Bouchon Bistro

Bouchon is chef Thomas Keller’s (The French Laundry) ode to the French bistro, right in the heart of Napa Valley’s charming town of Yountville. Baguettes, seafood platters, boudin blanc, steak frites, croque monsieurs… if it’s classic old-school French cooking, they’ll have it on the menu. As someone who finds this food deeply satisfying, a trip to Bouchon is always a treat.

The wine list straddles between traditional French and new wave California, but given the fame of Bouchon’s executive chef, and its location in the heart of the Napa Valley, most of the tourists who visit Bouchon tend to drink the Napa wines off the list. While those are certainly good examples, it also means that there’s often hidden French gems on the list; on a recent visit they had Champagnes from Cedric Bouchard and the incredibly rare centenary vine Romorantin from Henry Marionnet.