A Love Letter to Yountville & The Napa Valley
By Gabrielle Chapman, Marketing Director at Homekin
There are places you merely visit, and there are places you ease into and luxuriate in —Yountville is firmly the latter. This summer, in mid-July, my husband and I, along with another dear couple, checked into Hotel Villagio, which manages to be both impossibly chic and incredibly easy. As a whole, you could say Yountville really capitalizes on the laidback luxe aesthetic and vibe. Picture a pool scene that feels curated for whispered conversations in a Janessa Leone woven bucket hats, a complimentary breakfast that would make even the most hardened intermittent faster relent, and daily wine tastings that start before you’ve even had time to consider if it is too early. (It isn’t btw. Not in Napa.)
Evenings come alive with live music on the property, and because Yountville is perfectly designed for the non-uber set, we strolled to dinner each night. It quickly became clear that this town is basically Thomas Keller’s personal Monopoly board: Ro (sleek, modern, effortlessly fabulous), Ad Hoc (fried chicken Mondays are a local religion), Bouchon (the oysters are practically couture and the dover sole? Chefs kiss), and Bottega, where Michael Chiarello’s Italian classics reminded us that sometimes pasta trumps pâté.
One of the charms of Napa quickly reveals itself: the people. As we chatted with hospitality staff at wineries and restaurants throughout the valley, we discovered that most of them are locals. And truly, why leave? With scenery so lovely and a way of life that is effortlessly beautiful, Napa offers little reason to look elsewhere. Even the weather plays its part in the magic: mornings begin misty and cool, with clouds that, to the novice, might suggest rain but are simply a reminder of The Bay Area a mere two hours away. It serves to cool the grapes in the evening, the secret sauce to the regions wines. But by 10 am, the skies lift, revealing glorious sunshine and the kind of dry, golden heat that stretches through the afternoon. As the sun sets, the air cools again—just enough to warrant a light jacket and another glass in hand.
The days were a masterclass in pacing oneself through wine tastings. On our first day we set alarms for the deeply unreasonable hour of 4am—yet somehow, it felt worth it the moment we floated above the valley in a hot air balloon ride. Watching dawn spill over endless vineyards, it was the kind of cinematic experience that makes you want to rewrite your Instagram bio to include “balloonist.” Following that, at 9am no less, our balloonist offered to take us for a tasting just down the hill from our launch point, a decision justified by the fact hat it was still cool and a glass of red for breakfast might warm us up. The remainder of the morning was spent relaxing by the pool and then we leisurely made our way to Far Niente for a tasting in the afternoon - a property that is all fairytale landscaping, magnificent wine caves, and buttery chardonnay (literally buttery, not metaphorically) along with their cave collection wines and food pairings running from pea gazpacho through to mouthwatering rack of lamb.
The next day was more ambitious. First stop: Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, a vineyard that is contemporary but anything but stark, a true feast for the eyes as well as the pallet with it’s tonal modern and earthy decor set against the dramatic backdrop of the valley. Then, a pilgrimage to Château Montelena, because if you’ve watched Bottle Shock, you understand the romance of sipping where Napa’s reputation was essentially born. The place is a literal castle of stone with a beautiful patina, covered in vines and moss, inside oak panneling throughout. And the gardens? Any landscapers dream - secret garden meets Zen Garden with japanese gazebos and bridges arching over lillypad dotted ponds.
After the tastings, we made the required stop at Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena. Think burgers so indulgent, it brought our wine-happy crew to utter but blissful silence. (tuna-grade ahi burgers + avocado fries & chardonay = a pairing sommeliers rarely suggest but everyone knows is divine.)
We devoted one afternoon to the town of Napa proper, wandering the stalls of Oxbow Public Market, where you can collect artisanal cheeses, olive oils, and other edible trophies to haul home, along with your wine, smug in the knowledge that your carry-on is now worth far more than the Goyard slung over your shoulder.
The true secret to how seamlessly the whole trip unfolded? We booked everything through our friend Anna of AM Travel, who handled every detail with the kind of polish that lets you focus exclusively on sipping, strolling, and looking suitably relaxed.
In short, Yountville and the surrounding Napa Region are a study in indulgence, done right. Walkable dinners, poolside glamour, wine that deserves its own memoir, and just enough adventure to make you feel like you earned it. And if you stay at Villagio or any of The Estate properties in Yountville, you may never want to check out.
