Press Release
03-01-05

The New York Times was “won over,” Gourmet Magazine “fell in love,” and the guest book spills over with praise.

That’s what happens every day at Rancho Caymus Inn, a unique hotel in the heart of the Napa Valley that combines old world charm, lavish comfort, and intimate access to some of the world’s best wine. The Inn is owned and run by the Komes family who began three generations of Napa Valley history with the founding of Flora Springs Winery in 1977.
People come to the Napa Valley for three things: great wine, great food, and great lodging. Rancho Caymus provides all three – in a unique and convenient package.

Located in Rutherford, minutes away from dozens of famous wineries, Rancho Caymus offers an oasis of tranquility where roses and petunias and purple jasmine frame a garden courtyard that peacefully screens the outside world. There are 26 suites, each individually decorated with hand-crafted furniture, and rugs woven by the Indians of Ecuador. Most suites have mission-style fireplaces, some come with Jacuzzi tubs, and all of them include televisions, refrigerators, coffeemakers, wine glasses, honor bars, hair dryers, and large queen or king-sized beds.
Designed like a Spanish hacienda, the décor relies heavily on natural wood. Ceiling beams are century-old California oak and the rooms are trimmed in black walnut, fir and redwood. Stained glass windows overlook some of the Jacuzzi tubs and each suite bears the name of a famous figure in California history, like Black Bart, Lillie Langtry and Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote several books while living in nearby Calistoga.

That covers the lodging, but almost everyone who visits the Napa Valley comes to taste the wine. For that, the Komes family has a special bonus in store for their guests. Named for the family matriarch, Flora Komes, Flora Springs is an essential part of the Rancho Caymus experience. Only five minutes from the Inn, the winery has an enviable record of awards. Five Flora Springs varietals have been named to the Wine Spectator’s “Top 100” wines of the world, and the 1991 Cabernet Reserve was ranked the third best wine in the world in 1994.

Flora Springs tours can be arranged at the Inn and guests can qualify for complimentary tasting and discounts on wine purchases. Try the 1997 20th Anniversary Napa Valley Cabernet. The Wine Spectator gave it 98 points; that’s about as close to oenological perfection as you can get. Besides the intimate and elegant lodging, and the world-class wine, Rancho Caymus has one other remarkable asset. It’s called La Toque, it’s located on the premises just off the courtyard, and it is, according to the Wine Spectator, one of the 20 best restaurants in America.

La Toque’s celebrity chef, Ken Frank, is a master of truffles and foie gras and his menu combines classic French cuisine with nouveau California innovations. The wine pairings with the prix fixe meals are inspired and the truffle dishes generate awe, which helps explain why Gourmet magazine called the restaurant “a dream come true.”
It’s a simple formula, and it works. Elegant but casual lodging, outstanding wine, and one of the best restaurants in America, all tied together at the Rancho Caymus Inn. There isn’t a better way to experience the Napa Valley.