California’s tiny Healdsburg, with its agricultural roots, quaint Main Street USA town square, and all of 11,000 residents is stepping out of the shadows of its larger neighbors and emerging as a world-class destination not only for the wine it produces, but for the luxury lifestyle it offers.
“We moved here in 1998, and Healdsburg was a charming, little town and it’s definitely changed and evolved in a good way,” says Hélène Seillan, assistant winemaker of Jackson Family Wines’ Vérité Winery.
Hélène is following in the footsteps of her father, the storied winemaker Pierre Seillan, who has worked more than 50 vintages and received more than a dozen 100-point scores from critic Robert Parker. The two are amid a tour of their stunning new chateau, with a barrel chai reminiscent of a cathedral thanks to its soaring vaulted ceiling and white stone columns. Vérité, which celebrated the grand opening of the new space in May, is a testament to the growth of Healdsburg on the whole, something which the Seillan family has had a direct involvement with over the past 25 years.
“We are a destination now. The restaurants are amazing, and people have their dedicated Sonoma trip,” Hélène says, as opposed to tacking on a half-day side mission as part of a Napa-centric getaway.
The differences don’t end there, of course. “I say Napa has limousines and Healdsburg has tractors” Seillan continues. “Everybody knows everybody in Healdsburg, it’s a community. And Sonoma [on the whole] has a real laid back elegance. It’s different from Napa.”
A Luxury Evolution Fueled by Wine
The culinary scene and the hotels, and the travelers that both bring in, wouldn’t have been possible without the wine. It’s true at Vérité as well, where the foundation of its impressive, long-planned chateau is the strength of its core lineup of Bordeaux blends: La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir (which retail for about $480 each). Across the portfolio, Pierre Seillan has focused on developing a signature style. “The royalty of the terroir, I am at the service of the terroir,” he says. “The balance, the finesse and the elegance, and always to respect the vintage.”
Using more than 50 micro-crus across four appellations is a philosophy that reflects what Seillan says he recognized from the start in Sonoma County, a region filled with variation and packed with potential.
“I understood when I first saw this great panorama of topography that it was different than anyplace in the world,” he says. “I wanted to create something here, and it is where we are writing a history. Not only in Sonoma, but in California.”
Indulgence Abounds in Every Format
Healdsburg’s hotel scene has had a rapid ascension and now offers a variety of swanky stays running the gamut from big-name modernity to quiet retreats. Consider the stunning Montage Healdsburg, a luxury resort that opened in January 2021. Its 130 rooms and communal areas are designed to be immersed into its 258-acre surroundings, including 15.5 acres of vineyards weaved amid them. As the vines come of age, Jesse Katz, owner and winemaker at Sonoma’s Aperture Cellars will oversee the production of an exclusive lineup of wines produced on-site for the hotel’s guests and residents.
There are 22,000 oak trees on the property, and in addition to grapes, the team has inoculated a freshly planted copse of 450 hazelnut trees with truffles. The property’s furry “dog ambassador” Beau will therefore go from dedicated greeter to multi-tasking truffle hunter down the road.
Another new entrant is the Madrona, which opened in April 2022 in a high Victorian home built in 1881. A multi-year renovation transformed the property into a 24-room luxury getaway spread across the original mansion house, a carriage house and a series of bungalows. Rooms and shared spaces are filled with a curated art collection and its well-manicured, lush grounds are evocative of its past. It goes hand-in-hand with personalized service that makes a stay akin to a super-elevated take on a traditional B&B.
Then there’s NewTree Ranch, a 120-acre private estate that debuted in 2019. The property is best suited to renting the property out full and long-term stays in either a four-bedroom house or two-bedroom converted barn. Immersive, holistic wellness experiences are at the heart of its offerings.
Healdsburg’s dining scene has progressed in lockstep with the rest of its development. The movement is spearheaded by the renowned three Michelin star SingleThread—a farm, restaurant and inn—from husband and wife team Kyle and Katina Connaughton. Elsewhere, chef Charlie Palmer operates Dry Creek Kitchen, and chef Dustin Valette leads the Matheson, a buzzy spot highlighted by seasonal fare, with an optional six-course tasting menu that blends fine dining with a more casual and boisterous setting. The Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience debuted in 2022, giving its stamp of approval to local wineries and restaurants alike, while providing a further platform for them to continue their emergence.
“Healdsburg has done an excellent job of capturing those luxury consumers with what they’ve done there and such a strong culinary scene with SingleThread, the new Montage resort, it’s a luxury destination now,” Katz says while leading a tasting at his winery. “It feels like you’re in the middle of nowhere here, but you’re two miles away from the center of Healdsburg and one of the best restaurants in the world.”
Read the full article here
