Yountville's New Winterscape Salutes   Season

A month-Long Winter Wonderland features a new Ice Skating Rink, Carriage Rides, Holiday Art & Performance, Wine, Dine and Hotel Packages! 

HIGHLIGHTS OF WINTERSCAPE –  Dec. 1–Jan. 2, 2011

ICE SKATING
Vintage Winter Pavilion
Dec. 11–Jan. 2, 2011

Spin into the season skating under the stars in a clear-top tent infused with holiday music, festive trees and elaborate décor at V Marketplace.   This new attraction is certain to spark holiday cheer with a lively sidekick of food and drink venues. After 6 p.m., the Hot Toddy & Holiday Cocktail menu debuts. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily, December 11 – January 2nd. $12/adults; $8/children 8 & under. vmarketplace.com & yountville.com  (707) 944-8008.

CARRIAGE RIDES
Nov.27, Dec. 4, 11, 18 & 31, 2010

Carriage Rides – Saddle up this season with a team of stout Percheron and Shire horses leading a holiday-decorated carriage through Yountville's main artery – Washington Street – on weekends throughout December. (Nov. 27; Dec 4, 11, 18, 31). Complimentary.

DREAMS OF TOYLAND
Nov. 20, 2010 – Jan. 23, 2011

An exhibition inspiring the wonders of childhood past, renowned collector Dolph Gotelli brings a magical holiday to The Napa Valley Museum with  Old World toys, games, decorations and Victorian ornaments. $10/adults; member/children free. (707) 944-0500. napavalleymuseum.org

YOUNTVILLE, Napa Valley, CA -- "WinterScape" 1st annual celebration from December 1 through January 2, 2011 combines the best of the season with the very best reason to visit this Michelin-rated six star destination.

Set your compass pointing toward the sparkling vines and enough cult cabernet to keep the sky lit with reindeer & Santa's sleigh. The four-square mile village taps into the simple pleasures of the season with a line-up of new attractions, tours and hotel deals.

This magical time among the vines hits a high note with the opening of a seasonal ice skating arena, horse-drawn carriage rides, Dreams of Toyland exhibition, Yountville AVA wine and food tastings, vineyard bike tours and extended wine tasting hours.

Info: www.yountville.com.

               The 2010 season kicks off with a procession of thousands of twinkling lights transcending the town into a West Coast winter wonderland with carriage rides along Washington Street while galleries, boutiques, wineries and restaurants open their doors for late night shopping and dining.   A magnet for visitors seeking the real deal, the town's charming European ambiance mixed with a classic California wine country beat is a perfect ticket for urbanites seeking an escape from the hectic shopping season.

              Pack the sleigh for a getaway that's both adventurous and affordable. Bike the vineyards, skate with a date or trek the town's new array of public art - 13 installations in all - then bed down at a variety of hotel properties offering savings up to 20 percent.   For families, the town's tight-knit layout is a great safety net for teens. Couples can cash in on a variety of romantic romps from duet spa treatments to intimate repasts for two.

HOLIDAY HOT LIST

North Pole "Drink & Clink" – Weekends around the rink will include select Yountville AVA wine tasting (Fri./Sat.) showcasing the area's top producers and a Santa sommelier to keep the cheer flowing. A seasonal grazing menu will showcase heady roasted chestnuts, dim sum and pulled pork sliders – a perfect complement to the region's cabernets.

WinterScape Hotel Packages – From Villagio Inn & Spa to the newly-minted LEED platinum Bardessono, deals for December are stocked with goodies including skating passes, prix-fixe dinners and a savings of up to 20 percent across the board.

WinterScape Wine Tasting – With 10+ wine tasting venues along Washington Street, a taste of Yountville AVA is as easy as linking holiday lights. Many wineries are offering VIP tastings and specials during December. The new Somerston wine tasting room's "WinterScape" deal includes complimentary tastings and food pairings for up to four people and 15 percent off all wine and merchandise. Special wine deals are also on tap at Goosecross Cellars and Girard Winery, to name a few.

Biking in a Vineyard Wonderland – Kick-start the morning with a guided bike tour to four boutique wineries and a tasty catered picnic lunch via Napa Valley Bike Tours.   Ride depart at 9:30 a.m., and are set at a casual pace of three- to five-miles between wineries on a verdant stretch of vine-swept country road. $125/person (normally $139; tasting fees not included), 707.944.2953, book "WinterScape package." 

Lincoln Theatre Holiday Performance – Cap off a day of play with a performance at the Lincoln Theater, home to the Napa Valley Symphony and a world-class venue seating 1,200. This season's line-up includes the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show (December 8) and the 10th anniversary of Napa Regional Dance Company's Nutcracker. (December 18 & 19). 707.944.9900.  

Visitor Information

              Site of Napa Valley's first planted vines (1838), Yountville sits at the epicenter of the region's culinary scene sporting the Valley's top-ranked restaurants (six Michelin stars), 24+ wineries and/or producers and 11 lodging properties. An ideal base for the avid oenophile, Yountville offers the county's only hot air ballooning launch, five National Register of Historic Places sites, a microclimate pedigree with its own AVA, world-class shopping and performing arts. Located 55 mi./88 km. north of San Francisco, travelers can arrive via scenic Highway 29 or via Napa County Airport, Sacramento (SMF), Oakland (OAK) or San Francisco (SFO) international airports. For more information and travel inquiries, contact the Yountville Chamber of Commerce at 707.944.0904 or www.yountville.com.

Yountville, Calif.-- Yountville's Festival of Lights kicks off the Napa Valley holiday celebrations with an annual event that lasts over a month...and it's FREE!

Yountville's annual procession of thousands of twinkling lights tranform the town into a winter wonderland filled with carolers, elves, horse-drawn carriage rides and a visit from Santa Clause (the big guy in red). Starting in November each year, Santa arrives in the Napa Valley the day after Thanksgiving  to greet children and listen to their "wish lists" of toys. Street side, 20+ wineries and the region's top restaurants that include French Laundry, Bouchon Bakery, étoile,
Redd, Brix, Bistro Jeanty, Hurley's Restaurant & Bar, Bouchon, Pacific Blues and Napa Valley Grille, serve samples along Washington Street.

Food and wine are several outstanding gifts to give your loved ones, but Yountville is also known as a premier shopping destination near the San Francisco Bay Area. After the Thanksgiving holiday, galleries, boutiques and restaurants open their doors for late night shopping and dining. Gifts certificates from the restaurants make excellent gifts!

Yountville's annual holiday celebration greets travelers with the town's own brand of European ambiance mixed with  classic California wine country beat. Throughout December carriage rides (weekends), late-night shopping and festive events round out the seasonal salute. Other options include caroling above the clouds on a hot air balloon adventure, barrel tasting, touring the Napa Museum, gallery hopping or enjoying a live performance at the newly-renovated Lincoln
Theater.

While wine connoisseurs are aware of the valley's 60+ wine growers, and can tell you that Napa Valley wine growers first planted vines back in 1838, any visit to the Bay Areas is just a hop-skip away from Napa Valley's beautiful city of Yountville. Located 55 mi./88 km. north of San Francisco, scenic Highway 101 offers a pleasant drive to your wine country destination. Air access from Napa County Airport, Sacramento (SMF), Oakland (OAK) or San Francisco (SFO) international airports all bring the charm of Napa to Southern California, Europeans, Asian travelers and anyone who loves beauty, art and award-winning cuisine and wines.
 

Contact the Yountville Chamber of Commerce at 707.944.0904 or www.yountville.com

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.