Birthday Celebration in Calistoga

This post is long overdue. Dean had a milestone birthday two months ago and we celebrated by spending 2 days and 1 night in wine country–mainly Calistoga.

Stay

Indian Springs has been on my bucket list and it did not disappoint. Walking distance to downtown Calistoga, the resort offers spa services, bikes that you can hop on and off throughout the property or ride around town, bocce ball, croquet, a kids playground, a chicken coop, gardens, but the main attraction for me was the Olympic-sized pool geothermally warmed by on-site geysers to 92-102 degrees. I could have spent the full 2 days in there. I never wanted to leave. There’s also a second pool for adults only.

Drink

We went to the following wineries:

• Stag’s Leap. Solid wine. I can’t ever pass up a wine tasting here. Legendary for being the first American red wine to win the 1976 Judgment of Paris. For history buffs, it was Chateau Montelena in Calistoga that won for its Chardonnay. It was a historical moment that put Napa Valley on the map.
• T-Vine. I had a glass of T-Vine in NYC that I loved and finally went to their winery. Sadly I was a little disappointed. Maybe my expectations were too high.
• Tamber Bey. I would pass on their wines, but I fell in love with their horses. I just love animals! I swear one of them was cuddling with me. Fun fact: our wine pourer auditioned for and was in the running for the mom in the TV show Married with Children. She was awesome, super spunky. She had that show business quality.
• Joseph Phelps. Quite possibly the best wine I have tasted in my life. And you know I have tasted a lot of friggin wine! Their tastings are expensive, but worth it since every bottle they pour is $100+.

Eat

The food in wine country is, of course, marvelous anywhere you go.

• Solbar. Solage is an upscale hotel right around the corner from Indian Springs. Solbar is the restaurant.
• Sam’s Social Club. This is the Indian Springs restaurant which I hesitated to go to. I didn’t want to spend time eating at another hotel restaurant, but all of the locals we talked to mentioned it as one of their favorites. The breakfast was divine.
• Farmstead. The food all starts to blur, especially when everything is solidly good. This was our last meal and I remember liking it.