The hook
A former vineyard turned into 200 acres of contemporary art, with sculpture out in the meadows, galleries by a lake, and peacocks strutting the grounds.
01Why it's worth it
In the Carneros hills between Napa and Sonoma, René and Veronica di Rosa spent decades filling their ranch with Northern California contemporary art, then turned it into a public preserve. It's a strange and lovely mix: indoor galleries packed floor-to-ceiling with Bay Area art, a sculpture meadow where big, odd works sit in the grass, a lake, old farm buildings, and peacocks wandering like they own the place. It's a quieter, weirder, more personal alternative to the wine-tasting circuit, art collected by a couple with a real point of view, in a beautiful working landscape. You can roam the grounds and sculpture park and tour the galleries without a wine buzz in sight, which after a few tasting rooms is its own kind of relief.
02How to experience it
It's on the Sonoma Highway (121) in the Carneros region south of Napa. Check hours and any reservation or tour requirements before you go; the outdoor sculpture meadow is the highlight and the galleries are the bonus. A calm, arty counterweight to a wine-country day.