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

Clam Dip Heaven!

As you know (or should know!), included in your stay with us at the Inn is what we call our afternoon wine service. From 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. we have a local winery visit us and pour wine for our guests (all complimentary, of course) and we serve appetizers and other little goodies. Here's one of my favorite dips. Enjoy!

Jim's Clam Dip

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz Mayonnaise

1 small can clams (drained and rinsed)

1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 Tsp lemon juice

1/2 Tsp salt

1 heaping Tbl chopped garlic

Take all ingredients EXCEPT the clams and blend together in a food processor until smooth. Add the clams and stir. Chill before serving.

Napa Valley Everyday

Hi everybody. Now obviously the Napa Valley, and in particular St. Helena near The Wine Country Inn, has some fantastic restaurants (for a quick list of our favorites, view this link on our web site). While these restaurants are known for their high-quality dining, I also wanted to share another food option I love, which my friend Tim calls "Napa Valley Everyday": and that's Buster's Southern Barbeque in nearby Calistoga.

I love Buster's for their great tri-tip sandwiches with his special sauce. (And yes, as Buster says, "hot" means HOT.) Their sides are great too, like the chili beans, cole slaw, and my favorite: the garlic toast. Buster's makes a great lunchtime stop when you're out winetasting, or for a simpler dinner when you've had three or four nights of upper-end dining. For directions and other info about Buster's, please call our staff toll-free at 888-465-4608.

The outdoor grill at Buster's:

And for more Napa Valley food and wine options from a Valley "insider", check out Tim's blog: Every Meal A Feast.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Happy Valentine's Day!

While we like to think it's always a romantic time when you visit The Wine Country Inn, we know that's especially true during holidays and special occasions, like anniversaries, birthdays, and...Valentine's Day. The next time you visit our Napa Valley bed and breakfast, be sure to check out our "special goodies" that can help make your stay even more special, such as ballons, flowers, fruit and cheese plate, and my personal favorite: a brownie and port!

Happy let's-make-any-day-a-special-occasion day.