Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
San Francisco International (54 miles/
87km).
L
$$$
Harvest Inn,
One Main St., St.
This apparatus, invented by a Frenchman
to prove the rotation of the earth, is some-
what fitting in a winery that tilted the world
of wine firmly toward the west.
Helena (
&
707/963-9463;
www.harvest
inn.com). $$$
Yountville Inn,
6462 Wash-
ington St., Yountville (
&
707/944-5600;
www.yountvilleinn.com).
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars,
5766 Sil-
verado Trail, Napa (
&
866/422-7523;
www.cask23.com).
West Coast U.S.
273
The Hess Collection Winery
The Artist's Palate
Napa Valley, California
Donald Hess nurtures his artists like a
winemaker nurtures his wine. Just as a
winemaker may have a sleepless night
during harvest worrying about his grapes,
Hess is known to toss and turn and wake
up in a fever declaring “I must have that
piece!” He then adopts an artist and sup-
ports his or her work throughout a life-
time, nudging and encouraging the
creative process toward greatness—much
as he does with his wine.
This Swiss beer heir, who went on to
make his own second fortune in mineral
water and hotels, could have done what
every rich retiree does—play golf and sail
his yacht into the sunset. Instead, he
developed a healthy obsession with both
art and wine. Pursuing those passions, he
has been building wineries and galleries in
the most unlikely of places.
One such place is the Hess Collection
Winery on Mount Veeder, in a secluded
part of Napa Valley. This is no small detour
from the Rte. 29 merry-go-round; to get
here, you must take a winding road that
travels over rolling hills with no end in sight.
It's a beautiful drive, though, and well
worth the time, for the destination is a
pretty ivy-covered visitor center that
resembles an old country manor. Headless
statues stand in groups, contemplating a
lily pond that would not look out of place on
the top of a box of luxury chocolates.
Inside, however, it's no chocolate box.
You'll be viewing a serious collection of
modern art, covering all mediums, in a
purpose-built gallery with three light-filled
The Hess Collection Winery doubles as exhibition
space for the owner's art collection.
