Priest Ranch Expands into the East Bay with The Storyteller Room at The Hideout Kitchen

Iconic Napa Valley estate debuts a dedicated hospitality space in Lafayette, California

Yountville, Calif. — March 10, 2026 – Priest Ranch, an iconic, family-owned Napa Valley wine brand and epicurean destination combining wine, food, and culture in the heart of Yountville, is bringing its estate-driven wine and culinary experience to the East Bay through a new collaboration with The Hideout Kitchen in Lafayette, California.

The partnership debuts The Storyteller Room, presented by Priest Ranch — a dedicated private hospitality space within the restaurant and year-round East Bay home for Priest Ranch wines. Inspired by the diverse soils and elevations of the brand’s Napa Valley estate, the space brings Priest Ranch’s terroir-driven wines and hospitality ethos east to Lafayette, creating a new setting where guests can enjoy thoughtfully paired food and wine experiences with cuisine from The Hideout Kitchen.

“Napa Valley has always been our home, but our wines were never meant to stay within its borders,” said Judd Wallenbrock, President & CEO of Somerston Collection. “The Storyteller Room is an extension of our estate — rooted in the same vineyards, the same philosophy, and the same belief that great wine belongs at the table. JB and the team at The Hideout share that hospitality-first mindset, and we’re excited to create a space in the East Bay where guests can experience Napa without compromise.”

The Hideout Kitchen, led by owner JB Balingit, also the restaurateur behind Tropa and the forthcoming Brothers and Sisters in Martinez, shares Priest Ranch's belief that wine should be experienced, not simply poured. Known for its welcoming hospitality and culinary creativity, The Hideout’s seasonal, exploratory approach to cuisine makes it a natural fit for pairing-driven events. The restaurant’s indoor-outdoor flow and private dining space create a dynamic setting for everything from intimate winemaker dinners to larger-scale cultural programming.

“At The Hideout, we’ve always believed that the best experiences happen when food, wine, and community come together without pretense,” said JB Balingit, Owner of The Hideout Kitchen. “Priest Ranch shares that same DNA — they’re not just pouring wine, they’re telling a story. The Storyteller Room feels like a natural extension of what we’ve been building here in Lafayette, and we’re proud to be the East Bay home for that experience.”

Throughout the year, The Storyteller Room will be the East Bay home for Priest Ranch experiences, offering winemaker dinners, seasonal pairing menus, chef collaborations, a summer concert series, and a dynamic calendar of cultural and culinary events. This programming brings the estate’s Napa Valley hospitality to Lafayette while fostering community through shared experiences.

Priest Ranch will officially unveil The Storyteller Room with a launch celebration at The Hideout Kitchen on Thursday, March 19, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. The complimentary evening will take over the entire restaurant — indoors, outdoors, and inside The Storyteller Room — with walk-around tasting stations pouring wine selections from Somerston Collection (Priest Ranch, Somerston Estate, and Highflyer), curated small bites by The Hideout Kitchen, a live DJ, and special event-only pricing on wines available to purchase that evening.

ABOUT PRIEST RANCH

Part of the Somerston Collection of estate-driven Napa Valley wines that also includes Somerston Estate and Highflyer, Priest Ranch is a historic Napa Valley estate located high on the eastern hills of the Vaca Mountains above St. Helena. Founded in 1869 by Gold Rush prospector James Joshua Priest, the 1,682-acre property encompasses 230 acres of producing vineyards across 15 distinct sites and over 180 varietal blocks, with elevations ranging from 850 to 1,615 feet above sea level. Winemaker Cody Hurd and Director of Viticulture Jake Knobloch craft wines celebrated for their adventurous profiles and exceptional expression of Somerston Estate terroir — from uncommon varietals like Grenache Blanc and Viognier to classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2023, Priest Ranch expanded its hospitality offering with the introduction of The Kitchen at Priest Ranch, a culinary destination in Yountville, CA, offering innovative pairings alongside the estate's wines.

ABOUT THE HIDEOUT KITCHEN

The Hideout Kitchen is a Lafayette dining destination known for its welcoming hospitality and culinary creativity, offering a setting equally well-suited to everyday dining and special events. Owner JB Balingit also operates Tropa, a Filipino restaurant, and is currently opening Brothers and Sisters in Martinez.