The Ultimate gift guide

The ultimate in GIFT-GIVING

Looking to splurge? Here are some ideas from near and far

LAYNE RANDOLPH

It is the gift-giving question as old as time — what do you get for someone who has everything? When someone already has what they want and need, the challenge is finding something meaningful and thoughtful or something that will blow them away. And after everything we have been through in the last two years, now is the time to make some dreams come true.

If you need a good dose of inspiration, here are some ideas to please even the most discerning person.

ONE-OF-A-KIND GIFTS

DIEGOKOI

Adopt An Olive Tree: Tre Olive

Three cousins from Calabria united to rejuvenate the family business of olive production, modernizing the way to distribute their products globally by offering

Submitted photo

adoptions of their olive trees. Francesco Falvo’s Calabrian olive groves have produced olive oil since 1934, and he lived among them until his passing last year at 93 years old. For decades, he cultivated, pressed, and produced oil that he then sold to northern producers to label as their own.

Three of his grandchildren inherited the groves, brothers Joe and Michael Maruca and their cousin Diego Fazio. Instead of selling their high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil to other brands, they created Tre Olive. Their offering includes the ability to adopt an olive tree — or give the gift of adoption to another.

Their adoption package arrives with photos of the adopted olive tree tagged with your name, along with an adoption certificate and certificate holder. They also include three 500 ml tins of Tre Olive extra virgin olive oil so you can taste the goodness right away. In the Spring, your tree’s olive oil arrives after harvest and pressing. Adoption packages range from $79.99 to $199.99 for one year.

There are many olive products to choose from as well: super-aromatic rosemary-scented olive oil soaps; gorgeous gift boxes of Italian condiments like Calabrian chili paste, pesto, and olive tapenade; and beautifully packaged olive oil sets including balsamic vinegar, spices, spreads, and dipping dishes.

Marc Forgione, Michelin Star Chef of

GIFT

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Marc Forgione, American Cut, and Peasant restaurants, describes the Tre Olive olive oil as “slightly peppery but also round, sweet and well-balanced with incredible body. Because it’s from a single estate, you can fully taste the terroir of the region; if you close your eyes, it’s like an instant momentary trip to Calabria.” treolive.com

J.L. Sousa, Register

Judd’s Hill Winery, located at 2332 Silverado Trail, for Where in Napa Valley.

Become A Winemaker: Judd’s Hill

Budding and wanna-be winemakers will love the chance to craft a barrel of Napa Valley wine from the vineyard to the bottle — you do not need to own a vineyard or be a winemaker to make wine at Judd’s Hill. Their Microcrush program features a client-tailored grape-to-bottle winemaking process with premium fruit from Napa Valley.

Lucky gift recipients meet one-on-one with award-winning winemakers and join harvest, crush, punch-downs, regular tastings, blending sessions, and designing a custom label for their bottles. Most of the sourced fruit is from Napa Valley vineyards, and clients can pinpoint the AVA and style of wine they prefer.

If you want a personalized case to give as a gift right away, they have set aside some premium finished Judd’s Hill wine barrels specifically for those who do not have time to go through the entire winemaking process. All you must do is create a label that your recipient will love.

Your giftee will have an unforgettable experience crafting their cuvée at Judd’s Hill. Pricing depends on the appellation, varietal, and market rate, but the one-barrel (24 cases) price tag ranges between $4,000 and $5,000. juddshill.com/microcrush

The French Laundry, Yountville

Zhukovsky, Dreamstime.com

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS GIVING

One of the pandemic benefits was realizing that we could have almost anything delivered to our home. Subscription boxes are so popular that you are sure to find one to fit your intended recipient perfectly, and they are the gifts that keep on giving. Here are two options.

Cheesemonger

Connoisseurs of fine cheeses will delight in the curated small batches of artisan selections and traditional offerings. Founders and certified cheesemongers Laura Downey and Chris Palumbo source their cheese from small American farmers and cheesemakers and work with trusted European importers and distributors to source authentic artisan cheeses.

Build your own box, select a subscription package, or purchase a one-time Classic or Signature Box. The Classic Box is pure cheese from the world’s absolute best producers, and the Signature Box includes three rounds of cheese, plus jam, spread, or charcuterie, along with artisan crackers. Boxes range from $75 to $95. cheesemongerbox.com/pages/about-us

Journeyman Meat Co.

