Opened in January 2009, the stunning Caudalie Vinothérapie spa in the Plaza Hotel, New York, is like a little escape to the wine country in France. From the vineyards of Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte in Bordeaux, a line of fresh, natural skincare products was born from the grapes leftover after the crush. In fact, caudalie is a French winemaking term that measures how long a wine's flavor stays in your mouth - one caudalie is one second of wine flavor lingering in your mouth. And, of course, more is certainly better when it comes to both the wine tasting aspect and the spa.
At the New York branch of Caudalie where everything is based on wine or the vine, I found a great selection of spa treatments, like Merlot body wraps and a massage with fresh grapes on the menu. The Vinothérapie “ritual” includes a facial, honey and wine wrap and a red vine or green marc barrel bath for $395. I opted for a Vinopure facial which was fantastic, but the best part was relaxing in the lounge after a treatment with a glass of wine browsing through the books about the French countryside.
Caudalie Vinothéraphie Spa at the Plaza, 1 W. 58th St. at Fifth Ave.; 212-265-3182, http://www.caudalie.com/
Spa Vinothérapie® Aux Sources de Caudalie Chemin de Smith Haut Lafitte, 33650 Bordeaux-Martillac, FRANCE, + 33 5 57 83 82 82, vino@caudalie.com
And if you can't get there, try an at-home spa with Caudalie products...
