Two hawks in headgear and a sizable Siberian owl await our arrival atop a high hill encircled by vineyards. With mountain ranges in all directions—the Mayacamas with Atlas peak to the north, the Vaca to the east, Mt. Diablo to south—the view is utterly astounding. We disembark from the open-air truck and the falconry master Rebecca Rosen beckons us to come closer. One by one we hold the owl atop a protective glove. Then she releases the hawks, which had been leashed onto platforms, and the raptors take flight. She explains that the presence of birds of prey—falcons and hawks—in the vineyards scares away the birds which feast on the ripening grapes. While the hawks fly and swoop, winemaker Chris Kajani pours us glasses of her award-winning Chardonnay, made from grapes from the vineyards below us.
This exhilarating falconry display is but one experience offered at Bouchaine Vineyards in Napa’s Carneros district. Napa and Sonoma are awash in elevated tasting experiences. No longer is arriving at a winery an exercise of simply bellying up to the wine bar. It’s become theater and tastings often command the price of a Broadway show. Here’s a round-up of tasting experiences, which all require reservations, along with a few high luxury places to stay in wine country.
For the biggest Napa splurge: Stay at the Poetry Inn ($3,600 a suite in high season). Designed by Howard Backen with indoor and outdoor showers on private terraces, the inn is perched on a steep hill right in the vineyard and has five sumptuous suites each measuring up to 1,450 square feet. The Poetry Inn is owned by the Cliff Lede winery, which is situated at the bottom of the hill in the Stags Leap District. A stay at the inn includes a tasting with guided tour of Cliff Lede’s vineyard blocks—each named for Lede’s favorite rock songs from “My Generation” to “Dark Side of the Moon”—and of the vast aging caves. You’ll taste stunning Cabernets, including Poetry. ($250 vineyard tour and tasting).
For the real connoisseur: There’s a chance for a blind tasting and vertical of top scoring wines. Started five decades ago by James O’Neil Sullivan, Sullivan Rutherford Estate is in the heart of Napa’s Cabernet country, yet against the grain now focuses on producing world class Merlot. You’ll blind taste three Merlots from Right Bank Bordeaux, from Bolgheri, and Napa, (Sullivan Founder’s Reserve). The three blind-tasted wines possess such similar structure and depth that it’s fun trying to guess their source. Afterward you taste a vertical of Sullivan Merlots paired along with small bites. ($350, also includes a tour around landscaped grounds with its scenic pond).
For a culinary experience with pinpoint wine pairing: At Ram’s Gate Winery in Sonoma with its 28-acres of organically farmed vines, there’s an executive chef on staff who offers a myriad of food and wine pairings. The most ambitious is a seated multicourse lunch with wines selected by winemaker Joe Nielsen. This includes a tour of the estate. ($160).
For an al fresco bubbly and caviar tasting at the chateau: Domaine Carneros’s chateau is a replica of its parent winery Taittinger’s La Marquetterie in Reims, France. Sit on splendid terrace overlooking the vineyards and indulge in three types of Tsar Nicoulai Caviar with four flutes of the Domaine’s refined sparkling wines. ($350 for two).
For serious Napa history and environmentalist talk: Tom Gamble, third generation farmer and “ranching environmentalist,” owner of Gamble Family Vineyards with 175 acres in prime Napa AVAs, will personally discuss regenerative farming, Napa Green, and Fish Friendly Farming initiatives. A specialist in Bordeaux style Sauvignon Blanc as well as moderate alcohol Cabernet Sauvignon, Tom will orchestrate the tasting and vineyard walk. (Price upon reservation).
For wine nerds who crave clonal comparisons: Back at Bouchaine in Carneros, you can have a guided tasting of bottles of Pinot Noir made from different clones—Swan, Dijon, and Pommard, so-called “suitcase clones” brought back from Burgundy. It’s a marvel to taste the vast difference. Later you can join a class with a resident cheese expert and taste wines paired perfectly. ($125).
For those who prefer bees to birds: Stay at Carneros Resort and Spa with its newly renovated cottages, all with private courtyards, day beds, and outdoor bathtubs. Take the apiary experience with resident beekeeper Rob Keller, who leads you on a scenic stroll to the property’s five log hives and explains the bees’ life cycle and everything about the queen and swarms. He equips you with beekeeper headwear for tasting honey from the hives. The walk is followed by a wine, honey, and cheese tasting at the hotel’s outdoor courtyard. ($50).