According to Journeyman Meat’s website, a journeyman comes from European tradition dating to medieval times, when traveling artisans traded their skills in exchange for hospitality. Today, Journeyman Meat’s boutique Italian salumeria trades its skills for purchases from appreciative customers and nationwide acclaim from the likes of USA Today and Wine Spectator.

It is not unusual to find couples huddled together over glasses of wine and a charcuterie board. But it is their subscription box that has become the talk of the town after months of staying in place. A one-year quarterly subscription starts at $108. journeymanmeat.com/shop-salumiand-gifts

EXPERIENCES

French Laundry Gift Experience Card

Dining at Napa Valley’s French Laundry is a bucket list item for many, and a gift to feast there will be the ultimate date night surprise. With a choice of three levels: Silver, Gold, or Black, the French Laundry Experience Cards can include amenities like nine- to 18-course tasting menus with Champagne and extraordinary hand-selected wine pairings by French Laundry sommeliers. The crème de la crème, the Black Card, includes a BMW car service and a gift from Chef Thomas Keller. Price begins at $1,600. finessethestore.com

Explore The Grand Circle

Gifts of experiences need tangible presents too. To show your plan to travel the West, notably, the Grand Circle, give “The Illustrated Guide to Exploring the Grand Circle, Utah & Arizona.” Written by historian, author, and outdoors person Daniel S. Pierce, this beautiful book details a drivable

circuit of national parks, state parks, and national monuments in the Grand Circle: Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The early 20th-Century illustration styles by Joel Anderson and Anderson Design Group set the mood for a back-to-nature vacation for friends and family. Softcover books $29.99, hardcover books $49.99. andersondesigngroupstore.com

Pet DNA Kits

Giving the gift of a DNA kit can be tricky for humans — however, if your human is game, it can be a super special surprise. But pet DNA kits are pure fun. Who doesn’t want to know everything they can about their fur baby? Embark DNA Kits for dogs and human DNA kits from Ancestry start at $99. embarkvet.com

THE GIFT OF LUXURY

Fendi Peekaboo Iseeu

The Fendi Peekaboo is an icon, along with the Baguette and the Hermes Birkin Bag. The name alludes to the design that allows one side of the bag to fold down to peek inside it. The entire bag can be

Withgod, Dreamstime.com

customized: the material, exterior and interior color and design, and the ultimate personalization: a monogram. The latest “It-Girl” is the Fendi Peekaboo Iseeu.

When she designed the Peekaboo, Fendi’s CEO, Silvia Venturini Fendi, said she was “looking for a traditional yet modern contemporary shape, able to satisfy the most sophisticated women.”

The Peekaboo Iseeu follows the general Peekaboo design but uses a softer leather to allow it to drape even lower, revealing a removable (and monogram-able) interior pocket that snaps into place on the stiff center partition. Add your recipient’s discreet initials to the pocket to make this bag even more thoughtful and one-of-a-kind. Prices start at $4,900. fendi.com

Petrossian Caviar Gift Set

For the caviar lover or holiday host in your life, this set from Petrossian offers everything you need to prepare a caviar feast fit for luxurious holiday celebrations. Once you select your caviar(s), you can pair it with a variety of accompaniments. Some options include smoked salmon, smoked trout filet, smoked duck breast, Berkshire pork and black truffle salami, Petrossian caviar cream, chocolate figs, baguette toasts, mini blinis, and crème fraîche. The Petrossian Gourmet Celebration starts at $623. petrossian.com/gift-baskets-samplers

Traveling Personal Trainers

Give the ultimate gift of health and fitness to your friend or loved one. Napa’s Bare Health and Fitness, run by husbandand-wife team Matt Kathol and Tessa Mini, offers a full-day health analysis followed by an extensive, customized roadmap to your personal health goals. The program includes cardio, postural, strength, and stretch tests, as well as a nutrition evaluation. The one-day, 10-hour Health Intensive Day costs $2,000. barehealthandfitness.com

MARIE | Lyall

INTERIOR DESIGN

a boutique design firm specializing in residential and commercial design, and interior décor.

marielyall.com 2015 redwood Suite 2 / Napa, ca 94559 / 707-681-2009