Napa Valley, CaliforniaBardessonoThe Bardessono, one of Napa Valley’s newest luxury hotels, is a
Napa Valley’s tiny town of Yountville is known for its handful of prestigious restaurants, such as Thomas Keller’s French Laundry and Bouchon as well as wine-tasting destinations including Domaine Chandon where sparkling wines are produced. Bardessono, just steps across the street from Bouchon and the scrumptious Bouchon Bakery, opened in February 2009 on the eighty-year-old Bardessono family farmstead. Sherburne was selected by the family heirs to develop a luxury hotel that would befit Yountville’s small-town charm and gracefully harmonize with Napa’s agricultural abundance.
After passing through the vertical garden display of herbs in the lobby, we crossed a couple of quietly running streams by footbridge to find our zen-like room, cool, serene and a little austere. Concrete, porcelain and recycled glass tiles accompanied by green-certified fabrics, soy fiber-based rugs and organic cottons welcomed us with their clean and green ardor. Just past the gas fireplace outside the huge glass windows was the private furnished courtyard that could be instantly hidden by pressing a button that brought down a motor-controlled exterior shuttering system. The oversize bathroom in our spa-suite was designed for personalized spa treatments, including a concealed massage table, soaking tub and separate shower. Guests are invited to lounge indefinitely in the privacy of their own suites or enjoy conventional spa treatments at the Bardessono wellness center or even poolside near the hotel’s rooftop 75-foot lap pool.
Room rates at the Bardessono include valet parking, high-speed internet and no additional person fee. Carbon-fiber bicycles for touring the town of Yountville are available free of charge. Guests have access to the Yountville Fitness Center located just one block from the hotel. The Spa-Suite has 550 square feet of room space and is available with one King or two Queen beds. A Steam-Spa Suite offers the same
Much of what makes Bardessono architecturally and environmentally unique is actually hidden from view. An underground geothermal system consisting of eighty-two 300-foot wells is responsible for heating and cooling the hotel’s guestrooms, the spa, and for heating domestic water. Hidden on the hotel’s rooftops are 940 photovoltaic solar panels that produce direct current which passes through 35 inverters to produce alternating current for the hotel—the largest solar power system for any hotel in North America. Motion sensors extinguish lights when rooms are unoccupied, drop shades and reduce energy use. On our first evening, we noticed when we returned from dinner in the hotel restaurant, all controls returned to the level at which we left them, except for the fact that shades had been lowered for our privacy. Concern for minimizing waste and environmental impact by re-using materials still retaining usefulness is evident in Bardessono’s building construction. Salvaged woods from Monterey Cypress, walnut trees, redwood wine barrels and California Bay trees have been tastefully incorporated in the buildings’ siding, flooring, doors, furniture, ceilings and guestroom desks. A giant “Earth Tub” transforms vegetative wastes from the hotel kitchen and cuttings into organic compost used for enriching soil in landscaped areas. Bardessono is rightfully proud of having been awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest standard for environmental design.
In the afternoon, we walked up a flight of steps to enjoy the serenity of the rooftop lap pool where several other guests were lounging. To the east we enjoyed stunning views of trees, vineyards and the majestic Stags Leap Palisades, as well as the ring of hills and vistas in every other direction. After spending a few minutes in the Jacuzzi, we cooled off with a beverage at the bar, and sauntered over to one of the empty cabanas that had been inviting us to recline and fill our souls with the surrounding beauty. Thus pampered and relaxed, our appetites began to grow in anticipation of a hearty meal that awaited us in the restaurant below.
The Bardessono Restaurant Local seasonal ingredients are used whenever possible in Executive Chef Sean O’Toole’s exquisite menu featuring dishes highlighted as “Field & Forest,” “Ocean,” and “Pasture & Range.” Seven entrees are offered under each of these three categories in small or whole portions. A six course market tasting menu is available with or without paired wines ($130 or $85). Sustainable, organic and biodynamic products—many from the gardens on site—are used whenever available.
We opted for the paired tasting menu and were immediately served a muse bouche of cold split pea soup with olive oil served in a tiny espresso cup. A muse bouche, translated from the French, is something meant to “amuse your mouth,” hence what we might call an appetizer. However, this was not just any appetizer but a tiny, complimentary one that was meant to heighten our anticipation for what was to come, a little “tease from the chef.”
Next I was served the Nou Vang Farm Eggplant salad featuring chu chu eggplant, pickled onions, aromatic salad, hass avocado and croutons of crispy jasmine rice. My wife had the Bruin Farm Tomato Salad served with heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese, Lucy’s Garden (grown on site) basil, and Sparow Lane balsamic vinegar. Sharing every dish, we were able to compare notes and comments on our likes and preferences. We both voted the tomato salad was the winner in this round. Our glass of Frogs Leap Sauvignon Blanc was magnificent with its grassy flavor, so perfect for our first course.
