Appellation Lodi – Wine & Roses Resort and Spa: Chef Charlie Palmer Reimagines Beloved Resort

Photos courtesy of Wine and Roses Inn

Highlighting the rich bounty of Lodi wine country, Michelin-starred Chef Charlie Palmer, Chef Thomas Bellec, Appellation Lodi’s chief culinary director, and executive chef and food and beverage director Marco Fossati oversee the all-new culinary program at Appellation Lodi – Wine & Roses Resort and Spa.

Besides the name change, redesigned guest rooms and bar, the immersive culinary program features two signature Charlie Palmer dining concepts, Americana House and Maison Lodi. In the hands of luxury hospitality veteran Christopher Hunsberger, the historical destination resort is being fully refreshed while maintaining its original warmth and charm.

Change Is Good!
The resort’s main restaurant, Towne House, renamed Americana House, will remain a refined dining experience featuring Palmer’s signature Progressive American Cooking that emphasizes seasonal produce and innovative preparation. A dedicated cheese-aging cabinet and wine decanter station will be featured, spotlighting seasonal selections and encouraging guests to discover new specialties. Guests are also invited to engage with chefs at a culinary counter while enjoying small bites, wine tastings and special menus in the newly redecorated restaurant.

The resort’s café, Maison Lodi, is Palmer’s chic, casual, Napa-esque setting where guests savor authentic French baking, rotisserie chickens and more, all in collaboration with Healdsburg’s Quail & Condor Bakery. Featuring local ingredients, seasonal salads, artisan sandwiches, pastries and hearty breads, chefs create an exciting array of fresh foods made daily. Both dining establishments make maximum use of the culinary gardens that provide the chefs with hyper-local ingredients throughout the year. Chef Marco Fossati exclaimed with palpable enthusiasm, “I’m so excited about what we are doing here, to be part of all that is happening, it’s fantastic!”

Growth and Partnership
Longtime operating owner of Wine & Roses Resort and Spa Russ Munson shares that sense of excitement and observed, “Our beloved, historic estate has seen many lives, starting as a working ranch more than a century ago and transitioning to a ten-room bed and breakfast, which evolved into today’s 66-key boutique hotel. Our newfound partnership with Appellation makes an exciting evolution for the hotel and Lodi hospitality as we continue to elevate the guest experience together.”

Co-founder and chief operating officer of the culinary-first Appellation brand, Christopher Hunsburger is a 30-year veteran with the acclaimed Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and its former president of North Americas. He said, “More than anything, we want Appellation Lodi – Wine & Roses Resort and Spa to serve as the hub for Lodi and greater Central Valley residents, where guests rub shoulders with the growers, makers and purveyors who make up the hotel’s vibrant community. Our goal is to preserve the hotel’s rich heritage and welcoming setting while putting even more emphasis on a celebration of Lodi, creating a powerful sense of ‘here’ for guests, as we aspire to do with all our hotels and resorts.”

Destination Lodi
Charlie Palmer enthusiastically shares the vision. “With more than 85 boutique wineries, Lodi is home to a vibrant wine and dining scene. Appellation Lodi – Wine and Roses Resort and Spa will serve as an anchor for discovering the destination and its vibrant offerings. Our hope is to shine a much-deserved light on Lodi with the reinvigoration of this landmark hotel, while continuing to preserve its beloved spaces such as the tasting room operated by the Lodi Winegrape Commission, representing more than 750 growers.”

For weddings, special events and more, Appellation Lodi – Wine and Roses Hotel and Spa is indeed the premier resort and cornerstone of hospitality in Lodi. Known for its lush botanical gardens tended and managed by master gardeners and its award-winning holistic spa, the resort’s serenity and beauty are unmatched.

For more information, visit appellationhotels.com or winerose.com.