|
Contact: info@bownsbest.com
Home - Austria - Benelux - France & Monaco - Germany - Italy - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom |
||
|
CALIFORNIA ST HELENA, NAPA VALLEY MEADOWOOD
In the 1960s, upon 250 acres in the heart of the Napa Valley, was built a small club for the use of the wine growing community. Thankfully – for all who search the world for the highest standards of hospitality – it was decided that this was a place too good to be kept for that tiny number. An hotel was developed. Now it has 85 rooms, seven tennis courts, nine holes of golf, a hiking trail and, for those of us who wish to indulge our taste for a bit of nastiness, two croquet lawns. Yet I must not give the impression that you need to be a lover of physical jerks to enjoy Meadowood. We lotus eaters are also welcome. For there is not only a spa and a wine centre (the Managing Partner is, after all, H.William Harlan – producer of the famous Harlan cabernet), but also some of the most comfortable accommodation and some of the best food on the West Coast.
When I awoke, the fire had settled to an orange glow. It was time to use the Molton Brown toiletries in the (white) bathroom and then lay out my clothes for dinner in the (white) bedroom. I should mention that the bed in the latter was supremely comfortable and that the tub in the former was of a proper, generous size. Sleeping and bathing were both pleasurable activities for me at Meadowood.
It would be easy for an establishment with so many facilities and so attractive a setting to rest on its laurels and to offer indifferent food. I was delighted therefore to find that Meadowood has put a tremendous effort into making The Restaurant a destination for serious gourmets. In Joseph Humphrey it has a chef of real talent, who takes ingredients of the highest quality and, with sensitivity and intelligence, combines them to produce a cuisine which is direct and hugely enjoyable. His 7-course tasting menu is $95. I went for 5 courses from his carte for $85.
Riedel glasses, white crockery from Germany, off-white tablecloths, spotlights and potted palms set out this high, semicircular room as a sophisticated space. But I liked the look of its terrace, so it was outside – looking out into the dark, warm blackness and cheered by the sound of a thousand crickets about their love-making – that I ate my meal. I noted that the service, from waiters in dark waistcoats and ties, was courteous and proper. Napkins were replaced when diners left the table for a moment. The sommelier looked familiar. And he was. I last encountered Rom Toulon at the Four Seasons in San Francisco. He hails from Vouvray, in France, and is a fine fellow. Even more important, his palate accords with mine, so I can trust him entirely to select for me wines which I will enjoy. Which is precisely what he did on this occasion. Prices in his cellar run from a white zinfandel at $18 to the 1997 Harlan Estate cabernet at $1,300. Californian chardonnays and cabernets dominate the list, so it seemed right to ask Monsieur Toulon to make his recommendations from them.
Breakfast at Meadowood deserves an honourable mention. Each morning I would summon my ride to The Grill, and each morning I would be greeted at this cool room of white and green by the friendly Mr Anwar Aboutaled, who presides there with genial efficiency. Again, I was tempted outside. No buffet, I am pleased to report, so the freshly made apple juice, mushrooms on toast, crisp bacon and slices of cantaloup melon into which I tucked with gusto were all brought to my table. And the members of staff here – like waitresss Araceli and waiter Christopher – were full of smiles and easy charm. Indeed, the General Manager, Tim Thuell, would be very pleased indeed if he were to inspect the content of my notes on the service at his hotel. He has a team of which to be proud. My view during these lovely breakfast periods was of the golf course… and the croquet lawns. Yes, it was during the breaking of my fast that the urge came upon me to swing the mallet. Had I been anywhere else, I could have resisted, for it takes a special kind of place to tempt me onto the grass. But Meadowood is precisely that – a special kind of place.
|
||
ADDRESSES MEADOWOOD
|
||
| Home - Austria - Benelux - France & Monaco - Germany - Italy - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - United Kingdom - United States |
© Francis Bown 2003
Croquet is, despite appearances, a vicious game. Given my sweet disposition, I therefore play it but rarely. In the gentle sunshine of the Napa Valley, however, I found a croquet lawn which was so deliciously inviting that I simply could not resist the siren call of mallet, ball and hoop. I am therefore able to reproduce for you a most unusual picture – of myself, indulging in some strenuous physical activity. The scene of this remarkable occurrence is one of the loveliest hotels in the whole of California: Meadowood.
My room was number 48 (a ‘tree-line with fireplace’ and therefore $750-$825 a night for two, according to season). This was my very own cabin, up the steps of a winding path. On my way in, I paused on the verandah and took in the surrounding fir trees. The sense of seclusion – of the best and most exclusive sort – was remarkably strong. Inside – apart from the pieces of rustic furniture, the vase of roses and chrysanthemums and the grey carpet – all was white. The ceiling of the sitting room was high and beamed, and from it came down a ceiling fan. This I did not use, for the air conditioning was quiet and effective. But I did put a light to the logs in the fireplace, for nothing can compete with the relaxing charm of a real fire. I made a pot of coffee (facilities are provided), lowered myself onto the sofa, and looked through the booklets provided by the hotel.
From these, I learnt of the wildlife which can be seen on the estate. Clearly, I have something in common with such creatures. We both like the best places. No twitcher myself, I was interested to discover that 112 different birds live, or pass through, here – with the bald eagle being “a year-round resident”. Soothed by such intelligence, and lulled by the crackling of the flames, I dozed off.
Suited and starched-collared, I felt the need to eat. I was, of course, some considerable distance from my intended table. But movement around the property was never a problem during my stay. The procedure was simple: I lifted the telephone, spoke to Reception, and by the time I had walked down my pathway a motor (or a golf buggy) was there to transport me to my destination. In this case, it was to the more formal of the hotel’s two dining rooms, The Restaurant.
My first dish was a treat for my eye as well as my palate. The salad of watermelon and Heirloom tomatoes, with radishes, arugula and basil sabayon was presented in the manner of a Japanese garden. It was delicious, well-balanced and refreshing. Roasted foie gras, with rye bread crust, peach-whiskey coulis and mustard, brought another aesthetic delight. Its flavour combinations were utterly convincing. I was slightly less taken with the following duck breast. Gorgeous, tender meat, but the beets, walnuts, turnip purée and liquorice juice were a little discordant in my mouth. No such problem with the beef. With this wonderfully tender and tasty meat came excellent roasted new potatoes, mushrooms, butter beans and a cabernet sauce. And good, harmonious flavours marked the finale, too – basil mascarpone mousse with a strawberry-basil float.
And blessed was I to drink the results. The 2003 Chateau Boswell from the Sonoma Coast (Ritchie Vineyard - $105) was a brilliant example of the winemaking art – toasty, buttery, with exactly the right balance of acidity and discreet fruit. A real joy. And the 2001 reserve cabernet was nearly as good. The label on the Martin Estate bottle ($110) was itself a work of art. I tried this wine both straight from the bottle and also decanted. I concluded that it certainly needed the decanting, so that its massive, tightly-packed black fruit could open out and yield its majestic complexity.