Napa Valley has long been the destination for wine lovers and connoisseurs of luxury. Home to over 500 wineries, the first grapes ever grown in Napa date back to the mid-nineteenth century, but commercial production of grapes didn’t begin till the mid twentieth century. Napa was catapulted into the limelight on the world wine stage when a Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon won top honors in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 in a blind tasting format.
Where to Stay
While there’s no shortage of bed and breakfasts, hotels, and resorts in Napa Valley and the surrounding area, consider the dog and cat friendly 322-room Meritage Resort and Spa and its luxurious sister resort on the same campus, the 145-room Grand Reserve at the Meritage conveniently situated below the iconic ‘Grape Crusher’ sculpture which holds pride of place as the beacon of Napa Valley. The Grand Reserve offers complimentary champagne on arrival, a welcome bottle of on-property vineyard Trinitas wine and other bespoke amenities. It also offers incredible views of the Village Garden, the host location for concerts and other family friendly amenities throughout the year.
There’s never a bad time to go to Napa Valley but if you’re looking for a holiday getaway with the family or even a friends’ trip to fortify yourself before the holidays, consider the festivities at the Meritage Resort and Spa.
What to Do
Featuring a full resort calendar with family-friendly activities you have no need to leave the grounds. Wine tasting, Champagne and tea tastings, Yoga, Vineyard hikes, painting and cooking classes oh my. In the summer The Meritage features the Blue Note Concert Series where the balcony rooms of the Grand Reserve have a front row seat. Think sitting on your balcony in your bathrobe, wine glass in hand and enjoying a live performance.
Looking for sports entertainment? The Meritage has that too – check out the Crush Lounge. Complete with 6 lanes of bowling, this is not your average bowling alley. Featuring craft cocktails and American cuisine, this is the perfect place to watch the game or get your own game on.
Need to explore? The Meritage offers a free shuttle service to downtown Napa where an eclectic collection of restaurants, tasting rooms and elegant shops beckon.
Chugga Chugga Choo Choo
Another iconic Napa Valley experience that dates back to the mid twentieth century is the Napa Valley Wine Train. Offering both a half and full day excursion you will find yourself thrown back to glory days of luxury rail travel with fully restored vintage Pullman cars. Give yourself a few moments to take in the romance of the locks adorning the Love Locks Bridge connecting the waiting room from the train platform. As you board the train, you will find yourself transported back in time and perhaps even feel the energy of the past engulf you. Rich upholstery and comfortable chairs angled for the perfect vineyard viewing heighten your experience as you’re welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine to kick off your journey. You have a choice of a variety of tours offered by the Napa Valley Wine Train. The half-day experience includes a charcuterie platter, a full cocktail and wine menu including 3 different wine flight options, and a gourmet 3-course meal in the dining car complete with white linen and personalized wait service. Expect to receive an overview of the history of the Napa Valley Train Car, and yes, you’re free to walk out onto the viewing area between train cars to capture that Instagram moment.
Merry Meritage
In the winter, the same space is converted into a winter wonderland, complete with ice skating rink and the largest tree lighting in the area. The skating rink is open to the public from the week before Thanksgiving through January 7th. The energy and excitement is palpable in the air as kids and teens skate around the rink to music. The hours vary taking the local Napa Valley school schedule into consideration, so definitely check it out before you book. If you plan to go for the tree lighting know that it’s a popular activity with the locals and the property closes off the roads to accommodate. This event typically features a celebrity keynote speaker, a local radio jockey as emcee and includes appearances from the owners and proprietors of the property. This event attracts thousands of people for an evening of festive fun, including performances from local schools and performing arts groups, visits with Santa, a food truck and a host of festive alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages for sale at multiple bars throughout the area. A great place to get some of your holiday shopping done while supporting local Napa small businesses, you might find arts and crafts and other small business wares for sale. A VIP ticket includes access to a complimentary bar and a unending supply of delectable food, as well a place for respite from the bustle of the crowds. Firepits around the rink can be booked along with a S’mores package complete with Hershey’s bars, graham crackers and sticks to roast your marshmallows.
