Newly Expanded, 4-Star Wine Resort in the Heart of Napa

Beyond The Meritage Resort and Spa’s iron gates, rows of grapevines stretch across rolling hills. The 4-star Tuscan-inspired property lies in the heart of Napa and embraces the valley's wine culture. Unsurprisingly, it's not hard to find a good glass of wine at The Meritage. The resort produces its own varietals and serves them in a tasting room and farm-to-table restaurant. Guest rooms even come with a welcome bottle of wine. But this resort isn’t just about wine—with the resort’s just-completed $40 million expansion, visitors can now sip on a cocktail from an expert mixologist while bowling on one of six luxury lanes in the new Crush Ultra Lounge.

The resort's 22,000-square-foot Estate Wine Cave stands out for its sheer size and Old-World Florentine architecture. Housed within the cave is the Spa Terra, named one of the world’s top 100 spas by Spas of America. The spa’s body treatments range from romantic couples experiences to the Vino Bello, a grape-seed scrub followed by a wine and rose-hip mud wrap. Also tucked away in the cave is the Trinitas Tasting Room, made from natural-stone walls and dark woodwork. Tastings may feature house label wines such as moscato, pinot noir, and cabernet sauvignon.

Chefs at the in-house restaurant, Siena, prepare locally sourced, Tuscan-influenced fare such as the rotisserie Fulton Valley chicken and herb-marinated grilled lamb chops. The recent expansion also includes the Blend Café, an Italian-inspired eatery with tempting gelato, strong espresso, and fresh pastries. Back in their rooms, guests may opt to stomp their own grapes in a roomy marble bathtub, or cap off the night with a complimentary bottle of wine. Many rooms have private balconies overlooking the picturesque vineyards.

Napa, California: Wine and Dine in the Valley

Located an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, Napa Valley is California's epicenter of wine, and there's a definite local pride in all things grape. Signs posted along roads urge drivers to stop, taste, and experience private-label wines. The culinary scene has also risen to prominence, with chefs like Thomas Keller spearheading a haute-cuisine movement.

Though hundreds of thousands of people visit each year, Napa still cultivates a small-town feel. A handful of big-name restaurants in downtown Napa might have limos parked out front, but there are still plenty of eclectic, hole-in-the wall eateries serving vegan fare or barbecue.