The JCB Tasting Salon and adjacent Atelier by JCB gourmet food shop in Yountville is a must see destination for any visitor to the Napa Valley..and for many reasons. Set in the historic picture perfect Whistle Stop Center on the main street, there is little to signal what treasures lie within—an incredible cornucopia of excellent wines, luxury table furnishings, home décor, jewelry and delectable edibles.

It’s all the creation of Jean-Charles Boisset, the dashing, charming, dynamic and glamorous young Frenchman whose family is renowned in Burgundy, and who made his mark by purchasing (among others) Raymond Vineyards in St. Helena, Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma and DeLoach Vineyards in Santa Rosa. In doing so, Jean-Charles is elevating these well-known estates and the wines produced to even higher levels.

Monsieur Boisset is a true bon vivant and in the creation of this new wine tasting and lifestyle destination in Yountville is unlike anything we have ever seen: leopard print banquettes, red velvet curtains, Baccarat crystal chandeliers, Bernardaud porcelain, Christofle silver, museum-worthy artwork, and more, it’s all about luxury and joie de vivre, the epitome of the true Boisset lifestyle and the love and reverence of only the best. When one steps into this world of JCB, inspired by Jean-Charles Boisset’s vision, they are embraced by a sensory assault that is a tad outrageous, a bit whimsical and very much a hedonistic dream, a lifestyle where fantasies become realities.

Ultimately, however, this is a very special place devoted to very special wine. Boisset’s signature label, JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset, are as charismatic as Boisset himself, and each wine is infused with his larger-than-life personality and style. Each JCB wine has a signature number rather than a name and those numbers have a personal meaning to Boisset. For example, the JCB No. 39, a sparkling Crémant du Bourgogne Brut, was named for the year his grandparents fell in love. The JCB No. 9, a rich and well-balanced Chardonnay, pays tribute to the year Boisset married Gina Gallo. The JCB No. 22, a delicate and intense Sonoma Pinot Noir represents Bossiet’s favorite number…twice. There are 28 wines in the JCB Collection which includes; Chardonnays, Pinots, Cabernet Franc, red and white blends, long-lived Cabernet Sauvignons, all priced from $25 to $500.

These wines along with others from the Boisset Collection are available for purchase at the JCB Tasting Salon. If you’re interested in experiencing the wines before buying, the JCB Tasting Salon offers three distinctive flights of discovery, the Premium Collection ($30), the JCB Touch Interactive tasting at the digital touch table ($40), and The Surrealist flight ($50) served by some of the most talented wine curators in town. Surrounded by Boisset’s personally-designed jewelry collection, which is also available for purchase, one feels uniquely privileged to be indulged in this opulent, fantastical, surrealist world.

Do not leave without visiting Atelier by JCB, a gourmet epicerie adjacent to the JCB Tasting Salon that offers a curated assortment of gourmet delicacies. These are an elegantly presented collection of products sourced locally in Napa and Sonoma alongside discoveries from the best international producers from France, Italy, Spain and more. Atelier offers an artfully curated collection of salts, peppers and spices, mustards, honey, olive oil and vinegar from Boisset’s winery estates, smoked salmon, caviar, anchovies, truffles, foie gras, terrines, charcuterie, more than 120 cheeses, chocolate, specialty teas and coffees. JCB Tasting Salon and Atelier by JCB, 6505 Washington Street, Yountville, Open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., (707) 934-8237.

All photos by Scott Chebegia