Exclusive Luxury Wine Itinerary in Napa and Sonoma, California

• A luxurious wine & food discovery tour of Napa & Sonoma
• Discover the unmissable spots of the area
• Enjoy great wine tastings in iconic Wineries
• Experience Michelin starred restaurants

Theme : Exclusive Experiences Duration : Multiple days Groups : Yes

Day 1: Discover Healdsburg

Start your discovery on the Sonoma side of Northern Californian wine country, in the beautiful town of Healdsburg.

At the center of Healdsburg are The Plaza, a hub of fine food stores, restaurants, tasting rooms, coffee shops and stylish clothes stores.

This is a great place to start a tour of the region, getting you into the food and wine vibe of Northern California; the terroir and ideal climate here create a wealth of ingredients, attracting top chefs and providing astounding eleven Michelin-starred restaurants throughout the region where farm-to-table cuisine is celebrated.

For the sportier, you can canoe along the Russian River this morning.

Enjoy lunch in one of the relaxed bistros and wine bars in Healdsburg and then head to Ramey Wine Cellars just a short walk from the center.

Here, a relaxing tasting will allow you to truly appreciate the range of wines from the Sonoma Coast and the different terroirs of Russian River. Famous for their Chardonnays you will also discover Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Syrah from Sonoma and Napa - a great place to start to understand the diversity of this fascinating region. 

Stay your first night in Healdsburg to enjoy the hospitality at a venue chosen by you and your local specialist tailored to your specific preferences. There is plenty to choose from! Tonight, you will dine in a unique setting to enjoy an introduction to wine and food paired dinner to discover and enhance the unique styles of wine that Sonoma has to offer.

Highlights

  • Discover the foodie haven of Healdsburg
  • An exclusive wine tasting at Ramey Wine Cellars
  • An introductory Northern Californian food and wine dinner

 

Day 2: From Healdsburg to Saint Helena via The Alexander Valley

 

Drive through the beautiful countryside to Napa, stopping in the Alexander Valley to discover the wines from this unique terroir at a cellar door tasting.

Continue on through the picturesque town of Calistoga, famous for its hot springs, before calling in at Frank Family Vineyards.

This stone building built in 1884 in the southern outskirts of Calistoga is the third oldest in Napa. You will learn about this historic, family-owned winery while sipping a glass of Lady Edythe Reserve Brut sparkling wine. Then, in a beautiful private VIP tasting room, allow yourself to be guided through a wine and food tasting which pairs the highest-tier reserve wines with artisanal cheese and charcuterie from renowned Napa Valley chef Michael Chiarello's café and market, Ottimo. The Frank Family Vineyards cover 380 acres of the finest vineyards across the best AVA's within the Valley, so this tasting is a perfect introduction to the diverse and high-quality Napa Valley wines, an opportunity to experience the nuances of each variety and each AVA. After the tasting, you can stroll through the winery to see where these wines are made.

Transfer to your home for the rest of your stay: the Relais & Châteaux, Meadowood Napa Valley will be your base for your food and wine discovery of Napa in the heart of picturesque St. Helena. Choose from exquisitely appointed guest Cottages, Suites and Lodges in this 250-acre resort.

For your first night at Meadowood, you can dine at their Michelin Three-Star Restaurant. The menu of this modern American restaurant is built on relationships with artisans, growers, foragers and other members of the dynamic Napa food scene. Together with the sommelier team, the restaurant will create a unique food and wine experience as an introduction to the wine styles of the Napa region.

Highlights

  • Drive along the Alexander Valley
  • Discover Calistoga and the range of Napa styles at Frank Family Vineyards
  • Experience the Michelin-starred cuisine of Meadowood Napa Valley

 

Day 3: Discover Spring Mountain

 

Today you will stay local, in and around the lovely town of Saint Helena.

Spring Mountain is a rugged, yet serene appellation located west of St. Helena, on the eastern flank of the Mayacamas range, which separates the Napa and Sonoma Valleys.

Your first visit and tasting will be at Fantesca, just a mile up Spring Mountain Road from Main Street St. Helena, where the breath-taking views are matched with world-class wines made by acclaimed winemakers Heidi Barrett and Tony Arcudi.

