Dear Rocks Member,
Mustard Season is upon us in Wine Country, the colorful and activity-rich period between
late January and late March. From Carneros to Yountville to St. Helena and beyond, the
Napa Valley is awash in the vibrant gold of wild mustard flowers, creating picturesque
views in every direction.
To celebrate the arrival of spring, we are hosting a special weekend from March 20 - 22
at The Orchard. Please see below for details on the events on property and at CADE
Winery.
PlumpJack Wine Director Gillian Ballance shares her wine picks for spring with you
below, describing nearby wineries Falcor and Patz & Hall. Read through her tasting notes
then discover the flavors of their varietals yourself with a visit to their tasting rooms.
Sincerely,
David A. Burden
CEO & Founder
Timbers Resorts
Step Into Spring - March 20 - 22
Timbers Resorts and The Orchard at The Carneros Inn invite
you to put spring in your step at a weekend-long celebration of
fine wines and great living. Tis' the season when the buds are
beginning to bloom on the vines and the Napa Valley comes
alive with possibilities. It also is the perfect time to share the
magic of ownership at The Orchard with your family and
friends.
Join us for a blind tasting of the award-winning Ancien Pinot
Noir with winemaker Ken Bernards on Friday, March 20.
CADE Winery celebrates the grand opening of its highly
anticipated Hospitality Lounge on Saturday, March 21, where
you'll be treated to a private tour of the contemporary building
with the visionary behind it, architect Juan Carlos Fernando.
Afterward, enjoy a private wine tasting and food pairing with PlumpJack winemaker Tony
Biagi. The weekend caps off with a guided walk through the vineyards surrounding The
Orchard and a savory Sunday brunch in the Hilltop Dining Room. If you'd like to join us at
any or all of these springtime events, kindly RSVP by Friday, March 13, 2009 to
RSVP@theorchardatcarneros.com.
For questions or to reserve your Orchard cottage, please contact The Orchard concierge or
call 707.299.4785.
Upcoming Wine Country Events
January through March, 16th Annual Napa
Valley Mustard Festival
March 7-8, Mustard, Mud & Music - Calistoga Jazz
Festival
March 14, The Tramp at Vintner's Collective with
vintners Clark-Claudon, Showket & Greg Graham
March 14, Sonoma County Bluegrass & Folk
Festival
March 21, Taste of Yountville
March 21-22, 19th Annual Savor Sonoma Valley
April 4, Manga at Vintner's Collective with Ancien
and JC Cellars
April 4-5, Bodega Bay Fisherman's Festival
April 18-19, April in Carneros
May 2, Cinco de Mayo at Vintner's Collective
featuring Mi Sueno Winery Family
May 15-16, Napa Mustang Days
Local Profile Sandy Lawrence, Owner of Ubuntu Yoga Studio & Restaurant
Housed in an historic building in downtown Napa, Ubuntu Yoga
Studio & Restaurant, is a favorite gathering place among locals and
visitors alike. Owner Sandy Lawrence introduced her unique
business concept in August of 2007, which has steadily become
one of the most special places in the area. Ubuntu, meaning
"humanity towards others," is the basis of the community-focused
restaurant and yoga studio.
The restaurant is downstairs while the yoga studio is above and
visible via an enclosed mezzanine. The studio acts as an art piece
for the restaurant as diners are able to look overhead and see
shadows from the figures shifting through poses.
"Our philosophy reflects an appreciation for all of the people in our
community who contribute daily to producing the Ubuntu
experience," notes Sandy. Ubuntu features a delicious menu of
daily-harvested food, with a focus on farm-fresh produce, much of
it from their biodynamic gardens.
Ubuntu owner Sandy
Lawrence in the
restaurant's gardens.
Award-winning chef and James Beard nominee Jeremy Fox showcases his considerable
talents and knowledge of the very best in farm-to-table cuisines fine-tuned from his
varied culinary experiences. Celebrating the natural bounty of the earth and growing
relationships with the local farms in Napa, Chef Jeremy's extraordinary, innovative cuisine
is enjoyed by both omnivores and herbivores.
Among the top recommended restaurants by The Orchard concierge team, Ubuntu is open
for lunch and dinner. For further information on the menu and more visit
www.ubuntunapa.com.
Discover Art in The Orchard's Backyard
Just a short walk from The Orchard, tucked away on 217 scenic acres, lies the di Rosa Art
& Nature Preserve, the most significant collection of Bay Area art in the world. The
Preserve, a gift to the public from art collector Rene di Rosa, houses nearly 2,000 works
of art by more than 800 artists and provides opportunities for creative enrichment and
enjoyment of art and the environment year-round.
On display now through June 13, 2009, is (un)Natural, an exhibition of works of art
interpreting nature and created by a small group of Bay Area artists, including Jessica
Cadkin, Ross Campbell, Misako Inaoka, Carrie Lederer, Kathryn Spence, Lucrecia
Troncoso and Tara Tucker. Throughout history, artists have responded to the natural
environment, whether in detailed studies of plants and animals or lush paintings of the
land or sea. In recent years, as the lines between what is truly natural and what has been
altered, genetically or otherwise, by mankind has become increasingly hard to distinguish,
artists are responding to nature - or what passes for nature - in entirely new ways.
