Atlas Peak AVA - Napa - Silverado Resort & Spa

Silverado Resort and Spa

I love Gone with the Wind. I always have. And every time I come across a dwelling that reminds me of the iconic Tara estate I get a little giddy inside. The Silverado Resort gave me just that feeling, and I quite enjoyed my lunch at this historic property.

The Silverado was built in 1870 by John F. Miller, and is home to one of the oldest golf clubs in Northern California. There are 2 Championship Golf Courses- they’ve hosted several PGA TOUR events, and will host the Safeway Open this week/weekend September 23rd-29th.

It’s not just a golf course though! The Silverado features gorgeous rooms, ranging from small and elegantly functional “won’t be spending much time in our room”, to 3 bedroom suites with full kitchens and plenty of room for your kids (or you!) to sprawl about.

Regardless of your room, you’ll have access to their incredible spa featuring 16,000 square feet of pampering relaxation. There’s a fitness room as well as a café, which serves salads, smoothies, sandwiches and cappuccinos. If you’re a local and you want to impress your guests, you can purchase day passes for $75. You can use the sauna, whirlpool, lap pool- maybe get a massage and have lunch after. This is definitely on my to-do list!

If you’re a local and you enjoy stepping back in time for an afternoon, go have lunch at The Grill. Sit on the patio and enjoy sweeping views of the golf course while sipping same Napa Valley wine and savoring local organic fare. One of the best things about living here is enjoying “staycations”-there are so many opportunities to “get away” without having to travel very far.

If you’re not a local, and you’re in search of elegance, pampering, and little bit of history for your Napa stay, consider The Silverado Resort and Spa. You’ll have an experience to savor for a lifetime. – Lea Gourley

Atlas Peak AVA - Napa- A Taste of Atlas Peak

A Taste of Atlas Peak

There’s always some wine related fun happening in Napa, and on Saturday September 28thThe Ranch House at Black Stallion Estate Winerywill be hosting A Taste of Atlas Peak. This is an opportunity to indulge in world-class wines from 13 Atlas Peak Wineries.

This year’s event will showcase wines from Alpha Omega, Duckhorn Vineyards, Prime Solum, and Michael Mondavi Family Estate…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg! 

There will be gourmet small bites available, as well as live music from The Hummingbirdz, a high-energy blues band. There will also be a silent auction with prizes. This is a reallyfun way to taste some rare wines while enjoying music, food, and good company. 

VIP Admission opens at 11am and includes exclusive early access as well as a seated lunch with paired wines. General Admission runs from 12-3 and includes Walk Around Wine Tasting and Gourmet Small Bites. 

This is a fantastic opportunity to taste and purchase boutique wines from the Atlas Peak AVA that can be extremely difficult to find. If you love fine wines, sampling rare wines, good food and good company, then you should definitely consider attending. Purchase your tickets soon though, this event sells out quickly!

Visit http://www.atlaspeakappellation.com/or call (707) 251-5631. For questions or more details email sampters_apaa@live.com. 

Atlas Peak AVA - Napa- Krupp Brothers Winery/Stagecoach Vineyards

Krupp Brothers Winery

I've been fortunate to be working with the very talented Lea Gourley on these weekly posts. Since I am not a writer, she has been able to capture in words, the very true essence of these wineries that we visit. I think this may be my favorite one so far. Please take a moment to read. This is about the vineyard/winery we all know and love in Napa...the Stagecoach Vineyard and the story of how it began is so fascinating!

Last week we briefly touched on the dedication and resilience required to coax grapes out of the mountains of Napa, particularly in the Atlas Peak AVA. Krupp Brothers Winery is a beautiful example of manifesting a grand vision despite grand obstacles. In this case the obstacles were the absence of water, a billion pounds of stubborn rock and boulders (literally), and a road to build that would first require 135 legal documents. 

Dr. Jan Krupp practiced internal medicine for 20 years, during which time he also tended to a 41 acre vineyard in Napa. His true passion lay with the grapes, and in 1993 he purchased 750 acres of land on Atlas Peak-land that only a true visionary would’ve had the gumption and determination to transform into what is now the world renown Stagecoach Vineyard.

First he hired 2 geologists to dig for water. They dug hundreds of feet deep in several locations on the property to no avail. This took time and money, and the results were nil. Dr. Krupp refused to give up and he ventured outside the box and hired a Water Witch. A Water Witch (also called a Dowser) holds two wire rods and roams the property until the rods cross- ideally you’ll find water there. 

Sounds hokey, right? Well this Water Witch convinced Dr. Krupp to return to the sites of the failed well experiments and keep digging. He did, and at 430 feet they stumbled upon a bit of water…an entire underground river of water actually.

Clearing the land was next. A billion pounds of stubborn rock and boulders is a lot. For 6 years Dr. Krupp cleared the land 100 acres at a time.  And here’s what’s cool about that-he used that rock to pave more than 30 miles of road.

