Wineries
A Landmark Winery
Plan your visit to one of Calistoga’s premier winery and tasting rooms, the estate of Clos Pegase. This winery has everything you’re looking for in a Napa Valley wine experience. Immerse yourself among the 410 acres of vineyards, enjoy wine flights and cave tours, and take in the unparalleled architecture of this vast and beautiful valley estate.
The Wine Cave
Several dug out caves make up this 20,000 square foot home to upwards of 3,000 aging barrels of wine. Located within a volcanic knoll on the far side of the winery, the caves serve to age the wines in a well-controlled environment, ensuring the very best flavors come through before being bottled. On the opposite end, you’ll find the cave theater, which provides a space for events that celebrate the beautiful labor of love that is winemaking.
The Heritage Garden
This newly added area opened in 2015 and ultimately serves as a water conservation effort. The gardens are a lovely place to walk among beautiful drought-tolerant trees and plants including the Jubaea Chilenis or “wine palm” trees and other pollinator resources. Clos Pegase is committed to conservation and biodiversity and this garden, dedicated to the late Michael Graves who designed the winery, is an excellent way to enjoy the winery while recognizing what goes into creating these delicious wines.
The Exquisite Architecture
The architecture and layout of the winery were developed by the famous Michael Graves. who was also responsible for such marvels as the Ministry of Culture in the Hague, many Disney commissions, and a prominent expansion of the Denver Public Library. His affinity for combining historic and modern elements is brilliantly showcased through the postmodern look of the estate and its structures.
The Vineyards
There are three different vineyards on the estate: the Mitsuko’s Vineyard, the Tenma Vineyard, and the Applebone Vineyards. Each unique growing environment creates the best conditions for each type of grape being grown, whether it will be for their signature Cabernet Sauvignon or their Pinot Noir or their Chardonnay.
The Tastings
There are several choices for tasting experiences:
- The Estate Flight—Enjoy five limited production estate wines for $30-$45 per person in the tasting room.
- Connoisseur Cave Tour & Tasting—Experience a guided tour through the cave facility as well as tastings and seasonal pairings. Learn about what goes into producing the estate wines and get a first-hand look at how these one-of-a-kind wines are made. This experience is available for $75 per person.
- Progressive Tour & Tasting—For $45 per person, you can take a walking tour through the estate that includes the gardens, the wine cellar, and the beautiful architectural aspects of the property.
- Picnic Lunch—What’s more romantic than a picnic lunch situated alongside picturesque views of the vineyards? For $40 per person, this experience includes a souvenir wine tote and wine glasses!
The Best of Napa Valley Right Here in Calistoga
One of the best parts of staying at the Wine Way Inn or Craftsman Inn is their proximity to local wineries. And Clos Pegase is no exception. We have one of the best wineries in the valley right near the very best lodging in the valley—what’s not to love? So book a stay with us today and enjoy all the wine and luxury you’ve been craving!
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Why Take a Food & Wine Tour?
One of the hardest parts of planning a trip to Napa Valley is narrowing down all the wonderful options to fit into the amount of time you have to spend in the area. Which wineries are the best? What restaurants do the locals love? Where is the best place to stay? (If you’ve been a guest at the Wine Way Inn or Craftsman Inn, you already know the answer to that!) One great way to solve this problem is to sign up to take a tour. Local experts will guide you through the best-of-the-best, offering context and history to each stop. The St. Helena Food and Wine Tour is a favorite of ours and will make you an area expert in no time!
St. Helena Food & Wine Tour Has It All
The St. Helena Food and Wine Tour is listed as one of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Foodie Tours in the United States, and it’s easy to see why. It combines the best of walking tours with food and wine tours for one complete package. It lasts approximately 3.5 hours and will take you on an easy walk down Main Street St. Helena.
The Itinerary
The tour starts at Clif Family Winery for a brunch experience and wine tasting. Does “Clif Bar” sound familiar? That’s right, the same family that brought you the organic energy bar is also the one who runs this family winery. On this stop of the tour, you’ll get a history of the family and the winery as well as organic jams, nuts, and honey to pair with your wine. Talk about farm-fresh!
The next stop on this journey is the highly-rated Goose and Gander restaurant. This romantic restaurant is famous for their mushroom soup. So sip on a crisp wine or an award-winning cocktail and savor the crave-worthy soup. If the weather is good you can enjoy their koi pond outside on the patio.
Next stop: Model Bakery for their famous English muffins and other pastries, breads, and cookies. If you’re lucky, and the bakery isn’t too busy, you may even be able to tour the back kitchen and see their 1800’s bread ovens still in use!
Olivier’s is the stop for sampling locally sourced olive oils, vinegars, and other unique sauces. Try the chocolate spreads for some sweetness or the mustard spreads for tanginess. It’s a quaint little shop that you won’t’ want to leave!
