Calistoga wineries

[JohnP]

Eat at Solage

Strongly disagree. I’ll be staying at Solage next month, and while I’d love to not leave the property we’ll be going to dinner elsewhere. Ate at their restaurant last year while staying there and it was very underwhelming. Especially given the general standards of their property.

peter michael.

Does Peter Michael accept visitors?

Peter Michael isn’t open to the public, but they do offer private tastings to previous buyers from mailing list. I visited a few years ago and really enjoyed the experience. They drove us to the top of the mountain to view their vineyards, and held the tasting at their main building at the base. They’re setup more as of a working winery/residence.

[OwenB]

We had a great meal at SolBar last year. Excellent food and service.

[RMann]

Alright, it’s been almost 10 years since I’ve visited CM. Next time I’m in Calistoga, I’ll stop in for a private tasting and tour. Winemaking evolves and maybe my opinion will too?

I am glad you said for a private (or at least special) tasting. People on this board who have gone there and just done the basic tastings there do not seem nearly as impressed as I have been when doing one of their better tastings. Of course, my first vintage of Montelena was the 78 so I have been drinking these things for a while. Had the 1978 Sonoma again a few years ago and it was fabulous.

John, I don’t know if you have tasted any California Cabernets from the 70s or 80s such as Montelena, Ridge Montebello, Sterling (at least as long as Forman was there), Diamond Creek, Mondavi Reserve, Heitz, Chappellet or a few others, but if you have not, you really owe to yourself to try one or a few. It might give you more appreciation for the classics of California.

Some of the wines from the 70s/80s I’ve tried (ex: 78 & 79’ Mondavi Reserve) were epic. However, sourcing them has always been the trouble. I’d say over the last 10 years, I’m about a 25% hit rate and have become a little jaded from buying at winebid/etc where I cannot guarantee perfect cellaring. If any of you live in San Diego and want to sell/trade, pls message me.

As for CM, I totally agree, special tastings are the only way to roll. Their basic tasting experience (from my memory) was more or less like walking into a bar and fighting to get a drink. Note, it was raining that day.

Hi John, thanks for your comment about some of the difficulties in sourcing well-stored vintage bottles. At WineBid, folks may not know that we have a very rigorous inspection process and strive hard to review and document provenance, storage, authenticity and quality of every bottle that comes through our auction. I’m sorry if you had a bad bottle or bad experience, and hope that you contacted customer service about it. Any reported issues are always thoroughly investigated, back to the source. We value the WineBerserker community and feedback! Feel free to PM me as well.

[mattlock]

Echoing a few:

Mending Wall (ask for Amy, she’s awesome)
Larkmead is no brainer
Vincent Arroyo (great Petite Sirah as well as olive oils & vinegars!)

[blarmston]

Oh my, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. I am tempted to hop in my car and drive the 7 hours up there right now- I could get there juuuuust in time for dinner…

[lleichtman]

Chateau Montelena?

Definitely add CM to the list, but personally I’d only recommend driving up there to take a few pics of the estate and head straight to Carter for a tasting of their SVs before they sellout. For the same premium today on CM’s estate cab, you can get Beckstoffer wines. Just my personal preference.

At what age do you drink your California Cabernet?

At my current one.

[Howard_Cooper]

Oh my, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. I am tempted to hop in my car and drive the 7 hours up there right now- I could get there juuuuust in time for dinner…

[Merrill_Lindquist]

We had a great meal at SolBar last year. Excellent food and service.

Solbar at Solage Resort is my go to restaurant - usually 1 or 2 times a week - as it is just under a mile from my place. There were some ups and downs through some chef changes, but it appears it is all settling into a good place. There is nothing close to it for quality and service and ambiance in Calistoga. What I like a lot about it is there is always tasty food being served, from 7:00 a.m. to closing (not sure when that is). The menu changes throughout the day, but there is always a menu. Everyone has opinions on food and wine and vacations. What one person loves another does not. I do not frequent Sam’s Club…just doesn’t do it for me.

[John_Ammons]

That’s great to hear SolBar can be good, because I’d love to walk to dinner while staying there. The meal I had there last summer was objectively bad. Not possible a person could love at least several of the courses we were served.

[David_J]

Solbar redid their menu and if has improved a lot. Definitely my go to restaurant in Calistoga. Try the lucky pig and thank me later

[Steve_Crawford]

Eat at Solage

Strongly disagree. I’ll be staying at Solage next month, and while I’d love to not leave the property we’ll be going to dinner elsewhere. Ate at their restaurant last year while staying there and it was very underwhelming. Especially given the general standards of their property.

peter michael.

Does Peter Michael accept visitors?

for the right price. forced donation, $100 pp i think.

