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The name of this verdant sliver of a valley, inhabited by six Indian tribes
before white settlers arrived in the 1830’s, comes from an Indian word meaning
“plenty”. Less than an hour-and-a-half northeast of San Francisco, this
world-renowned wine-growing region is bounded by the Mayacamas Mountains to the
west and the Vaca range to the east.
Many people, even some San Franciscans, don’t realize how close the wine country
is to the City by the Bay. The town of Sonoma, where California’s winemaking
history began in the mid-19th century, is only about an hour away,
and the entire county is close enough for an easy day trip. St. Helena and the
heart of Napa Valley are less than an hour-and-a-half drive from San Francisco,
and if the traffic gods smile upon you, you may make it from one end of the
valley to the other in about a half hour. Not that you should - there’s so much
to see and do along the way.
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Napa Valley Vineyard
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Napa Valley is an agricultural paradise, with a ravishing landscape of
gently rolling hills and an assortment of wineries that consistently
surpass their European counterparts in international competitions. Add
to that a wealth of fine restaurants, intriguing shops, sites of
literary and historic interest, and recreational opportunities galore -
and you’ve got “plenty” indeed.
The tradition of winemaking in Napa Valley goes back 150 years - by 1880 the
wine business was booming; Napa Valley wines were poured in the best
restaurants in San Francisco and New York. More than 10,000 acres were
planted with vines, and the number of wineries had quickly grown to an
astonishing 175 - together they produced the equivalent of one million cases
of wine a year. The valley’s pioneering winemakers, from France, Italy and
Germany, had laid the foundations for today’s thriving wine industry, using
grape varieties and skills borrowed from their homelands.
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Today Napa’s wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Zinfandel (reds)
and chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (whites) are known and respected all over the
world. The vineyards cover 32,000 acres and the valley boasts more than 250
wineries, ranging from tiny mom-and-pop establishments where the cellar is
practically part of the house to immense operations owned by corporations and
holding companies. In recent years the international presence in Napa valley has
grown. Some wineries are owned outright by European families or companies, while
others are joint ventures with European wineries.
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When planning a trip, remember that this region, especially Napa Valley, is
one of the most popular destinations in California. The best time to visit
is off-season (November through May), although it’s exciting to see the
grape crush (generally in September), when the normally serene landscape is
animated with grape pickers moving along the vineyard rows, and the streets
are lined with trucks loaded with grapes.
During the peak season and on weekends, most hotels and bed-and-breakfast inns
require a minimum two-night stay. Be sure to reserve as early as possible;
lodging is limited and can be extremely hard to find on holidays and summer
weekends. |
Mustard plants growing in a Napa Valley vineyard |
The California wine country consists of Napa, Lake Sonoma and Mendocino
Counties. Both the Napa and Lake Counties are dominated by two large lakes,
Berryessa and Clear Lake.
The riverfront city of Napa, with a population of some 80,000 people, lies about
50 kilometres north of San Pablo Bay. It has a rich heritage of Victorian
architecture.
Stroll through the restored downtown district and you’ll pass Victorian
mansions, a Gothic-style church, historic bridges, and 19th century
commercial buildings.
LAKE
COUNTY
- Due north of Napa County and east of Mendocino County, Lake County is
dominated by Clear Lake, California’s largest natural lake and the county’s main
tourist attraction. With no big cities and only a sprinkling of towns, most on
the shores of the lake, this region offers the great outdoors in a wine-country
setting. The feeling around here is small town and rural, comfortable and
unpretentious. Ask a question and you’ll get a conversation - on wine, weather,
or the state of the country. Even more refreshing, you won’t find busloads of
tourists crowding you at the tasting bar or fanatical connoisseurs bent on
putting yet another notch in their wine-tasting belts.
Winery visits in Lake County could fit easily into a day of golfing, boating or
hiking among the redwoods. And this is the site of one of California’s newest
parks, Anderson Marsh, a large wetlands nature preserve rich in Indian history
and wildlife habitats. Clear Lake’s great fishing (lots of bass, catfish, and
crappie) is one of the county’s biggest draws. So catch that fish and pop that
cork. This could be the life.
At the foot of Mount Konocti and on the shores of Clear Lake, is the Konocti
Harbor Resort, most suitable as an overnight retreat. During the summer months,
a Mississippi-style paddleboat cruises on the scenic lake.
Wineries like Kendall Jackson and Konocti, started some thirty years ago, but
has built up a reputation of good varieties of red wines and blush (Blanc de
Noir) wines.
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Napa Valley Vineyard |
Before returning to the hustle and bustle of San Francisco, a lunch at the
well-known Domaine Chandou Restaurant, of chef Philippe Jeanty, a native of
Champagne France is worth the while.
With its romantic candlelit tables and sweeping views of the vineyards, the
restaurant is still one of the landmark settings in the valley. Over a good
class of Chardonnay and Cordon Blue food, one can philosophize and recap the
experiences of a memorable few days in the Napa Region. |
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