Luxury Travel Advisor - August 2007 - (Page 13) ADVISOR INSIGHT: Nancy Melton of American Express Travel in Phoenix, AZ tells us that “There are any number of wonderful lodging opportunities in Wine Country, from chain hotels to small B & Bs. One of my favorites is Hotel Healdsburg. The location is perfect and the hotel itself is fabulous. And then there’s Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen. Perfection! The biggest challenge facing visitors in the Wine Country is “how do I visit and taste all these wineries in one weekend?” It is, of course, impossible. I suggest you either research your favorite labels or rely on the advice of locals. You really can’t go wrong. Be sure to do winery tours, if possible. One of my favorite tours is Korbel, which can be combined with a visit to Armstrong Redwoods Reserve. Armstrong Woods is really a hidden jewel that is overshadowed by its more well-known brother, Muir Woods. Korbel and Armstrong Woods are both located in Guerneville, which is also popular for its annual jazz and blues festivals and float trips down the beautiful Russian River. “Other must-see wineries are Ferrari-Carano on Dry Creek Road outside of Healdsburg with its beautiful gardens and a gorgeous view from its patio (you’d swear you were in Italy) and Niebaum-Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola’s winery in the town of Rutherford in Napa County, which houses his movie memorabilia (even a Tucker automobile) and has a beautiful tasting room. While in Napa County, don’t miss lunch at Mustard’s, one of my favorites. For those interested in the culinary arts, a stop at COPIA in Napa is a must.” TAMBER BEY ESTATE (vineyards, shown left) is an idyllic venue in the heart of Napa where owner Barry Waitte produces top wines. (photo by Art Terrero) FOX BARN VILLA (above) is a 2,400-square-foot home in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley. It can be booked via Creative Leisure’s Villas of Distinction program. If you’ve done it once, it’s difficult to imagine experiencing California’s wine region without Linda Viviani of Viviani, Inc. (linda@viviani .com; www.viviani.com) by your side. She personifies all that is right about the Napa lifestyle; she is a true lover of life and it’s obvious that her business relationships with the most talented vintners in the region are carved from genuine friendships. Viviani and her team have teamed up with Creative Leisure International (www.creative leisure.com) to provide a range of luxury wine country experiences that can include accommodations in one of Creative Leisure’s Villas of Distinction in the area (contact Bobbi Owen, villa operations manager, at bowen@world travelholdings.com). Our Viviani customized experience included a private car, with Viviani herself personally escorting us on her Hidden Treasures of Napa Valley. First stop? Caldwell Vineyards (www. caldwellvineyard.com), whose fertile grounds supply grapes for the Phelps, Mura, Maris, Neiman and Viader labels. Even better, Owner John Caldwell has launched his own eponymous label of red wines. Visiting with John Caldwell is a “must” for the beginning of any wine country experience—he is energetic and intelligent and more than willing to impart his knowledge of producing the perfect wine. He is also generous about sharing a preview taste of his prized varietals straight from the barrel. (Hint: It’s like velvet.) One thing we’ll look forward to upon our return: Caldwell is currently building a cave-style tasting room. We could have spent hours with Caldwell, but our itinerary was full, and so we tore our- August 2007 | LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR 13 http://www.creativeleisure.com http://www.viviani.com http://www.caldwellvineyard.com http://www.caldwellvineyard.com http://www.creativeleisure.com
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