I am a Sommelier in the making and decided I couldn't start my classes until I visited the California wine country. I couldn't spend another year without experiencing it so I booked my flight and sent a mass email to everyone I thought would be the perfect company to join me. Although my siblings and parents wanted to join, Neil was the only one able to book during my selected dates. We made it a romantic getaway for my birthday.
THE BED & BREAKFAST:
Joel and Jim, the owners of The Chanric Inn are always doing something adorable whether its leaving chocolates at your bedside, filling your champagne glass while you relax in the hot tub, or bringing you mini tapas breads while you enjoy the views from the front porch. They know Hospitality!
The Chanric Inn was everything I could have imagined and more. The guestrooms were beautifully decorated with a private bathroom. The house had 8 guest rooms with Joel and Jim just a stones throw away in the carriage house. When we arrived we were greeted with fresh popped Schramsberg Blanc de Noris champagne and a tour of the grounds. Each morning there was coffee and the daily newspaper outside of our door in case we wanted to lay in bed longer.
Joel is so thoughtful that he makes several evening reservations at the hottest restaurants in Calistoga. This way his guests can pick the cuisine they are craving without having to haggle with the host stand about being in town for a few days and not knowing the restaurant was impossible to get a reservation at. He also reserves local bus passes so that you do not need to worry about an Uber or getting around after spending the day in the vineyards. When we were not at The Chanric, I knew Joel had done everything possible to make sure we had a great experience in the beautiful town of Calistoga.
THE 3 COURSE BREAKFAST:
Heavenly...it is the only word I can think of. Joel waits on each table while Jim is concoting some amazing creation in the kitchen. I still can't decided if the scallops and risotto or the duck confit on brioche bread is my favorite. I loved Joel's good morning followed by, "would you like champagne, cappuccino, juice?". Everything served had some French cuisine influence. If these couple of sentences aren't enough of a reason to book a night at The Chanric then I must tell you that they have a small garden that supplies the herbs, fruit, spices, and vegetables for the meals. I ate a candied lavendar blossom. I could go on to write about the food but everyone needs to experience it for themselves because there are NO WORDS for how delicious everything was. It is Palate Changing!
THERE"S ALWAYS TIME FOR WINE & CHAMPAGNE:
If you cut your day in the vineyards short you can always go back to The Chanric for the wine happy hour with tapas or the goodnight sendoff with champagne and assorted truffles. If you don't drink then you can also enjoy a fresh made cappuccino. Joel and Jim always have the house stocked with treats.
FINAL BITES:
If I could afford to live at The Chanric Inn for the rest of my life I would die the happiest person in the World. If you plan to visit Napa Valley, I recommend going as far north to Calistoga to avoid the majority of tourists and you MUST stay at The Chanric Inn. You will also appreciate the sendoff gift when you checkout and want to reminisc of your experience.
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