Life doesn’t come with a manual, the saying goes, it comes with a mother. And this month – on Sunday, May 13 – we celebrate moms worldwide. What better way to tell your mother you love her than by wining, dining, or pampering her in wine country? Here are a few of the special offerings available in the valley.

Hotel specials - dinner, spa & yoga

The Carneros Resort and Spa invites guests to enjoy “Mamaste,” a half-day yoga retreat on Saturday, May 12. Start the morning with freshly made juice, followed by gentle yoga and relaxation exercises overlooking Napa’s spectacular views. The retreat concludes with a Champagne reception. $95 per person. Then on Sunday, May 13, visit the resort’s flower market, complete with sparkling wine and fresh beignets (9 am to noon), followed by a decadent multi-course brunch served family-style at FARM ($85 per adult, $42 per child).

The Meritage Resort invited guests to a weekend with Veuve Clicquot. This special event will include a dinner in The Meritage Resort’s Estate Cave on Friday evening, a special poolside Happy Hour and our very special Veuve Clicquot Mother’s Day Brunch Buffett. Brunch begins with a glass of glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label as guests dine outside with views of the resort’s hillside vineyards or inside it’s Grand Salon while listening to live music and enjoying a bountiful buffet prepared by Executive Chef Ryan Rupp and his culinary team. There will also be children’s activities throughout the day.

The Inn on First will treat Mom with a welcoming bouquet of flowers, a dozen chocolate truffles, a bottle of sparkling wine, and a relaxing 50-minute in-room massage. If you book your stay through the Inn on First website, you’ll receive an additional 7% room discount for stays from May 7 – 17 and you can choose the Mother’s Day special option at check-out. 

The Napa River Inn is offering two special Mother’s Day packages, each valid for stays from May 7 to 17. The Wine-Tasting Package includes an in-room bottle of wine, downtown Napa wine-tasting cards, and fresh pastries delivered daily. The Relaxing Spa Day Package includes two massages, an in-room bottle of wine, and daily fresh pastries.

Embassy Suites by Hilton Napa Valley is featuring specials for stays during May 7 to 16 that include a bottle of wine and chocolate-dipped strawberries. Use promo code MOD when booking online.

The Westin Verasa Napa is offering guests a special shopping package in honor of Mother’s Day, which includes a gift card, shopping tote bag and VIP coupon bag.

Napa Valley Lodge is featuring a Mother’s Day package that includes a complimentary upgrade based on availability on the day of arrival, a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and chocolate truffles, and a fresh orchid for Mom to keep. Valid for Sunday, May 13 based on availability. Not valid with any other promotion or with existing reservations.

The Archer Hotel Napa is featuring two Spring Rooftop Spa Packages with the choice to pamper yourself or to spoil both you and your partner – a perfect getaway for Mom plus one. The package includes two nights in a deluxe king guest room, a bottle of wine at arrival, one or two 60-minute massage(s), and a complimentary appetizer at Charlie Palmer Steak or Sky & Vine Rooftop Bar.

Wineries, Tours & Cooking classes

Cliff Lede Vineyards will celebrate mothers (and those who love them) by offering complimentary light bites as well as a special treat for Mom: a pair of custom-made Kollar Chocolates. Along with beautiful wines from the Cliff Lede Vineyards portfolio, you’ll taste from sister winery FEL, named in homage to Cliff’s own mother, Florence Elsie Lede, a home winemaker and early inspiration for his love of wine. Regular tasting fees apply. Reservations recommended at 707-944-8642 or on the website. Sunday, May 13 from 11 am to 3 pm.

The CIA at Copia is featuring three special classes for Mother’s Day. In Women of the Vine, you’ll do a walk-around tasting from bottles made by women winemakers who delicately balance life and work to create elegant wines for your drinking pleasure. Saturday, May 12 from 2 to 4 pm; $35/person. (21+ only, please.) Brunch Batters will teach you how to prepare sweet and savory batters for a quick meal, with make-ahead tips you can bring back to your kitchen, followed by a DIY brunch bar. Sunday, May 13 from 1:30 to 2:30 pm; $15/person. And in Bubbles for Every Occasion you’ll learn about tasting, buying, serving, and fun pairings for sparkling wine. You’ll also do a blind tasting, with a chance to compare wines from many price points and styles to find your favorites for any occasion. (21+ only.) Sunday, May 13 from 4 to 5:15 pm; $15/person.

The Napa Valley Wine Train is a perennial Mother’s Day favorite. Passengers can choose from any of the usual lunch or dinner packages on the Gourmet Express or Vista Dome cars to celebrate or purchase a gift certificate online to share as an experiential present. For those who wish to include a winery visit on their journey, the Day Tripper experiences are available for lunch and include a multi-course meal and private tours and tastings at renowned wineries such as Charles Krug Winery, Raymond Vineyards, and more.

Provenance Vineyards welcomes guests to its remodeled patio for an alfresco tasting experience, with beautiful wines for Mom and lawn games for the kids. It’s also offering 10% savings on its rosé all day.

Materra/Cunat Family Vineyards is offering Mother’s Day guests an upgraded tour and tasting at the price of a daily tasting (a $40 value at $25 per person). Book in advance by phone at 707-224-4900.

Verve Napa Valley is offering to celebrate the amazing women in your life for the entire month of May. It’s providing one bottle of complimentary sparkling wine aboard your vehicle with every full-day private guided wine tour booked before May 31t.

Restaurants - brunches & lunches

Acacia House at Las Alcobas will offer a special Mother’s Day brunch menu that will include Greek yogurt with house-made granola, berries, seasonal fruit and honey; Chilaquiles with eggs, tortillas, salsa roja, cotija cheese, avocado, and pickled red onion; a breakfast sandwich with soft-scrambled eggs, pancetta, smoked cheddar, arugula, and an English muffin; and the popular Dutch Baby Pancake with house-made jam and maple syrup. Sunday, May 13 from 7 am until 2:30 pm.

The CIA at Copia Restaurant is presenting a Mother’s Day brunch that will include pancetta cotto scramble and spicy mussels. Sunday, May 13 from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm. $40 per person, with an option of unlimited Bloody Marys and mimosas for $65. 

Kitchen Collective is opening its doors for an exclusive preview into its private club to honor “all the amazing mothers and superwomen who surround us.” Family, friends, and children are also welcome. Twelve lucky Kitchen Collective members will be selected to roll up their sleeves and assist Chef Antonia. Sunday, May 13 from 11 am to 1 pm, $60 per person, $40 for children 16 and under.

Michelin-starred La Toque at The Westin Verasa Napa will serve its annual Mother’s Day brunch featuring seasonal, fresh produce and organic meats sourced from a network of local farmers and purveyors. The special three-course tasting menu is $48 per person with an optional wine pairing for $24. A three-course children’s menu is offered for kids ages 10 and under at $32 per child. Sunday, May 13 from noon to 2 pm. La Toque will also be providing its regular dinner service menu from 5:30 to 9 that evening.

Angèle Restaurant & Bar will be adding some special items to its lunch menu for a celebratory Mother’s Day brunch. Sunday, May 13, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Heritage Eats, located in Napa’s Bel Aire shopping center, invites guests to enjoy any selected wine for $5, kids eat free with the purchase of a meal for Mom, and a complimentary cupcake from local baker Sammycakes.

Cover photo credit: Emily Byrski, Empire Style of Mind