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Eat, Stay, Love... Continued!
We couldn’t possibly fit all our Wine Country favorites into the magazine. Here are 18 more places to savor the best of Napa and Sonoma.
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by Robin Rinaldi
posted on September 20, 2007
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Stag's Leap Palisade over Fay Vineyards. Credits: courtesy of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
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Founded by Syrian cardiac surgeon Elias Hanna in the 1970s, Hanna Winery began as 12 acres set in the heart of the Russian River valley. It has grown to encompass some 600 acres throughout Sonoma County, including 252 acres of planted vineyards. The tasting room in Healdsburg—there’s one in Santa Rosa as well—offers guests an opportunity to sample some of Hanna’s 13 award-winning wines. The classic flight ($5) includes a pour of the highly regarded Sauvignon Blanc; the reserve flight ($10) includes four tastes of the “wines of distinction,” created from grapes grown at the higher-altitude Bismark Mountain Vineyard. $5–$10 tasting; tours are free but by appointment only.
Hanna Winery 9280 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-431-4310
What with various Napa municipalities getting stricter about use permits, fewer wineries are letting you picnic on their grounds or even take your tasting glass outside. (Look around—you’ll see a lot of perfectly good picnic tables and sunny lawns going to waste.) Which makes Robert Sinskey Vineyards—already famed far and wide for its excellent, biodynamically grown Pinot Noirs—a particularly good destination if you’re anywhere near Napa Valley. Not only is the modern-yet-rustic stone-and-timber winery, at the Stags Leap end of the Silverado Trail, surrounded by arbor-shaded patios that you’re welcome to colonize (call ahead and make reservations), but the $20 tastings include made-on-the-premises appetizers; on one recent visit, the menu ranged from ham-and-Gruyère tartlets to gougères to date-walnut cake. Talk about making you feel at home—they’re lucky we didn’t open a satellite office there. $20 tasting fee; tours by appointment, $30–$60 per person, depending on type of tour, for groups of up to six.
Robert Sinskey Vineyards 6320 Silverado Tr., Napa, 800-869-2030
As a winemaking operation, Cliff Lede certainly has a lot going for it, starting with its 60 beautiful acres at the intersection of Silverado Trail and Yountville Cross Road. When Canadian construction magnate Cliff Lede (pronounced LAY-dee) decided in 2003 to move from Vancouver to Napa to pursue the good life, he brought his passion for Bordeaux-style wines, which he’d been collecting since the ’80s, and a healthy dose of humility that lead him toward some very smart hires: namely, architect Howard Backen, who designed a sparkling new winery, and up-and-coming young winemaker Michelle Edwards, who set about crafting Cab, Pinot Noir, Petite Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc out of the Stags Leap terroir she’d been given to work with. The results are splendid, most visibly in the rich, well-balanced Cabernets (the 2004 drew sighs all around). Sample the bounty in the bright tasting room or outside on the sunny terrace. $20 tasting fee, no appointment needed; variously priced tours include tasting, by appointment only.
Cliff Lede Vineyards 1473 Yountville Cross Rd., Yountville, 707-944-8642
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Pack a gourmet picnic of locally grown olives, lavender-rosemary crackers, sweet fig paste and assorted charcuterie from the Fig Pantry (1190 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-933-3000) before heading up to the sprawling vineyards of Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood, the perfect European-inspired backdrop to an afternoon of sunning, snacking and sipping. Best known for its Chardonnay, the winery is spread out over 200 acres dotted with palm and citrus trees. The property includes formal estate gardens and a chateau built in 1920 as a summer home for its original owners. $10–$15 tasting fee; tours, $15, which includes premium tasting—no appointment needed.
