If planning a visit to Northern California in order to indulge in the region’s vinous pleasures, it makes sense to choose a hotel that celebrates all things wine. Located amidst a working vineyard, Vintners Resort is an ideal choice. Offering bucolic, panoramic vistas of the surrounding vines, this Santa Rosa-based hospitality option, owned by the Jackson Family of esteemed Jackson Family Wines, along with Ensemble Investments, LLC, offers a true wine country experience. Here’s how I spent an ideal overnight at Vintners Resort:
My afternoon check-in allowed for a sun-dappled walk along the resort’s mile-long hiking path within the surrounding vines—the perfect precursor to my scheduled spa treatment at on-site Vi La Vita Spa. An indulgent sanctuary of wellness, the spa features a sumptuous relaxation lounge, indoor heated soaking pool, outdoor pool with chaises lounge, and separate male/female steam saunas. My seasonal special “Cranberry & Pomegranate Scrub” was like a full body “scratch,” and left me exfoliated and glowing, and the post-treatment offer of spiced nuts and lemon elixir, enjoyed within the lounge, was the perfect denouement.
I enjoyed a slow walk back to my spacious 2nd floor king fireplace room, surveying the property’s 92 acres of red-tile roofed Italianate buildings, fountains, fire pits, varied furnished terraces, a bocce ball court, giant chess set, and glorious gardens. The resort actually offers garden tours with landscape manager Chris Connell, who starts off by offering guests a glass of sparkling wine and a fresh amuse-bouche before sharing his gardening practices for delicious produce and gorgeous flowers. The tour ends with a picnic lunch in the vineyard, over which my vineyard facing balcony was poised—the perfect spot to enjoy my half bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon amenity (a gracious offering provided to all guests) while watching the setting sun.
A cocktail at the clubby and cozy Front Room Bar & Lounge, a favorite of wine industry locals, preceded dinner at John Ash & Co., one of Sonoma County’s most revered restaurants. The setting is elegant, with a central fireplace, white tablecloths, and colorful floral artwork. Celebrating nearly 45 years, John Ash & Co. is considered one of the pioneers in farm-to-table cuisine. It was the first Sonoma County restaurant to introduce the concept of seasonal, locally sourced products, perfectly paired with regional wines. Today, Executive Chef Tom Schmidt continues the tradition by selecting fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs from the resort’s own culinary gardens, that include fig and olive orchards, and by sourcing from local purveyors. Several in-the-know locals recommended the Grilled Angus Beef Tenderloin, and I was glad I heeded their suggestions. The tender cut, served with whipped mashed potatoes, paired beautifully with a glass of Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, selected from the restaurant’s award-winning wine list. I also quite enjoyed the warm Parker House rolls, served with salted butter. Yum.
Back at my room, where turndown service had taken place while I was out, I basked in the warmth of my small fireplace, enjoyed the Volo chocolate placed upon my pillow, and watched a bit of late night television on my large, flat screen, before drifting off within plush bedding.
In the morning, I enjoyed a cup of coffee from my in-room Keurig, while watching the vineyard fog dissipate. If I were a breakfast eater, I’d have enjoyed the choices at the resort’s River Vine café, open through lunch and serving all the early morning favorites. (In warmer weather, an outdoor patio allows for al fresco dining.) But the 1.5 hour drive to the East Bay summoned, and I was on my way, departing with a buoyant and renewed sense of relaxation and well-being, thanks to Vintners Resort’s lovely hospitality.
Vintners Resort is proud to have been awarded the Environmentalist Level in the California Green Lodging Program by the State of California’s Department of General Services. Environmentalist Level hotels are required to have a written environmental policy in place and to meet all seven of the program’s sustainability criteria: waste minimization, reuse/recycling, energy efficiency, conservation and management, waste management, freshwater resource management, hazardous materials management, and environmentally and socially sensitive purchasing policies.
Photos courtesy of Vintners Resort
