I exhale deeply as my mind begins to center and I settle into my body. I feel tension I didn’t even know I was holding onto gently float away. With soft, soothing music playing in the background, we begin with a relaxing meditation before initiating our crafting experience – creating our own macramé hangings. Our guide for the afternoon, Verona, is a holistic educator who first began combining meditation with macramé as a way to reground herself through her art. 

Soaring redwoods reach toward the sun-filled sky while the leaves of wide-reaching oak trees rustle in the cool morning breeze. The natural beauty of the canyon surrounds me as I head out for a morning of exploring The Chef’s Garden at Calistoga Ranch.

To watch a first-of-a-kind moment in the life of a child is a treasured memory. On vacation with my preschool-aged grandchildren, I was vaguely aware of the vineyard located just beyond the swimming pool, but the chicken coop with actively laying hens inside surprised me and added a serendipitous educational experience for all of us.

I came to Napa Valley to find the region's best Cabernet Sauvignon - a full-bodied varietal with just the right combination of jammy black currant and blackberry notes and tobacco, licorice, vanilla aromas. But I wanted to work for it. Rising to the challenge, Calistoga Ranch heeded the call by turning my red wine dreams into a custom curated bike map. What Cabernet Sauvignon took the top spot? That's an answer you'll have to work for.

Unlike us, goats prefer grass and weeds over grapes and wine. This is why baby goats are the true unsung heroes of Calistoga Ranch. When brother and sister duo, Olive and Pepper, aren't bobbing and bucking about, they upkeep the property grounds by munching the grass to manicured perfection. Though this ancient technique has been around for centuries, environmental studies show these feisty babes reduce our carbon footprint by naturally maintaining and fertilizing our vineyards.