Town & Country Travels HomeWhen the Wine Spectator's Bay Area tasting coordinator set out to start his own winery, oenephiles paid attention. The resulting Copain Winery and Cellars is the dream and brainchild of wine publishing maverick Wells Guthrie, who joined forces with software designer pal Kevin McQuown (the term Copain, pronounced "co-pehn", is French for "buddies") to found the handsome new winery. Perched on a vine-gartered hill overlooking Sonoma's Russian River Valley, the winery is now open by appointment to visitors or bookable for special events.
The tasting room, designed by Guthrie's wife Stacy and McQuown's partner Doug, is stocked with furniture from Mitchell & Gold and one-of-a-kind pieces from local Windsor-based furniture distributor Cokas-Diko. The views from the grounds of the wine barn embody the romantic ideal of American wine connoisseurship, and are unparalleled by any other tasting room in Sonoma.
Visitors to the winery should sample flights of the winery's carefully chosen Syrahs and Pinot Noirs, which are created using the malolactic fermentation process (without the addition of cultured yeasts and bacteria). They should also sign up for food pairing tastings with catering done by Mirepoix and Thomas Keller Private Dining. And of course, no one should go home without a bottle: try the 2005 Syrah Eaglepoint Ranch, a medium- to full-bodied wine that was given high marks by The Wine Advocate's Robert Parker.
To schedule a winery tour and tasting, contact James Castaneda at 707-836-8822, ext. 104.
Copain Wine Cellars
7800 Eastside Road
Healdsburg, Calif.
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Like many San Francisco visitors, I often find myself climbing the
city's fog-mantled streets in search of new flavors. My latest
discovery, which also happens to be the town's hottest reservation, is Spruce (right: image by Frankie Frankeny), a new, elegant and already grown-up feeling restaurant tucked away on
Sacramento Street in the lesser-known Presidio Heights neighborhood.
After being seated at a prominent dining table in the rear, I took stock of Spruce's elegant details: Christofle silverware, amaretto leather chairs fastened with brass tacks, Baccarat crystal chandeliers, and German Rosenthal époque china are merely the set pieces to rakish Chef Mark Sullivan's
cuisine. Our server Jennifer brought out an amuse bouche plate of
savory cheese puffs called compte gougers, and proceeded to answer all
my difficult questions with aplomb, including what types of grapes were
in the Beerenauslese and the roasting method of the peony tea.
Apparently, each server must complete a two-week course before working
here, and I'm betting Jennifer came out at the top her class.
She
also informed me that 80% of the restaurant's produce comes from its
own private farm (SMIP Ranch) just south of the city in the hills of
Woodside. Dish after ornate dish that she brought abounded with flavor...
Read Day 1: Colony Palms Hotel
Read Day 2: JW Marriott Desert Springs
It's a relief to check out of the giant Marriott mega-resort and slide into a tranquil, service-forward property like Miramonte Resort and Spa in nearby Indian Wells (pool area pictured, right). Refurbished completely in 2005, the $10 million rehab simplified the main courtyard pool area and upgraded the rooms with marble tubs, double vanities, and giant beds with overstuffed comforters that, truthfully, seemed a tad out of place in the desert. Nevertheless, the property now has a AAA Four Diamond Award, a Conde Nast Johansen's recommendation and a new 12,000 square foot spa ranked one of North America's 10 Best Resort Spas in 2008 by Conde Nast, though it was much smaller and a less-relaxing experience than the JW Marriott Spa.
When we pulled into the property's driveway, the valet addressed me by name. "Mr. Graham?" he asked, opening my car door and offering to help with the bags -- something the other properties neglected to do. From that point on during my stay I was addressed by name by everyone on the meticulously gracious staff.
We checked into the spacious Presidential Suite, a 1,038 square foot unit on the second floor, overlooking terracotta tiled roofs and the pool's new rentable cabanas. The rooms were designed by Robertson Group in Los Angeles and furnishings were by turns Tuscan and corporate -- leather dining chairs, large dark wood credenzas and maroon overstuffed couches. Still, the two-bathroom suite came stocked with Sicilian red orange Tarocco products, free wifi, and were spacious and comfortable enough for a small family or couple that needs a lot of breathing room. The room's best feature was the Venetian-style balcony, with expansive views of a courtyard planted with olive trees, and citrus groves trailing off to the dusky Santa Rosa Mountains.
Unlike some of the resorts we visited, there was a good chair-to-guest ratio poolside. There is no "it factor" here, meaning crowds tend to be on the 40-something side. It's a tranquil, no-pressure spot to get some sun. On one side of the pool sat a young French family drinking blueberry smoothies under the cabanas with their toddler daughter; on the other side, a foursome of middle-aged couples from Los Angeles casually dangled their legs in the pool and munched on cool crisp Caesar salads ($10) from the affordable menu's uber-healthy selection of snacks. The Miramonte, it turns out, is best experienced poolside.
Miramonte Resort & Spa
45000 Indian Wells Lane
Indian Wells, Calif. 92210
760-341-2200
The federal government -- not usually known as purveyors of upscale lodging -- may be entering negotiations to open a hotel on Alcatraz Island, site of the infamous prison that emerges from the fog every so often in San Francisco Bay.
The National Park Service administers the island, and the potential
accommodations could wind up being of the same variety as those found
at the renowned (and lovely) Ahwahnee in California's Yosemite National Park.
In
one plan on the table, hotel rooms would be carved out of former
guards' quarters, not the actual cellblocks. But any development on "the Rock" is at least two years
away, and most likely longer.
(Photo from the San Francisco Chronicle/Frederic Larson)
"Prison luxe" is not without precedent...
After checking out of the Colony Palms, we made our way to Palm Desert, just a 15 minute drive from Palm Springs, to investigate the JW Marriott Desert Springs, a Mobil 4-star rated resort, ranked one of the country's Best Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler in 2008.
I checked into the 436-acre mega-resort with reservations (of the emotional variety). Though the Marriott brand doesn't usually conjure up images of exclusivity or luxury, this is one of the chain's flagship properties with a fresh $30 million redo by nine-time Hermes Award winner and design firm extraordinaire WATG...
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While in San Diego recently to run that city's marathon, I had the pleasure of staying at the swank Grand Del Mar, a brand-new hotel located in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Reserve, twenty
minutes north of downtown. The property was developed at a cost of $270
million (more than $1 million per room), making it one of the priciest
California hotels ever erected.
That staggering investment is evident in every nook of the hotel, from the detailing to the doorknobs...
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It seems like everyone in the world except us Californians experiences
June as a harbinger of sunny summer days to come. But here, the
notorious June Gloom represents the grayest month of the year,
including drizzle, fog and other dreary conditions uncharacteristic of
sunny California. So what better time to head to the desert to check
out some of the most buzzed-about new hotels, spas and restaurants?
Here, our picks and pans from a recent foray into the desert.
The Grey-Lady loved (and L.A. Times-lambasted) newcomer to the desert is the Colony Palms Hotel,
a former brothel-turned-boutique with 56 Moroccan-mod themed rooms,
eight adorable casitas with private plunge Jacuzzis and a handful of
suites and deluxe rooms.
My friend and I arrived on a quiet Thursday afternoon...
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Heidi Mitchell is editor-in-chief of Town & Country Travel and Town & Country Weddings, and features and travel editor of Town & Country.
Adam H. Graham is a contributing writer for this blog; his work also frequently appears in Town & Country Travel, both in the magazine and online.
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