Sweetie Pies, Napa
The glass display cases practically groan with more than 100 different confections, such as coffeecakes, quick breads, cheesecakes, cookies and elaborate tiered cakes enveloped in ganache, crowned in fondant flowers, piped in butter cream, and capped in chocolate-dipped cookies.
520 Main St., Napa, 707-257-7280, sweetiepies.com.

Model Bakery, St. Helena and Napa
After nearly 90 years in the bread business, it’s clear this bakery knows its dough. Part of the secret is in the ingredients, including 100 percent organic flour. That’s why you’ll find its mouthwatering loaves and rolls and pastries on the menus of many of California’s best restaurants.
1357 Main Street, St. Helena, 707-963-8192. Also 644 1st Street, Napa, 707-259-1128, themodelbakery.com.

Wild Flour Bread, Freestone
Bread master Jed Wallach and his wood fired brick oven turn out a dozen different kinds of organic, sourdough-based breads daily along with whipping crème scones, sticky buns, cheese fougasse, goat cheese flat bread, the Bohemian loaf (apricot, orange and pecan), the Egyptian loaf (pear, fig and candied ginger) and biscotti.
140 Bohemian Hwy., Freestone, 707-874-2938, wildflourbread.com.

The Pink Box Baking Company, Santa Rosa
Owner Stacy Willis is the former pastry chef for The French Garden in Sebastopol and a graduate of the San Diego Culinary Institute’s Baking and Pastry Arts program, and is this tiny bakery, she shows her skills with tasty pastries, cakes, cookies, brownies, scones, tea cakes and sweet bars.
2700 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-331-3453, thepinkboxbakingcompany.com.

Raymond’s Bakery, Cazadero
Blink, and you’ll miss the little bakery hidden amid the redwoods on the Russian River, but just follow the aroma of fresh-baked-daily breads like rustic baguettes, traditional French, Pugliese, seeded sourdough and French sourdough. Baker-owners Mark and Elizabeth Weiss love to create delicious flavors, so there may also be garlic-rosemary and kalamata olive-rosemary loaves, Parmesan focaccia, New York deli rye, 9–grain whole wheat, Italian ciabatta, onion rolls, or breads like buttermilk potato, semolina raisin, pumpernickel rye and cinnamon-raisin swirl. Don’t miss the muffins, cinnamon rolls, buttermilk blueberry scones, croissants, lemon bars, apple coffeecake, cookies, fruit tarts, turnovers, fougasse, double chocolate brownies, biscotti, palmiers, Danish or… well, you get the idea.
5400 Cazadero Hwy., Cazadero, 707-632-5335, raymonds-bakery.com.

Village Bakery, Sebastopol
Craving Scandinavian? You’ll find it here, authentically spiced in cookies, cakes, scones and breads (mmm, cinnamon raisin). Fancier bites include Framboise chocolate cake slathered in raspberry sauce, but we swear by the standards, like melt-in-your-mouth croissants, and hard-to-find-anywhere-else specialties like Volkenbrot (whole rye bread), dinkelbrot (spelt bread) and kernebrod (traditional Danish rye). In a nod to modern tastes, you can request gluten-free and vegan recipes, too.
7225 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-8101. Also 1445 Town and Country Dr.,
Santa Rosa, 707-527-7654.

Tip: Here’s a fun holiday idea! Be your own Santa, with a Pure Luxury limousine as your sleigh. Fill the limo with bakery gift and sip sparkling wine as you ride to all your friends’ and family’s homes to deliver lovin’ from the oven.

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Auberge du Soleil

Carneros Inn
Zipping along Hwy. 12/121, The Carneros Inn looks like a tight, shiny industrial park, though a very pretty industrial park. Yet go behind the gates into the private retreat just past the centerpiece Farm restaurant, and discover a luxurious Napa Valley oasis. This PlumpJack Resort sprawls across 27 acres of lovely grape vines, bucolic Napa farmland and scenic apple orchards, with rustic architecture including barns, silos and ranchers’ cottages accented by swimming pools, a spa, and private gardens. You’ll love the outdoor showers and soaking tubs that can be enjoyed under a blanket of stars, crisp white linens and heated floors that feel so good on your feet.
The Carneros Inn, 4048 Sonoma Hwy., Napa, 707-299-4900, thecarnerosinn.com