Chateau St. Jean 8555 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, 707-833-4134
No one’s claiming that $30–$40 to taste four wines is a steal, but then again—how much would you pay for a sip of history? That’s what you’ll find at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, on the Silverado Trail. Stag’s Leap is, of course, the winery whose Cabernet Sauvignon won the famous (or infamous, if you happen to be French) 1976 blind tasting in Paris, schooling such hallowed Bordeaux producers as Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Haut-Brion. Considering the label’s distinguished pedigree, the winery itself is appealingly down-home (and does offer a non-estate-wines tasting option for a mere $15). You’ll find no nouveau-Napa glitz here—tastings are done in a simple tasting room in front of the cave, behind what looks like a barn door. Go soon, though: The founder, Warren Winiarski, announced in July that he’s selling the winery to Marchese Piero Antinori, who gave us the Super Tuscan wines, and Washington State’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, for $185 million. That’s a lot of tastings, even at $30 a pop… $15–$40 tasting fee; tours, $40 per person, by appointment only. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 5766 Silverado Tr., Napa, 707-944-2020
We’d venture to say there’s nothing quite like Copia anywhere else on earth—part museum, part learning center, part tasting facility, it’s a must-stop for anyone serious about food and wine. Every day brings something new: You can take a class (whether on grilling, pizza-making or wine pairing), see a concert, tour the edible gardens or listen to lectures by great winemakers. But mostly, Copia is a great place to—duh—learn about wine. At its innovative tasting stations, learn to detect such problems as a bad cork or high volatile acidity; discern the differing results of using oak chips, American oak and French oak (really!); and sample small pours of stellar vintages, such as a Shafer 2004 Merlot or a Ridge 2005 Zinfandel. Another whimsical display lets you answer a quiz to find the vintage that matches your personality. And when you get hungry, there’s Julia’s Kitchen, where you can get California-French fare, cheese courses, shellfish tastings, dessert and more. Copia is heaven for aspiring wine-lovers. Though its official name is the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, and it does offer a well-rounded experience, what Copia really boils down to is heaven for wine-loving novices.
COPIA 500 First St., Napa, 707-259-1600
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975 First St., Napa, 707-255-0622
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(TOP): The dining room at Cyrus; (MIDDLE): Hamachi at Cyrus; (BOTTOM): The Fig Café and Winebar
Credits: Andy Katz, MJ Wickham
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El Dorado Kitchen, aka “Ed K,” feels right for the urbanite craving a sophisticated touch of city amid the pastoral charm of Sonoma. Dim lighting, dark woods, clean lines and moody lounge music set the scene inside, where the focal point is a stunning 21-foot-long table made from a single plank of wood recycled from a bridge in Vermont. Behind the scenes is talented chef Ryan Fancher, a former sous chef at the French Laundry, who dishes up contemporary Californian fare made from seasonal, locally grown ingredients. Start with a tower of sweet, juicy heirloom tomatoes and sliced watermelon or crisp salad of endive, caramelized almonds and Frog Hollow peaches. For entrées, don’t miss the ricotta gnocchi with baby carrots and a light cream sauce, the tender Maine diver scallops atop a pea stew with roasted whole garlic and pesto zucchini or the grilled ahi tuna steak served with a crispy corn cake and cucumber relish. Order the “peaches and cream” for a memorable ending: angel food cake topped with caramel ice cream and a side of almond Italian ice.
El Dorado Kitchen 405 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-3030
“Complimentary corkage.” Could any other two words ever sound as sweet, particularly when appearing on a menu in the Wine Country? And the menu isn’t from any old restaurant, but from the Fig Café and Winebar, the Glen Ellen little sister of Sonoma’s renowned Girl and the Fig. (Just in case you didn’t buy a bottle at your last stop, the cafe’s own wine list focuses on such food-friendly Rhone varietals as Syrah, Viognier and Roussane.) The Provençal-inspired dishes range from a fig-and-chevre salad to grilled leg of lamb with ratatouille, but if it’s tomato season and the pizza du jour is sliced heirlooms and basil, then do not pass “Go,” do not collect $200 and do not consider anything else—order it.
