Le Labo on Wheels Returns to Yountville
The immaculate, verdant lawn at The Estate was still wet from an overnight rain, which did my favorite pair of Ferragamo heeled sandals no favors (and clearly, I missed the memo on the night’s trending footwear: western boots). But any shoe mishaps were quickly forgotten amid the warm glow of bistro lights strung above, familiar and friendly faces, flowing wine and passed bites and the sophisticated scent of sandalwood candles in the air, as Yountville welcomed the international icon of fragrance, Le Labo, back to town last Thursday.
Le Labo on Wheels is a pop-up lab and is parked at The Estate, just north of Clementine’s and across from Bouchon Bakery. The exterior, tastefully decorated with potted plants, feels less like a truck and more like an extension of Le Labo’s boutique aesthetic. Inside: a working lab dedicated to what the brand calls “slow perfumery” along with a full boutique offering candles, lotions, soaps and perfumes, to name a few.
Founded in 2006, Le Labo (French for “The Lab”) was born in Grasse, France, and raised in New York, and the two founders set out to restore artistry, quality ingredients and storytelling to perfume. Their first shop launched with 10 scents in Lower Manhattan. Their most famous fragrance, Santal 33, did not start as a signature scent but as a candle and room spray, then as a custom scent for hotelier Ian Schrager, before becoming the cult classic it is today. Estée Lauder acquired Le Labo in 2014 for a reported $60 million, but wisely allowed the brand to remain independent, preserving its artisanal ethos.
Among the 200-plus invited guests were a mix of long-time fans of the brand, industry experts and influencers from all corners of the Bay Area. Influencer culture often gets a bad rap for being about selfies, videos and perfectly posed shots, but here it just added to the evening fun and flair. The atmosphere was chic, and everyone seemed genuinely excited to welcome Le Labo back to Yountville. Even the mayor, a council member and our town manager were among the guests, underscoring Yountville’s sincere embrace of artistry in every form.
The Le Labo staff and PR team radiated genuine warmth, and their welcome was as generous as the swag bag: a 50ml bottle of eau de parfum in their newest scent that launched in February, Eucalyptus 20 (a bottle that typically retails for around $230), labeled specifically “Le Labo on Wheels, Napa Valley, 9/25/25,” along with a canvas-bound coffee table book highlighting 12 California makers, created in collaboration with the company Faculty Department, a project-based firm that highlights the lives, work, and philosophies of noteworthy creative individuals and artisans.
My favorite moment of the evening was inside the lab, speaking with a technician about the concept of slow perfumery. Just like Yountville’s acclaimed chefs, Le Labo sources the best ingredients and creates everything to order, blending each fragrance by hand on site. The names are simple and informative: the main note plus the number of total notes that make the scent, like Eucalyptus 20, Rose 31, or Santal 33. And here’s the fun part: each perfume or candle label can be personalized with the date, place of formulation and a message of up to 23 characters, even with a tiny heart, which I chose for my Santal 26 candle. Watching the fragrances being measured and hand-blended from scratch simply adds to the magic and theater of their small-batch production.
If you’re used to grabbing perfume off the shelf, Le Labo is the antithesis. They invite you to slow down. To savor. To let your mind get lost in scent. And for Yountville, that feels perfectly aligned with our culture of artistry, food, and wine.
Standing on familiar ground in front of V Marketplace, surrounded by light-strung trees, live music and enthusiastic guests, I was reminded how special it is when a global brand chooses to celebrate craft here, in the heart of wine country. Le Labo on Wheels is an itinerant project that travels to different U.S. cities, sharing its craft everywhere it goes. Having last come from Salt Lake City earlier in the year, they will be in residency at The Estate through Oct. 26 with rotating staff from other boutique locations, and I encourage anyone curious to step inside and say hello. The aroma is intoxicating. And perhaps you’ll find your favorite scent to take home or gift. More than a perfume shop on wheels, it’s a sensory experience that lingers well beyond your visit, adding another layer of sweetness to our precious little Yountville.
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