Wine, Dine, Refine: Essential Spa Escapes in Wine Country
From South Bay magazine: One of the nicest parts of the wine business is, well, wine country. During the decade or so that I worked as a sommelier in restaurants in NY and LA, folks would often ask me for recommendations on places to visit and while I could always speak to the juice, I rarely could speak to the experience. That’s because my wine circuit at the time was pretty much limited to the distance between my tiny apartment(s) and my chilly home-away-from-home, the wine cellar at work.
Over the last few years, I have been fortunate to have much more flexibility in my travel schedule and Los Angeles has been an ideal jumping-off point for all sorts of West Coast wine adventures. Because so many family, friends and readers request input on arranging wine country getaways, we thought we’d share three of our very favorite itineraries, each with a highly recommended hotel, spa, restaurant and of course, the “don’t miss” wineries to experience while in the region. Planning a successful wine country visit means planning! Resist the temptation to try to visit twenty wineries and instead focus equally on eating well and treating yourself well, too — each of the suggested accommodations below offer fantastic on-site dining and the very latest in luxe spa treatments. So get out your calendar and your credit card and get planning.
ROADTRIP UP THE 101
If you look up “quaint” in the OED, you might well find a picture of Los Olivos, one of the most picturesque and genuinely charming little villages in all of California wine country. Lucky for us, it’s a short 2.5-hour jaunt up the 101 and the drive itself is the stuff of fancy car commercials, especially when the mustard and lupine is in bloom as it already this season. Pass on kitschy Solvang and head straight to the Fess Parker Inn in Los Olivos, one of my very favorites because of its classic, quiet simplicity. Treat yourself to a facial or a massage at the Champagne Spa which is tucked away just behind the Parker’s lovely, secluded pool. Amenities include free tastings at the wine shop on premise, in addition to passes to the Fess Parker and Epiphany tasting rooms which are part of the Fess Parker family.