(un)Natural looks at this phenomenon.
The di Rosa Art & Nature Preserve offers one ($10) and two hour ($15) guided discovery
tours Wednesday through Friday and Saturday at 10 am, 11 am and noon. Reservations
are recommended and can be made through your Orchard concierge.
Seasonal Spa Treatment
The Spa at The Carneros Inn features a locally
inspired treatment each month. For spring it has
designed two spa experiences sure to refresh your
mind, body and spirit. In April, The Spa will unveil a
new menu of signature treatments including an
Anti-Aging Body Wrap, Jasmine and Rose Rhassoul
Body Wrap, Flower Power Pulse Point Treatment and
a Gentleman's Facial.
MARCH
Green Rosemary and Wild Lime Body Scrub and Massage
Enjoy the green feeling of spring with an invigorating and detoxifying rosemary body
scrub followed by a sweet and fresh massage with wild lime body oil. Refresh and be
happy. 90 minutes $215
APRIL
Fresh Grapefruit and Yuzu Vitamin C-packed Body Scrub and Massage
We start this treatment with a yuzu and sea algae body wash then a hot steam in our
herbal-infused steam room. Then reawaken your cells with an invigorating body scrub of
salt, crisp grapefruit and yuzu followed by a warming massage with a trio of citrus oils
packed with Vitamin C. 90 minutes $225
To make an appointment to enjoy either of these decadent treatments, contact The
Orchard concierge or call 707.299.4785.
Spring Wine Recommendations
by PlumpJack Wine Director Gillian Balance
Several boutique wineries have recently landed in
the Napa Valley Corporate Park. Their exteriors are
large warehouse-looking buildings while on the
inside they are wonderful tasting environments.
There are so many small wineries these days that
don't own any vineyards, or, by Napa County
ordinance, cannot allow visitors to visit their
winemaking facility. That said it is becoming more
common to open a tasting venue in these office
locations where the overhead costs are lower. Two
of my favorite small wineries, Falcor and Patz & Hall, have done just that. Both are
equipped for different types of tasting experiences where you can either walk in to the
tasting bar to sample a flight of five wines or you can schedule an appointment for a sitdown tasting complete with food pairing. A few tasting notes from my recent visits:
FALCOR WINES
2004 Durrell Vineyard Chardonnay Sonoma County
Lavishly layered and complex, this Chardonnay has developed, yet youthful flavors of figs,
golden delicious apple and pear. Lots of toasty oak and refreshing acidity with hints of
mango are front and center in this Burgundian style Chardonnay.
2005 Napa Valley Sangiovese
Inspired by the "Super Tuscan" red wines of Italy, the Falcor Sangiovese is blended with
12% Cabernet Sauvignon. Rich Cabernet aromas of cassis and licorice complement the
wines high fruit tones and earthy, spicy bouquet. On the palate, bright red fruit flavors
and firm acidity wrap around a dense, cherry-currant core of fruit. Slow-toasted, tightgrained French oak barrels, purchased from the historic Gamba cooperage in Piemonte,
are another Italian connection and lend aromatic and textural complexity to the wine.
2002 "Le Bijou"
"The Jewel" is an elegant Bordeaux-style blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet
Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Opening with aromas of tobacco, cassis, cedar, cola berries
and dusty earth, the wine is loaded with opulent blackberry and blueberry fruit that is
balanced by sweet tannins and subtle new oak. Luscious and graceful, this wine has a
finish that lingers on and on.
PATZ & HALL
Chardonnay "Alder Springs" Mendocino County 2006
The 2006 Chardonnay Alder Springs Vineyard reveals notes of buttered citrus and
pineapples along with a crisp minerality and freshness. Medium-bodied, elegant, and
stylish with plenty of white currant and quince flavors.
Chardonnay "Hyde Vineyard" Carneros 2006
Forward, youthful aromas of white peach, pineapple upside down cake, and honeyed
citrus soar from the glass of the 2006 Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard. Medium to full-bodied,
fresh, and lively.
Pairing suggestion: Scallops with Meyer Lemon Brown Butter.
Pinot Noir "Jenkins Vineyard" Russian River Valley 2007
This is a supple and satisfying wine with an elegant texture - Nutty spice aromatics mingle
with layers of clove, cinnamon spice and mulled cherries. On the palate, it is smooth and
creamy, with an easy drinking charm that highlights raspberry, cherry and pomegranate
flavors, seamless tannins and a soft, lingering finish.
To arrange a visit to either of these wineries, contact The Orchard concierge or call
707.299.4785.
Castello di
Casole
Tuscany, Italy
The Preserve
at Botany Bay
St. Thomas,
USVI
One Steamboat
Place
Steamboat
Springs,
Colorado
The Timbers
Club
Snowmass,
Colorado
The Rocks
Luxury
Residence Club
Scottsdale,
Arizona
Esperanza
An Auberge
Resort
Cabo, Mexico
The Orchard at The Carneros Inn
4048 Carneros Highway
Napa, CA 94559
888.400.9831
www.theorchardatcarneros.com
The Orchard at
The Villas at
The Carneros Rancho Valencia
Inn
An Auberge
A PlumpJack
Resort
Resort
Rancho Santa
Napa, California
Fe, California