Oak Knoll Inn
Driving down tree-lined Oak Knoll Avenue past endless vineyards, it would be easy to miss Oak Knoll Inn. A stone building nestled behind a wall of cypress, it’s entirely secluded, and one of the most luxurious bed and breakfast inns in all of Napa Valley. Your cares will melt away as you relax amid 600 acres of Chardonnay vines, replete with a hot tub in the garden and a swimming pool. Take your breakfast on the deck in summer, or in front of the fireplace in the winter.
2200 E. Oak Knoll Ave., Napa Valley, 707-255-2200, oakknollinn.com

Silverado Resort and Spa
Tucked into rolling hills amid the vineyards, the resort offers ample recreation from golf, to fireside massages, to three destination restaurants, ten swimming pools and 13 tennis courts, plus hiking and biking trails. Still, the most lavish retreat exists in your guest room, a sanctuary of plush king-sized beds with 340 thread-count Egyptian cotton bedding, fireplaces, private balconies and patios.
1600 Atlas Peak Rd., Napa, 707-257-0200, silveradoresort.com

La Residence, Napa
Welcome to your private indulgence, with just 26 spacious guest rooms and suites scattered across two acres of oak-, redwood- and pine-studded property. This elegant escape is owned by vintners Craig and Kathryn Hall, who took over in 2006 and updated landmarks such as the historic Mansion centerpiece building, which dates from 1870. Savor the views and enjoy complimentary breakfast on the private verandas, and mingle with other guests for the complimentary wine and cheese reception on the main terrace each evening. Or, you may choose to never leave your room, furnished with antiques, down-filled duvets, plush robes, and wood-burning fireplaces.
4066 Howard Lane, Napa, 707-253-0337, laresidence.com

Milliken Creek Inn and Spa
Hidden away on three verdant acres overlooking the idyllic Napa River, this treasure brims with five-star luxury. Thoughtful touches invite pampering and romance, such as flickering fireplaces, canopy beds with the finest linens, rain showers and oversized hydrotherapy tubs outfitted with green tea bath salts and votive candles. And with just 12 private suites, it’s like your own personal resort. Don’t miss Waterfall Terrace or the spa, and take time to wander the lush grounds, or just relax in Adirondack chairs.
Milliken Creek Inn and Spa, 1815 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-255-1197, millikencreekinn.com

The Inn On First
Owners Jim Gunther and Jamie Cherry make each stay a lavish experience, with remarkable amenities drawing from Jim’s cooking background (he graduated from the California Culinary Academy) and Jamie’s unparalleled décor skills. Ten mansion rooms and garden suites are bestowed with aptly romantic names, such as “First Crush,” and “Sweet Reserve” and enjoy sumptuous views of lush landscaping, two-person whirlpool tubs, luxurious robes and fireplaces. The crowning touch: no children are allowed, and several rooms are pet friendly.
1938 1st Street, Napa, 866-253-1331, theinnonfirst.com

The Cottages of Napa Valley
Tucked on the edge of Yountville are eight master suite cottages that range from cozy (600 square feet) to cozier (450 square feet) – all the better to snuggle with your someone. Just a few amenities include indoor and outdoor fireplaces, full concierge service, and daily breakfast featuring pastries from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery. More than a frou-frou fantasy escape, this is relaxed Napa style, with shared gardens and activities like croquet.
1012 Darms Lane, Napa, 707-252-7810, napacottages.com

The Napa River Inn
This is the only locally-owned luxury boutique hotel in historic downtown Napa, and it’s beautifully situated in the Historic Napa Mill, a National Registered Landmark built in 1884. It’s a destination in itself, too, surrounded by world-class restaurants, cafes, art galleries, shopping and nightlife, including Silos, Napa Valleys premier jazz club right on-site. Guestrooms reflect the refined elegance of the early 1800s yet are equipped with modern amenities such as iPod docking stations, flat screen TVs, plush linens on every bed and a gourmet two-course breakfast catered to guests each morning.
500 Main Street, Napa, 877-251-8500, napariverinn.com

