Napa Valley is wine country royalty: a princely oasis of whispering madrone trees, lush meadows, and tumbling creeks, and home to palatial wineries that make Monaco look like Homer Simpson’s suburb. And, of course, epicenter of Cabernets of esteemed elegance, for no grape loves Napa’s heat like Cabernet Sauvignon (though in Napa, one mustn’t ignore the heated ardor of Merlot or Sangiovese either). If deep red is your favorite wine color, this is your place.
The 30-mile-long valley is home to ridiculous bounty. At the valley’s northern end, there’s Calistoga, home to the Old Faithful Geyser of California, hot-air ballooning, mud baths, and of course sparkling spring water. In St. Helena, shop along boutique-lined Main Street. At Napa’s Copia, you can take a cooking class, enjoy an outdoor concert, or (we’ll keep it between us) sit in on a lecture that demystifies wine. There’s a lot going on, and yet the valley itself remains a showcase of California’s natural beauty, thanks to laws on the local books prohibiting anyone from buying plots of land smaller than 40 acres.
Nor does Napa rest on its laurels. The valley remains cutting edge. It has to, with California’s other wine regions nipping at its heels. And we, the visitors, reap the benefits. Take Yountville, for example. Recently, four Yountville (pronounced yawnt-ville) restaurants collectively earned six coveted stars in the 2008 Michelin Guide. When Hollywood wanted to observe a first-class kitchen for the movie Ratatouille, Yountville’s French Laundry (three stars) is where they came. Looking for something a little less pricey? Try single-star winners Bouchon or Ad Hoc. And that’s just in Yountville.
Regarding wine, Napa’s depth is equally ambitious. There are dozens of wineries to visit, but to understand Napa’s history you must drop in to Beringer Vineyards and Rubicon Estate. Award winners are everywhere, but Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars knows what it takes to get to the top and you should sample what they know. But really, singling out wineries to visit in Napa Valley is a bit like singling out California beaches. Wine tasting fees may be higher than in other wine regions, usually starting at $10 or $15 for the basic lineup, but–insider tip–look for free-tasting coupons at local hotels, visitors centers, and on some winery websites.
Napa is Napa and, like most nobility, can be a little difficult at times. Summer weekends can get busy; hotel rooms and restaurants book far in advance. Traffic barely crawls some Sunday afternoons. Yet most visitors return again and again. The truth is, a visit with royalty is priceless.
When in Napa, check out these Inside Scoops:
Begin with Beringer. Established in 1876, Beringer Vineyards is the valley’s oldest continually operating winery, and a St. Helena landmark. Along with its barrage of wines, Beringer offers an equivalent menu of tours. Don’t lose sight of its Rhine House and wine caves, indelibly entwined with Napa’s history, and take time to stroll through the lovely gardens. Tip: Check the website for a complimentary tasting pass.
www.beringer.com
(707) 967-4412
2000 Main St., St. Helena 94574
Investigate some additional grape roots. Another must if you want to touch Napa’s colorful history is Rubicon Estate. The château, built by sea captain–turned–wine pioneer Gustave Niebaum, has presided over the valley since 1880. Another colorful character, movie director Francis Ford Coppola, bought it in 1975. Taste, but don’t miss the small museum of winemaking. Tip: Traveling with little sea captains? Rubicon provides lovely toy sailboats that kids can play with in the courtyard fountain.
www.rubiconestate.com
(707) 968-1100
1991 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford 94573
Sip some serious pedigree. No gold leaf architecture or in-house art gallery at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, just fine wine pure and simple. The tasting room embraces the fermenting tanks, and there you can usually try Cask 23 and S.L.V., sourced from the vineyard that produced the fabled Cab that bested Bordeaux in the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. Tip: The winery website isn’t just about wine—it offers imaginative recipes by local chefs, like short ribs with Cabernet onion jam.
www.cask23.com
(707) 261-6441
5766 Silverado Trail, Napa 94558
Experience all things wine country in one tidy package. In the town of Napa, Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts is your one-stop experience. You can taste wine, of course, but kids will find a garden with roosters and a beanstalk tepee and their parents can enjoy outdoor concerts, talks, films, and cooking classes. Keep your eye on the website for outdoor concerts, mouthwatering barbecues, and films that pop up at regular intervals. Tip: Lunch on the patio is reasonable and delightful.
www.copia.org
(707) 259-1600
500 First St., Napa 94559
Not your average Laundry. Not even close, since the French Laundry is the domain of Thomas Keller, whom many regard as America’s best chef. The decor is memorable—the restaurant is housed within the cozy confines of a rustic two-story stone house—but the American cuisine is the coup de grâce: Those fussy Michelin folks gave it three stars for 2008. Tip: Want a Keller menu, but less expensive? Head for nearby Ad Hoc, another Keller restaurant that earned its own Michelin star.
www.frenchlaundry.com
(707) 944-2380
6640 Washington St., Yountville 94599
It ain’t all high-end eats. Burger lovers from California and beyond make the pilgrimage to St. Helena and Taylor’s Automatic Refresher, the Napa Valley institution famed for its burgers and shakes. It even earned the James Beard America’s Classics Restaurant Award in 2006. Save your pennies for wine tasting and hunker down for a burger the way they used to be. Tip: There’s no better pairing than the sourdough burger (with grilled mushrooms, bacon, and barbecue sauce) and a black-and-white shake.
www.taylorsrefresher.com
(707) 963-3486
933 Main St., St. Helena 94574
Soak it all in. Like your spa experience plain and simple? Indian Springs Resort & Spa in Calistoga pampers without the snootiness associated with some spas. Swim in the Olympic-size thermal pool, contemplate in the Buddhist garden, but do not miss the signature mud bath—infused with local volcanic ash, said to aid in restoration— followed by a cleansing soak in pure geyser water. Tip: Visit from November through mid-March and take advantage of winter specials in this slower season.
www.indianspringscalistoga.com
(707) 942-4913
1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga 94515
Catch the bird’s-eye view. Float down-valley with a view of Mount St. Helena, hypnotically unraveling vineyards, geysers, and even petrified forests. Calistoga is the most rural section of the Napa Valley and Calistoga Balloons specializes in flying over it; plus they throw in breakfast, accompanied by sparkling wine. Tip: In winter, smaller crowds and skies scrubbed clean by winter storms make for great ballooning.
www.calistogaballoons.com
(707) 942-5758
Calistoga 94515
Hike to the top of Napa’s world. Rising roughly 4,000 feet at the north end of the valley, Mount St. Helena is the Holy Grail for local hikers and visitors in the know, especially in spring when meadows are fat with orange and gold poppies and purple vetch. The hike, 10 miles round-trip, begins at Robert Louis Stevenson State Park and the view from the top is all Napa, and beyond. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Shasta, almost 200 miles away. Tip: Start early to take advantage of morning’s cool, and don’t let overcast deter you—clouds usually burn off by late morning.
www.parks.ca.gov
(707) 942-4575
On Hwy. 29, 7 miles north of Calistoga.
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