The Fig Café and Winebar 13690 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, 707-938-2130
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On the rustic back patio of the Harvest Moon Café, owned by husband-and-wife team Nick and Jen Demarest, you’ll feel like you’re dining alfresco at an old friend’s house. Exposed light bulbs strung across an unpaved, fenced-in yard filled with brightly colored bistro furniture give the restaurant a shabby-chic appeal—a fitting accompaniment to the Mediterranean-inspired country sophisticate fare on the menu, which changes daily. Nick (formerly of Eccolo and Chez Panisse) can be found chatting with customers from behind the exposed kitchen while he cooks Californian food that’s simultaneously inventive, hearty and farmers-market fresh. Order the warm Gruyère brochette with prosciutto and fried egg, grilled white bass with sautéed Swiss chard and cucumber relish or braised meatballs with stewed chickpeas and cilantro. Jen provides the sweet ending with such pleasing desserts as the delicious Blanco y Negro, a cinnamon-and-lemon ice milk with espresso and whipped cream.
Harvest Moon Café 487 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-933-8160
There is so much to like about Bovolo—the latest venture from the owners of Santa Rosa favorite Zazu—that it’s hard to know where to begin. First, of course, there’s the beloved pork-cheek sandwich, a generous portion of slow-braised porcine goodness set on a soft roll, garnished with roasted peppers and salsa verde. They make their own salumi and bacon, too, so a BLT with Tabasco aïoli is an enticing option, as is the Salumist’s Salad, a generous bowl of lettuces, peppers, white beans, cheese and cured meats dressed in a zippy red-wine vinaigrette. Whether you’re picking up takeout or planning to eat in the sun-dappled back patio, you order at the counter—and keep an eye out for the specials board, which announces the presence of greatness: pizza of the day, white gazpacho or a fried-fish sandwich.
Bovolo 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2962
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(LEFT): the King Junior Suite at Farmhouse Inn; (MIDDLE): view from a Lower Fairway Treeline room at Meadowood; (RIGHT): a cozy bedroom at Meadowood with wrap-around windows overlooking the trees and hills
Credits: courtesy of Farmhouse Inn; courtesy of Meadowood
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Turn into the driveway of the Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant, and city woes are quickly left behind. Home to eight petite cottages (in addition to two rooms in the main house), the property is a refuge for those in search of a country getaway without the toile, antiques and my-house-is-your-house attitude typical of many inns. Expect loads of thoughtful touches: Cookies by the bedside, complimentary milk and bottled water in the fridge, steam showers, soaking tubs and fireplaces in nearly every room. As for big plans, consider these: a nap beside the heated pool, perhaps, or a massage at the on-site spa. Rouse yourself in the morning for an excellent breakfast (included in the room rate) consisting of—for instance—bowls of yogurt with house-made granola, scones and a plate of souffléd eggs and chicken sausage. The worst part of the stay? Leaving.
Farmhouse Inn 7871 River Rd., Forestville, 707-887-3300
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This is the kind of place where one has an Arnold Palmer and shrimp cocktail by the pool by day and a complimentary glass of, say, chilled Duckhorn Chardonnay in the lounge as the sun sets. Maybe you go on a hike (complete with chilled bottles of water for the taking along the path), play a round of golf or a game of tennis or get out your aggressions on the manicured croquet lawns. Meadowood, which functions as a second residence for some and a resort for most, is the perfect hideaway. Instead of the vineyards you might expect, the 85 classically designed cottages, suites and lodges are set in 250 acres of forested, rolling hills that give you the sense of isolated tranquility—and exclusivity. Because at Meadowood, that’s really what it’s all about.
Meadowood 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, 800-458-8080
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(LEFT): front porch of the Nathanson and MacArthur Suites in the Carriage House; (MIDDLE): the pool at Hotel Healdsburg; (RIGHT): exterior view of Barstola, one of the many vacation homes available through Beautiful Places
Credits: courtesy of MacArthur Place; Cesar Rubio; courtesy of Beautiful Places
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You’ll love getting lost among the meandering flagstone paths and lush gardens of MacArthur Place, a former ranch and vineyard turned luxe country inn and spa a few second’s drive from Sonoma’s plaza. Despite its proximity to the bustle, you’ll feel miles away in one of the 10 cozy rooms housed in the original property’s grand Victorian house, or one of the 54 other cottages and suites that offer wood-burning fireplaces, fluffy down comforters atop king-sized beds, wet bars, DVD players and flat-screen TVs. For the ultimate indulgence, stop by a complimentary wine and cheese hour in the charming library—where you can also challenge a guest to an impromptu game of chess and borrow a DVD—before retreating to one of the two new garden spa suites. Added this year, each comes complete with a private garden decked out with a rain shower, an oversize wooden tub inside a heated hut and a mini waterfall.