[Pat_Esposito]

Agree with John on CM. Went there after Carter in November and it was night and day. CM was a standard corporate tasting hosted by a generic employee that had been the a week. While they age well when young everything we tasted was average.

Of course no one asked the OP what their tastes and equally important their budget is. That could change a lot

One thing I differ with John is on auction hit rate. Over last 10 years I’ve rarely had a bad or off bottle, most are good to very good and about 25% have been exceptional. I guess a lot depends upon what you buy and which vintages. And I’m in SD also

My wife and I stopped at CM last year, I was really excited as I liked their older wines that I have had. Agree with DB, standard tasting and we dumped most of the reds. Of course we almost never drink a Cali Cab younger than 10 years these days, so as stated it really depends on where your palate is at.

We loved the personal experience at Venge, as well as the wines, which had a bit more personality to them than CM. The porch overlooking the property is really nice as well.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

Someone mentioned Café Sarafornia for breakfast. You can smell the grease as you walk by the storefront.

I’ll recommend Solbar again, and yes, big time for breakfast. My favorite is a tortilla with chorizo, salsa, sour cream, fried egg on top…I forget what else…I get it about once or twice a month. But there are fresh berries, crabmeat and avocado, lots of stuff. My opinion - go there.

[John_Ammons]

I’ll recommend Solbar again, and yes, big time for breakfast. My favorite is a tortilla with chorizo, salsa, sour cream, fried egg on top…I forget what else…I get it about once or twice a month. But there are fresh berries, crabmeat and avocado, lots of stuff. My opinion - go there.

Although I’m not a big breakfast guy, we stayed at Solage again last week and gave Solbar another try for dinner. And it was excellent! Obviously they were having a chef transition or something last summer when we had a dog of a dinner there.

This time everything was stellar, from blue crab, to a gnocchi/lobster dish, to a duck entree, to a fascinating dish they called the Carolina Rice Bowl, which was teeming with seasonal vegetables. Now mind you, this was a $36 plate that would more appropriately have been in the mid $20s, but sitting outside on a perfect Napa evening with excellent service made such an up charge a nonissue. Thankfully we brought our wine as the wine list is a bit scary!

The food at the pool was also excellent, highlighted by a wonderful little gem salad.

So I stand corrected; superb food is coming out of that kitchen. As it should. What a fabulous property.

Our second night we ate at Lovina on the main drag. It was wonderful. Cute little outdoor patio, very good food, and they have no corkage on Thursdays. Recommended.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

I’ll recommend Solbar again, and yes, big time for breakfast. My favorite is a tortilla with chorizo, salsa, sour cream, fried egg on top…I forget what else…I get it about once or twice a month. But there are fresh berries, crabmeat and avocado, lots of stuff. My opinion - go there.

Although I’m not a big breakfast guy, we stayed at Solage again last week and gave Solbar another try for dinner. And it was excellent! Obviously they were having a chef transition or something last summer when we had a dog of a dinner there.

This time everything was stellar, from blue crab, to a gnocchi/lobster dish, to a duck entree, to a fascinating dish they called the Carolina Rice Bowl, which was teeming with seasonal vegetables. Now mind you, this was a $36 plate that would more appropriately have been in the mid $20s, but sitting outside on a perfect Napa evening with excellent service made such an up charge a nonissue. Thankfully we brought our wine as the wine list is a bit scary!

The food at the pool was also excellent, highlighted by a wonderful little gem salad.

So I stand corrected; superb food is coming out of that kitchen. As it should. What a fabulous property.

Our second night we ate at Lovina on the main drag. It was wonderful. Cute little outdoor patio, very good food, and they have no corkage on Thursdays. Recommended.

I am so glad you enjoyed it. I was probably there! I had passed along some comments from “colleagues” (you - not by name) and they were very concerned. Next time if it is still on the menu try the agnolotti or the beef tartare. And anyone who goes there at any time should get the fish tacos…trust me on this one.

[John_Morris]

Don’t forget about Ch. Montelena…

I was just going to say! They kind of put Calistoga on the map.

[John_Ammons]

And anyone who goes there at any time should get the fish tacos…trust me on this one.

I did get the fish tacos which are also offered poolside. They were awesome. Breading the fish in a fish taco is a risky proposition, IMO, but they nailed it.

[JeremyMullman]

I believe Rivers-Marie was building a winery/tasting room in Calistoga. Did it open yet? If not, anyone know the status?

[Merrill_Lindquist]

Well, Mr. Sequi is the best one to answer, but since I have been past the site just recently, I can say it is in the building process. Over near T-Vine on route 29.

[Merrill_Lindquist]

I heard from a good source or two this afternoon that The All Season’s restaurant in downtown Calistoga is serving excellent food. A bit hard for me to believe, but for certain I will check it out soon.