A Master Cooper, a pool day, and Wagyu Beef

I’ve written about The Carneros Resort before, but at the risk of being repetitive: it’s a hidden gem. Becoming much less hidden these days as its reputation grows. In today’s Day’ve Trip, I’m introducing a new (to me) boutique winery in the Coombsville District of Napa Valley, and revisiting the amenities at The Carneros Resort, where you can book a dynamite spa and pool day, topped off by a world-class dining experience.

A Boutique Winery you won’t just “run across”

We started our day with a wine tasting at a winery that was new to us. The Caldwell Vineyard is located at 169 Kreuzer Lane, Napa, in the Coombsville District of Southern Napa Valley. Check out their website and you might be tempted to give them a try. Right up front, their website lays out their proposition…. “One of the most diverse and influential vineyards in America, with 28 grape varieties, and a portfolio of 23 estate wines crafted by a smuggler, a master Cooper, and one of the most talented winemakers of our time.”. Well, shit, with that intro, how the heck could I possibly stay away? Besides, Caldwell was introduced to us through our membership with Exclusive Resorts, a group that definitely understands good wine (thanks ER!).

And it turns out that Caldwell lives up to the hype. We absolutely loved the grounds, the cave tasting, the beautifully crafted wines, and the people. And by people I mean the wonderfully charming and knowledgeable Ramiro Herrera. Ramiro’s name is on the barrels and we soon learned why. He is one of just 34 Master Coopers in the world and he earned that title studying in France (the art of “cooperage” is the building of wooden barrels). He is the only Master Cooper in North America and today, with a couple decades of experience, Ramiro crafts every barrel used by Caldwell: 350 barrels each year. He goes to France to pick the Oak trees, and he personally produces these barrels and toasts them to perfection for each varietal Caldwell will produce. Go ahead, Google his name. He’s kind of big deal in the world of Cooperage. So it was an immense pleasure to have him as our wine tasting guide on this day. Suffice to say I loved every vintage we tried. We left with bottles of the smooth and rich “Silver Proprietary Red Blend” and the delicate but deep chardonnay. I also loved the Sauvignon Blanc. I can’t say enough good things about this wonderful winery. I need another visit to try more of their varietals.

Reservations are a must, and it is a very personal tasting experience. You need a code to get in the gate, so you’re not going to just “pop in” here. The grounds are beautiful and perched on a hill overlooking the expansive valley. The wine cave tasting room is beautiful and the story of the company and its founder. “John Fucking Caldwell”, is fantastic. Ramiro’s backstory is also a gem, if he’s kind enough to tell you how he got to be a Master Cooper from his humble beginnings, having been born into an immigrant farming family in Manteca, CA.

A Perfect Day at the Carneros Resort and Spa

But if you just want a day trip to a spa, maybe you head straight to the Carneros Resort. This is a classic “day trip” potential, because you could just go here and nowhere else. It has everything. Book yourself a spa treatment and you also get access to the fitness center and the beautiful pool and hot tub overlooking the vineyards to the East. Have poolside service for lunch and just hang out and have a glass of iced tea or bubbly or Sauvignon blanc while you soak up the Napa valley sunshine. It’s a great relaxing day. Resist the temptation to leave this spot to go wine tasting somewhere. Just hang out and enjoy, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the valley.

In the afternoon, use the nice shower facilities to get cleaned up for dinner and I hope you saved room after lunch because the restaurant at the front of the resort, The Farm, is worth every penny and every calorie you burned off at the spa and fitness center. We had met new friends Shane and Connie that day, visiting from Denver, and so we all took advantage of the bocce ball courts outside the Farm and The Pavilion Bar. Some seriously good shooting occurred, or maybe it just seemed that way after the great wine day we had. If you’re not going to have dinner at The Farm, you can also choose this time to get a wood-fired pizza and some amazing truffle fries from The Pavillion.

Dinner at The Farm

Then it’s time for dinner. The Farm menu is classic Napa Valley, with some great options for everyone. Tonight, the star of the meal for me included the Black Truffle Gnocchi, which literally melts in your mouth. I know that term is overused and trite, but it’s the only thing that really describes how delicate these gnocchi are. It’s a pricey treat, but as a starter to share between two people, it absolutely sets the mood. The sauce was delicious and the truffle was just perfectly and properly applied. My meal moved on to the Mishima Wagyu. It came covered in a “rice cloud” and was cooked perfectly rare and was indescribably delicious. The joy of this dish was obviously lost on my pescatarian wife, but she consoled herself with the Grilled Orata with Artichoke sauce. We were also treated to some fantastic dessert pastries for our Anniversary. Thanks, Carneros Resort!

So that’s pretty dang good Day Trip, I’d say. Catch an Uber home or make sure one of you sticks to the iced tea for dinner.

Bonus Feature: Check out the Napa Yard beer garden

Now here’s another bonus add-on if you want another stop along the way, or if you end up making your day trip an overnight. We discovered the Napa Yard for the first time. Not sure how we missed it before because it’s just across the street from the Oxbow Market and the Walt Vineyards tasting room that I’ve featured previously. The Napa Yard is a classic beer garden built along the Napa River and features all the fun outdoor stuff we’ve come to expect from NorCal breweries and tasting rooms. There’s a great bar, excellent beer selection, games and chairs and all kinds of places to gather with friends. Or to make new ones. We made new friends watching some Sunday NFL and found the crowd to be eclectic, friendly, and diverse. Families, young people, old folks like us, all having a good time. I recommend it on a college Football Saturday or NFL Sunday, or any time! We didn’t try the food this time around, but the menu looks good. Go check them out at 585 1st Street, near downtown Napa and the Oxbow Market.

So there you have it, three great ideas for a Day Trip. Any one of them is all you need, but you can also pick and choose bits of each to customize your own Day’ve Trip. We’re all about flexibility and fun. Now go enjoy life!