During harvest season, wine is literally in the air. Follow the scent to Napa and Sonoma, now through early October, to celebrate the season's bounty with grape stomps, parties, and as much juice as you can handle.
Stay + Dine
The new Las Alcobas Napa Valley opened this past May.
(Courtesy of Las Alcobas)
Drinking and driving is bad. Plus, a day of wine tasting is always made better with an overnight stay in Wine Country.
In Napa Valley:
The modern Andaz Napa(1450 First St., Napa) has the only rooftop bar in downtown Napa, and is expertly located—there's a wine tasting room on each side. Walk across the way to Cadet for happy hour, grab dinner at Eiko's Sushi, and finish the evening with live music next door at Jam Cellars. // After a major renovation, the historic, hacienda-style Rancho Caymus Inn(1140 Rutherford Rd., Rutherford) reopened in July 2017. Its proximity to Peju, Round Pond, and Grgich Hills make it a perfectly situated place to check in post harvest events. Wander a block to dinner at the beloved Rutherford Grill. // Check into the historic-farmhouse-turned-luxury-hotel Las Alcobas(1915 Main St., St. Helena), opened in May 2017. You don't even have to leave for dinner—Napa Valley's hottest new restaurant, Chris Cosentino's Acacia House, is right on site. // The 1940s roadside hotel Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa(1880 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga) has gotten a seriously cool update. Guests have access to cruiser bikes, an outdoor swimming pool, an indoor whirlpool fed by the property's mineral hot springs, and a spa that invites you to mix your own mud. Walk further down Calistoga's main drag and have your choice of eateries. We love Sam's Social Club, especially for brunch. //
In Sonoma:
Kenwood Inn & Spa(10400 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood) is a tranquil, Mediterranean-style retreat on nearly three acres, surrounded by vineyards, orchards, and oak trees. Make it back from Sonoma Valley Crush each day in time for the Magic Hour wine-and-food pairing, and don't leave without hitting the spa. A little over a mile away, the closest restaurant is Cafe Citti, a cozy and casual Italian eatery where you can carbo-load for the next day of wine tasting. // If you're partying at Taste of Sonoma, Kendall-Jackson, or the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, book a room at the charming Vintners Inn(4350 Barnes Rd., Santa Rosa). Dine at your choice of two on-site restaurants, John Ash & Co. or the River Vine Cafe, and hit up their daily happy hour in the lounge.
