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Napa Valley

Napa Valley has the most concentrated accumulation of great wineries of any place in the U.S. Visit Napa from the town of Napa north on one of the two roads that wind up and down the valley.

WHAT MAKES NAPA VALLEY SPECIAL

Napa Valley has the most concentrated accumulation of great wineries of any place in the U.S. Start a visit to Napa by driving from the town of Napa north on one of the two roads that wind up and down the valley, Route 29 or the Silverado Trail. Depending on the traffic, it may take you an hour to get from Napa to Calistoga, and you'll pass the best of wine tourism in America. That's the good news; the bad news is that either road can sometimes be crowded, especially on a weekend in the summer or during harvest in the fall. Nonetheless, you can stop at winery after winery and try their latest vintages and talk with a usually knowledgeable person behind the bar. Napa Valley is California casual. Nothing fancy or stuffy. It's also all about the wine lifestyle. And it's so convenient to get to. In an hour's drive from San Francisco, you are in the heart of wine country. Napa Valley also has an excellent infrastructure of wineries, hotels, restaurants, and lots of non-wine activities.

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE NAPA VALLEY WINES

Cabernet Sauvignon
Merlot
Zinfandel
Chardonnay
Sauvignon Blanc
Sparkling Wine

WINERIES TO VISIT

Robert Mondavi Winery
Robert Mondavi invented Napa Valley wine tourism in the 1960s, and his winery is still very popular, even though he's dead and ownership has passed to a big corporation. If there's any shortcoming, it's too popular. But Mondavi has done a good job of breaking up a big place into small sites, so you don't feel crowded. You can sample wine, for example, in several places at the winery. The tours are very professional.

Grgich Hills Estate
They try harder. Founder Mike Grgich passed along to his staff the attitude that you always have to make people feel welcome. It's more relaxed and laid back than some other wineries. One particularly good time to be there is during harvest, when they have grape stomping. You even get a button to prove that you stomped. No promises made, but Mike Grgich also shows up more often in the tasting room than most other wine owners.

Opus One
The experience here is different from just about any other in the valley. It's a little more formal, and it's educational. It reminded me a lot of Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, which is not surprising because the Rothschilds are involved in both wineries. The tasting at the end of the tour is excellent. Be sure to make a reservation, but you can usually do it at the last minute.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
The first three wineries were all along Route 29. This one is on the Silverado Trail, which is usually less crowded both on the road and in the tasting room. Adrian Rincon runs one of the best tasting rooms in the valley, and the wines are also among the best. On a hot day there are lots of trees to help you stay cool.

Quintessa
This winery is also on the Silverado Trail, and you also need to make a reservation for a visit. It's a little pricey, but the staff gives you plenty of time to learn about their philosophy and their wines. The architecture is stunning.

WHERE TO STAY

With only a few exceptions, Napa Valley rules do not permit wineries to run either a hotel or a restaurant.

Viaggio
Convenient in downtown Yountville and close to many wineries and good eating. Wonderful service. It's not inexpensive, but you can get just about anything, including sparkling wine at breakfast.

Napa Redwood Inn
The best place to find an inexpensive place to stay, and there are not many of them in the valley, is in and around downtown Napa. This one is right off Route 29, so it's convenient. Simple, but it gets the job done and has a free breakfast. Some vineyard workers stay here during harvest, so that says a lot.

Calistoga Clarion
If you want to stay at the northern end of the valley at a good price, the Clarion is the place. Not fancy, but clean and the staff is helpful for giving you suggestions of what to see. Some of the wineries keep guests there, so they should know.

Meadowood
If you have the money and want to spend it, this place is hard to beat. Its owner is the same guy who owns Harlan Estate, another costly product but first rate. The setting of the hotel is beautiful, and the service is excellent.

Napa Inn
There are plenty of Bed and Breakfasts in downtown Napa. They are a little far from the wineries, but also an interesting and different experience. I once stayed for a couple of nights and liked it. It's true Victorian.

WHERE TO EAT

The French Laundry
This is one of the best restaurants in America. Owner Thomas Keller is a giant of American cuisine. It's hard to get a reservation, which must be made long in advance and you have to follow a ritual of calling on a specific day. If you have the time and money, it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Bouchon
If you can't get a reservation or just don't want to spend French Laundry prices, this bistrot is also run by Thomas Keller. It's as close to a Parisian-style bistro that I've ever enjoyed in the U.S. Also much less formal than the French Laundry.

Bistro Don Giovanni
This is much more formal than you'd expect from the name Bistrot. Fine food and an excellent wine list. Its also a favorite place for many of the valley's winemakers. The food, as you might guess from the name, leans toward Italian.

Taylor Refresher
This is a Napa Valley institution and a good place for a quick lunch. The style is 1940s drive-in, and that gives it a certain caché. Don't expect great cuisine, but it's a step above your normal fast food, and you can buy some wine to go with the meal. How many drive-ins offer that?

étoile
This is one of the few restaurants at a winery. It's at Domaine Chandon, the California cousin of the Moet & Chandon in Champagne. French accent, as you would expect. Go early and enjoy a tasting of sparkling wines before sitting down to a meal good enough to have been prepared in France.

NON-WINE THINGS TO DO

There is no shortage of things to do when you tire of tasting wine. Name it, and you can probably find it. There are balloon trips and limo trips. Rent a bike. Golf if that's your game. Plenty of shopping at all price ranges. Also lots of art galleries. Downtown Napa has a touch of 19th century California. There's even a grist mill and a petrified forest to visit. Or you can see Calistoga's Old Faithful Geyser blow its top.