The Earth Mother – Calistoga
Located at the valley’s northern tip and less traveled than Napa, folksy Calistoga exudes an unpretentious, accessible ease. Home to Chateau Montelena Winery, famous for its win in the 1976 Judgement of Paris, it draws visitors with family-owned businesses, wine-centric cafés, and coffee shops decorated with poetry graffiti. Perhaps most defined by its mineral-rich geothermal springs and curative mud baths, available throughout town, Calistoga offers wellness with a direct connection to the valley’s fertile soil.
Wine: A decades-old stone winery and an original Craftsman-style house-turned-tasting room comprise Frank Family Vineyards.Though its tasting room is open to the public, your advisor can arrange a private tasting with Frank’s legendary winemaker, Dennis Zablosky. For a more whimsical experience, the Tank Garage Winery occupies a former gas station in which guests can sample stellar local wines amid pinball machines and vintage motorcycles.
Dine: Join locals for breakfast (all day!) at cozy Cafe Sarafornia, where corned beef hash, salmon and eggs, and towering pancakes provide fuel for wine jaunts. For dinner, tuck into classic French, German, and Mexican dishes at Johnny’s, whose chefs make their own charcuterie and forage for local ingredients. At the bar, brioche bun sliders steal the show.
Stay: Eco-friendly, 89-room Solage lies a short walking distance from Calistoga’s shops and restaurants. Known for its Michelin-starred restaurant, geothermal bathhouse, and Mudslide spa treatment, the hotel also appeals to active oenophiles who appreciate its complimentary fitness classes and saltwater pool. Solage’s Mercedes-Benz program allows guests to borrow from a collection of cars, including a convertible, for off-property excursions.
Calistoga Ranch offers 50 lodges within a 157-acre site marked by ancient oaks and a private lake. With mountain views, a host of hiking trails, and chef Bryan Moscatello’s seasonal menu at The Lake-house restaurant, the resort firmly roots guests in the setting. Highly recommended: the ranch’s on-site beekeeping course, guided meditation walks, and Calistoga-inspired Water Therapy treatment in the spa’s healing mineral pool.
