Travel company Classic Journeys offers a six-day, five-night culinary tour of Napa and Sonoma Valley. This tour, offered in the summer and fall, starts in San Francisco and is a mix of walking, wine and cooking. Guests tour both obscure and well-known wineries and stay in luxury accommodations in Napa and Sonoma Valley. The itinerary includes a lesson in Yountville from a local chef on cooking homegrown, organic meals, as well as a stop at a culinary school where guests will cook their final dinner before the trip is over. Packages include all meals and cooking classes, wine tastings, accommodations and a guide. In between cooking classes, several walking tours are offered, allowing students to take in the scenery and shop in local boutiques.
Gourmet Retreats has a four-day Flavors of Napa Valley-Wine Country Tour. This vacation package, offered periodically throughout the year, includes hands-on instruction in basic to advanced cooking techniques. Vacationers will learn how to make gourmet dishes, such as handmade pasta with brown butter sauce and pan-seared fish with lemon and caper sauce. Other lessons include a wine-and-food pairing, and learning about organic and sustainable foods. During their free time, students can visit popular Napa Valley spots, like the Beringer Winery and Redd, a popular restaurant owned by world-renowned chef Richard Reddington. The package includes five nights at the Casa Lana Bed and Breakfast, a cookbook and apron, and all meals, excursions and cooking lessons.
Epitourean Destinations offers a three-day, two-night cooking and wine tour for two that is available year-round. Guests stay in luxury accommodations, such as the Westin Verasa Napa Hotel, in a one-bedroom suite. Vacationers also learn new cooking techniques and methods from top chefs and enjoy wine tasting in a luxurious cave full of barreled wines. Also included is a dinner at celebrity chef Michael Chiarello's fine dining restaurant Bottega. In between scheduled activities, guests are free to explore Napa Valley on their own, visiting such sites as the Napa Valley Opera House or taking a three-hour ride on the Napa Valley Wine Train.
