After taking a back seat for decades to the more famous sub-appellations in the Napa Valley, Calistoga is quietly becoming the destination of choice for producers seeking terroir-driven wines in a down-to-earth environment.
Kelly Fleming could have invested anywhere in the Napa Valley for her namesake brand but chose to make Calistoga her home, seeing the potential for high quality winegrowing in Simmons Canyon off Silverado Trail.  The watershed here creates one of the few alluvial fans on the eastern side of the Napa Valley and her location, farther and deeper …

When the four acres of hobby zinfandel vineyards at the Smith’s family residence just north of the town of Saint Helena needed to be replanted in the early 1990′s, Jeff Smith sought the advice of leading viticultural expert Dr. Mark Kliewer of UC Davis to evaluate the site.  Dr. Kliewer told Smith that the rocky vineyards were situated at a very unique part of the valley and that it was one of the premier sites for growing cabernet sauvignon.  The vines were thus replanted to cabernet sauvignon in 1992, beginning the legacy of Hourglass wines on both sides of …

Grains

If you are visiting the Napa Valley wine region and looking for a change of pace, take a brewery tour at the Calistoga Inn in Calistoga.  The brewpub at the Calistoga Inn is small
production facility for pub and restaurant patrons only, turning out four house beers plus seasonal offerings on tap or in 22 oz. bottles.  When you schedule the complimentary tour, consider arriving early at the pub or patio to taste through a sampling of the beers ($1.25/2-oz.) to enhance the experience, or have lunch with beer at the well-regarded restaurant.  As a non-beer drinker, I was fascinated by the distinct …

Confit of beets on house-made goat’s milk yogurt with watercress and fennel

One expects a formal dining room for a Michelin star restaurant, but at the Solage Calistoga, the decor and mood reflects the soothing and casual atmosphere of  the spa resort.  The restaurant is designed with a sensitivity to Calistoga environs with barn architecture, but with modern, loft-like open space, soaring ceilings and extensive windows that fill the room with light and unite the inside with the serene view outdoors.  And while the restaurant is clearly casual, the quality of products and …

Many wineries in the Napa Valley embrace wine and art but in name and in venue, Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga embodies the concept, which was recently recognized by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWC) international jury in Bordeaux last week. GWC is a consortium of official civic and trade organizations representing the great wine regions who believe that regional culture is an integral part of the wine experience. Current members include Napa Valley/San Francisco, Bordeaux, Porto, Bilbao/Rioja, Cape Town South Africa, Mainz/Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza Argentina and Florence …

 It is said that in 1867, founder Samuel Brannan was to proclaim that the town previously called Hot Springs or Agua Caliente would be known as the “Saratoga of California” for its mineral rich hot springs.  But under the influence of medicinal waters, he reportedly burst out instead the infamous words, “Calistoga of Sarafornia,” which in some ways characterizes the colorfulness of Calistoga today.  Calistoga is so unlike the Napa Valley that the world thinks of – it does not have the big city feel of Napa, the sophistication of Yountville, …