Harvest Inn
This AAA Four Diamond rated property spans eight acres of gorgeously landscaped gardens, lawns and courtyards, framed by stunning vineyard views and the Mayacamas Mountains just beyond. But you’ll want to linger in your warm, inviting guest room with its handcrafted fireplace, intricate woodwork and country estate ambience. Charming brick and wood lodgings including 74 spacious guest rooms, suites and cottages are located in four separate neighborhood environments (Rose, Vineyard, Fountain, and Manor House), with some edging right up to the Whitehall Lane Winery’s Leonardini vineyard next door.
One Main Street, St. Helena, 707-963-9463, harvestinn.com

Tip: Make it a weekend to remember, and reserve a Pure Luxury limo or town car for your perfect getaway.

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It’s another to have harvested the produce fresh from a sun-dappled garden, prepared the meal with a professional chef in his private kitchen, and enjoyed the repast with fine wines overlooking one of Napa Valley’s most legendary vineyards.

chef Jeff Mosher

Yet each Saturday through August, all this is on the menu for guests at Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville. In a new cooking class series, visitors can join winery chef Jeff Mosher for an intimate tour of and harvesting from the winery’s new organic garden. After selecting fresh produce, guests help cook in the winery kitchen. Then, it’s time for a stroll through the vineyards, and a look at the Mondavi winemaking machine.

Guests may be joined by Mondavi winemaker Genevieve Janssens, and perhaps even a drop-in from Margrit Mondavi before everyone sits down on the patio or in the Vineyard Room for the meal they helped create, paired with newly released wines.

During a recent sneak preview, chef Mosher welcomed us with scissors, and sent us straight to work. He identified the produce he wanted; we snipped and plucked and obediently filled our stainless steel bowls.

Margrit Mondavi plucks strawberries

Mondavi zeroed in on the strawberries, swooping her scissors amid an 18-bed array of tomato and pepper starts, edible flowers, turnips, beets, squash, spinach, pole beans and rainbows of herbs like Mexican tarragon.

“Amazing flavors,” she announced, “And none better than Napa’s,” recalling the thousands of berries she has tasted on her travels around the world.

Then we marched into the kitchen to perform sous-chef tasks like stemming parsley, washing greens, and sorting all scraps for the specialty worm-populated compost pile. “Quick, quick,” urged Mosher, reminding us not to spend 50 minutes chopping an onion, and pointing out that the furry purple things I was fumbling with were chive blossoms.

Mondavi and Mosher in the kitchen

As Mosher continued with the real cooking, we were led away, past the endless vineyards and into the massive Mondavi winemaking building. It’s a mammoth, of 56 vats at 5,000 gallons each, the facility temperature and humidity controlled with timed misters like in the produce department of a grocery store.

By the time we returned to the vineyard patio, lunch was served. The first course: that seared Alaskan halibut, presented atop pan-crisped pork belly in red-wine soy sauce. For the entrée: pan-roasted Niman Ranch rib eye with roasted fingerling potatoes, green garlic, king trumpet mushrooms, baby carrots, broccoli rabe and bordelaise sauce.

For dessert: Mondavi’s personally picked strawberries, the juicy fraise des bois fruit showered over shortcake, topped with a dollop of garden tarragon cream, and a scoop of strawberry balsamic sorbet.

Lunch with friends

“It’s a thing everyone loves,” shrugged Mondavi as chef Mosher came out for congratulations and toasts. “Great food, great wine, it’s hard to go wrong with that, yes?”

Details: Programs start at 4 p.m. Saturdays, Aug. 7, Aug. 14, Aug. 21 and Aug. 28, wrapping up around 8 p.m. Cost is $150 per person (21 and older, please). For reservations, call 888-766-6328.

Robert Mondavi Winery, 7801 Saint Helena Highway, Oakville, 707-226-1395, robertmondavi.com.

Tip: Mondavi’s cooking classes are great for small groups. Make your outing an affair with your favorite friends, and for even more fun, reserve a limousine or small charter bus with Pure Luxury.

