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The world's best wine-themed hotels
A journey through California's mythic wine country, PLUS ELLE Canada's list of wine-themed hotels around the world.
By Noreen Flanagan
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Beringer Cabernet grapes
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Bold, captivating and voluptuous -- that will cover the Cabs. Lush, complicated and Burgundian -- that should take care of the Pinots Noir. And crisp -- with a hint of honeysuckle and hazelnut -- ought to handle the Chardonnays. With a cleansed palate and a list of adjectives, we're ready to embark on a one-day tour of some of Napa Valley's 200-plus wineries. It's 10 a.m., and the first stop is St. Clement Vineyards, located at the northern end of the 56-kilometre valley. Robert Parker -- the wine critic who makes or breaks vintages based on his 100-point rating -- has anointed St. Clement's Armstrong Ranch Cabernet with a 92.
"We are always happy to tell people what Parker said, but we also encourage them to simply drink what they like," says wine educator Bob Childs. On that note, it's time to swirl, sniff and sip the St. Clement Oroppas -- a sweet blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. There's an aromatic hint of blackberry and a flavour hit of caramel, but the reported notes of dark chocolate escape me.
Like perfume -- where one can develop an appreciation for identifying the notes -- wine-tasting skills can be learned (or so Childs assures me). That said, in the wine world, there are super-tasters, tasters and non-tasters. Based on studies from Yale University School of Medicine, 35 percent of women are super-tasters, while only 10 percent of men are blessed with heightened senses of taste and smell. So stick that in your snifter, Parker!
Beringer Vineyards
Next stop: Beringer Vineyards, one of the oldest wineries in the valley. Our host, CJ Friedman, escorts us into the tasting room of the beautifully restored Hudson House, which was purchased in 1875 by Jacob Beringer. After sampling their finest Cabs, Chardonnays and Merlots, we head to chef David Frakes' private dining room for lunch. While Beringer also boasts high Parker ratings -- the 2001 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon scored a 96 -- Friedman is most inspired by wine's poetic offerings. "As Robert Louis Stevenson said, 'Wine is bottled poetry.' It's more than something to drink."
Got the wanderlust? Read ELLE Canada's reviews of trains around the world.
Image courtesy of Foster's Wine Estates
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