Napa Old World Inn Winery Pouring Schedule

Gather in our parlor and enjoy wine poured by some of our favorite wineries.

Learn about the wine making process and the history of these wonderful wineries in a relaxing atmosphere.

The wine tasting is typically scheduled from 5:30-6:30, house wines are served on the evenings that a winery isn't pouring.

The Innkeepers
Old World Inn

What would YOU do with a bunch of grapes?

Many people dream of having their very own vineyard, caring for the vines, tending to their growth, harvesting the tiny, tight clusters of grapes, lovingly crushing them for their juice, and using that freerun liquid to make one of life's greater pleasures: Wine.

We had an open spot on the front of our property (between the street and the back patio), so we asked some of our favorite wineries for recommendations on what kind of grapes to plant. We wound up getting special French clones of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec (the varietals typically found in bordeaux blends). We planted these vines a few years ago, and this year promises to be our first BIG harvest!

We had first planned on scheduling a special "harvest weekend", when our guests could actually pick the grapes, pull them from the stems, and crush the berries in our old hand press to make wine.

There was only one problem: We can not predict the exact days when the grapes will be at their perfect sugar level for making wine.

So we've come up with another idea . . .

Starting this September, guests who are interested can hand-pick a dozen or so bunches of our wine grapes (selecting only the most ripe Cabernet, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Malbec, and Cab Franc bunches). Then, they can bring them into our kitchen, and help make these Bordeaux Blend Berries into Old World Inn Bordeaux Blend Jelly!

This way, the lucky guests who sign up for this can bring home a few jars of special Bordeaux Blend jelly that they made themselves during their visit to the Napa Valley.

No waiting for 20 years for the wine to mature-- you can take the preserves home with you the same trip!

Or, if you'd rather not carry a few jars back, we'll be happy to ship the yummy memories of your stay back to you.

Keep tuned in for updates on our little vineyard; only 52 vines, but lots of love.

-The Innkeepers
Old World Inn

Old World Inn Welcomes 3 new innkeepers and an Executive Chef!

Over the past few months, Innkeepers Victor Eddleman, Ryan Geoghagen, and Joy Wesley have all joined our innkeeping staff. And we have finally found an executive chef for the Inn!

Victor is a recent graduate of the California Culinary Academy, with a major in Hospitality Management. He's a great guy who loves to cook and is looking forward to learning the finer points of innkeeping. He hails from Claude, Texas.

Ryan was born and raised in Napa, and knows more Napa back roads and short cuts than any other person we've met. He loves people, loves to cook and travel, and has more than a decade of experience in the hospitality industry.

Joy is also a graduate of the California Culinary Academy, and joined our staff in January of this year. She too loves to cook, and is an exceptional innkeeper. She's a California girl, born and raised.

We are bidding a sad, but fond, farewell to our wonderful Innkeeper Kim, who joined us last year but is leaving in a few weeks to spend more time with her daughter and grandson. We wish you lots of happiness and good times, Kim! :)

It has been a long-time dream to have an executive chef here at the Inn. Those of you who met Chris Caldwell (our previous chef) knew that he worked at Julia's Kitchen at the same time. Chris left us a few months ago when he was promoted to Sous Chef at Julia's. We wish him nothing but the best!

We had put feelers out into the culinary world for the past 3 years in the hopes of finding someone who would have a great culinary background and would fit into our little "family" here at the Old World Inn.

And about a month ago, we found a very special person.

Diane King, our new Executive Chef, is also a graduate of the California Culinary Academy. She recently finished a stint as a demonstration chef at the Culinary Institute of America (Greystone). Prior to that she was the pastry chef for Philipe Jeanty when he ran the restaurant at Domaine Chandon, and before that, she was the pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck at Spago.

As you have probably guessed, Diane loves to cook!

Look for some very special food news in the coming weeks and months.

We'd like to welcome Diane, Joy, Ryan, and Victor to our Inn family!

-The Innkeepers
Old World Inn

Old World Inn on TLC's Trading Spaces!

L to R: Frank, Phil, Carter, Randy, Doug, Sharon, Russ, Laura, Faber, and the film crew

(Our apologies to those that have read this message in past newsletters-- we get so many emails asking when this popular episode will re-air, we have included it as a courtesy for those folks.)

As big fans of the show, we were sad to hear that TLC cancelled Trading Spaces after 7 years.

But we re-live all the fun and craziness we had every time we watch the episode.

As a quick recap, back in 2005, In less than 48 hours, our friends Brooke & Jim worked with Trading Spaces designer Doug Wilson and carpenter Faber Dewar to completely transform our Moonlight Sonata room (see "before") into "La Bibilioteca"-- complete with Venetian plaster, custom made side tables (from Beringer wine barrels), and a bedspread made out of an old world map!

<== Here's a BEFORE photo of the SAME ROOM! Since then, we were so inspired by our experiences with Trading Spaces that we set out to remodel every one of our bathrooms-- and do each in only 48 hours! We've also worked similar magic on many of our rooms, adding Venetian plaster or wonderful new wall treatments to our Chocolat, Night in Paris, La Boheme, and Allegria rooms. We also added a spa room on the back of the property, for couples massages. We're now in the process of updating our back patio area, adding a wine barrel fountain and a fire pit. Join us, perhaps for the last time, this Tuesday, June 19, at 3 or 4 PM on the TLC network to relive our fun on Trading Spaces! (Please check your local listings for exact time and channel)

-The Innkeepers

Old World Inn

Old World Inn Napa Valley News From Your Friends in the Wine Country

Mini Innkeeper Update!

Born last August 25, Katarina Taylor ("KT") is having lots of fun teaching first time parents Russ and Sharon how to do all kinds of new things (catching her as she does backflips off the couch, pulling leaves out of her mouth, waking mom or dad up at 3am for feedings . . .)

KT is growing, sleeping a lot, and likes to go for rides in the car and walks in the park.

And just yesterday (Father's Day), she started walking!

If you are staying with us at the Old World Inn in the coming weeks and months, you won't see much of KT. She's giving mom and dad lessons on being new parents in a cute little house across the street from the Inn, where her cries and coos can only be heard by her adoring mom and pop.

KT does bring Sharon and Russ over to the Inn occasionally to say "Hi" to folks, but only for a minute or two. Rest assured that when you stay with us you will be well taken care of by Alejandra, Carmen, Diane, Joy, Kim, Maria, Rosa, Ryan, and Victor.

More baby pictures and news will be posted soon to our Facebook page!

-The Innkeepers
Old World Inn