Afternoon Wine Service

Yes of course, as a guest at our romantic St. Helena inn, a full breakfast for two including one hot egg dish and our now-famous make-your-own-waffle waffle bar are included in your room rate. What many guests don't realize -- and quickly come to love -- is what we call our "afternoon wine service", which is also complimentary. Everyday from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. we serve appetizers and pour wine. Now note, these aren't little "tastings" -- these are full-glass pours from one of our neighboring winery friends. (The wineries are happy to introduce you to their wines, so it's a win-win-win for all concerned.)

Anyway, here are few pics from a recent wine service. Hope to see you soon!

Cheese

Dips

Napa Town New

As most locals will tell you, in the past, the actual town of Napa hasn't been that great of a place to visit. Sure, there are some cool restaurants there. And some shops. But otherwise...

Now, though, with Copia in and the just-opened Oxbow Public Market down the street, the town of Napa has become, in my opinion, definitely worth a visit during your Napa Valley stay.

Wow, the Oxbow Public Market is fun! Lots of food and wine goodies, including Taylor's Automatic Refresher and The Fatted Calf, plus other shops, including a very cool antique store. Within walking distance are several other restaurants and wine "lounges", which make it a great place to nibble, stroll, taste, and, of course the big "P" word--PICNIC.

Contact our front desk staff for more information and directions, or to arrange transportation to and from the Market.

Envy Wines, Calistoga

I always enjoy directing our guests to great nearby wineries, particularly when they're run by a friend of mine, which is the case with Mark Carter and his Envy Wines. The winery is located just north of Calistoga on Tubbs Lane. Mark and his winemaker partner Nils Venge produce small-production, high-quality wines using, of course, Napa Valley fruit. I stopped in recently for a tasting and found Mark there doing what us innkeepers and winemakers do: paying attention to details (in this case, hand-drying wine glasses in the tasting room).

The next time you visit our Napa Valley bed and breakfast, be sure to work Envy Wines into your schedule: you won't be disappointed.

Envy Wines

1170 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga 94515

707-942-4670

envywines.com

Where to Stay: Mendocino

Coming soon: Carter House Inns...

Where to Stay: Sonoma Coast

For those of you who want to venture west of the Napa Valley to the Pacific Ocean, we recommend you consider staying at the Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa, near the towns of Bodega and Bodega Bay.

The Sonoma Coast Villa is a true destination resort, with 18-rooms on a Tuscany-inspired layout, a complete spa facility, and an on-site chef who prepares breakfasts and dinners for guests only. For directions or to assist with reservations, contact our front desk staff.

Sonoma Coast Villa & Spa

16702 Coast Highway One

Bodega, CA 94922

(707) 876-9818

Art at the Inn

I know many of you love our grounds and the surrounding Napa Valley countryside. What we forget to mention to potential new guests, though, is the artwork in most of the rooms. Most of the paintings have been done by my sister, Kate Sands, who also helps with the interior design of the rooms. Here are a few examples of her pieces (these appear in room 19, which I stayed in recently):

If you have questions about any of the artwork in the rooms, or in the Inn's common rooms, please leave a comment here or ask our staff. We also can help arrange an "antiques outing," gardens tour, or "art quest" for interested parties! We look forward to seeing you soon at our fabulous Napa Valley bed and breakfast!

Calendar of Events

In an effort to help you know about, and plan for, special Napa Valley food and wine events to coincide with your visit to The Wine Country Inn, we've put together this list of fun food and wine times. PLEASE NOTE: Always check directly with the organization first, as we cannot be held responsible for any schedule changes or cancellations. Enjoy!

The following organizations have ongoing events throughout the year:
Alla Prima Painting Workshops
allaprimastudionv.com

COPIA Tours
copia.org

Merryvale Winery
"Spit on the Floor" barrel tasting, second Saturday of every month
merryvale.com

Napa Valley Opera House
their events calendar

St. Supery Winery
their events calendar

Wineries of the Napa Valley
their events calendar

Other sources for Napa Valley events
napavalley.com
everymealafeast.blogspot.com