Top-tier dining scene and wineries in Napa Valley’s Yountville
The first grapevine in Napa Valley was planted in Yountville, which has evolved into one of the area’s top tourist destinations with its own American Viticultural Area. Hot-air balloons float above internationally recognized wineries — namely, Chandon and its tasting room — Michelin-starred restaurants and a rotating collection of sculptures scattered around downtown. “Everything is walkable and very well-maintained. There’s art, festivals, the cuisine, of course, and the prestige that Yountville offers. A lot of it is due to who has bought homes there,” says Teresa Barboza, an associate broker with Vanguard Properties with over 25 years of experience. “It’s one of the most desirable places in the county. It’s known for its charm and sophistication,” she says, adding that almost all of the clients she’s worked with in Yountville are second-home buyers.
Chandon and The French Laundry offer iconic Yountville experiences
Much of Yountville’s appeal comes from its dining and wine scenes. Local vineyards produce Chandon’s pinot noir and chardonnay varietals, and the brand offers brunch pairings, tastings and other events in a Brutalist 1970s stone building. Guests with sparkling flutes gather in sailcloth cabanas, outdoor sitting areas under gnarled oak branches and tasting rooms covered by structures with arched, wooden ceilings that resemble winemaking barrels.
The French Laundry has garnered three Michelin stars and praise from the James Beard Foundation. Its name derives from the history of its building, which was a French steam laundry in the 1920s. Proprietor and classically French-trained chef Thomas Keller curates a tasting menu that changes daily. The Ranch Market Too, the second location of a family-run grocery business in Napa Valley, offers essentials nearby.
55-plus communities and million-dollar homes
The community's wide, residential streets feature New Traditional homes, some with Craftsman elements, and landscaped yards. Homes in Yountville were constructed from the 1940s through the 2010s, and most fetch between $1 million and $2.25 million. Patios and backyard gardens often look out onto nearby vineyards; some properties come with two homes on one parcel.
A mix of mobile and manufactured homes built in the 1960s through the 2010s fill the Bella Vista Park and Rancho de Napa 55-plus communities. Both maintain amenities that include a clubhouse and a pool. Most manufactured or mobile homes in Yountville have two to three bedrooms and range from $110,000 to $700,000. The region is at an increased risk of earthquakes, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Yountville’s May festival showcases local talent and tastings
Yountville has hosted its Art, Sip & Stroll event, featuring over 70 juried artists, for nearly 15 years. More than 20 local wineries and tasting rooms offer varietals that can be paired with bites from nearby food vendors and sipped throughout the May event.
Scenic bike trails, community green spaces and Vintner’s Golf Club
A couple of cycling trails wind past Yountville's rolling hills and vineyards. The Yount Mill Road bike trail follows a local backroad past a historic pole barn and grazing longhorn cattle, while the Napa Valley Vine Trail, a path paved exclusively for bikes, starts in Yountville and leads south to downtown Napa. “It’s a lovely ride. You get to see the wine train go by and the vineyards and the wineries,” Barboza says.
Veterans Memorial Park encompasses an amphitheater, sand volleyball and four bocce ball courts. On the other side of town, Vineyard Park offers tennis, pickleball and basketball courts that face Stags Leap Winery. The Vintner’s Golf Club is open to the public and has a placid lake and a nine-hole championship course that allows for time to enjoy the nearby wineries after a game.
Bee Line shuttle and St. Helena Highway connect Yountville
St. Helena Highway, also known as California state Route 29, is between Yountville to the east, and to the west, the Veterans Home of California-Yountville — the largest such home in the country, with about 1,000 senior or disabled veterans. The highway continues about 10 miles north to St. Helena and south toward Napa, a little over 9 miles away.
The Yountville Bee Line shuttle travels between the city’s restaurants, wineries, spas and boutiques. Its complimentary service can be requested online or via the RidetheVine mobile app. Part of the Napa Valley Transportation Authority’s Vine Transit system, the shuttle connects to Route 10, from Napa Valley College to Calistoga. The Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport has 12 direct flights to cities across the West, roughly 37 miles from Yountville.
Yountville schools include art, science and culinary tracks
Students in Yountville may begin their studies at Willow Elementary School, which scores a B-minus grade from Niche. They may enroll in Redwood Middle School and Vintage High School, which have B grades. Students at the high school can choose from 13 Advanced Placement courses, including AP Studio Art and AP Environmental Science. About 35% of students enroll in at least one AP class, and about 30% choose to continue their education at a four-year institution. Career technical education pathways at Vintage High include printing and graphics, culinary arts and agricultural sciences.