Eventually the road was built (135 documents!) and Stagecoach Vineyard took its place as one of the most coveted vineyards around. Grapes are sold to Opus 1, Screaming Eagle, Miner Family Winery and Chappellet, just to name a few. There’s actually a waiting list to acquire these grapes!  The name Stagecoach harkens back to the stagecoach days of Napa, and each of Krupp Brothers labels stems from history. Each bottle of wine tells a story.

History, elegance, and perseverance are the prevalent moods at Krupp Brothers Winery. The stunning grounds will transport you right into Tuscany, and a tasting led by the passionate, approachable, and knowledgeable Alma will be the highlight of your Napa winetasting adventure. – Lea Gourley

Atlas Peak AVA - Napa

On the evening of October 8, 2017 a spark ignited on Atlas Peak which dramatically changed the course of history for the winemaking industry in Napa. The Atlas Fire, as it came to be known, ultimately razed through more than 51,000 acres of land. Six wineries were severely damaged and dozens more were affected. 

A total of 250 fires burned during what is now referred to as The Northern California Firestorm of 2017. As you drive through the Napa Valley you can see the devastation that was wrought. Scorched land, decimated buildings, and the shadows of trees are evident mile after mile.

Also clear to see is rebuilding, regrowth, rebirth, and renewed dedication and determination. Resilience is a character not just of the vineyards of Napa, but of the people who have dedicated their careers and lives to coaxing wine out of the grapes that stubbornly insist on flourishing here despite overwhelming odds.

History

Vineyards were first planted here in 1870. Between 1880 and 1901 plantings included Zinfandel, Burgundy, Riesling, and Muscat, among others.

The first winery was established in the early 80’s by Bill Hill, and has since attracted some of the most notable labels in the world, such as Caymus and Michael Mondavi.

Today more than 80 wineries in Napa source their grapes from Atlas Peak. The AVA was established in 1992, and it is now a coveted AVA whose label is readily recognized by consumers to be superior.

Climate and Soil

Like so many of the mountain based Napa AVAs, the soil here is volcanic and red in color. Water is difficult to retain so irrigation is essential. The highest point of Atlas Peak is 2,600 feet, usually above the fogline making for temperatures 10-15 degrees cooler than the valley floor. Even during the hottest days of summer it rarely reaches above 90 degrees. 

Mountain grapes are rugged and stubborn-they’re not the easiest to grow. The soil is stony, it’s difficult to retain water, but the grapes are so worth the effort. I love this quote from Master Sommelier John Szabo, “…For a vine it’s probably hell. For a winemaker, and wine drinkers, it’s much closer to heaven”. 

Grapes

Cabernets make for about 80% of the grapes yielded here, but other robust grapes include Cabernet Franc, Syrah, and Malbec. 

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling wine from Stagecoach Vineyards, than you’ve experienced some of the best of what Atlas Peak has to offer. And if you haven’t…you should.  – Lea Gourley

Mt Veeder AVA - La Foret Chocolate

We’ve covered wine and cheese, wine and food, wine and art…but we’ve neglected wine and chocolate! In order remedy that, Dandy and I visited La Forêt in Napa last week and we both shockingly spent just a bit more money in this tempting little shop than we intended to. Ok… it’s not that shocking.

Wendy trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and went on to practice her craft at some of the top establishments in the industry, including The French Laundry in Yountville. She takes from her pastry training to create chocolates that are unparalleled in texture, flavor, and presentation. She and her husband worked tirelessly to get her business running in the beginning, working well into the night to wrap caramels and prepare her deliveries for the next morning.

Wendy has created a unique “allocation” program to distribute her creations more widely, and not just to the fine dining establishments in the Bay Area. We’ve all heard of wine club memberships, but yes please-sign me up for the one that delivers fancy hand-made seasonal and local chocolate creations!

Each season she creates an allocation with a theme for her chocolates. For the Summer allocation she named it the French Polynesia Edition that include flavors like Roasted Pineapple and Banana Po’e. For the Spring allocation her theme was English Country Garden that included a chocolate called the Cucumber Finger Sandwich and the Earl Grey Tea. One of the most creative allocation’s she did was called the Famous Authors Edition that had Fitzgerald’s Gin Rickey & Kerouac’s Apple Pie & Ice Cream.

I’m certainly not the first to write about La Forêt, they’ve been featured in Food and Wine, Martha Stewart Living, Brides Magazine and many other respectable publications. Wendy is currently traveling throughout France for the summer, and if you’re interested in her enviable adventures you can follow her blog here.

Next time you’re in Napa with a sweet tooth, skip the candy aisle at the grocery store and step into La Forêt. Your taste buds will thank you profusely for the upgrade.