We recently joined a handful of editors, San Fran bloggers and eco-experts for a cozy weekend in Napa like no other. We’d never been to wine country when the grapes are on the vine and seeing the vineyards this way was almost as gratifying as opening up a few bottles of previous vintages.
Our obsession with the stunning 5-star Calistoga Ranch is very real (you may have caught us Instagram Story’ing up a storm from the outdoor showers and private vineyards) and our weekend was made complete when Chevrolet gifted us a shiny new hybrid to ride around in from vineyard to spa.
The Volt was our first time behind the wheel of a hybrid electric and we have to say the smooth, silent feel is addictive – not to mention the one gallon of gas it took to drive the winding roads from San Francisco to Napa – one gallon!
Here are a few highlights and tips from our day in wine country…
What to drink:
We used our time in Napa to fall in love with wines produced naturally or without synthetic fillers. As long as we we were going to be drinking, why not meet natural producers and see their vineyards in real life?
You might be surprised to know that these well-known wineries are all biodynamic, organic and/or sustainable: Robert Sinskey, Charles Krug, Frog’s Leap, Grgich Hills, Honig Cellars
Where to eat:
The Lakehouse at Calistoga Ranch was a favorite experience. Literally a lakehouse on Lake Lommel, the indoor-outdoor space has a treehouse like vibe and serves dishes with hyper-local ingredients. Don’t miss the incredible wine cave up just up the path.
Other notables included, Farm at Carneros Resort & Spa for indulgent, sustainable dinners, the casual chic Shed for lunch and Dean&Deluca for special picnic items like marcona almonds and local cheeses to take to the wineries.
What To Do:
When not focused on wine-centric activities, we loved visiting Yountville and St. Helena for walks through their beautiful small town shops and restaurants. The pool terrace and private hiking trails at Calistoga Ranch were calm, beautiful, and enough to make us think twice about keeping our scheduled return flights!
How To hydrate:
A note on wellness while away: any trip to Napa is a hydration-buster! We packed plenty of vitamin C to keep immunity and skin vibrant, plus green powder packets and little bottles of ginger and turmeric shots to help with inflammation and hydration in the mornings too. We opted for one cup of coffee on our short flight from L.A. and added vegan chocolate protein to keep our appetites and blood sugar in balance.
What To Pack:
The perfect day in Napa includes both a tromp through vineyard soil and gorgeous dining rooms. Packing requires the perfect pairing of cozy items: A few favorite sustainable items this trip included Cuyana’s versatile alpaca cape, super soft t-shirts from reformation and printed silk tops and dresses by Ulla Johnson.
What are your favorite places to see, drink and eat in Napa? Leave us your comments and inspire our next trip…
