Adventures in the Napa Valley- 5 star hotels, Michelin starred restaurants and wine, wine wine!

We left off with the sun setting over Tomales Bay at Nick's Cove.  Our love letter to them summed it up- heaven on earth.  We were in the perfect state of mind to dive right into the business of our excursion- making and producing our own wine.  There was lots of research to be done...

Our home base for the next night was the eco luxe, modern Bardessono Hotel in Yountville.  Here's a little map-- we started on the western edge of the map in Tomales Bay, went North around the top of the "Valley" and Yountville is right in the middle on the farther East side of the Valley.  Think of it as one big loop....

Yountville is a charming little town with a noteworthy restaurant on just about every corner.  The world famous French Laundry, Bouchon, Ad Hoc, Bistro Jeanty, Bottega, Redd and of course the restaurant at Bardessono, are all in Yountville.  We had a really hard time choosing where to go and have many restaurants left to try on future trips.

We wound up hearing so much about the tomato soup served with a puff pastry top at Bistro Jeanty, that we opted for lunch there one day.  The soup is divine indeed!  And Bistro Jeanty is utterly charming and feels very French.

Ready for some wine tasting research we headed to Rombauer and Cakebread as they make two of our favorite chardonnays and we hope to make one similar.

Before hitting the hot tub Bardessono, we wandered the charming streets of Yountville.  One of the best things about staying at Bardessono (aside from rubbing shoulders with rockstars like Beck!), is that it is in easy walking distance of restaurants, shops and a few tasting rooms-- nice not to have to drive with all of the wine imbibing!

We found the Hill Family Estate tasting room and decided to give it a try. We weren't familiar with their wines but learned that grapes from their vineyards are sold to many of the wineries we love.  Their wines were quite good, too- we particularly like The Messenger.

Having done ample wine tasting, we soaked in the Bardessono hot tub as the sun set over Napa.

We loved the simple elegance of Bardessono.  Our room, one of 62, was sleek and comfortable with a fireplace, lovely garden and an enormous bathroom designed for massages to take place in so one can simply roll off the table and into the tub post massage.  Bardessono is one of only two properties in the US to be awarded LEED platinum status-- very, very green and earth friendly!  All of the vendors at the hotel are also environmentally committed- they serve organic booze, natural sodas and farm all of their own produce.  Impressive indeed.  As is the fact that the cult favorite "Eat Pray Love" media launch took place here!

Refreshed after hot tubbing and bathing in our own private garden (above), we strolled down the street to hot newcomer on the scene, Redd for dinner.  We sat on the bar side of the restaurant which is definitely the place to be- or on their outdoor patio.  The back room of the restaurant felt too bright and formal...

We're sure everything at Redd is delicious but we particularly loved the risotto with maine lobster, meyer lemon confit and truffle oil; the Petrale sole, coconut jasmine rice, clams, chorizo and saffron curry nage; and the desserts!!  Oh my.  Butterscotch pudding, vanilla anglaise served with pinenut rosemary cookies, and chocolate-peanut butter beignets, bitter caramel ice cream with bananas, need we say more?

Undoubtedly 5 pounds heavier, we rolled on back to Bardessono and our fluffy beds!  Who knew wine research could be so decadent and so much fun.... ha!

Stay tuned for our scoop on Calistoga, St. Helena and Sonoma as wine country adventures continue.

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