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Napa Valley

Wine Roads

By Carole Kotkin

Tony Bennett may have left his heart in San Francisco, but I left mine in the Napa Valley.  Those who come to the Napa Valley, less than a two-hour drive northeast of San Francisco, find a little slice of the Mediterranean here, with sun-baked colors, endless vineyards producing world-renowned wines and olive groves bearing fruit for first-class oil. Napa Valley, the heart and soul of California’s celebrated wine country, and one of the most beautiful wine regions in the world, attracts more people each year than Disneyland.

Napa’s nearly 250 wineries include several of the state’s oldest, some of which are still family-owned.  In the late 19th century, wine grapes were grown extensively in Napa Valley by European immigrants, but America’s 13-year entanglement with Prohibition, which ended in 1933, all but killed Napa’s growing wine industry.  In the 1960’s a small group of wealthy Americans with a taste for good wine got together with a few highly imaginative Napa vintners and created, in a very short time, a new centerpiece of American wine culture. Robert Mondavi led the way in 1966 with a new winery started after his departure from Charles Krug, which today is still owned by his brother, Peter.  Around this same time, Jamie and Jack Davis arrived from Los Angeles to establish Schramsberg Vineyards. With assistance from Croatian-born winemaker Miljenko Grgich, James Barrett revived an old winery in Calistoga called Chateau Montelena. Midwesterner Warren Winiarski founded Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap propelled the region to international fame after winning the now famous Paris Tasting of 1976, which pitted their wines against some of the best in France. The press seized the story, and headlines on both sides of the Atlantic proclaimed “California Wines Best in the World!” 

As Napa’s wines have evolved, so has its dining. Napa Valley now boasts an extraordinary collection of restaurants with some of the most inventive cuisine prepared by some of the best chefs in America. Napa’s burgeoning fine wine community and glorious countryside have inspired many talented chefs to come to this formerly simple, now highly sophisticated rural environment.  It’s a place where fresh ingredients and a hungry, discerning audience make cooking a worthwhile and rewarding challenge. Tucked among the vineyards are many growers of specialty produce, so, depending on the season, watch out for roadside signs offering apricots, peaches, or tomatoes. Stop at the farmer’s market in St. Helena Friday morning or in Napa for tree-ripened figs, dozens of varieties of peppers, squash blossom, exotic fruits, baby fennel, freshly made goat cheese, truly wild mushrooms or golden pearl tomatoes. The summer bounty of plums, peaches, and tomatoes is exquisite.

These days wineries display professional kitchens, white-coated chefs and gracious dining rooms when welcoming VIP visitors, wholesalers, restaurateurs, chefs, retailers, and food and wine journalists. A delicious meal at the winery gives winemakers the chance to promote business relationships in a relaxed and congenial environment. In addition to French, Italian and Japanese influences; Mexican, Spanish, Indian, Thai and Moroccan accents are appearing with greater frequency. Napa valley makes a worthy destination for anyone interested in a great dining experience as attested to by the more than a million visitors who annually creep up Hwy. 29. Highway 29—more a country two-lane road than a highway—is the main artery for the valley and takes you north through 26 miles of prime wine country.

Yountville is home to Domaine Chandon, a sister-facility of France’s grand Moet et Chandon Champagne house.  After almost 30 years, Domaine Chandon continues to create an extraordinary French-inspired dining experience at the sleek, modern restaurant tucked into the base of its hillside winery. Construction of the Domaine Chandon in Yountville began in 1973, and it was designed with the utmost care of its surroundings. Chef Eric Torralba whose own roots are in France is in charge of the kitchen. The Domaine Chandon has a lovely formal dining room that spills out onto a relaxing shaded patio. Or you can choose to sit in the more informal tasting area and enjoy a sample or two of their outstanding sparkling wines. Don’t miss the 30-minute informative tour of their facilities, a crash course in the traditional methods for making Champagne.

Robert Mondavi, patriarch of the valley, has seen a 10-year dream come true with the opening in downtown Napa of the $44 million American Center for Food and the Arts (Copia). The building is a cultural education center offering programs on food, wine and the arts.

Further north is the town of Oakville. The Oakville Grocery today is an upscale version of its former self, a great spot for picnic fare, fancy foods and a wide selection of wines from up and down the valley. From here you can see the modern $26.5 million the stunning Opus One winery that rises majestically from the valley floor.

But Of course, visiting the Napa Valley is not all about eating and drinking. There are activities that might provide a welcome relief from the region’s primary focus. Take a gondola ride on the Napa river, visit Copia,  enjoy a luxury spa, bicycle paths or a hot air balloon high above the valley. The valley offers a wide range of accommodations from small, quant B & Bs to large scale hotels and resorts. Whenever possible, it’s a good idea to book ahead.

Things to do:

Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts. 888-512-6742. Discover delicious dining, cooking, wine and gardening classes from top professional, and dynamic exhibitions.

Gondola Servizio: Experience an authentic Venetian gondola ride on the Napa River. 866-737-8494

Where to Stay:

Villagio Inn and Spa, Yountville, 800-351-1133 Inspired by the Italian countryside villages of Tuscany, the 112 guest rooms—each with a fireplace, patio or balcony-- within a garden setting are accented by vineyards, fountains and flowing central watercourse offers resort-like privacy just walking distance from some of the best restaurants in the Valley. After a busy day exploring, there’s nothing as relaxing as a few hours at Villagio’s  world-class spa. 

Harvest Inn, St. Helena, Recently completed $2 million renovation. Tudor cottages set at the edge of the 14 acre Whitehall Lane Estates Vineyards. Brick fireplaces in every spacious room. Private terraces in most rooms with lovely views of the vineyards.  800-950-8466

Meadowood, 800-458-8080. Relais & Chateaux property located in a 250 acre private valley in the heart of Napa Valley, one mile east of St. Helena. John Thoreen, the resident wine guru oversees the Wine Center. He coaches wine lovers at every level to learn more about wine. The resort’s nine-hole golf course doubles as the site of Napa Valley’s renowned wine auction every year.

Where to Eat:

Julia’s Kitchen, Copia, Napa, Named in honor of culinary icon, Julia Child, serves exceptional regional and seasonal dishes of American cuisine from an open kitchen.

Celadon, Napa, 707-254-9690.Contemporary cuisine in downtown Napa right on the edge of Napa Creek in the Napa Exchange Building.

Bistro Jeanty, Yountville, 707 944-0103. Philippe Jeanty, former chef at Domaine Chandon, opened this eponymous spot. This upscale French country bistro offers hearty, rustic fare.

Martini House, St. Helena, 707-963-2233. Features “Napa Cuisine”—the best-loved foods of the wine country.

The Restaurant at Meadowood, St. Helena, 800-458-8080. Features intimate, contemporary rural elegance with Franco-California cuisine. Mostly Napa Valley wine list features many of the region’s latest releases.

Domaine Chandon, Yountville 800-736-2892. French California Cuisine.

Bouchon, Yountville, 707-944-8037. Excellent French bistro cuisine in a Parisian setting.

Wineries:

Opus One, Oakville. 707-944-9442 for appointment. $25 fee. A joint venture between Robert Mondavi and the Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in France.

Domaine Chandon, Yountville, 707-944-2280, $8 fee.

Beringer Vineyards, St. Helena 707-963-7115. Complimentar daily tours and tastings of the original winery, founded in 1876.

Pine Ridge Winery, Napa, 707-252-9777. By appointment. $5 fee.

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