Your private tour starts with a tasting of Heidi Barrett's Spring Mountain Chardonnay overlooking Fantesca's 10-acre vineyard on a private deck, then on to the caves, which stretch 280 feet beneath Spring Mountain. Legend has it this was originally an abandoned silver mine. Here, in the cellars’ naturally cool and humid atmosphere, you will enjoy Tony Arcudi's King Richard's Reserve Pinot Noir.

Then onwards and upwards to Fantesca's private tasting room, above the working winery, the ideal location to experience Heidi Barrett's All Great Things Red Blend and Estate Cabernet.

After this spectacular tasting, you can return to the town of St. Helena for lunch. You can choose from one of the many local restaurants - this is a hub for the dynamic Napa food scene.

After lunch, return to Spring Mountain to discover the iconic Newton Winery, one of the first wineries on Spring Mountain. From miles around, you can see their Pino Solo, a lone pine on the vineyard’s highest point. This tree is over 100 feet tall and crowns the ridgeline. You will recognize it on all the winery's labels.

Before leaving, enjoy a stroll through the English parterre gardens -lookout for the pagoda, the Chinese red gate, lanterns and the London phone booth- and take in the panoramic views of the Napa Valley.

Return to your hotel to relax.

This evening you can choose to dine at one of the restaurants at Meadowood or in the town of St. Helena.

Highlights

  • Discover Spring Mountain
  • See breath-taking views and amazing cellars
  • Taste iconic wines from Fantesca and Newton 
  • Experience the vibrant food scene of St. Helena

 

Day 4: Down Time - a sporty or a relaxing day at Meadowood

 

Life at Meadowood includes golf, tennis, swimming, hiking and croquet.

For the less energetic, indulge yourself at the exclusive Forbes 5 Star Meadowood Spa, with treatments by the French vinotherapy brand Caudalie based on grape seed extracts. 

Enjoy a spa cuisine lunch with wellness elixirs or slightly heartier fare including organic produce.

Or you can choose to experience a unique, tailored cooking class, either at Meadowood or in the kitchens of a local winery. During a hands-on atelier a Meadowood, the chef will invite you to test your skills with locally-grown produce, some from their very own gardens. Then, enjoy the fruits of your labors in a choice of venues: barrel cellar, gallery, cave, or garden. You can accompany the recipes with wines, specially chosen for the meal.

Highlights

  • A relaxing downtime day
  • Choose from a day of sport, relaxation, a culinary workshop, or shopping in St. Helena

 

Day 5: The Silverado Trail and Atlas Peak

 

Now that you have recharged your batteries, it's back to the tasting trail. Today, you will head south down the famous Silverado Trail, to Darioush where you will experience a first-of-its-kind history and wine exploration.

Wine culture in the Zagros Mountains of Northern Iran dates back to 5,000 B.C. At Darioush you will take a journey back along this 7,000-year history of wine with Wine Historian, Nina Wemyss, a passionate raconteur. You will also share the fascinating story of owner Darioush Khaledi's journey and passion for wine illustrated by tasting winery-exclusive wines paired with dishes prepared by renowned Napa Valley chef, Sarah Scott.

Seated among Khaledi’s private wine collection, you will be guided through a tasting of the estate’s crown jewel, Darius II Cabernet Sauvignon as well as limited releases such as Signature Pinot Noir and our flagship offering, Signature Cabernet Sauvignon.

After lunch, you will continue high up the eastern mountains of Napa Valley in the remote Atlas Peak District 1,800 feet above sea level to discover Antica.  

Antica comes from “Antinori California”. The Antinori name is synonymous with the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, thanks to over 630 years and 26 generations of winemaking history there. Their passion for innovation led them to the Napa Valley, to this breath-taking mountaintop estate, chosen by Marchese Piero Antinori for its rocky soil and high elevation above the fog line. The rolling hills reminded him of Tuscany.

Tour the estate’s vineyards, olive grove, and stunning and pristine open land including the Townsend Single-Vineyard set high on the ridge overlooking Napa Valley some 1600 feet below. This is the jewel in the Antinori crown. From the Townsend Belvedere, the arbor that overlooks 24-acre Townsend Vineyard, you will see what makes the site so exceptional.