Ah Spa
No trip to the Meritage can be complete without a visit to Spa Terra. The purchase of any treatment comes with unlimited access to the jacuzzi, sauna and Serenity Lounge and includes a complimentary glass of sparkling wine to set the mood. This spa is built 40 feet under the vineyard and emanates a very special energy. If you go, be sure to ask a spa attendant to take you to the ‘sound experience’ a location in the Spa with a tile compass on the ground. When standing on the compass, make a sound – any sound – perhaps you’re called to a low baritone long-sustaining Om, or a higher pitched hum, song or sound – regardless, you will experience a deep sensation of your own sound – think like a sound bath vibration. This experience can only be had while standing on the compass. Step off the compass and sing – while you’ll sound lovely, the space won’t sing back to you.
Where to Eat & Drink
Heading downtown to dine? Consider Tarla Mediterranean Cuisine. Executive Chef Kadriye Baspehlivan has Turkish/Greek heritage, and it is exquisitely featured in the menu. Mediterranean hospitality adds to the elevated cuisine experience. Consider the Greek Salad or hummus to start (did you know Greek Salad does not have lettuce?). Definitely ask the server for the Chef’s recommendation for the day, but you cannot go wrong with the Moroccan Lamb Shank. This sweet and savory dish comes with a fall-off-the-bone tender lamb that has been simmered all day, in a rich broth and is served with plump raisins and briny olives and bulgur. You’ll want an order of pita or crusty bread to mop up ever last bit of the delicious rich broth.
The Meritage features a host of tasting and dining options right on property. Trinitas Cellars known for its Chardonnay and Cabernet features the resort’s signature winery using grapes right on the property.
Bubbles and Blitzen is a chic pink and gold tasting room offering Champagne flights and finger sandwiches or an afternoon tea-tasting for a nonalcoholic experience. A perfect place for a girls’ afternoon, bridal party, or even a baby shower.
Gen7 and Anarchist are two additional tasting spaces featuring bold wines and eclectic artwork and unusual varietals.
Jonesing for Italian food? Check out Olive & Hay for some exceptional food. To kick it off, start with the Burrata which is served which came with a cranberry mostarda (they do seasonal fruit, so think springtime strawberries, summertime stone fruit etc) and olive oil grilled bread. The burrata is perfect, and the bread and cranberries are a great textural foil to the creaminess of the cheese. If you’re here for Italian food, you’re all in for the carbs, so don’t skimp! House made Italian bread on the other hand — while the bread itself was wonderful, it is the remarkable whipped olive oil ‘butter’ that is the star of the dish. Your tastebuds will thank you. Italian food = pizza and pasta. So be sure to try both. The Black Truffle pizza is served with chicory salad, fontina cheese and a truffle vinaigrette and it is truly an otherworld experience. Made on thin crust, the pizza is a culinary masterpiece with the chewy pizza crust perfectly complimenting the crunch of the chicory salad, which is a very unexpectedly delicious flavor, and of course, how can you go wrong when you have truffle anything.
For a departure from the carbohydrates, give the pan-roasted Salmon a try – crisp on the outside, juicy on the inside and flawlessly seasoned. The roasted heirloom carrots are al dente and delicious.
If pasta is a must, give the Butternut Squash risotto a go; perfect texture and a deliciously fall-inspired flavor. If chicken is your jam, you’re in the right place — the half-roasted chicken mushroom marsala is served in a saucepan. Wonderful presentation, and deliciously mushroom forward.
Save room for dessert! Tiramisu is served in a Moka Pot – the top half with Tiramisu, and the bottom half with vanilla gelato. A really wonderful presentation and an even better flavor!
For lighter fare, Meritage has Fivetown Grocery for grab and go salads, sandwiches, and even charcuterie options, Blend for coffee and pastries, The Village Bistro for French cuisine and any number of pop-up culinary events throughout the year. Be sure to check the events calendar before you book to see what you might be in the mood for.
The Meritage offers you an all-in-one experience where you never have to worry about drinking and driving. Fitness centers, swimming pools, spa, wine, champagne and tea tastings, hikes in the vineyard and even yoga and paint night classes. This can be your one stop Napa experience.
An added bonus to the Meritage experience is their commitment to the community, partnering with organizations like Boys and Girls Clubs, Toys for Tots and Always Dream Foundation, Leaven Kids among others. Pride of ownership is evident in this private family-owned resort. The hospitality harkens back to an old-school experience. Luxury and amenities aside, it is the feel-good sensation that will stay with you long after you leave the Meritage.