MacArthur Place 29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, 707-938-2929
Everything you want and nothing you don’t: This sleek 55-room boutique hotel takes the modern approach to luxury. But where modern can sometimes equal cold, Hotel Healdsburg is anything but. Equipped with transcendently sumptuous beds outfitted with Frette linens, an outdoor garden space ideally suited for lingering over morning coffee and a olive-tree-flanked pool that feels plucked from the Hollywood Hills, the resort-like hideaway (ideally located facing the town’s historic plaza) is the ultimate smart-urbanite-goes-Wine-Country retreat.
Hotel Healdsburg 25 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2800
We’re all for the five-star hotel—or the mod little motel, for that matter—when it’s just one or two of you. But when you crave a weekend with your visiting relatives, your kids or your closest friends, Beautiful Places offers nine privately owned vacation homes in Wine Country, ranging from an ultra-modern steel-and-concrete barn/house in Sonoma to a five-bedroom villa surrounded by a vineyard and overlooking Calistoga. Its sister site, Country Sojourns, features more rustic, but still lovely, properties such as Lavender Hill, a four-bedroom charmer originally built by the Gumps. (Yes, those Gumps.) There’s nothing quite like having your own gourmet kitchen, pool and boccie court to make a weekend epic. And should you need a chef to cook for your brood, a nanny to watch the kids while you go tasting or a concierge to help set up activities for your girlfriends’ getaway, they’ll arrange it all.
Beautiful Places 539 First St., Sonoma, 800-495-9961
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Stag's Leap Palisade over Fay Vineyards. Credits: courtesy of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
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Founded by Syrian cardiac surgeon Elias Hanna in the 1970s, Hanna Winery began as 12 acres set in the heart of the Russian River valley. It has grown to encompass some 600 acres throughout Sonoma County, including 252 acres of planted vineyards. The tasting room in Healdsburg—there’s one in Santa Rosa as well—offers guests an opportunity to sample some of Hanna’s 13 award-winning wines. The classic flight ($5) includes a pour of the highly regarded Sauvignon Blanc; the reserve flight ($10) includes four tastes of the “wines of distinction,” created from grapes grown at the higher-altitude Bismark Mountain Vineyard. $5–$10 tasting; tours are free but by appointment only.
Hanna Winery 9280 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-431-4310
What with various Napa municipalities getting stricter about use permits, fewer wineries are letting you picnic on their grounds or even take your tasting glass outside. (Look around—you’ll see a lot of perfectly good picnic tables and sunny lawns going to waste.) Which makes Robert Sinskey Vineyards—already famed far and wide for its excellent, biodynamically grown Pinot Noirs—a particularly good destination if you’re anywhere near Napa Valley. Not only is the modern-yet-rustic stone-and-timber winery, at the Stags Leap end of the Silverado Trail, surrounded by arbor-shaded patios that you’re welcome to colonize (call ahead and make reservations), but the $20 tastings include made-on-the-premises appetizers; on one recent visit, the menu ranged from ham-and-Gruyère tartlets to gougères to date-walnut cake. Talk about making you feel at home—they’re lucky we didn’t open a satellite office there. $20 tasting fee; tours by appointment, $30–$60 per person, depending on type of tour, for groups of up to six.
