My husband and I enjoy traveling just like any other couple. We love the ocean and a great beach, but our favorite type of destination is wine country for two reasons. No. 1: We love trying new wine and hearing how wineries made their mark, and No.2: We love hiking, and usually where there is good wine, there are rolling hills or mountains nearby.

We’ve traveled to some of the most beautiful wine countries over the past five years. From the rolling hills of Rioja and the golden mountains of Tuscany to Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and the very peaceful Paso Robles. We’ve enjoyed some strenuous hikes and have fallen in love with Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Syrah wines.

Oddly enough I had not been to Napa Valley to try the best California cabs until just this past May. I had heard a lot of great things about Napa, but I typically prefer to go off the beaten path so it wasn’t first on my list.

When we finally made the trip out, to my surprise, Napa was just as magical of an experience as the other wine countries.

Perhaps it was the personal wine tour and tasting at Rudd Estate that my husband surprised me with soon after we arrived. Rudd is my maiden name so he knew I had been curious about the family and their wine for some time. During our visit I learned I had no relation to the owner whose family name was shortened from Rudinski to Rudd; however, we were immediately enamored with their fine wine. The smell, taste and smoothness was truly different than any other cab we had before, which made the experience extra special.

Perhaps my magical time in Napa could also be attributed to hiking in the mountains that overlook Lake Berryessa, which I later learned was an annual summer destination for my mom and her family throughout her childhood.

Most likely, it was all of our experiences that made Napa a memorable place for us.

Since our trip, I’ve been wanting to make wine inspired soap that reminds me of Napa and lets me share our Napa experience with Elemental Blue customers.

After crafting a recipe to represent fine wine with a silky feel and a beautiful, fresh fragrance to match, I finally did it. I made my wine-inspired soap, and I decided to name it Oakville, a small town in the heart of Napa Valley that has some of the best and most notable wineries.

It mimics the smooth finish of a fine wine

Along with the same natural moisturizing oils found in our other soaps, this one also includes Tussah silk and shea butter. Made from silk worms, Tussah silk has a cotton-like texture and is often used to make clothing. By melting it into the oils and lye before the soap saponifies, the silk adds a velvety feel. Shea butter, which is high in fatty acids and vitamins, adds to the silky feel and soothes the skin.

It smells floral-infused, like a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc

The scent of this carefully-crafted soap has many inviting characteristics, and similar to wine, the interpretation will be unique to each individual. Some may identify notes of lilies or lilac while others may pick up violets or grape.

We like to describe it as floral-infused with a smooth finish, just like a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc from our favorite winery in Napa.

No matter what notes come to mind when using this soap, I promise you that the overall pleasant aroma will leave you wanting more.

Our new soap is a wonderful reminder of our time in Napa, and I’m so excited to share it with you. Give it a try, and let us know what you think.