Napa Insider
Farewell Blue Note, hello Mercato del Gusto
By Christina Julian
W hen the ball drops at the stroke of midnight this New Year’s Eve, it will not only cue countless renditions of "Auld Lang Syne" and smoochy-smoochy time but will also mark the end of an era for the Blue Note Napa, which is closing the doors to its space at the historic Napa Valley Opera House. Since planting roots on the first floor of the iconic venue in 2016, this class act jazz club has hosted everyone from Chris Botti and Kenny G to Carlos Santana, cementing a once hatchling music scene in downtown Napa. While the Blue Note’s residency at the Opera House will end with a performance by Brian Culbertson on Dec.
retains much of the character of yesteryear, the interiors were unrecognizable from the space I once visited. The vast array of items on offer at the market consumes and delights with elevated food experiences and tasting plates at the hands of Michelin-starred chef Stefano Masanti, from the revered Il Cantinone in Northern Italy. The Mercado showcased everything from a 26-foot refrigerated wall of cheese tended by resident cheese monger James Ayers to house-made desserts and truffles from pastry chef and chocolatier Katryana Zide. The cheese and charcuterie program flaunts nearly 300 different cheeses from that pungent wall, as well as all manner of grab-and-go sandwiches, salads and sides that left me hungry for more. Some of the standouts I sampled included the
In honor of NorthBay biz’s 50th anniversary, here’s Christina Julian when she was still a Napa outsider.
31, the brand will carry on in expanded and new formats around the valley. The Blue Note Jazz Festival and popular Summer Sessions at The Meritage Resort and Spa will rock on as in years past, with 2026 programing expected to grow to 40 shows, for audiences of up to 3,000. Shows produced at the Oxbow RiverStage at Napa Valley College will carry on, with plans to expand programing for the new outdoor series at The Ruins in American Canyon, which launched in September with EDM DJ Kaskade. Ken Tesler, managing director of Blue Note Napa, shared on social: “Blue Note Napa has always been about bringing people together through great music and shared experiences and we’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built. Though our time at the Opera House is ending, this is far from the end—it’s an evolution.” The Blue Note is actively looking for space in San Francisco. A renaissance As my loyal readers know, I’m not fond of change, but as my kids often say, “It’s all good, Mom.” And sometimes, it is. A few columns ago, I wrote about one of my first trips to Napa for a team building excursion during my dot.com days. One of our stops along the tasting trail, nearly 25 years ago, was V. Sattui in St. Helena. That experience was all about boozing it up and sidling up to the small deli counter for eats to wash down one too many sips of wine, caring less about taste and flavor profile, and more about volume consumption. That trip was the one and only time I had been to the winery, skipping past it in favor of glossier spots, until this fall when I was invited to the grand re-opening after a remodel. And just like revisiting a bottle of wine purchased and then uncorked after many years of aging and refinement, so too had the tasting experience and venue changed. V. Sattui’s artisan deli has been rebranded as “Mercato del Gusto” (taste of the market), with the extensive remodel celebrating the winery’s 50th vintage in Napa Valley. Still located in the 1976 winery building that from the outside
ahi poke with sesame soy vinaigrette and wontons, the lemon herbed jumbo prawns and shrimp roll sandwiches. On the sweet side of the street, decadent truffles melted mouths, with delights including the raspberry swirl and decidedly different blue cheese truffle with Point Reyes and dark chocolate, the latter paired perfectly with the Madeira port. Add to that an expansive wine and swag shop with a bevy of gourmet finds and gifts, which got my holiday shopping off to a promising start. During my visit I stole a minute with longtime managing partner Tom Davies, whose passion for the place felt as enduring as his 40-year tenure. He spoke about wanting to broaden the appeal of wine tasting to all audiences, including younger demographics who are opting for other beverages. “I want to get back to the valley I remember when it was easy to come up here and there weren’t all these barriers and reservations,” Davies said. “We still need to have that for certain experiences, but it’s important that we figure out a way in our industry to widen our doors as opposed to making our doors smaller. That will be the secret to our success.” In a land that has, in my opinion, become a bit too highfalutin for its own good, this is a secret sauce I can get behind. Along with free tastings that are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which according to Davies, has doubled the number of visitors on those days. “And guess what,” he said. “They are buying wine!” u
After years in the technology and advertising trenches, Christina Julian traded city life for country and unearthed a new philosophy— life is complicated, wine and food shouldn’t be. Her debut novel, a romantic comedy called The Dating Bender , is now available. Learn more at christinajulian.com . You can reach her at cjulian@ northbaybiz.com.
60 NorthBaybiz
December 2025
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