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NAPA, Calif. - I'm sipping wine, and it's 11 a.m.
What's normally a red flag for an intervention comes highly recommended in California wine country. Instead of a tee time, I'm enjoying a late-morning wine tasting at Prime Solum, located just down the road from Silverado Resort where my wife and I are staying. If you're not sipping by noon, then you're not properly embracing life in the valley.
It's 10 days before the PGA Tour's 2022-23 season-opening event, the Fortinet Championship. Fall is prime time for both Silverado, whose two Troon Golf-managed courses are in mint condition for tournament time, and Napa Valley, where the 400-plus local vineyards are ready for the next harvest under always-sunny skies. There's simply no better place to be in September or October, especially if you're a golf or wine lover.
Earlier this year, the iconic resort was sold by Johnny Miller's ownership group to KSL Resorts. Miller remains affiliated with the resort where he once lived as a consultant. Silverado, a AAA Four Diamond Award Winner since 1976, has made great strides over the last decade with many enhancements under Miller's management. With Fortinet committed as a sponsor through 2026, Silverado's stature should only rise under KSL's leadership.
Staying at Silverado Resort
Silverado's first impression is a memorable one. The main entrance off of Atlas Peak Road reveals a striking view of a white mansion originally built in 1870 by - get this - a retired military general named John Miller! It is one of California's most historic structures.
Eventually, the private estate transitioned into a resort in 1967. Today, more than 345 rooms and suites are available for guests. My refurbished one-bedroom suite was incredibly comfortable, with a living room, fireplace and dining table next to a full kitchen and a spacious bedroom. A private fenced-in patio in back and another front patio adjacent to a resort pool offered multiple outdoor spaces to relax.
The best way to describe a stay at Silverado is you're buying into a country-club lifestyle for a weekend or longer. Beyond the golf, tennis is a big part of the resort with 10 outdoor courts. Three traditional pools are spread throughout its 300-acre grounds. The sprawling front lawn is a magnet for families looking to let the kids run, morning yoga classes and hosts concerts Friday and Saturday nights during the Fortinet. Everything's within easy walking distance, including the spa and fitness center across the street.
My recommendation for a memorable stay? We started our vacation with the "Best of The Valley" wine tasting held on Saturdays on the back patio of the mansion or indoors on hotter days. Our sommelier served six different wines, explaining the backstory of each label and the flavor notes packed in each bottle of pinot noir, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc and California champagne. Bites of cold cuts, cheeses, crackers, olives and grapes paired well with each.
Massages afterward at the 16,000-square-foot spa set the tone for a chill vibe all weekend. The fitness center is also home to more secluded tennis courts, pool and bocce ball. All the dining options are super casual. The Grill near the golf pro shop attracts families, couples looking for a romantic meal and golfers still in their game gear. Our meals of prime rib and steak frites were on point. The Silverado Market & Bakery is the gathering spot for breakfast and lunch. Everything sampled - wood-fired pizza, carrot muffins and breakfast sandwiches - was delicious as well.
At Prime Solum, the resort's wine-tasting partner, we sampled multiple wines from owner Elana Hill's family labels. Hill, an artist by trade, creates the designs on the bottles of Prime Solum and Expression 38 degrees. She and her husband, David Olof Ahlm, have transformed a rickety, old structure into the trendy Napa Valley Tasting Barn, home to three tasting rooms conveniently located less than a mile from Silverado. Their sipping experience was vastly different than Silverado's, serving side-by-side pairings, which allowed us to compare and contrast our favorite tastes. We came home with a couple of bottles and a temptation to join their wine club.
A walk around downtown Napa that evening could have led to more drinks and bites at all sorts of sophisticated places, but we choose to people watch instead. A concert along the river had things bustling. There's always something going on in wine country.
Playing Golf at Silverado Resort
Silverado's North and South courses look very similar because both are original Robert Trent Jones Sr. courses tweaked by Miller in recent years.
"We have changed everything here, I don't know if you know that," Miller said about the resort and courses at a past tournament media day. "You name a spot. We've changed it. This place is not the Silverado you guys think (about from the past)."
Both have a long history of hosting the pros. The North Course hosted the PGA Tour's Kaiser International Open Invitational from 1968-76 (Miller won it twice) and the Anheuser Busch Golf Classic from 1977-80. The South hosted the Senior Tour (now the PGA Tour Champions) from 1989 to 2002 with winners such as Billy Casper, Lee Trevino (twice), Bob Charles and Tom Kite.
The 7,166-yard North Course, the Fortinet host, was closed during my stay to ensure it looks good for Golf Channel TV coverage. I've been humbled by it many times over the years. Its greens are some of the trickiest on Tour. Even golfers who have been members for years struggle with their subtle, invisible breaks. It's a fun routing with numerous memorable holes - the par-3 11th where Miller used to own a home across the pond and twisting par 4s at nos. 8 and 17.
Playing the 6,612-yard South is no consolation prize. It might be my favorite course at Silverado. It's a little more forgiving, even with so many doglegs and tricky angles. Thankfully both courses serve the legendary burger dogs that are a must whenever you play at Silverado. Green fees change with the seasons, ranging from $139-$229.
The Fortinet Championship has attracted plenty of names you'll recognize to tee it up this week - Jason Day, Rickie Fowler, former Masters champion Danny Willett, etc. Many admittedly show up because their wives and girlfriends require it. Even after a long summer of golf, they oblige, knowing there's something soothing about the Napa lifestyle. Some good golf followed by a really good glass of wine and meal: That's the Silverado way. Want a taste of this life? Check out our golf packages below.
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