I’ll be honest, I haven’t been to Napa in many years. Its cachet, hype, expense and snob-factor had put me off. It was over-exposed, commercial and crowded. I gave it up many years ago for the quaint charm of Paso Robles, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara and Sonoma. Those towns didn’t seem to be as “affected” as Napa. They weren’t as well-known or well-trodden. I thought it was time to re-visit the place that put California’s wines on the map in the late 1970’s. Maybe it had changed. I was game to give it a try.
I wasn’t prepared for what I saw when we pulled into town on Monday morning. It was new and re-designed. Either I didn’t remember what the old downtown looked like, or I’m having senior moments more than I care to admit. There was a brand-spanking new downtown and a series of exciting and eclectic new restaurants. Old buildings had been re-designed since an earthquake had damaged many of the historic structures in September, 2014. Although it does have a vaguely “Napa Disney” homogenous feel as you look at it from across the Napa River, the overall impression was one of pleasant surprise.
The town was lively and charming. Across the river was a new and exciting public market called Oxbow Market. Inside, a multitude of cheese, chocolate, and charcuterie awaits, along with several very good restaurants. There were cupcakes, home-provisions and olive-oil tasting bars, along with a fabulous hand-crafted coffee bar called Ritual Coffee. It will certainly give Blue Bottle a run for its money. It was one of the best cups of coffee I’ve had outside of Italy.
But, let’s face it, the reason people flock to Napa is not for the coffee, but for the wine. After all is said and done: it’s the capital of the red-varietals in the United States. Despite the higher costs and sophisticated tasting rooms, Napa does not disappoint. We visited several wineries “off the beaten path” where we were greeted by welcoming hosts and delicious red wines (my preference). The winery with one of the most beautiful properties was the Sherwin Family Winery, where the outdoor patio was the perfect spot to taste and to enjoy a picnic lunch. The Sherwin Family also has the honor of being the only wine in the world to be able to put the American flag on their bottle, something they do in memory of the victims of 9/11 and donate a portion of each bottle sold to the 9/11 victim’s fund. Their wines were exquisite and we enjoyed a lazy afternoon on their terrace.
My favorite wine was called “Scraps” and it was a delight. Even the bottle was an unusual shape and was the topic of discussion. We enjoyed a few more tastings at Keenan and Barnett, before I was off to indulge in the other thing the Napa Valley is famous for: Spa Treatments in Calistoga.
The Napa Valley is a series of towns, including St. Helena, Yountville, Calistoga, Oakville, Rutherford and Napa. Calistoga is famous for its natural mineral pools. I chose the Spa Solage inside the Hotel Solage, as it had one of the best reviews on-line. I was not disappointed. I opted for an 80 minute Swedish massage, followed by a volcanic mud wrap, mineral soak and zero-gravity relaxing chair. It was a full-tilt boogie! A veritable home-run! Each treatment was a delight. I especially enjoyed the massage by John, who has been in the business for 20 years and at Spa Solage since they opened 7 years ago. The zero-gravity chair was an unusual and relaxing experience. Following a mud wrap and dip into a private soaking tub, you are led to a private room where you are wrapped up like a cocoon in a feathery, down comforter, adorned with Beats headphones filled with soothing music, and tilted backwards. The experience is like floating on a cloud. A real slice of heaven.
After a few hours of indulgence, we couldn’t resist dinner at Cole’s Chop House in Downtown Napa. The rack of lamb, prime rib-eye and filet were exquisite. Now that foie gras is back on the menus in California, I was excited to re-visit this old classic. Wow, how I’ve missed you.
But, not to be out-done, the Banana’s Foster was surely not to be missed.
All in all, I give Napa Valley a glowing “YES”. I’m sorry I waited so long to return. It won’t happen again.
