Wine tasting in Napa Valley is great, but wine tasting, harvesting your vegetables from a chef’s private garden, visiting a stylish winery followed by making your own food in a cool barn overlooking rolling hills is even better. Welcome to Camp Covert.

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o doubt, we all love a good wine tasting day in California’s Wine Country, but hand on the heart, it can sometimes be… let’s say…bland. We need a little bit entertainment; just a bit more fun. And this is where Camp Covert comes in.

Filled with day-long activities, Camp Covert is a distinctive group experience for you next Napa adventure. The farm-to-fork journey kicks off at Chef Malcolm de Sieyes‘ garden in Coombsville, where you will gather organic vegetables from his garden for the meal you are going to whip up later.  Chef Malcolm’s garden at his Stone Tree Farm is every cook’s dream come true. Beds and beds full of vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers. You think of it, at the garden probably grows it. Stroll around, stop smell the roses and just enjoy the bounty California’s soil has to offer. If you want to dig deeper into the culinary world, you might be interested in joining Chef Malcolm’s classes at his Silverado Cooking School.

Now that you have gathered your produce, it’s time for wine tasting. Next stop: the recently opened Covert Estate. And let us tell you, you will love it; not only the wine but also the super stylish, James Bond-inspired tasting room. We are huge fans of wineries that put a bit more thought into the design of their tasting rooms, and Covert Estate delivers on all aspect. Founded by Julien and Elan Fayard, and two wine-collecting families in 2012, Covert Estate is reservation-only winery producing Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Sauvignon Blanc. Approaching the simple and sleek entrance of the winery tucked into the hill, you will be greeted by Julien with a glass of wine and history about the estate, their mission, and their beliefs what makes a good wine and winery. A short walk through the cellars and barrel storage and you will enter the wine tasting room. Arched ceilings, masculine furniture, gold elements, more wine and few bites are awaiting you. We immediately felt the James Bond vibe, and after talking to Julien, it turns out one of the partners had 007 movies aesthetics in mind when designing the space. The tasting room opens onto a patio with a firepit overlooking the vineyards. While the wine is a pure pleasure for your taste buds, the view is a true balm for your eyes and soul. We could see us lounging at this patio on a hot Napa day long into the night. But let’s continue our culinary day. It’s just getting better.

 

From Covert Estate you will head to newly renovated barn, where your produce and more wine will wait for you. Roll up your sleeves, put that apron on and get cooking with Chef Malcolm at the outdoor kitchen. Yep, that’s the beauty of Napa; you can cook outdoors. The three-course menu will change with the seasons and what’s fresh from the garden. But you can be assured it will be delicious. After your cook session, it’s  it’s time to take a seat at a beautifully decorated table and enjoy a delicious meal paired with delicious wines. This is the moment where you soak in all the beauty Napa has to offer, where you chit-chat with your friends over a glass of wine and just savor this unique wine tasting experience.

 

We know, this sounds like a perfect day in Napa and believe us — it is. So if you are planning a special event with your friends or family, put Camp Covert on your list. The event is available from June through November for groups of 10-12 people and must be booked in advance. For more information and pricing, contact Rebekah Allen at Rebekah@covertestate.com or 707.224.1959.

We also have a small goodie for you, a recipe for the fresh, summer Stone Tree Farm  Salad. You can easily make it at home and wow your guests with this delicious appetizer.

Stone Tree Farm Salad
(serves 4)
2 medium heads lettuce
1 bunches radishes, thinly sliced
2 cups garden flowers
4oz Chèvre, cold (Soft Goat Cheese) Champagne Vinaigrette (Recipe to Follow)

Thoroughly wash and dry the lettuce. Toss the greens in the vinaigrette and put on salad plates. Scatter radishes over the greens. Take the Chèvre out of the refrigerator. Use a fork and scrape the goat cheese with the tines over each salad. This will crumble with goat cheese. Finish with goat cheese and serve immediately.

Champagne Vinaigrette

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/4 cup Champagne Vinegar
1 small shallot, peeled and minced or 2 garlic cloves smashed and peeled1 tsp Dijon mustard

3/4 cup Grape seed Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil or a mixture of both

In a canning jar or small bowl, mix together the salt, vinegar, Dijon mustard and shallot or garlic. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Add about 3/4 of the oil. Mix shake to mix well, then taste with a leaf of lettuce. If it’s too acidic, add the additional oil to taste.