Up, Up and Away… to Yountville, California

My posh trip to Napa wine country began elegantly as we soared out of a private terminal at Van Nuys Airport on Aero’s LA-Napa service on a semi-private plane. In just a little over an hour-long, smooth flight – Erewon fresh avocado tartine/toast, sweet berries and coffee served with cloth napkins in flight – a smooth landing at Napa County Airport. The black planes, with leather seats, can carry up to 16 guests, but there were just a handful of us onboard for our Sunday morning sojourn.

My dear NorCal friend Bill kindly collected me and my traveling pal and scooted us off to Copia(where once upon a time Julia Child’s kitchen Boston resided – it’s now at the Smithsonian) for a lovely Sunday brunch lunch from the garden. Our bill for lunch was a very reasonable $60 for the three of us. The waiter thoughtfully alerted us that the salad from the garden was enough for two, so our $14 salad was a bargain. We strolled through Oxbow Market – bustling on a Sunday afternoon – and bought chocolates from a local maker before heading up to Yountville, our base for two nights at The Estate Yountville.

Yountville – sometimes referred to as “the heart of Napa” – is a sweet landing spot in Napa Valley. The town’s commercial district is basically one long street of wine tasting rooms, lovely places to slumber, and fine restaurants, including the famous and very expensive The French Laundry (plan on $450-$1,000 per person for dinner and wine). But just down the street, you can grab a casual breakfast or a tasty smashburger with an outdoor rooftop view for $20 or less at The Kitchen at Priest Ranch.

We arrived in the middle of harvest season, in early October, and a heat wave. The 100-degree temperature dictated we pop into the newly opened Mad Fritz, a sweet little craft brew tap house with a great range of beers. Owner Nile Zacherle regaled us with his process as we admired the unique designs for his labels inspired by Aesop’s Fables. The designs also appear on cool playing cards – one couple was playing “21” while we choose LPs to spin on the turntable. Some of the highlights served in tiny wine/sherry glasses included Peacock and the Crane, The Lion and the Mouse (Trappist-style Ale), while Zodiac and The Boy Who Cried Wolf also caught my eye. 

Thomas Keller, whose French Laundry sits a stone’s throw from our lodging, now has five (including the seasonal Addendum) restaurants in Yountville. We had a precious, curated dinner our first evening of shared nibbles at his RO Restaurant and Lounge. The very attractive indoor-outdoor specializes in caviar tastings where seating is akin to noshing in your neighbor’s very stylish home/living room. Guests sip and savor on comfy and stylish sofas and chairs. Highlights of the caviar tasting shared between our group of five included the six types of Regiis Ova (the place’s name RO is derived from this) sourced from China, Poland, and Sacramento ($165), tasty Wolf ranch BBQ quail on skewers ($45), a pork katsu sando on Japanese milk bread ($19) and a fresh summer watermelon salad with The French Laundry Garden cucumbers ($16). The caviar tasting paired perfectly with the house Schramsberg bubbly – Modicum, Blanc de Blancs.

It’s worth getting up at the crack of dawn the following morning to soar over the valley with Napa Valley Aloft. Our trustworthy pilot Chris Jones grew up in Solvang – his father owned a hot air balloon company in our Santa Ynez Valley. We floated high – almost skimming the tops of tall eucalyptus trees – and rode low, where we did skim the native sagebrush which we could smell from our basket. The calm, hour-plus ride with an eagle’s eye view of the grapes, houses, and even San Francisco in the distance was a great way to start our day. Buffet breakfast spread back at The Estate included fab English muffins from The Model Bakery – made famous as an Oprah “fave thing”. 

What’s a visit to Napa without a little sip and swirl? There are over 400 tasting rooms to visit in Napa, some 90 of them of the “urban” variety. We stuck to Yountville and checked out a new pizza/wine pairing at Silver Trident Winery – a tasting room, like many, with a big ‘wow’ factor. The town designates that wine tasting rooms must devote 25% of their space to retail sales (something SY Valley vintners might take note of) and Silver Trident has paired with Ralph Lauren. While sipping their lovely wines, you can also purchase a $17,000 couch, lighting, pillows, crystal glasses engraved with polo players, even RL doggie collars and toys! Wineries try to outdo one other with their pairings (there’s bacon/wine or chocolate resembling the terroir pairings!) but the little slices of Detroit-style bites (similar to Sicilian pizza bread) from a Sonoma caterer were excellent.

Our favorite dinner was at the bustling and casual Ciccio helmed by a fave chef of mine, Christopher Kostow, who will return to Meadowood Resort when the dining room lost in the Napa fire is rebuilt. This lively casual Italian restaurant doesn’t fail. Start with Negronis or something from the fab wine list, then dig into terrific pastas, like Sicilian linguini with a pistachio pesto or dreamy cacio e pepe gnudi stuffed with pennyroyal cheese, as well as pizzas with chewy sourdough crust. Had one of my fave desserts ever here: vanilla bean gelato with a wild pine nut oil (I’m dying for the recipe). Ciccio is a must stop. 

Our last day, we popped into the wine tasting room at Hesten Vineyards to admire the culinary kitchenware, before an impressive final lunch and preview at RH, the same as Restoration Hardware that recently debuted in our Upper Village’s former Fire Station. The Yountville restaurant boasts a tranquil setting in a greenhouse where crystal chandeliers hang from olive trees (fake branches and leaves, but real twisting trunks), providing a stunning backdrop to scrumptious mini lobster rolls with caviar and terrific salads. 

Our return flight on Aero was just as smooth and easy-peasy. Seven passengers – the following Friday’s flight would be full – and besides not having to go through the TSA gauntlet, we were allowed to check a case of wine at no extra charge! First class and classy all the way.  

Your Yountville Visit – www.yountville.com

Where to Stay

Hotel Villagio – Lovely lodging in the heart of Yountville with excellent buffet breakfast that includes Oprah’s fav English muffinsfrom The Model Bakery. Hotel Villagio is part of The Estate Yountville,a complex of several properties spread across 22 acres (smack dab in the center of “town” sometimes referred to as “Michelin Row”) that runs along most of one side of “downtown” and within walking distance of tasting rooms, restaurants, and boutiques. www.theestateyountville.com

Bardessono Hotel and Spa – This would be my top pick to stay in Yountville. The place has a very Zen-vibe and who doesn’t love having a fab massage in your room – all rooms have massage tables – and just rolling into bed? www.bardessono.com

Eat/Drink/Fun

Ciccio – www.ciccionapavalley.com

The Kitchen at Priest Ranch – www.thekitchenatpr.com

RO Restaurant and Lounge – www.rorestaurantandlounge.com

RH Restaurant at RH Yountville – www.rh.com/us/en/yountville/restaurant

Silver Trident Winery – www.silvertridentwinery.com

Mad Fritz Tap House – www.madfritz.com

Napa Valley Aloft – Hot air balloon rides www.nvaloft.com

Getting There

Aero – Semi-private, seasonal flights to Napa, Aspen, Sun Valley, Palm Springs, Cabo San Lucas. TIP: Do NOT put Van Nuys Airport into your GPS – Be sure to use the address where Aero’s private terminal is located. www.aero.com