From Olivier’s, you’ll go to Archetype, a farm-to-table restaurant with offerings of the best of Napa Valley wines. This restaurant serves creative dishes that are grown and harvested in a responsible manner. It’s the perfect stop before dessert!
It’s not over till you try some gourmet desserts at Woodhouse Chocolates! This little candy shop offers delectable handmade bites to suit any palate. Their tried-and-true flavors, as well as their seasonal collections, will have your mouth watering for more.
Plan Your Trip
St. Helena is just down the road from the Wine Way Inn and Craftsman Inn. It’s also home to a branch campus of the Culinary Institute of America, so you know you’re going to get good eats! Rest your weary feet after your walking tour with a stay at our inns. Better yet—let us arrange a private massage for a truly luxurious day! Book now!
Filed under: Area Events, Food & Drink, Wineries by acorn
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Discover the beauty of Napa Valley by hopping on a bicycle and hitting the open road. Whether you never leave home without your own bike, or you need to rent one, we’ve got you covered with this list of ideas to explore and places that will support your ride.
The crown jewel of cycling in Napa Valley is the Napa Valley Vine Trail. It’s an expansive project undertaken by the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, aiming to connect all of Napa Valley from Calistoga to Vallejo. Right now it has 12.5 completed miles of trail, but 47 miles are planned or are currently under construction. Although the trail does not connect directly to local wineries, there are some that are quite close (within a mile or so) that require a short ride on roads with bike lanes or wide shoulders. This trail is a great way to cover a lot of ground, poke around valley towns, and see many gorgeous vistas along the way.
If you’d prefer the guided approach, Napa Valley Bike Tours is just the ticket. They can set you up with a bike rental and offer guided tours through the valley for all different ability levels. They also provide a comprehensive map of the area to guide your plans. If you’re an experienced cyclist looking for a challenge, they have suggested routes that are sure to get your blood pumping. If you’re less experienced or would rather take things slow, they have casual routes that provide a more leisurely pace. Consider renting an e-bike to cover more ground with less effort (and sweat!). Napa Valley Bike Tours has a wide selection of choices for whatever journey you’re hoping to take.
Calistoga Bike Shop offers a unique experience if you’re looking to include wine tastings in your day. You can choose between bringing a guide along with you to carry your stuff so you get to just pedal and enjoy the ride; or you can opt for a self-guided tour that still takes a lot of the hassle out of planning, because they will cover your tasting fees and will pick up any wine you buy so you won’t have to bike it back with you. Calistoga Bike Shop also offers hourly and daily rentals to suit whatever adventures you have planned.
Cycling is just one of the many ways to enjoy the beautiful Napa Valley. We’d love to help you include this healthy, earth-friendly mode of transportation to your stay with us. And there’s nothing like our breakfasts to fuel you for the road ahead! Book a room and see why we are the very best in Napa Valley!
Filed under: Outdoor Recreation, Things To Do, Wineries by acorn
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For some folks, a traditional tasting room can feel stuffy and pretentious. It can be hard to enjoy yourself when you feel like everyone around you is taking themselves a bit too seriously. Not so with Tank Garage Winery, just across the street from the Wine Way Inn and Craftsman Inn. This 1930’s vintage gas-station-turned-tasting-room is laid back and down-to-earth. The funky vibe pairs perfectly with their small-batch wines that feature the best in California fermentation.
The idea started with a friendship between James Harder and Jim Regusci, both veterans to the local wine industry. The goal was to bring something new and vibrant to Napa Valley–not just another tasting room with all the same trappings as other wineries in the area. Tank Garage Winery builds its beverage repertoire out of the real-life inspiration of its owners. Every detail is carefully curated to present the taster with a truly one-of-a-kind, California experience. Tank Garage calls their batches of wine “one-offs”, meaning that each run is a unique blend of ingredients that will not be replicated. And this applies to their labels as well, which are almost as fun as the wine itself. Tank Garage collaborates with local artists to develop the perfect visual representation of what’s found inside the bottle. Many guests end up saving and collecting their bottles just for how awesome the label is.
If you love what you taste at Tank Garage Winery, think about joining their wine club. Perks include discounts off purchases, complimentary tastings and other events, new wines with every release, access to a members-only tasting room, and member-only releases. It’s a great way to expand your wine palate by bringing your experience back home with you!
Plan a trip to one of our inns soon, and make it out to their “Garage Sale” on October 27th. From 11am to 3pm, there will be discounts on this season’s flavors as well as vintage pinball, Platinos Papusas food truck, and “Das Bus” photo booth. Wine Club members receive 4 complimentary tickets and non-member tickets are $30. Follow this link to reserve a spot.
We love showing off all that California and Napa Valley have to offer with a stay at one of our inns. Give us a call (800.572.0679) or book a room online so you can get started planning your dream vacation today!
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Stay three nights before June 30th, 2023