VINE

A NAPA VALLEY JOURNEY APRIL 2027

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

— John 15:5 ESV

Day 1 · Thu — Welcome & Abide
Arrive in Napa and settle in. Tonight is our welcome dinner — over a slow, shared table we unpack ruach, frame the days ahead, and your chavurah begins to know one another. As the spring light lingers, we take a first, gentle taste of what it means to abide: to slow down and be present to the God already at work.
Day 2 · Fri — Tend
A day among the budding vines with a local vintner — how new growth is coaxed and guarded, why winter’s pruning matters, and what those cuts are now producing. We hear how frost is watched for and warded off from the tender shoots. Teaching on the Father as gardener, and the God who tends us with intention and care.
Day 3 · Sat — Remain & Prune
Time with our hands among the young vines — thinning the shoots that would only sap the vine’s strength, so its life can travel toward fruit. We sit with the honest edge of the metaphor: the branch that bears nothing, and the mercy hidden in the pruning. Later, a guided cellar tasting of wine still aging toward its time, and a communal dinner on the vine and the cup — celebration, covenant, remembrance.
Day 4 · Sun — Go
A slow final morning to reflect and be blessed — carrying the practice of remaining in the True Vine into the life you’re returning to. Depart.
A note on rhythm. We hold this itinerary with open hands. We follow the weather, the light, and the leading of the Spirit — so the order and shape of days may shift along the way. When it does, it isn’t a disruption; it’s part of how these journeys breathe. We’ll always protect the heart of the experience and the moments that matter most.
- All scheduled group activities, vineyard experiences, tastings, and educational sessions with local growers and winemakers
- Guided teaching on “I am the true vine,” John 15, and abiding
- Round‑trip ground transportation between the airport and our Napa Valley accommodations, plus all itinerary transportation
- Three nights of double‑occupancy accommodation at a boutique Napa Valley property
- Daily breakfasts, curated vineyard lunches, and group dinners (some meals; see itinerary)
- Curated cellar and wine tastings paired with teaching, context, and guided reflection
- Spacious free time for rest, journaling, or exploring the valley
- A keepsake gift symbolic of the journey’s theme
- Airfare or transportation to and from Napa Valley
- Optional activities or personal excursions during free time
- Personal purchases such as additional wine, souvenirs, or incidentals
- Travel insurance (recommended but not required)
- Gratuities for hotel staff or local partners, unless otherwise noted
- A bud‑break vineyard walk — the valley waking, green shoots rising from pruned canes.
- A vintner on pruning & protection — what winter’s cuts produced, and how tender new growth is guarded from frost.
- Hands in the vines — thinning and tending young shoots, the quiet labor beneath fruitfulness.
- A cellar tasting — wine from earlier seasons aging toward its time; patience and promise in a glass.
- A long spring table — a communal dinner where bread is broken and the cup is poured.
Upon submitting the interest form, we’ll follow up with full trip details so you can discern if this journey is the right fit. If you choose to join, you’ll secure your spot with a deposit and complete a short registration process.
In the weeks leading up to the trip, you’ll receive a preparation packet and join our WhatsApp group and pre‑trip Zoom call so you feel grounded, connected, and ready before we travel.
Secure your place with a non‑refundable $500 deposit, then pay in full or use a 5‑installment plan (final payment 60 days before departure). Your personalized schedule is provided when you register.
1. Reserve your place with your deposit
2. Receive full trip details & your preparation packet
3. Join the WhatsApp group & pre‑trip Zoom
4. Arrive grounded, connected, and ready
Your teacher
Vine is taught by Tionna Chanel, founder of Via Ruach. Faith has always been her foundation, travel her teacher, and storytelling her craft — across 55+ countries, a decade in brand marketing, and years teaching in her local church. She leads the Scripture, teaching, and reflection through all four days.
Your local experts
We’ve partnered with three of Napa’s most storied houses, whose growers and winemakers open the living work of the vine:
- Chateau Montelena — the historic Calistoga estate whose Chardonnay won the 1976 “Judgment of Paris,” still handcrafting world‑class Cabernet and Chardonnay.
- Round Pond Estate — a family estate in Rutherford with hundreds of acres of vineyards, gardens, and its own olive mill, known for immersive, hands‑in‑the‑soil hospitality.
- La Sirena — the boutique label of celebrated winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett, crafting small‑production Napa Cabernet with rare artistry.
How physically demanding is it?
Leisurely. Expect gentle walking on uneven vineyard ground and some standing during tastings and teaching, with plenty of rest built in. If you have mobility concerns, reach out and we’ll help you plan.
What’s the weather like in April?
Napa springs are mild and green — often 50s–70s°F, with a chance of rain and cool evenings. Bring layers, a light rain jacket, and comfortable closed‑toe shoes for the vineyard.
Do I have to drink wine?
Not at all. The tastings are about teaching, context, and the metaphor of the vine — non‑alcoholic options are always available, and participation is entirely yours to choose.
Can I come alone?
Absolutely — many travelers do. Solo travelers are paired with a roommate of the same gender, or you may request a single supplement for private accommodation. You’ll be part of an intimate chavurah from the first night.
Is this only for Christians?
No. Via Ruach welcomes anyone with an earnest desire to know God more. We teach from the Bible through a Christ‑centered lens; a love for Scripture is all you need to bring.

This four‑day journey invites you to step inside Jesus’ words, “I am the true vine,” through the land, people, and practices that embody the metaphor. We come to Napa Valley in April — not at harvest, but at bud break, when the pruned vines push out their first green shoots and the whole valley leans toward the fruit to come. It is the season of abiding: of tending, trusting, and remaining, long before the harvest arrives.

We begin around a slow, intentional table where story and expectation take root. In the days that follow, you’ll walk the budding vineyards with those who tend them — learning how pruning, cultivation, and connection to the vine reveal the character and care of God. You’ll see what winter’s pruning produced, watch a vintner’s vigilant care over tender new growth, and sit with the patience that fruitfulness requires.

Curated tastings in the cellar — wine from earlier seasons, quietly aging toward its time — open the role of the vine and the cup in the biblical story: celebration, covenant, remembrance. Afternoons leave unhurried space for rest, journaling, or wandering the valley. By the end, you won’t just understand the metaphor — you’ll have lived inside it. The vineyard becomes a teacher, the table becomes sacred ground, and the Spirit’s nearness is felt in the green hush of spring and the depth of our immersion.