A Weekend in Yountville, Napa Valley
The vineyards are calling!
Birthdays are a huge deal for me, but this past year I was not feeling the number 26 and told the whole wide world that I wanted to wallow in self pity and do nothing at all. Then what did I proceed to do last minute? My internal Virgo diva booked a simple Napa trip and threw a bachelorette style party at The Beverly Hills Hotel. Very low key, as planned. I will save the Part 2 bachelorette birthday party story for another time!
I went to visit my sister in San Francisco for a night, then we Ubered off to Yountville in Napa Valley. We booked Hotel Villagio, which I will admit I chose solely based off of the gorgeous marble and black accent bathroom. I absolutely loved Yountville and our stay at the hotel, and will go through the details of our itinerary including tastings at Faust, Mumm, JCB Salon, and The Prisoner.
First up, the hotel was a dream with a gorgeous pool framed with lavender plants and a cozy fireplace, and fountains along your stroll to the room. Every room had a doormat with a fun wine quote. The room itself was very modern and spacious with a private patio, fireplace, and sitting area (don’t mind my platform sneakers clomping around in the video). The bathroom is definitely the highlight, with a huge tub, rainfall shower, and double sink. They kindly gifted a bottle of Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and candy treats for booking through Fine Hotels & Resorts. It is just one of the hotels of The Estate, where guests have access to The Estate grounds.
The town of Yountville is so charming, and everything is within walking distance. We walked over to the famous Bouchon Bakery, and pastry-loaded before our weekend ahead full of tastings. The line was pretty long, but so worth it. There were so many options, we ordered as if it was our last meal. Their sandwiches brought me back to life after the long car ride, and the decadent macarons were the size of my literal hand.
Our first stop was at Faust, which was such an elevated experience. We had a table overlooking the valleys which made for a perfect backdrop to our tasting experience. Our tastings were paired with a box of goodies including a baguette, vegetables, nuts, and dips. The dips were so aesthetic with edible flowers and toppings I did not want to ruin them. We tried a Sauvignon Blanc, along with their red blend and Cabernet Sauvignons. We brought some bottles home with us which came in a nice leather handle bag.
Our next stop was Mumm, which ended up being pretty packed for the day. We were able to try some pours in the gift shop area, then walked around the grounds and the terrace area. The terrace is definitely the focal point, with such a beautiful view of the vineyards. Nothing beats bubbly tasting on a perfect day!
We had a reservation at Restoration Hardware in Yountville, but also wanted to try Thomas Keller’s Bouchon, so it made perfect sense to do a double dinner. Unfortunately, I planned the trip too last minute to do The French Laundry, but that will definitely be booked for the next Napa trip. First up, our hotel drove us to Restoration Hardware in a golf cart which was so convenient. We sat right in front of a fountain with chandeliers glistening above. We continued our bubbles streak, and ordered the shrimp cocktail which was delectable. We then decided to keep it light and ordered the salmon and broccolini. Everything was delicious, and the setting was so idyllic. If my future home does not look like the inside of the restaurant, I don’t want it! I think we successfully bewildered our waiter to the core telling him we were doing a double dinner.
We decided to take a stroll back to the hotel as it was still a short walking distance and there were so many twinkling stars out. We checked in with Bouchon to see if we could sneak in any earlier, but they were packed so we went to wait in our hotel room across the street. We burned off some calories having a dance party to the new ‘Hold Me Closer’ collab with Elton John and Britney Spears on repeat. Our reservation was at 10PM, and I was surprised to see that the place was still jam packed inside and outside. We started out with a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and ordered Steak Frites and French Onion Soup. It definitely lived up to the hype, and I was savoring each and every bite. I will definitely be back!
The next morning, we had an early tasting at the JCB Tasting Salon next door to the hotel. Upon walking in, I felt like I had entered my vision of heaven. As you will see, I have an obsession with Baccarat and the salon was covered in everything Baccarat head to toe. There were bedazzled bottles, crystal, velvet, and unique art pieces everywhere. We had a great tasting of various bubbles, along with a breakfast charcuterie board. I raved about the salon so much that one of my best friends had so generously gifted me the JCB Baccarat glasses for my birthday. It is my number one goal in life to have a Baccarat collaboration like the one and only Jean-Charles Boisset!
Next up, we had a DJ brunch and tasting at The Prisoner. This was definitely the most fun, as the DJ had really good mixes and everyone got up to dance all afternoon. Forget Coachella, this was the only music and wine lineup I needed! We tasted quite a few wines, from their famous red blend, pinot noir, rose, sauvignon blanc, and frose. Their frose was so incredibly amazing, the best I have ever had! We were served several pieces of pizza, which was just what we needed. They kindly gifted me a bottle of wine for passing my L2 WSET test. The interior of the winery has ‘The Prisoner’ accents such as shackles and high vaulted iron ceilings.
We finished up our stay with a quick float at the pool paired with wine and charcuterie. I loved my stay at Hotel Villagio, and would definitely book it again. There are so many wineries and restaurants I want to check out in my future trips. I am going to try to do a trip every year, so stay tuned for future Napa blog posts! For now, check out my wine reviews as I keep training my palate. Drop me a line with any wine or Napa spot recommendations! XO
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