Welcome to Oxbow

Nearly three years later, the votes are in. With the recent debut of a new restaurant and two more restaurants coming soon, the main Market Hall at Oxbow Public Market is fully leased. It’s quite an accomplishment for a 40,000 square foot, $10 million glass and brick barn-style destination that arrived in the middle of a recession.

C Casa in Action

At C Casa Innovative Taqueria, opened in May, the line-up features freshly made tacos, salads, small plates and rotisserie chicken, assembled by owner Catherine Bergen (previously known for her Made in Napa Valley gourmet food brand). The shop, which sits on the east side of the Market, offers indoor and outdoor seating facing the site formerly occupied by Copia.

In a contemporary take on classics, dishes include ‘unique tacos’ such as the grilled garlic citrus prawns with corn relish, avocado tomatillo salsa and cilantro and ‘small plates’ like corn edamame salad with zucchini, red bell peppers, cotija cheese and Meyer lemon olive oil. Everything is made on-site from scratch, including house made white corn tortillas and chips, accented in upscale touches like micro-greens.

Catherine Bergen with chefs Erasto and Pablo Jacinto

While recipes change with the seasons, there is a theme of unexpected spark, delivered by chefs and brothers Erasto and Pablo Jacinto, who for many years worked with celebrated chef Cindy Pawlcyn. Grilled mahi mahi tacos are plump with avocado, broccoli cabbage, salsa picante and oranges, for example, while black beans are spiked with spicy chorizo and a flurry of goat cheese.

C Casa's Terrific Tres Tacos

It’s the perfect combination, meanwhile, at Ca’ Momi’s Enoteca, showcasing classic Italian pizza, pastries, and regional wines.

Scheduled to open later this summer, the café comes from owners Dario De Conti, Valentina Guolo-Migotto and Stefano Migotto. The trio is best known for their winemaking at Napa’s Ca’ Momi Winery, and those quaffs will take center stage on the menu. Yet there also will be wine “discoveries” from smaller regions and producers all across Italy.

“We will bring in wines from our friends around Italy, always looking for something different and interesting – something that we think captures the spirit of Italian life,” says De Conti.

For food, expect authentic nibbles, such as classic Neapolitan pizzas crafted in a wood burning oven, plus tramezzini (small tea-style sandwiches), and a pasticceria sending out crostate (tarts) and crostatine di frutta (fruit pies), baci di dama (cookies), tiramisu and biscotti.

The Ca’ Momi story, by the way, is pretty delicious, too. The name pays tribute to Momi dea Bionda, a Napa Valley character who was famous for his obsession with the house, his grapes and his wine. In his later years he liked to patrol his property in an old motorcycle, armed with a rifle, and with his blind dog riding in the sidecar.

When Graham’s Take-Away Foods opens later this summer, diners will find “locally sourced prepared foods coupled with convenience.” That’s a mouthful, but it translates to gourmet grab-and-go for breakfast, lunch and dinner, prepared by real chefs. Owners Graham and Andrea Zanow are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and chef Graham worked at the French Laundry.

Farm Fresh at Oxbow

Start the day with individual loaf cakes, French bistro-style quiches, fresh fruit salads and just squeezed juices, along with yogurt parfaits layered with Clover yogurt, house made granola, seasonal fruit and Katz & Company preserves.

At lunch, you can tuck into a Rocky Jr. curry chicken wrap, a Mediterranean tuna salad pita or a Diestel turkey sandwich on foccacia with smoked mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes and basil mayo. For vegetarians, daily specials may include Greek mezze platter, Caprese wrap on a tomato tortilla or a truffle and herb egg salad sandwich on brioche. The line-up also includes a selection from 50 different pasta, potato, veggie and grain salads.

For dinner, packaged ready to heat-and-eat comfort foods are the order of the day, including organic meatloaf with Boursin whipped potatoes and glazed rainbow carrots or classic roasted chicken with herbes de Provence roasted vegetables and pan gravy.

Details: Oxbow Public Market, 610 & 644 First Street, Napa, 707-226-6529, oxbowpublicmarket.com. C Casa, 707-226-7700, myccasa.com.

Tip: Oxbow is right in the heart of Napa wine country, chock-a-block with wineries ripe for the visiting. Plan a day of divine eating and drinking, with Pure Luxury as your personal chauffeur.