A Few of My Favorite Gardens and Grounds in California’s Wine Country
(Wearing: J.Crew Madras Blazer – similar; J.Crew white eyelet dress – similar here and here)
We enjoyed every moment in California’s wine country earlier this spring. The wine itself is terrific, but the grounds! From vineyard to vineyard they were breathtaking.
One of the highlights for this East Coaster was seeing the bushes of artichokes growing effortlessly in almost every vineyard garden in Napa. The ones below are in Cakebread Cellars‘ garden, which is planted and cared for by the owner’s wife.
Coincidentally, my favorite bites in Napa were these little guys grilled. These grilled artichokes from Rutherford Grill were accompanied by a wonderful aioli with capers, lemon, and probably a few drops of heaven. Grilling the artichokes brings out a deep, earthy flavor, and the leaves, which you peeled off and dipped (eating only the “meat” inside) were velvety and luscious. I’d liken them to asparagus, though they really have their own unique taste.
You guys know my affinity for a good espalier. Both Turnbull and Frog’s Leap had beautiful roses that were trained to go up the wall of the building in a pattern that closely resembled a candelabra.
The training of the vines themselves to climb up their wires and posts was a small feat. Many of the vines in Napa Valley were in flat rows, while many in Sonoma climbed and crawled over mountains, like the vines at Kistler (below).
Driving from Napa to Sonoma was sobering as we went through some of the devastation from the fires earlier in the year. You could see the charred marks where trees, and even homes, used to be. It’s inspiring to hear folks in the area talk about it and how they’re rebuilding.
Frog’s Leap was such a picturesque scene. We could have stayed for hours in their adirondack chairs overlooking their vegetable gardens and vines. They also had several honeybee hives on the grounds, chickens, and fruit trees. You could purchase all sorts of jams and honey made at the vineyard.
Honeybee hives at Frog’s Leap
Foxgloves at Frog’s Leap
Turnbull had the most beautiful big, velvety roses leading up their driveway to the tasting rooms. A lot of Napa’s landscape, like these trees, reminded us of Tuscany!
We were greeted by a beautiful stone fountain at Duckhorn Vineyards, and our tasting was held on their serene wraparound porch surrounded by vines.
The canopies at Caymus Vineyards set a relaxing, laid-back mood. We loved spending our afternoon there, despite the rain. The bartenders indoors were more than happy to accommodate all of us inside once the showers came. When they passed, the view below appeared and it made an already serene setting just short of heavenly.
Stags’ Leap featured a wonderful home with original woodwork, which was outstanding and overlooked rows and rows of vines.
My go-to Dagne Dover tote in Bleecker Blush and navy packable sunhat
Last but not least, we had to make a stop by Chateau Montelena, the vineyard in Calistoga that put California wines on the international map. The grounds were steeped in tradition and history. The stonework on the main building was wonderful and you passed a pond with a pagoda in the center on your way to the tasting room.