Robert Sinskey Vineyards 6320 Silverado Tr., Napa, 800-869-2030
As a winemaking operation, Cliff Lede certainly has a lot going for it, starting with its 60 beautiful acres at the intersection of Silverado Trail and Yountville Cross Road. When Canadian construction magnate Cliff Lede (pronounced LAY-dee) decided in 2003 to move from Vancouver to Napa to pursue the good life, he brought his passion for Bordeaux-style wines, which he’d been collecting since the ’80s, and a healthy dose of humility that lead him toward some very smart hires: namely, architect Howard Backen, who designed a sparkling new winery, and up-and-coming young winemaker Michelle Edwards, who set about crafting Cab, Pinot Noir, Petite Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc out of the Stags Leap terroir she’d been given to work with. The results are splendid, most visibly in the rich, well-balanced Cabernets (the 2004 drew sighs all around). Sample the bounty in the bright tasting room or outside on the sunny terrace. $20 tasting fee, no appointment needed; variously priced tours include tasting, by appointment only.
Cliff Lede Vineyards 1473 Yountville Cross Rd., Yountville, 707-944-8642
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Pack a gourmet picnic of locally grown olives, lavender-rosemary crackers, sweet fig paste and assorted charcuterie from the Fig Pantry (1190 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-933-3000) before heading up to the sprawling vineyards of Chateau St. Jean in Kenwood, the perfect European-inspired backdrop to an afternoon of sunning, snacking and sipping. Best known for its Chardonnay, the winery is spread out over 200 acres dotted with palm and citrus trees. The property includes formal estate gardens and a chateau built in 1920 as a summer home for its original owners. $10–$15 tasting fee; tours, $15, which includes premium tasting—no appointment needed.
Chateau St. Jean 8555 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, 707-833-4134
No one’s claiming that $30–$40 to taste four wines is a steal, but then again—how much would you pay for a sip of history? That’s what you’ll find at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, on the Silverado Trail. Stag’s Leap is, of course, the winery whose Cabernet Sauvignon won the famous (or infamous, if you happen to be French) 1976 blind tasting in Paris, schooling such hallowed Bordeaux producers as Château Mouton-Rothschild and Château Haut-Brion. Considering the label’s distinguished pedigree, the winery itself is appealingly down-home (and does offer a non-estate-wines tasting option for a mere $15). You’ll find no nouveau-Napa glitz here—tastings are done in a simple tasting room in front of the cave, behind what looks like a barn door. Go soon, though: The founder, Warren Winiarski, announced in July that he’s selling the winery to Marchese Piero Antinori, who gave us the Super Tuscan wines, and Washington State’s Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, for $185 million. That’s a lot of tastings, even at $30 a pop… $15–$40 tasting fee; tours, $40 per person, by appointment only. Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 5766 Silverado Tr., Napa, 707-944-2020
We’d venture to say there’s nothing quite like Copia anywhere else on earth—part museum, part learning center, part tasting facility, it’s a must-stop for anyone serious about food and wine. Every day brings something new: You can take a class (whether on grilling, pizza-making or wine pairing), see a concert, tour the edible gardens or listen to lectures by great winemakers. But mostly, Copia is a great place to—duh—learn about wine. At its innovative tasting stations, learn to detect such problems as a bad cork or high volatile acidity; discern the differing results of using oak chips, American oak and French oak (really!); and sample small pours of stellar vintages, such as a Shafer 2004 Merlot or a Ridge 2005 Zinfandel. Another whimsical display lets you answer a quiz to find the vintage that matches your personality. And when you get hungry, there’s Julia’s Kitchen, where you can get California-French fare, cheese courses, shellfish tastings, dessert and more. Copia is heaven for aspiring wine-lovers. Though its official name is the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, and it does offer a well-rounded experience, what Copia really boils down to is heaven for wine-loving novices.
