Last weekend, in preparation for our backyard wedding, a team of gal-pals kidnapped me for a Napa daytrip aka my “Bachelorette Party”! Thankfully, these ladies have amazing taste—see where we landed for inspiration for your next Napa visit.
SolBar at Solage: The best ingredients. The right techniques. The perfect presentation. These are the guiding principles of the Solbar kitchen. The Michelin Star-rated Solbar is full of creative California Soul Food inspired by the freshest locally grown, seasonal ingredients. The warm interior features a woodsy-chic vibe inside overlooking a spacious outdoor patio where you can dine and unwind by the firepit while taking in spectacular views of the surrounding mountain ranges.
Executive Chef Brandon Sharp and his team update the Solbar menus daily. Brandon joined Solage Calistoga after honing his craft at some of the most recognized restaurants in the country. Most recently, he was Sous Chef at the five-star Gary Danko in San Francisco. Prior to that, he was Chef de Cuisine at Restaurant August, a New Orleans culinary institution, and Chef de Partie alongside Thomas Keller at the world-renowned French Laundry in Napa Valley.
Kelly Fleming Wines: Employing a diverse skill set acquired over many years of serving as a valued partner, a devoted mother and supportive community member, Kelly Fleming set out on a path to build something of quality for herself and her children — something which, by design, would last.
Kelly Fleming Wines was launched in 1998 with the purchase of a 300 acre parcel of land on Pickett Road in the Napa Valley sub-appellation of Calistoga. There was never any question of what to plant here. This is Cabernet Sauvignon country. The first vines, a total of eight acres, went into the ground in 1999. Six years later another four were developed, with no plans for additional plantings on this largely wild tract of land. The site, which was selected for its soils, is nestled between two scenic canyons on a craggy slope at the northern end of the property the land had no history of vines, but neighbors include Araujo, Frediani, Hundred Acre, Kenefick, and Fisher.
The first vintage (2002) was released in the spring of 2005 and in June of 2010 Kelly Fleming Wines celebrated the opening of an estate winery facility on Pickett Road, adjacent to the 12 acre vineyard. Kelly’s exquisite taste and eye for detail can be seen in every aspect of the company she has built from the ground up, personally overseeing everything from site selection and facility design, to label development, farming decisions, and use permits.
Firmly committed to conscientious land stewardship, they practice sustainable farming, utilizing the best viticultural management practices. Only a small percentage of the land is committed to vines in order to preserve the pristine nature of this beautiful setting with its seasonal creeks, tree-covered hills and abundant wildlife. Kelly Fleming Wines is more than just another label — it’s heritage in the making.