You will have the unique opportunity to explore some of the family’s most highly-acclaimed wines from both Italy and Napa Valley in one place: start with a glass of Chardonnay from Antica’s single-vineyard A26 vineyard during the tour of the state-of-the-art winemaking facility and cellars. Then, at a seated tasting, you will taste sought-after wines such as Tignanello, Guado al Tasso, Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva and Antica Napa Valley Townsend Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and the estate extra-virgin olive oil. All this from the comfort of the Antica Cucina, with its vista views of the property and surrounding mountaintops. This is a rare opportunity to experience how each of these wines expresses the Antinori family philosophy and tradition, each an authentic expression of the site from which they hail: a true blend of Italy and California.

Highlights

  • A historic and cultural wine experience at Darioush
  • A Darioush food and wine pairing
  • Drive up above the fog line to Antica for an Italian-Napa tasting of the best that the Antinori family has to offer

Return to Meadowood for an evening at your leisure, dining at the hotel or at a nearby restaurant - your local expert will be happy to recommend a few fine addresses.

 

Day 6: Oakville and the Western slopes of Napa

 

Travel to the western foothills of the Mayacamas mountain range over-looking Yountville, to Blankiet Estate. This beautiful place merits its name Paradise Hills with its gorgeous views of the valley. As an organic artisanal winery Blankiet only produces a few hundred cases of each of its three flagship Red Wines. During your visit, you will discover the vineyards, and tour the winery and its deep underground aging cellars before heading up the hill to the beautiful tasting room under a romantic stone Renaissance-style Castello. A unique opportunity to taste these limited-release wines.

After your tasting, back down to the valley floor for lunch in the wine town of Oakville. Oakville has a vibrant food culture, where you will be spoiled for choice of restaurants.

After lunch, head back up the mountain again, this time to the Promontory winery. As its name implies, Promontory is perched high on a knoll among the western hills of Oakville. The Harlan family purchased it in 2008 and they have since transformed this wild and rugged terrain into a patchwork of vines amongst the forest. A dramatic terroir where morning fog and slightly cooler air fill the narrow canyon on an almost daily basis.

Here, you will experience an intimate and private introduction to their wine, philosophy, and terroir with a private tour of the winery, sampling wine from the cask, and a vertical tasting of Promontory vintages.

Tonight, your local expert will organize a private winery dining experience in Napa, especially for you.

Highlights

  • A tour of the vineyard, winery and cellar of Blankiet estate
  • A wine tasting of their limited release red
  • Lunch in Oakville
  • Privately hosted experience at Promontory with a cask tasting and a vertical tasting of finished wines
  • A private winery dinner

 

Day 7: Discover St. Helena and St. Supéry Estate

 

Your last day in Napa will be spent in the famous AVA of Rutherford at the  St. Supéry winery.  The Chanel fashion house has acquired this famous Napa name, already owning several classified vineyards in Bordeaux.

The winery combines French château tradition with Napa Valley terroir and a focus on Bordeaux varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and other classic reds.

On a vineyard walk, you will explore the vines surrounding the winery in the Rutherford Estate Vineyard and learn about the geological makeup of the Napa Valley. Experience how, through their certified green viticulture practices, St. Supéry is protecting the land and environment for future generations.  Continuing to the winery you will see the innovative small-lot winemaking, this "winery within a winery" is where the single vineyard estate wines are fermented.

Several tasting options are available to you at St. Supéry. You can examine their Bordeaux heritage with a tasting of five classic red Bordeaux varietals, learning how to employ each of your five senses to hone your tasting skills, and identifying the delicate differences in each varietal. Especially selected cheeses will be served to enhance the unique characteristics of each wine.

Or, through an exercise of aroma identifications, you can explore how personal sensory memory impacts how we recognize different scents. You will explore the wine aromas from fruit character, barrel aging and terroir through a selection of 100% estate-grown St. Supéry wines. Learning to identify these same aromas in your glass will heighten your enjoyment of wine now and in the future - a take-home skill. The tasting will end with a mystery wine game and a pairing of wines with vegetarian small bites of farm-to-table produce from the Culinary Garden and Dollarhide Estate Ranch.

Highlights:

  • Learn about soils, microclimates and green viticulture practices at St. Supéry
  • Choose from unique wine tasting experiences: explore the 5 classic Bordeaux varietals paired with specially selected cheeses OR explore wine aromas and wines paired with vegetarian small bites of farm-to-table produce

For your last night in Napa you can choose to dine at The French Laundry, the iconic Yountville restaurant.

 

All our tours are private and depart daily. They can be fully customised, lengthened or shortened according to the number of participants and to suit individual interests and schedules.

 

 

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