 Schramsberg Rd.
Calistoga, CA 94515
(800) 877-3623
www.schramsberg.com

Sterling Vineyards
1111 Dunaweal Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-3344
www.sterlingvineyards.com

GO BACK TO PART ONE OF THE NAPA VALLEY WINE TOUR, FEATURING NAPA AND YOUNTVILLE

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RELATED LINKS:
Napa Valley Tour: Part One
In Defense of Merlot
Grape/Wine Varietals
The Organic Taboo
Wine Country: Useful Links
The Judgement of Paris
A Glossary of Wine Terms
Spit or Swallow: Tasting Room Etiquette
Biodynamics
Film Review of 'Bottle Shock'

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