What to Take Home: Napa Souvenirs

You’ve had the most memorable, relaxing, flavorful, pleasurable time in Napa Valley. And, sadly, it’s nearly time to leave this viticultural paradise. One perk of heading home is knowing that you’ve managed to collect a unique assortment of Napa souvenirs to bestow upon friends and loved ones who wish they could’ve traveled to Northern California with you.

This list — compiled by Archer Hotel Napa’s general manager, Michael Collins, and his Napa-knowing team — will help you gather the best of the best souvenirs from Napa.

Where better to buy authentic, high-quality olive oil than in an area with rich, fertile ground? Napa olive oils are an obvious choice in good taste. While there are many different area producers of olive oil, we all like Rutherford’s Round Pond — a lot. Its imported Mediterranean olive trees have ripened in the Rutherford, CA, soils and produce fruit that’s hand-harvested and pressed with Round Pond’s signature pressing methods. Several flavors are available, so choose the tried-and-true Italian Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Spanish Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or venture out with such fragrant olive oils as Blood Orange, Meyer Lemon, Garlic, Basil, Lemon Pepper, Rosemary or Chili.

Who knew that a wine barrel could become so much more? Olive and Poppy, that’s who. This wine-inspired store in Napa is owned by two wine lovers who design items using materials locally sourced in wine country (including wine barrels). Olive and Poppy offers such items as bracelets, earrings and rings made from reclaimed oak wine barrel wood, wine barrel cufflinks, tie bars and sunglasses, and a wine barrel keychain with a wooden wine barrel bead. Other fun Napa souvenirs include scarves, tea towels and wine carriers inspired by the region.

Napa Soap Company began out of necessity: The owners had three boys who managed to get dirty often, and the lavender they planted started to run amok. The next thing they new, they were creating soap that was high in demand, and their company took off. Bar soaps include Cedar (with a hint of lavender), Eucalyptus Spa, Clean O Noir, Buttermilk Rose and Cabernet Soapignon. Or take home bath bombs, body butters, lotions, vinotherapy (reach creams containing grape derivatives that are beneficial for the skin), hair care, sisal wash cloths and aromoatherapy from the St. Helena store.

With a longtime store in St. Helena and another in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, Model Bakery has a cult following — and for good reason. Specializing in artisan breads made with organic stone-ground flours and the highest-quality ingredients, as well as a large display of delicious pastries, Model Bakery provides baked goods to a bevy of Napa Valley restaurants. Hungry while shopping? Stop and savor breakfast or lunch at Model, then make your edible Napa souvenir selections. Your friends and family will graciously, sincerely thank you.

Beginning in 2000, Whole Spice built its flavorful business selling freshly ground spices, herbs and blends. Since 2008 at Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, customers can choose from hundreds of different varieties and sample before buying. Give the Napa souvenir) gift of good taste and expand your cooking horizons. Best sellers include Rotisserie Chicken Rub, Harissa Spice Course and Lamb Rub. You can also find specialty teas, dried fruits and veggies (to try: blueberry fruit powder and sweet potato dices) and spices for nearly every cuisine. Go online for recipes galore.

The folks at Wine Country Botanicals in Healdsburg have taken their knowledge from two decades in the wine business and tailored it for a line of wellness products that brings about a sense of relaxation, a feeling of being centered and a positive feeling of well-being. With lavender at the center of its three primary collections of essential oils — Napa, Santa Barbara and Sonoma — each therapeutic-grade product achieves balance with a top, middle and base note. Archer Hotel Napa loves the products so much, it provides an exclusive-to-Archer bubble bath alongside each tub and features several products among its curated Napa souvenirs.

Stonestreet Wines — One of the most expansive and multifaceted mountain vineyards in the world, Stonestreet Wines focuses on producing a collection of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc wines.

Brown Downtown Napa — Brown Estate’s popular tasting room brings a modern, cool vibe to downtown Napa, offering a selection of wines and tasty bites presented by a knowledgeable staff.

Gargiulo Vineyards — With two vineyards in the Oakville appellation, Gargiulo is known for its small production of classic cabs and its perfectly blended Sangiovese; guests are welcome by appointment for private and seated tasting experiences.

Paradigm Winery — This 50-acre winery estate in Oakville hosts guests by appointment for tastings of its wines; Paradigm’s cabs are well-loved, and one sip will prove their worthiness.

Bremer Family Winery — With a winery in Deer Creek at the slopes of Napa Valley’s Howell Mountain, Bremer’s wines can be enjoyed in the shade of mighty oak trees or in a tasting room before shipping bottles off to family and friends.

Inglenook Wines — This winery’s long history includes its acquisition by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola and his wife, Eleanor, who have been instrumental in restoring the estate to its historic dimensions and ensuring that the 200 acres of vineyards are certified organic.

Palmaz Vineyards — A truly family affair, the unique “gravity flow” winery focuses on cutting-edge technology married with the winemaking tradition; it lies within an 18-story cave at the base of Napa’s Mt. George and produces distinct wines well worthy as a Napa souvenir.

Antica Napa Valley — The Antinori family’s 26 generations of winemakers bring undisputable expertise to this Napa winery; only three of its wines are distributed outside the winery: the chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and Townsend cabernet sauvignon.

Kenzo Estate — Kenzo Tsujimoto established his winery on the flanks of Mt. George, where the estate-bottled wines are crafted with intensity, finesse and focus; the wine portfolio includes seven premium wines.

Grgich Hills Estate — The celebrated 1976 Paris Tasting dubbed Mike Grgich’s 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay as the finest white wine in the world, planting Grgich and Napa wine firmly on the world map; today, you can stop in at the tasting room and order chardonnays and other varietals to take home as ideal Napa souvenirs.

ZD Wines – In the heart of Napa Valley lies award-winning ZD wines, which began in 1969 by aerospace engineers Norman deLeuze and Gino Zepponi; the third-generation winemakers continue the tradition of “zero defects” in their wine production.

Cakebread Cellars — Presented with gracious hospitality, these world-class wines make the perfect Napa souvenirs; make an appointment to stop by the winery, between Rutherford and Oakville, for a tour and tasting that’s right for you.

Domaine Carneros — A favorite sparkling wine, Le Rêve (French for “the dream”) lives up to its name; it’s crafted from 100 percent estate-grown chardonnay grapes and is a lovely selection for memorable occasions.

Schramsberg Vineyards — Blanc de Blancs was the first wine this winery produced back in 1965 and was served at the historic Toast to Peace in Beijing, China; dry and crisp, its pairs well with shellfish, Thai curries and hard cheeses, as well as being enjoyed as an aperitif.

For more Napa tasting room suggestions, Archer’s blog showcases Downtown Napa Tasting Rooms Open Late. We hope it inspires you try something new — and later in the evening — while you’re enjoying your wine-country stay. You very well may walk away with more Napa souvenirs.

Cheers, and many thanks for visiting Napa!