Hotel Luca: A Slice of Tuscany in California's Napa Valley

By George Medovoy, Editor

The setting couldn't be more perfect: a quiet Napa Valley town, population about 3,200, surrounded by lush foothills carpeted by vineyards.

This is where we pulled off Highway 29 for Hotel Luca, one of those rare finds where regal comforts and superb Italian cuisine reign supreme.

(Hotel Luca's guest rooms look out onto a lovely landscaped courtyard)

Pure California Wine Country

Yountville is pure California wine country, going back to its founder, George C. Yount, who received a Spanish land grant from the Mexican government in 1836 and planted the town's first vineyards.

(Yountville is surrounded by acres of vineyards)

In the center of it all is Hotel Luca and its restaurant, Cantinetta Piero -- heavenly reminders of Tuscany.

Luca's 20 guestrooms (some with fireplaces) fill either side of a courtyard leading to a large lap pool and a Jacuzzi. Landscaped ground-floor rooms have seating areas with chairs, while second-floor rooms offer balconies.

Guest Rooms with Siberian Down Beds

Guestrooms, designed by Kathleen Fink, have dark-toned furniture and exceptionally comfortable Siberian down beds with imported Mascioni Italian linens. Rooms also come with flat-screen TV's, ceiling fans, a music system and sensual lighting.

When you step into the bathroom for a shower or a bath, you'll note that the floors are heated with radiant floor heat.

As with L'Auberge Carmel, David and Kathleen Fink's other hotel and restaurant in Carmel, everything seems to come together effortlessly at Hotel Luca.

(The hotel's courtyard leads to a large lap pool and a Jacuzzi)

The inspiration for Luca stems from the Finks' travels through Italy, where they fell in love with Italian architecture and discovered reclaimed antique building materials to use back home, including 200-year old roof tiles from Lucca, Italy and 300-year old floor tiles from Florence.

Luca's exterior uses custom lime plaster, an ancient technique employed on some of Europe's earliest buildings, while rustic Jerusalem limestone is seen throughout the hotel's lobby, spa, bathrooms and public spaces.

All of the mahogany doors for guest rooms were specially designed and custom ordered complete with a speak-easy peephole door and cast bronze locks, bathrooms feature colorful artisan handmade glass tiles.

Photographic Images of Napa Valley Life

An added touch throughout are lovely photographic images - some in color and others in black and white -- which capture the look and feel of Napa done by longtime friend, Jess Knubis.

The hotel also has its own spa, Luca Spa, on the premises, offering a variety of treatments, along with a lavender-saltwater soaking pool with waterfall and fireplace.

For us, the piece de resistance of our stay at Hotel Luca was being able to enjoy dining at Cantinetta Piero, under whose 15-foot vaulted brick ceiling and massive beams is a relaxing conviviality and the tastes of Tuscany.

The Flavors of Tuscany at Caninetta Piero

Chef de cuisine Craig DiFonzo's aim is "keeping the flavors real and simple, just as they do up in Tuscany," he said. And wow, does he ever succeed!

(Cantinetta Piero has comfortable, casual seating in a variety of styles)

The restaurant, which includes a cocktail bar, offers a variety of places to sit, depending on your mood: you can choose from high tables and chairs next to giant Italian posters, tables against leather bench seating, patio seating, or outdoor seating on couch-like seating in front of a large fireplace.

On our first night at Cantinetta Luca, I began my meal with a wonderful Potato Leek Soup garnished with diced Yukon gold potatoes, diced leeks, extra virgin olive oil, and fresh herbsthe crowned with the rich taste of saffron.

(Some may prefer seating at high tables by the windows)

Along with this, we both enjoyed side orders of tasty herb-roasted fingerling potatoes and grilled local asparagus.

We also shared the "Tricolore" salad of bitter greens, apples, gorgonzola, and walnuts in refreshing honey vinaigrette, along with the Castelvetrano Olives - a masterful array of toasted almonds marinated with orange zest and ricotta salata cheese.

Halibut Prepared in a Sauce Like Putanesca

For the main course, we chose Pan Roasted Alaskan Halibut, served in the cooking skillet with a hearty sauce -- almost like a putanesca -- made from tomatoes, capers, pine nuts, and lemon. Indeed, the sauce was so hearty that I could imagine myself making a meal out of it all with helpings of bread for dipping!

Dessert was, as they say, to die for: I had the Chocolate Boudino, velvety rich, while my wife selected the tasty Tiramisu.

(There is also couch seating outside, in front of a fireplace)

On our second night, I decided on the Ravioli "Primavera" - fava leaf pesto, ricotta cheese filling, with spring onions, tomatoes, and artichokes simmered in vegetable stock to yield springtime freshness. My wife enjoyed the light Margherita Pizza of San Marzano tomato, Mozzarella cheese and basil.

So enamored were we with the first night's desserts that we repeated these for a second time!

Enjoying Hotel Luca's Country Breakfast

Each morning, we looked forward to Hotel Luca's country breakfast, which is included in your stay.

There was fresh-squeezed orange juice, thick yogurt with house-made granola, and a choice of fritte (2 fried eggs), strapazzate (2 scrambled eggs), or frittata (with fontina cheese and spinach), served with roasted potatoes, coffee and/or tea. Smoked bacon or prosciutto is available. The house-made honey-strawberry jam for the bread was yummy.

Yountville is very relaxing place, and like so many other Napa Valley towns, it offers a chance for introspective walks, boutique shopping, and restaurants, including Thomas Keller's celebrated French Laundry Restaurant.

WHEN YOU GO…

Hotel Luca is located at 6774 Washington Street in Yountville. Rates range from $295-$650 per night, including breakfast for two. For reservations or more information, call (707) 944-8080, or visit www.hotellucanapa.com.

(Besides boutique shopping and restaurants, Yountville offers plenty of opportunities for meditative walks, like this crossing at Hopper Creek on Washington Street, the town's main street)

For more about the images of Jess Knubis, visit www.knubisphotoimage.com.

For information about Yountville, visit www.townofyountville.com.

Hotel Luca is offering a pizza-making class at Cantinetta Piero. To find out more about it, click here.

On one of our days at Hotel Luca, we ventured nine miles away to the vineyards of the Silverado Trail for a visit to award-winning Hagafen Cellars, Napa Valley's only full-service kosher winery, presided over by veteran winemaker Ernie Weir. (Click here to read about this side trip).