Consider Napa Valley for weddings, honeymoons
If you and your significant other happen to be a wine lovers or even wannabe wine lovers, Napa Valley and its surrounding area offer more than 400 vineyards and year-round happenings, great weather and enough distance away from home to make it a perfect destination wedding or honeymoon.
Many who travel to wine country fly directly to San Francisco, stay a night or two to enjoy the hustle of the city and then rent a car to tour north through wine country, less than an hour away. But Napa is the place to go for peace and quiet.
"It was heaven on earth and I would move there in a minute if I could," says Cheryl Flynn of Lynn, Mass.
Along the winding roadways of spacious Napa, there is no road rage, and everyone you meet is friendly and eager to share a story on life in the Valley, from the bartender at Boonfly Café -- who happens to be the Opus One winemaker's son -- to Donald, the limo driver who once drove former "Newlyweds" co-stars Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey on a Beringer tour that ultimately ended up with a disappointed Jessica, who favored mac' and cheese to the upscale dinner presented in her honor.
Fortunately, there is something for everyone, plus great wine to taste at every turn in the road. Napa's volcanic soil makes for an ideal production of red wine, and the pinot noir grape is the most popular in the area.
But wine is not all that Napa is about. The weather and the charm of the area's bed -and-breakfasts draw the kind of crowd who might want to take cooking classes at the Culinary Institute of America or from one of many local culinary experts or experience a hot-air balloon ride in the early morning Carneros air, or take a bike ride along the vineyards.
If you visit the Culinary Institute of America, check out the "Hall of Fame" barrel room, where a portrait relief of wine pioneer Robert Mondavi may be found on the end of a historic barrel. Vermont sculptor Larry Nowlan has been working on adding to the collection, to be revealed during a fundraising benefit dinner this March.
For those who want to relax and absorb the surroundings, Napa offers free trolley rides around town, with stops at COPIA, River Terrace Inn and Historic Napa Mill to name a few.
Whether you want to have your wedding, honeymoon, or both there, the large area offers many options.
- For those who favor renovated Shakespearean homes with live-in ghosts, honeymoon at a bed and breakfast such as Cedar Gables, located in Napa Valley, where proprietors Ken and Susie Pope make you feel at home, and better. Each evening they offer happy hour in their living/bar area, where you'll be sure to hear Ken's fascinating stories of the house's past, including the story about the safe that remains unopened. Does it hold a stack of gold bars? And Susie's breakfast is a culinary delight, not to be missed. If you time your trip right, you can sign up for one of her cooking classes, as she once ran a culinary school and loves to offer her expertise (www.cedargablesinn.com).
- Next to Cedar Gables is Churchill Manor, a plantation-like home for those who prefer to take the elegance up a notch. Each room is named after a Napa Valley wine appellation.
"Countless elopements have taken place here," says Joanna Jensen of Churchill Manor, the 10-room bed and breakfast that she owns with husband Brian. Known for its "weekend wedding" location, the mansion is host to the Oak Knoll Room, one of many named after Napa Valley wine appellations.
Last Valentine's Day, the mansion hosted four elopements. In the 20 years that the Jensens have owned the plantation-style mansion, they've hosted more than 800 weddings, accommodating 100 guests with food expertly prepared by the owners themselves. Garnering international interest, the mansion has caught the attention of Japan as a premier destination wedding location. On-site cooking classes are also available.
- Winecountry.com is a great source for selecting the perfect getaway. The site offers package deals on golf, spa and romance - all tied into some wine tasting at the many local wineries and vineyards.
- Stop in Sonoma at The Fig Pantry and grab a boxed lunch on the go. www.thefigpantry.com
- Don't want to drive? Book your rides with one of many tour companies in wine country, such as Beau Wine Tours (www.beauwinetours.com).
What to do
Two months before you go, book a reservation at The French Laundry, in Yountville, through opentable.com. This exclusive 15-table restaurant is owned by Chef Thomas Keller. Built in 1900, the location was first utilized as a saloon and a brothel that later became a French steam laundry. The rustic two-story stone cottage is surrounded by a country garden planted with vintage roses, perennials and seasonal herbs and vegetables.
- Stop by COPIA, The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, home to one of the best California-French restaurants in Napa, JuliaÕs Kitchen, named after the patron saint of the kitcheN, Julia Child. www.juliaskitchen.org
- Sit in on a class on chocolate tasting and learn how to pair wine and chocolate. Plus, discover which chocolate pleases your palate: Is it extra dark with cacao nibs or milk chocolate with hazelnuts? Did you know that a high shine indicates a well-tempered chocolate, and that there are more than 600 different aromas in one piece? www.cacaoreserve.com
- A burgeoning town to visit is Healdsburg, but know that this is about an hour away from Napa Valley. For a luxurious stay, book a room at Hotel Healdsburg and reserve a table at Charlie Palmer's Dry Creek Kitchen to enjoy Chef Michael Voltaggio's culinary delights and Sonoma's selection of wines. Take a walk around town and explore the many small shops, such as Midnight Sun Bed & Bath Shoppe (www.midnightsunbedandbath.com) for some unique buys.
- Sexy is the word to describe Carneros Farm, the upscale barn-turned-restaurant in the luxurious Carneros Inn, a Plumpjack resort where you can marry on-site and then honeymoon in serious luxury - an al fresco shower, gas fireplace and heated bathroom floor are among perks. Enjoy breakfast outside your suite in a secluded outdoor patio before heading to the pool for a swim, or to relax in the hot tub, or to gaze out at the farmland with horses on-site and hot air balloons overhead. www.thecarnerosinn.com
- Inside the Lodge at Sonoma, 1325 Broadway (Clay St.), 707-931-2042, you'll discover the region's wines with the help of sommelier Chris Sawyer, who will be happy to share a recipe for chocolate salad (to pair with syrah or zinfandel) and his list of aphrodisiac selections, such as black beans, radishes and raspberries. He'll even match your food and wine to your favorite film, as he partners with Greg Hittleman, former bartender for Frank Sinatra and marketing director for the Sonoma Valley Film Festival.
- Ride the Napa Valley Wine Train, leisurely and accessible to anyone. White tablecloths cover a table filled with gourmet food prepared in Michelin style.
Must-see wineries/vineyards
Domaine Carneros - In the Carneros region, nestled between Napa and Sonoma counties, this 300-acre French chateau style winery is a must stop. Domaine Carneros - the 1987 result of Claude Taittinger's search for a winery that paired well with his idea of making wine in the French tradition, but with California soil - offers umbrella-covered outdoor seating to taste the best sparkling wine produced in California, La Rve Blanc de Blanc. With vineyard blocks comprised of 10 pinot grape varietals, itÕs no wonder its pinot noir is undoubtedly worth sipping. Food is available to pair with both sparkling and still wine. www.domainecarneros.com
Benziger is a former hippie village in Glen Ellen with a biodynamic vineyard and winery run by a tight-knit family that promises nobody ever leaves a room without exchanging kisses. Winemaker Joe Benziger boasts obscure California wines, including his malbec, named Imagery, the estate's winery. Each bottle's label is a piece of art created by local artists.
While in the Mayacamas Mountain area of Glen Ellen, check out Atwood Ranch, where Julie Atwood offers a place to hold an upscale barn wedding, "Sonoma style."
Far Niente, in Napa Valley. Walk through the wine cave, and take in the breathtaking beauty of the grounds. Check out the renovated barn with its more than one dozen specialty cars. And don't leave without a taste of Dolce, Far Niente's signature dessert wine, great paired with wedding cake, pear sorbet and blue cheese. www.farniente.com