Hello again! Hope your week was good! In this post I’ll share about our experience at Stanly Ranch Auberge Resort in Napa, wine tasting at Hoopes Vineyard and Jessup Cellars in Yountville, and my first cooking class at the Ackerman Heritage House in downtown Napa.
My husband and I were fortunate to take part in a work retreat with his company last weekend at Stanly Ranch Auberge in Napa. We have been on several of these trips over the years and they are always special. This year was no different.
We arrived at the resort on Wednesday night after a round of golf at the Silverado Resort in the Napa Valley. The weather was amazing, my golf game less so, but it was still fun. The course was beautiful. It was my first time playing there and I’m looking forward to another round someday.
As for my first impression of Stanly Ranch – WOW. The decor of the open-air lobby set the perfect tone of rustic wine country sophistication. I was excited to see our suite when I saw how beautiful the lobby was. The large property consists of 78 separate cottages and suites. There is also a large spa/fitness complex with its own pool. The main pool, called the Lavender Pool, is even larger than the spa pool. I didn’t make it down to that one because our cottage was located on the other side of the property but I snapped a pic from above. They are also in the process of building custom homes on the property. It would be a great place for a second home in wine country, provided you have about $5M to spend.
Our suite had a separate bedroom and large living/dining area with a double-sided fireplace connecting the two spaces. The bathroom was large and spa-like. Plus, all of the cottages and suites had outdoor showers which I didn’t know I needed in my life until now. Too bad we don’t have space for one! It was luxurious to shower under the open sky, even when it got a little chilly toward the end of our weekend. The bathroom also had a huge soaking tub, another large shower, heated floors and floor to ceiling windows. I think I would have been happy just staying put in that tub!
However, the rest of the suite was also lovely so I did venture out of the bathroom to enjoy it. There was even a chilled bottle of wine on the table to welcome us to the resort. No better way to start a weekend in Napa. In case you missed the video tour of our digs on Instagram you can find it here.
After checking in to our suite we spent a fun evening catching up with the rest of our group at The Waterfront Seafood Grill in downtown Napa on the river. Delicious! I highly recommend the scallops!
The next morning the spouses went for a walk around the resort which is a nice way to start the day. We met up with everyone for lunch on the property and then the spouses headed to the spa. Tough life I know. I didn’t see the entire spa facility, just the locker room areas and the outdoor waiting area overlooking a vineyard. Others in our group said the rest of the amenities were nice. After my Swedish massage I took advantage of the sunny weather and spent some time by the spa pool. It was very peaceful. Our group dinner was held at the resort, which was great since some had late spa appointments. All in all it was a perfect first day.
For our second full day the spouses headed into downtown Napa for lunch at the historic Ackerman Heritage House. The house was built in 1888 and has been recently restored to perfection by the owner of Ackerman Family Vineyards. The front rooms of the house are beautifully furnished with period antiques from all over the world. The upstairs rooms are equally stunning. Many of the stained glass windows were commissioned specifically for the home.
At the back of the house is a large modern kitchen where a professional chef taught us how to make a three course lunch. I don’t know about you but my lunches don’t usually come in courses. The chef, who was formerly a pastry chef at the French Laundry, had prepped the ingredients for us. We each took a station and worked on putting it all together. Once lunch was ready we headed into the dining room to enjoy our meal paired with Ackerman wines. We enjoyed a Green Salad with Ginger Vinaigrette, Parmesan Risotto with Crispy Duck and Chimichurri Sauce, and Vanilla Pavlova with Caramel and fresh berries. All were totally delicious. I’m glad we were given the recipes because I’d like to make the whole meal again, maybe for a nice dinner with friends.
We spent some time exploring downtown Napa after lunch, including a stop at Oxbow Public Market, which is a must-see. It’s a food hall with all kinds of delicious foods plus gourmet groceries, books, and gifts. Come hungry! If you like oysters, Hog Island Oyster Company has some of the best fresh local oysters farmed locally right off the coast.
Our group dinner that night was at Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena. I had been to this restaurant before for a friend’s birthday. It’s a great place for dinner with friends. The food is excellent and it has a fun casual atmosphere.
The following day the entire group was able to be together for lunch and wine tasting in Yountville, which is just a short drive north of Napa. We visited Hoopes Vineyard and the Jessup Tasting Gallery. The gardens at Hoopes Winery were beautiful this time of year. They also have an animal rescue with sheep, a donkey and other farm animals. It was raining the day we were there but I could see how fun it would be to hang out sipping wine in the gardens there on a nicer day. The Jessup Winery Tasting room is actually a white modern art gallery, which was a very different from the typical tasting room. Both tastings were fun and we found some new wines to enjoy.
Our final group dinner was at Bottega in Yountville. This restaurant is a must try if you are ever in Yountville and like fine Italian cuisine. It belongs to the family of restaurants created by the late Chef Michael Chiarello. It was the perfect way to end our weekend in wine country.
Thanks for stopping by! If you missed my last post A Walk Around the Reservior, A Trip to a Serena & Lily Outlet, and Our Backyard Patio Refresh, you can find it here. We’re heading to Athens on Friday for a two-week trip that includes a cruise up the eastern Adriatic coast. I’m looking forward to sharing some of our adventures when we return. From the Bay to the Beach to the Mediterranean!
