September 23, 2004

TIMES TRAVELS

Travel Talk By Mike Cleary

The loveliest two-laners in the state

If Caltrans holds a beauty pageant for roads, I’m rooting for Highway 12/121 to win the title. It’s one of the loveliest two-laners in the state. Also called the Carneros Highway, this scenic corridor connects Napa and Sonoma.

It’s a most agreeable way to get from one grapey county to the next. On either side are gentle, rolling hills carpeted with vineyards—mostly chardonnay and pinot noir grapes—with distant views of the bay and mountains.

Today, there are reasons aplenty to stop and enjoy Carneros itself. Some 30-plus wineries call it home. Named a wine appellation in 1983, the area’s wineries range from stunning, large-scale architectural statements like Artesa and Domaine Carneros to more casual and less opulent tasting rooms. All are welcoming, however, and pour good wines. While not the most visitor-friendly of sites, the Carneros Quality Alliance (www.carneros.org) Web site is still a good resource for information on the region.

While browsing the site, I learned that in 1840 settlers from Ireland, Germany and France came to this fertile land to raise sheep (Carneros is Spanish for sheep.) and cattle and grow apples, apricots, grapes and plums. Now, the only sheep you’ll spot from the highway are the whimsical sculptures that graze at the entrance to the DiRosa Preserve (www.dirosapreserve.org), an art-filled property that really is worth a visit when exploring the area.

The newest attraction is the Carneros Inn (www.carnerosinnn.com). This luxury property consists of a village of wood-framed cottages with metal roofs and spacious private gardens with deck and patio seating. Just above the complex is the hilltop location for reception, the spa, restaurant and pool. The views from here are spectacular, and the pool setting is one of the best we’ve seen in the wine country.

The in-room brochure describes the buildings’ architectural style as one inspired by the barns and camps that occupied the region. A colleague who had earlier tried the hotel’s casual restaurant, the Boon Fly Cafe, was told by a server that she calls it “agri-chic.” That works for me.

Our cottage, from the outside, might resemble farm worker housing, but that’s where any similarity ended. The interior was total luxury from the contemporary furnishings, Italian bed linens, flat-panel television, cherry-wood floors, spacious bathroom with heated slate floor and, best of all, an outdoor shower. Don’t worry, there’s one inside, too. The outside deck has a gas heater and is so private it almost becomes part of the room. Our only complaint was a lack of drawer space.

It is here that Mary Ann and I enjoyed one of the best dining experiences this year. I wish I was a gifted food writer who, with an arsenal of gustatory adjectives, can describe a dinner and leave you drooling. Suffice it to say ours was a five-course masterpiece of dishes beautifully prepared by Phillip Wang and his pastry chef, Deborah Yee-Henen. Carneros and other Napa/Sonoma wines were intelligently paired with this feast. The dining room was the perfect setting for this special dinner—airy, elegant and comfortable with large windows that allow you to enjoy the stunning views.

Naturally, I was anxious to sing the praises of this special restaurant and make it known to one and all. But there’s a snag. Only hotel guests and their personal guests can dine there. You can’t just drive up the hill, holler “table for two” and settle in for some of Wang’s best. I asked a server why and she said it’s a condition of their permit and hopes it will change soon. So do I. Perhaps, they can invite whatever part of the Napa County body politic that issued such an edict and seduce them into changing it with the same kind of magical evening we experienced.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a nod to the enthusiastic staff at the Carneros Inn. Our bellman gave us a tour of the property and I swear he sounded like he owned the place. This bright young man acted like there was no place else in the world he’d rather be than at the inn. That attitude was also reflected in our servers and other staff. As a result, for 24 hours, we felt the same way. Cheers.

Mike Cleary and his wife Mary Ann co-host “Food and Travel Radio” at 6 p.m. Sundays on KABL 960 AM. Readers can e-mail Mike at mc@foodandtravelradio.com.