The past fifteen months have presented a real challenge for those of us that love to travel internationally. In the United States at least, while a corner has been turned and we can now travel safely closer to home, international travel is still quite piecemeal depending on the destination.

Fortunately, the US is quite lucky to have one of the world’s great wine regions within its own borders…I am talking about Napa (& Sonoma). Add to this that Northern California has some of the highest vaccination rates and lowest Covid infection rates in the entire country, a trip out west suddenly is a feasible, low risk way to indulge (pent up) food & wine fantasies.

Earlier this year, our family put a foot back in the US in Napa (keeping the other foot firmly planted in Chile, of course). Part of our reason to be here is to expand our concept and reach, not only in spreading the joys of food & wine in South America up north, yet also connecting The Americas.

California is a sort of Mediterranean bridge. It anchors why I feel so comfortable between Chile, California, and all of the Mediterranean basin for that matter. It’s the sunshine, the hot days and cool nights, the dry climate, the sea always nearby, the vineyards, the bounty of produce from figs to pomegranates, and the laidback lifestyle. The culture is channeled differently in each place yet all are “related” by that shared climate–and for the record, there are only five Mediterranean zones in the world if you count South Africa and South Australia, too.

As we “opened” California, we quickly gathered that Napa is logistically a very different animal than the places we visit in South America. While there isn’t an immediate language or cultural barrier, the sheer amount of options (to the tune of 800+ wineries and 4+ million people visiting every year) can turn vetting, curating, and orchestrating a getaway into a fulltime job requiring some wine background.

There also is this rather “curious” tendency in the US that many folks outsource their precious travel experiences to hotel concierges, drivers, Google, or paid media.

Without a clear vision for the trip, understanding of the local landscape, and knowing who is giving the recommendations, what their taste is, and what their why may be, it’s completely possible to get lost in the noise and end up with a (vanilla) experience, even though Napa is absolutely akin to Bordeaux in terms of terroir.

In the end, wherever we travel, be it international or domestic, local connections matter. So in staying with these travel times in our newest destination (and home), we are thrilled to introduce a new way to travel in Napa & Sonoma with us!!

Introducing The Napa Capsule…

This is a distillation of three days in Napa & Sonoma, a capsule of time. It doesn’t intend to be the beginning nor the end word on Napa and Sonoma. It’s a beautiful overture based on your experiences and what you’d like to live here.

If we have to describe how we curate, it’s striking that chord of authenticity and a balance of high and low, rustic and chic, mom-and-pop and blue-chip, sophisticated and undiscovered, big reds and zingy whites maybe with some biodynamic Pinot in between. It can be cutting edge or old school. We can sit at a renowned chef’s table, go on a market romp, or geek out with an artisan cheesemaker and her goats. We can hike high in the Mayacamas or chill out in a mud bath in Calistoga, or just give you our favorite shopping addresses to discover on your own.

We’ve done the homework of fleshing out the experiences and opening doors; now it’s about mixing and matching these essentials to reflect your taste, your dates, and your pace. Come alone, as a couple, bring your friends, maybe even family, or some (fun) colleagues. We can shape it to fit.

The Napa Capsule is a flexible journey that can be done over a long weekend, or mid-week when you have the valley to yourself. You can space it out with days in between for a slower cadence and independent exploration, or bookend it with a stay in San Francisco or road trip down to Big Sur. The difference though, when comparing our other journeys, is that you have the freedom to manage lodging as you see fit (of course if you want to invoke our help, we can offer a few thoughts…).

Consider us your partner to tango and create the extraordinary daily experiences that connect you to the people and that somewhereness that make Napa & Sonoma magical.

This is Napa and Sonoma through our eyes. Won’t you join us?

You can contact us here for more information and a sample itinerary; or write us at info@lizcaskey.com