My wife was served the Potato Gnocchi for her second course. This dish featured Sierra porcini mushrooms, summer herb sauce and parmigiano-reggiano. Normally not a big fan of gnocchi (something about the thought of eating balls of dough), we found this dish to be much lighter and delicate than some of the gnocchi we’ve eaten elsewhere. I had the Trophie Pasta served with Bruin Farm tomatoes, summer truffle, basil flower, vella dry jack cheese, and Regina extra virgin olive oil. As a pasta dish, it was flavorful and fresh, and would have made an excellent choice for a luncheon entrée. Here it became lost in the abundance of offerings we were being served. The 2007 Newton Chardonnay, however, was delightful with its subtle oakiness and fragrant bouquet—a superb choice.
The third wine served at our table was a 2008 Capio Sonoma Pinot Noir, a hearty red that led us to expect a hearty meat course. However, we were surprised to find we were served two dishes from the ocean. My wife sampled the Wild King Salmon accompanied by Hill Family farm squash, tempura blossom, summer truffle, heirloom basil, and green tomato jus. The salmon was the overall winner for the evening! It was moist, delicate, and perfectly delightful. The tempura was a nice touch and added interest to the plate. I had Maine Diver Scallops served with Iacopi Farm English peas, sweet red carrots, pearl onions, little gems lettuce, and something called pork belly lardoons which was a type of bacon with a little bit of fat left on. Overall, the scallops, though tasty, did not stand out as much as the salmon. I appreciated the effort at combining locally grown produce, but even those delicacies failed to impress as other items.
The next course began with a very tasty wine from Tuscany, a Traviti (Three Vines) Barberi, somewhat akin to a pinot noir. This was my favorite red of the evening, while the chardonnay was my favorite white. My wife was served the Liberty Farm Duck roasted breast, accompanied by sweet yellow corn, pearl onions, morel mushrooms, smoked duck confit and pepper sauce. I had the Cal-King Squab roasted breast, served with Her Farm daikon radish, white nectarine chutney, spice nem ran (in appearance, like an egg roll) and squab jus. Both dishes were attractive, creative and appealing but uninspiring in the palate. Of the two, I’d say we favored the duck course over the bland squab.
For the dessert course we were each brought a pair of dessert wines, one a tokay and another a Black Forest Port. Sweet wines are something I don’t usually enjoy, yet we both tasted the offerings and found them enjoyable, although beyond what we could handle. I wanted something of chocolate from the menu, so I chose the Black Forest Tart with Guanaja chocolate, Gotelli Farm bing cherries, kirsch Chantilly, and cherry ice cream. My wife opted for the Williams Farm Strawberry Vacherin served with crisp meringue, tellicherry peppercorn, vanilla Chantilly, and vincotto. The dessert portions were presented with elegance and enjoyed with gusto!
Restaurant seating is available indoors as well as outdoors with a view of the courtyard. We chose to sit indoors by huge open windows overlooking patrons seated outside where they dined under outdoor propane patio heaters that kept them cozy in the Napa Valley evening air. The selection of jazz music played that evening was a little distracting and the Euro-disco driven beat was not the smooth style I would have preferred. The service, however, was prompt, and the level of knowledge by the staff was superb. Each dish, as it was brought out, was presented professionally and explained thoroughly.
As to be expected, Bardessono offers an extensive wine menu and serves a variety of other alcoholic beverages as well. The menus for dinner and dessert surely have something to please anyone. Personally, it would be interesting to go back and try a completely different series of menu items. There are a number of exotic ocean offerings (such as Monterey Shellfish featuring “a la grecque” calamari, octopus, prawn, summer vegetable salad and E.V.O.O.) as well as Marin Sun Farm Beef petite filet, a glazed short rib served with macaroni-n-cheese gratin, New Zealand spinach, and summer truffle. Perhaps I’ll have to return one day to see what else may turn up on the menu!
Bardessono 6526 Yount Street
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square footage and bed options, but features an upgraded bathroom featuring an indoor dual shower-steam room and an outdoor shower. Tufa Suites offer the ultimate in comfort and spacious design. These 780-square foot suites feature a sitting room and bedroom divided by a see-through gas fireplace. All rooms feature Coyuchi Organic Bed Linens and robes, In Fiore bath produces, 40” Sony LCD HD television, mini refrigerator with complimentary bottled water, and champagne bath tubs (for bubbly baths). The chief dilemma here is that there are so many reasons to stay in your room and so many inviting opportunities to experience outside the room that the very act of decision-making will be the most difficult thing you’ll have to do during your stay.
