Wine Country Detours is about finding the lists and the faves. There are times when I will call on Subject Matter Experts! Take for instance - where should we go for the most Instagrammable spots in Wine Country so my friends sitting on their couches have total FOMO and they comment “WHERE IS THAT? It’s gorgeous!”??
So I asked my friend Misti Layne, a professional events photographer to give me the low down on some of her favorite spots. Here are Misti Layne's Top 3!
Artesa Winery · Carneros Region, Napa
Why do I love Artesa? First the view from the winery is just 360 degrees of inspiring beauty. Picture perfect with every snap! Located in the Carneros region, the winery itself has done an amazing job of blending into the scenery and using the land and landscape to the best advantage. Take in the sculptures and fountains while enjoying a glass of excellent wine. Gorgeous views. Fantastic!
Beltane Ranch · Glen Ellen, Sonoma County
Beltane Ranch is one of those places that makes my heart melt for it’s beauty but also the animals! There is of course the house cat but there are horses and a bull that acts more like a dog than what you would imagine a bull to act like. The main building is just so perfectly quaint and picturesque and my favorite is the tree where ceremonies take place. It’s just breathtaking in every corner of this property. And have you met Wally the Wooly Weeder? He is the cutest lamb you'll see!
Castello di Amorosa · Calistoga
Castello di Amorosa is one of the most unique places in wine country that I know. Every spot is just a beautiful image. Secret alcoves and gorgeous balconies take you to another time. You may think you have been transported to Italy with the surrounding grounds, the stone buildings, the heights and their views! Even the tunnels and the underground spaces are just a constant visual image in beauty. You may glimpse a couple of preening emerald peacocks on your visit.
Wine Country is open. Come visit and make your friends jealous. Or bring them!
Misti Layne is a professional wedding and corporate events photographer. She also shoots intimate engagements and professional portraits. Photograph is not just a vocation for Misti, it is her passion and heart. Misti is one of the nicest people I have ever met. And she always has great shoes.
In Misti's words, "Images tell a story and they are there for me to find. It is about me watching, listening, learning and being at the ready for the instant THE image hits me and I push the button. Most anyone can take a photograph with their mobile today. But this ends up being a random moment in time. With portraiture there may be moments between the intended images that really resonate beyond the standard. This isn’t one image. It is a series of images that provoke emotion and thought. This happens with trust and openness and I know I can only get this if you trust me and I am open enough for you to do that. When there is this intimacy, I can get to the heart of the images and that is when the storytelling photography happens."