COPIA 500 First St., Napa, 707-259-1600
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975 First St., Napa, 707-255-0622
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(TOP): The dining room at Cyrus; (MIDDLE): Hamachi at Cyrus; (BOTTOM): The Fig Café and Winebar
Credits: Andy Katz, MJ Wickham
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El Dorado Kitchen, aka “Ed K,” feels right for the urbanite craving a sophisticated touch of city amid the pastoral charm of Sonoma. Dim lighting, dark woods, clean lines and moody lounge music set the scene inside, where the focal point is a stunning 21-foot-long table made from a single plank of wood recycled from a bridge in Vermont. Behind the scenes is talented chef Ryan Fancher, a former sous chef at the French Laundry, who dishes up contemporary Californian fare made from seasonal, locally grown ingredients. Start with a tower of sweet, juicy heirloom tomatoes and sliced watermelon or crisp salad of endive, caramelized almonds and Frog Hollow peaches. For entrées, don’t miss the ricotta gnocchi with baby carrots and a light cream sauce, the tender Maine diver scallops atop a pea stew with roasted whole garlic and pesto zucchini or the grilled ahi tuna steak served with a crispy corn cake and cucumber relish. Order the “peaches and cream” for a memorable ending: angel food cake topped with caramel ice cream and a side of almond Italian ice.
El Dorado Kitchen 405 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-3030
“Complimentary corkage.” Could any other two words ever sound as sweet, particularly when appearing on a menu in the Wine Country? And the menu isn’t from any old restaurant, but from the Fig Café and Winebar, the Glen Ellen little sister of Sonoma’s renowned Girl and the Fig. (Just in case you didn’t buy a bottle at your last stop, the cafe’s own wine list focuses on such food-friendly Rhone varietals as Syrah, Viognier and Roussane.) The Provençal-inspired dishes range from a fig-and-chevre salad to grilled leg of lamb with ratatouille, but if it’s tomato season and the pizza du jour is sliced heirlooms and basil, then do not pass “Go,” do not collect $200 and do not consider anything else—order it.
The Fig Café and Winebar 13690 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, 707-938-2130
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On the rustic back patio of the Harvest Moon Café, owned by husband-and-wife team Nick and Jen Demarest, you’ll feel like you’re dining alfresco at an old friend’s house. Exposed light bulbs strung across an unpaved, fenced-in yard filled with brightly colored bistro furniture give the restaurant a shabby-chic appeal—a fitting accompaniment to the Mediterranean-inspired country sophisticate fare on the menu, which changes daily. Nick (formerly of Eccolo and Chez Panisse) can be found chatting with customers from behind the exposed kitchen while he cooks Californian food that’s simultaneously inventive, hearty and farmers-market fresh. Order the warm Gruyère brochette with prosciutto and fried egg, grilled white bass with sautéed Swiss chard and cucumber relish or braised meatballs with stewed chickpeas and cilantro. Jen provides the sweet ending with such pleasing desserts as the delicious Blanco y Negro, a cinnamon-and-lemon ice milk with espresso and whipped cream.
Harvest Moon Café 487 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-933-8160
There is so much to like about Bovolo—the latest venture from the owners of Santa Rosa favorite Zazu—that it’s hard to know where to begin. First, of course, there’s the beloved pork-cheek sandwich, a generous portion of slow-braised porcine goodness set on a soft roll, garnished with roasted peppers and salsa verde. They make their own salumi and bacon, too, so a BLT with Tabasco aïoli is an enticing option, as is the Salumist’s Salad, a generous bowl of lettuces, peppers, white beans, cheese and cured meats dressed in a zippy red-wine vinaigrette. Whether you’re picking up takeout or planning to eat in the sun-dappled back patio, you order at the counter—and keep an eye out for the specials board, which announces the presence of greatness: pizza of the day, white gazpacho or a fried-fish sandwich.
