The most influential critics and competitions in the country are recognizing the quality craftsmanship of the wines of Cairdean Vineyards and menus at The Farmer & The Fox gastropub and Butterscots Bakery & Deli at Cairdean Estate, Napa Valley’s Wine & Food Village. With recent recognition from the American Fine Wine Competition, the Michelin Guide and San Francisco Bay Area critics, both Cairdean Vineyards and Cairdean Estate are winning awards, competitions and new friends. As Cairdean Estate celebrates its first Spring season, new menus from The Farmer & The Fox and Butterscots Bakery & Deli invite guests to the seasons’ first offerings such as spring peas, young turnips, asparagus, strawberries and sea urchin.
The 2015 American Fine Wine Competition, recently awarded a “Best in Show” for Cairdean Vineyards 2011 Cabernet Franc, an estate wine from the Acquaintance Vineyard in the Coombsville Appellation. Kyle Schlachter of The Colorado Wine Press calls the Cab Franc “simply stunning” and his favorite wine tasted at Premiere Napa Valley 2015. Winemaker Stacia Williams says Cairdean’s Acquaintance Vineyard is a prized possession and that the recent award is a testament to the quality of grapes grown within the Coombsville AVA. “It takes a lot of hard work and extreme patience to do what we winemakers do,” says Williams. “It is wonderful when that wine is finally ready and you get the positive reaction that you were hoping for all those years.”
Opening both The Farmer & The Fox and Butterscots Bakery & Deli in Summer 2014, Cairdean Estate has become a place where Napa Valley locals and visitors alike can find artisan-quality breakfast, lunch and dinner options. Both restaurants’ menus are helmed by Michelin-starred Chef Joseph Humphrey, and The Farmer & The Fox’s cuisine and experience, inspired by Scottish and English pubs, also scored a prized 2015 Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand Award.
Dubbed a “Winning Wine Country, English Pub Mashup” by notable San Francisco Bay Area restaurant critic Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle, other accolades for the gastropub pay specific mention to the outstanding craft cocktails and well-conceived wine list, both which also received Michelin honors in the 2015 San Francisco Guide. Also featured in Fodors as one of the top 10 things to do in Napa, The Farmer & The Fox, just shy of a year since its opening, is standing out as one of Napa Valley’s most original dining experiences.
The Farmer & The Fox has now debuted its new Spring Menu welcoming in seasonal produce and seafood. Chef Humphrey has added new dishes to The Farmer & The Fox menus that continue to take inspiration from gastropub fare while honoring the vibrant flavors and seasonality of Napa Valley. New to The Farmer & The Fox menu are several items including a salmagundi of local produce with Mt. Beasor Farm sugar cane vinaigrette, a griddled sourdough crumpet with English pea tapenade and uni as well as a roast lamb with spring turnips and mustard green juice. “I think we offer a very unique style of food that no one else is doing in Napa Valley, one that showcases what is produced locally and is approachable yet interesting at the same time,” says Chef Humphrey.
Serving guests daily between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Butterscots continues to be recognized as a charming breakfast and lunch spot, with visitors remarking on the delectable selections of sandwiches, salads and sweets as well as the house made breads and rolls that are baked fresh daily.
Central to the Cairdean Estate experience is community – “Cairdean” means “friends” in Scottish-Gaelic, and as the Estate nears completion, the vision of owners Edwin and Stacia Williams (also Cairdean Vineyard’s winemaker) becomes more fully realized. A vision that began with a shared love of wine and a belief that it is best enjoyed among friends and loved ones, Cairdean Estate reflects the Williams’ desire to expand the winery experience beyond tastings and small plates and into a multi-sensory sanctuary of possibilities.
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