Recommended Places to Visit

Part of being a great merchant of any type is to be a great ambassador for your neighborhood. This applies ten-fold when you live in a tourist destination such as Napa Valley.

For places to taste, drink, eat, do and stay, here are our recommendations.
Don't miss our A+ Wine Country Driver Recommendation at the bottom of this email.

When you visit Napa Valley, check out the following Napa Valley Restaurants, Napa wine tasting establishments, Napa hotels, Napa Bed & Breakfasts and Napa lodging establishments.

Check out their websites for more information and contact.

If it's written that the business is in or near Downtown Napa, then it's in easy walking distance from Back Room Wines.

Restaurants

Zuzu
Spanish Tapas Restaurant. Delicious small plates, very good California and Spanish wine list. Exceptional atmosphere. Downtown Napa. Casual. Moderate price.

Azzurro Pizzeria & Enoteca
Downtown Napa. Thin crust, blistery pizzas, salad, antipasti. Very good local wine by the glass selection. Downtown Napa. Casual. Moderate price.

Ubuntu Restaurant
"A celebration of their biodynamic gardens" they profess. Awesome cooking. Yoga studio on the second floor. A must try for serious foodies. Go for the taste experience as you probably won't leave full. Downtown Napa. Semi-casual, moderate to expensive.

ad hoc
Owned by Thomas Keller (The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon). One meal a day: you eat what they're serving. And it's really good. Better reserve early. Yountville, Semi-casual, fairly expensive.

Solbar
In the Solage Spa & Resort. Delicious food: fresh, intense flavors and plenty of them. Part "spa cuisine" part not. Particularly recommended for lunch. Dine in the restaurant or the bar. Share "Lucky Pig" with a friend or two and thank me later. Calistoga (on Silverado Trail), semi-casual, moderate to expensive (lunch is moderate).

Las Palmas Mexican Restaurant
Very good Mexican with a California/French food selection as well. The Chef/Owner worked for years at Bistro Jeanty, and have some of the Jeanty "flare" is here. Basic dining room, outside seating. 10 minute walk from Downtown Napa. Very casual. Inexpensive to moderate.

Oxbow Wine Merchant
The wine merchant has the second best wine selection in Napa Valley. Delicious wine bar menu and cheesemonger. Beers on tap. Visit the Oxbow Public Market for a plethora of great things to eat. Too many to list, so just go!
Downtown Napa, just 400 yards from Back Room Wines (I stepped it off). Casual. Moderate to expensive prices (depends where you go when you're there).

Wineries

Napa wineries to visit & Sonoma wineries to visit (all open for drop-in visits unless specified otherwise)

Elyse Winery
Many small-production, bigger-style wines. Mostly reds. On Hoffman Lane, off of and west of Highway 29, just south of Yountville.

Cliff Lede Vineyards
Outstanding Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet and, if you're lucky, "Poetry" to taste. Yountville Cross Road.

HALL WINERY
Tasty wines, and a lot of them to try. Well-appointed tasting room, and parking right in front for hybrid cars! $15 and $25 tasting options. Right on Highway 29, just south of St. Helena.

Darioush Winery
World class Cabernet and outstanding Viognier & Shiraz. Worth a visit. The tasting fee is worth it as the wine pours are generous and the service is best in The Valley. Treat yourself to the Fine Wine & Artisan Cheese tasting, offered every day at 2 P.M., for $50. Seems pricey, but it's a deal.

Reynolds Family Winery
We should know more about Reynolds than we do. Few times we've tasted their wines have liked them. Silverado Trail, just a little north of Napa.

Hill Family Estate Wines
In the heart of Yountville, it’s hard to miss. The tasting room shares space with an antique/furniture store. Excellent wines, good value for the high quality and friendly staff. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cab Sauv. A good stop as you’re cruising through Yountville.

Larkmead Vineyards
Rich, earth-driven Cabernets, blends and Sauvignon Blanc. The Larkmead Cabernet is drinking wonderfully (just had it). Call or email to make a tasting appointment. Larkmead Lane, Northern Napa Valley.

Mumm Napa
Nothing better than sitting al fresco at Mumm with a glass of their sparkling. For making a lot of wine, Mumm Napa does a very good job. Could spend an hour here easy. Silverado Trail, midway up The Valley. I recommend a glass of one of their basic sparkling wines (the Brut's a good choice). The flight of "special" wines is not any better and over twice the price. If you're a group of four or more, buy a bottle for best deal.

Sojourn Cellars
In the town of Sonoma, just off the square. Excellent Pinot Noirs and Cabernet. Taste in a very "homey" setting. And while you're here, spend time on Sonoma Square. It's the best! Tastings by appointment.

Enkidu Winery
In Kenwood, Sonoma Valley, about a 40 minute drive from BRW.) Enkidu makes a lot of different wines, all high quality, mostly cool climate Sonoma wines (I'm most familiar with their Chardonnays & Pinot Noirs). Open every day.

Recommended Hotels, Inns and B&Bs

There's so many, and obviously we recommend by guest feedback and not by experience, so we aren't the authority here. We do know and like very much these three places to stay in Napa:

AVIA HOTEL
Opened in 2009 smack-dab in the middle of Downtown Napa. Just 3 blocks from BRW. Very nice rooms (I am told), great service. First class hotel for fair rates (not cheap, but pretty good relative to a lot of places to stay). Considering how close it is to the shop, it's my #1 recommendation.

INN ON RANDOLPH
Bed & Breakfast. Four blocks from Downtown Napa.

CANDLELIGHT INN
In Napa, about 10 minutes drive from Back Room Wines. Tudor Style inn, 30 Rooms, tasty breakfasts. Excellent place to stay for both Vineyard and Downtown Napa visits. Phone: (707) 257-3717

WESTIN VERASA
Opened in 2008. First class. Downtown Napa.

MILLIKEN CREEK
Super-nice Inn and Spa. Five Star, baby. About a mile from Downtown Napa on Silverado Trail.

Entertainment in Napa Valley

Napa Valley Opera House
Just around the corner from Back Room Wines. Check out their calendar for upcoming concerts and shows.