It is somewhat of a rarity to find a deli in any Napa Valley winery. Napa County ordinances do not permit wineries to sell food, but these two wineries have permits that were issued long ago. The two new delis are in St. Helena Wineries, at Charles Krug and at the Cairdean Estate. We visited both delis this past Labor Day weekend and tested out the offerings.
Cucina Di Rosa in the Charles Krug Winery
A visit to Charles Krug is very classy these days, after they opened their historic Redwood Cellar last year. The Redwood Cellar, built in 1879, has been restored and retrofitted and provides visitors with a lovely experience. We visited exactly one week after the Napa earthquake and the restored building handled the quake very nicely, with no damage and no items falling off the shelves. At one end of the Redwood Cellar is the tasting bar and lounge area. At the opposite side is the Cucina Di Rosa that opened a couple of weeks ago and is currently operating from Friday through Sunday from 10:30am to 4 pm. The Charles Krug Winery may add additional days later, but for now the winery is in a testing period. The deli items are self-serve and, if you want your sandwich Panini style, the server will warm it up for you. The food is very tasty but the offerings are somewhat limited. One can purchase wines by the glass or bottle. Just outside the deli is a beautiful shaded picnic area. The picnic area has a great view of the old Carriage House where weddings and special events take place. It is very relaxing and a perfect way to enjoy the wine country. Charles Krug is located at the north end of St. Helena, almost directly across from the Culinary Institute of America.
Tasty panini at Cucina Di Rosa at the Charles Krug winery
Butterscots Bakery and Deli at the Cairdean Estate Winery
About one mile north of Charles Krug on Highway 29 is the Cairdean Estate. This is a wine and food complex with a winery, tasting room, event center, upscale restaurant, and the bakery and deli, Butterscots. A month ago we were given a tour of the complex, but at that time only the tasting room and
Outdoor area of Butterscot at the Cairdean Estate
the Farmer and the Fox restaurant were open. Butterscots is open daily from 8am to 5 pm. Coffee and breakfast goodies are available and it seems to be a convenient stop for morning commuters. The deli has four sandwich choices, and these are offered cold or warmed into a panini. The prices are very reasonable, the panini’s all at $8. Salad choices come in a small size for $7 or large size for $8. There is seating inside or outside, and one can purchase wine by the glass or bottle. The wine choices are meager and only one Cairdean wine is on the menu. It is a Rosé and very refreshing for a warm afternoon in the Napa Valley. Since the breakfast and deli lunch menus are written on a chalkboard, we guess that the menu changes frequently. Butterscots is a very cool and inviting venue. Our only criticism was with the plastic utensils. For a classy spot, it just did not fit.
Both the delis add convenience to the wine country traveler along Highway 29. St. Helena and Calistoga are very busy on weekends, so a stop at one of these delis gives one another option.