By 707 correspondent, Deirdre Bourdet.
Don’t be disheartened by rampant seasonal closures, because January is actually the best time to eat your way through the wine country’s best, at a fraction of the usual cost. This month kicks off Yountville’s third annual MOVEABLE FEAST, a delectable discounted romp through the (Michelin) star-studded town that continues through Wednesday February 29th. This year’s special offerings include such tasty and romantic options as couples’ lunch and dinner prix fixes at Bistro Jeanty ($55 for lunch, $70 for dinner—for both of you), complimentary wine and international chocolate tastings at Cosentino Winery, and complimentary cheese and charcuterie plates at Girard and Somerston wineries (with 48 hours’ advance notice to the wineries, please).
This year’s Feast also rounded up some seriously rockin’ hotel deals in Y-ville’s swankiest spots, so you won’t have to drive home after dinner. Check out Hotel Yountville’s deluxe king room, gastronomic breakfast for two in the guests-only Hopper Creek Kitchen (now led by Sean O’Toole, formerly of the Quince/Cotogna world as well as Bardessono), access to the hotel’s enormous new spa and its 25+ winery partners, plus a bottle of sparkling wine for only $229 (Sunday through Thursdays only). For even more eco-luxe action, Bardessono is offering up a fantasy king spa suite plus a three-course dinner for two (at its newly rechristened Lucy restaurant and bar) plus a free tasting at Hill Family Estate for $429. These two are just the tip of the hotel deal iceberg, so check out all the details on the event website, remembering that these deals are always subject to availability, and certain blackout periods and restrictions may apply.
January 2012 is also NAPA VALLEY RESTAURANT MONTH—a county-wide coordination of dining perks and deals from Napa to Calistoga and everywhere in between. Free bubbly at Angèle Restaurant (just mention Restaurant Month), $20.12 prix-fixe menus at Auberge du Soleil, and hot dining/hotel packages at the stunning AVIA Hotel are just the beginning of the alphabetical listings. There are also several spots (Fish Story, and FARM on Wednesday nights) discounting their entire wine lists by 50%, offering a seriously worthwhile opportunity to expand your palate and try those bottles you’ve always wondered about. All the participating businesses and the fine print of their various discounts are posted at the event website.
Also: on top of all the other event-specific discounts, BRIX is touting an extra special wintertime lunch deal—two courses and a glass of vino for $19, available weekdays through the end of February. Chef Chris Jones took over the stoves at Brix last summer after a stint as the executive chef for ESTATE and the girl & the fig in Sonoma, and he’s brought a new wine country sensibility to the menus. Scope out the daily changing lunch prix fixes here to coordinate your visit with just the right wintry meal.
