I have traveled to many diverse Destination Clubs in exceptional locales; in Paris, London, St. Thomas, Vail, Aspen… and beyond. But rarely, if ever, have I had a more meaningful time than my recent stay at the Timbers-Plumpjack wine country destination of the Orchard at Carneros.

In a previous visit, as editor of Travel Connoisseur Magazine, I had this to say:

For years, the Carneros region of Napa Valley was one of the least developed in the area. With a climate similar to that of Burgundy in France, all it was used for was growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Grapes have been grown in the area since the 1830s, and the first Carneros winery, was built in 1870. The land had a soft, pastoral footprint, marked by hilltop views of the Napa river, neighboring vineyards and views of the Mayacama mountains. The location, equidistant between Napa and Sonoma, is less than an hour from San Francisco. In the mid 90's, Keith Rogal, a San Francisco based developer, envisioned what this area could be. In the Carneros region, an area noted for its agricultural and ranch history, he wanted to create a special place. "These are places that over time are burnished and polished, not eroded and compromised." Rogan says. He envisioned a resort with residences that would become more comfortable, more necessary with time.

Even though The Orchard is proving to be a successful private residence club (with fractional sales up 81% since May 2008) and is attached to The Inn at Carneros (a substantial, awarded resort) I had never been there before. I had been to Tibet… but never Napa Valley. But now, in the first few days of 2009, I was going, and taking my two grown sons, their wives and my first grandson. We had not seen each other in nearly a year.

Here's how it went.

The Residences -- Staying in two of the Residences, called cottages, we felt completely at home. Each cottage is 1700 sq’, has two master suites, two master baths, plus an outdoor shower. There is an easy elegance to the interiors, unhurried, comfortable. There are also outdoor living areas with wood burning fireplaces and outdoor hot tubs, each with private courtyard gardens. One of my sons, interested in design, said a kind of pastoral simplicity is reflected in the cottages' exterior design with board and batten exteriors and metal roofs. The landscaping included fragrant jasmine, lavender and rosemary.

The Food: We ate dinner at The Farm, an exceptional restaurant near the Inn at Carneros, where Chef Jeff Jakes creates. I’ve written about the well-known, celebrated Chef Jakes before, and knew his stellar reputation for cooking seasonally, with produce and meats from the Napa area. A few examples from our dinner: Veloute of Butternut Squash, Goat Cheese and Beets, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Juniper Berry-marinated Venison (with braised red cabbage, Comice pear, chocolate sauce and black pepper on the side). Simple and delicious.

The Spa: My daughters in law and I had different treatments, each said theirs was the best ever. Mine was a combination of three treatments, one of which I had never experienced before: the Huichica Creek Bath. It is an outdoor bath, hot, yet bearable, with molded creekbed rocks on the bottom and sides. Sitting in that for 10 minutes drains all the worries, trouble, concerns and anxieties from you, both cognitively and physically. I then had a salt scrub, then a massage. I felt as if my skeletal structure had melted away, and in its place some kind of elastic, painlessness. It was glorious.

The Wine: PlumpJack, a resort/hospitality company, founded the Inn and the Orchard at Carneros. Plumpjack also began as a winery, so the wine serviced at The Orchard and the Inn's restaurants, is varied and exceptional. Plumpjack wines are served, as are wines from The Vintner's Collective, a tasting room in Napa where 18 of the valley’s most celebrated boutique wineries rent space.

One reason, surely, for the success of this club is the sense of palpable sanctuary it offers. Much of this is due to the open land around the Orchard and the Inn, but also, due to the effects of a great spa, food and wine. We felt it, and responded. We had endless, active, happy conversations, and at the end of our stay, realized that sense of sanctuary allowed us the space to reconnect, realign and finally catch up.

Fractional Ownership available - 17 cottages, $300,000 for 1/10