Bovolo 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2962
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(LEFT): the King Junior Suite at Farmhouse Inn; (MIDDLE): view from a Lower Fairway Treeline room at Meadowood; (RIGHT): a cozy bedroom at Meadowood with wrap-around windows overlooking the trees and hills
Credits: courtesy of Farmhouse Inn; courtesy of Meadowood
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Turn into the driveway of the Farmhouse Inn & Restaurant, and city woes are quickly left behind. Home to eight petite cottages (in addition to two rooms in the main house), the property is a refuge for those in search of a country getaway without the toile, antiques and my-house-is-your-house attitude typical of many inns. Expect loads of thoughtful touches: Cookies by the bedside, complimentary milk and bottled water in the fridge, steam showers, soaking tubs and fireplaces in nearly every room. As for big plans, consider these: a nap beside the heated pool, perhaps, or a massage at the on-site spa. Rouse yourself in the morning for an excellent breakfast (included in the room rate) consisting of—for instance—bowls of yogurt with house-made granola, scones and a plate of souffléd eggs and chicken sausage. The worst part of the stay? Leaving.
Farmhouse Inn 7871 River Rd., Forestville, 707-887-3300
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This is the kind of place where one has an Arnold Palmer and shrimp cocktail by the pool by day and a complimentary glass of, say, chilled Duckhorn Chardonnay in the lounge as the sun sets. Maybe you go on a hike (complete with chilled bottles of water for the taking along the path), play a round of golf or a game of tennis or get out your aggressions on the manicured croquet lawns. Meadowood, which functions as a second residence for some and a resort for most, is the perfect hideaway. Instead of the vineyards you might expect, the 85 classically designed cottages, suites and lodges are set in 250 acres of forested, rolling hills that give you the sense of isolated tranquility—and exclusivity. Because at Meadowood, that’s really what it’s all about.
Meadowood 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, 800-458-8080
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(LEFT): front porch of the Nathanson and MacArthur Suites in the Carriage House; (MIDDLE): the pool at Hotel Healdsburg; (RIGHT): exterior view of Barstola, one of the many vacation homes available through Beautiful Places
Credits: courtesy of MacArthur Place; Cesar Rubio; courtesy of Beautiful Places
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You’ll love getting lost among the meandering flagstone paths and lush gardens of MacArthur Place, a former ranch and vineyard turned luxe country inn and spa a few second’s drive from Sonoma’s plaza. Despite its proximity to the bustle, you’ll feel miles away in one of the 10 cozy rooms housed in the original property’s grand Victorian house, or one of the 54 other cottages and suites that offer wood-burning fireplaces, fluffy down comforters atop king-sized beds, wet bars, DVD players and flat-screen TVs. For the ultimate indulgence, stop by a complimentary wine and cheese hour in the charming library—where you can also challenge a guest to an impromptu game of chess and borrow a DVD—before retreating to one of the two new garden spa suites. Added this year, each comes complete with a private garden decked out with a rain shower, an oversize wooden tub inside a heated hut and a mini waterfall.
MacArthur Place 29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, 707-938-2929
Everything you want and nothing you don’t: This sleek 55-room boutique hotel takes the modern approach to luxury. But where modern can sometimes equal cold, Hotel Healdsburg is anything but. Equipped with transcendently sumptuous beds outfitted with Frette linens, an outdoor garden space ideally suited for lingering over morning coffee and a olive-tree-flanked pool that feels plucked from the Hollywood Hills, the resort-like hideaway (ideally located facing the town’s historic plaza) is the ultimate smart-urbanite-goes-Wine-Country retreat.
Hotel Healdsburg 25 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2800
We’re all for the five-star hotel—or the mod little motel, for that matter—when it’s just one or two of you. But when you crave a weekend with your visiting relatives, your kids or your closest friends, Beautiful Places offers nine privately owned vacation homes in Wine Country, ranging from an ultra-modern steel-and-concrete barn/house in Sonoma to a five-bedroom villa surrounded by a vineyard and overlooking Calistoga. Its sister site, Country Sojourns, features more rustic, but still lovely, properties such as Lavender Hill, a four-bedroom charmer originally built by the Gumps. (Yes, those Gumps.) There’s nothing quite like having your own gourmet kitchen, pool and boccie court to make a weekend epic. And should you need a chef to cook for your brood, a nanny to watch the kids while you go tasting or a concierge to help set up activities for your girlfriends’ getaway, they’ll arrange it all.
Beautiful Places 539 First St., Sonoma, 800-495-9961
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