The Well-Tempered Palate

Indulging your senses at Copia, where wine and great food intersect

by Patricia Kutza

There are few places on this planet where food and wine are celebrated so heartily as in Northern California. And there are fewer places where these two of life’s pleasures find such a fitting home than at Copia, The American Center for Wine, Food & The Arts in the city of Napa.

This is a good time for Napa. Located in the region where fertile appellations are known for exceptional grape production, this city traditionally has had few attractions to match the allure of the wineries that blanket the region. Its recently revitalized downtown area, waterfront and the presence of Copia are reversing that trend, making the city of Napa itself a compelling destination.

Copia is a non-profit center where wine and its relationship to food is the main attraction. I visited Copia recently to enjoy ‘Taste of Copia, Sonoma County’, the first of what promises to be a stellar lineup of Copia events in 2008. For three hours I sampled Chardonnays, Merlots, Pinots, Cabernets and Zinfandels from the Sonoma County appellations that span the Alexander Valley, Carneros, Dry Creek and Russian River regions. With more than fifty wineries participating I had to make some hard choices about where to sip.

I’ve tried two versions of this marathon wine-tasting experience. There’s the kind where you take a self-directed auto tour of the participating wineries. This type offers you the benefit of ambiance. You can see the winery grounds and buildings, which are usually gorgeous, many with gardens and sculpture. You also get to smell the earth on these properties, making for a doubly sensuous experience. This approach is best when you can dedicate the better part of a day to the affair.

Clustering all these wineries within one space, the second version, is great for those event-goers who have limited time. And also for those with limited walking ability. This type of event also makes for a great one-big-party feeling that is contagious. Another advantage of a single space affair are the extracurricular events such as the panel discussion featuring vintners and winegrowers that was held just prior to the Copia wine-tasting kickoff.

I am an avowed knosher and in that department, there were limited food options. Olive oil production is big business in this region and I did enjoy stopping by the Olive Press’ booth
( www.theolivepress.com ), Sonoma-based purveyors of award-winning olive oil. When my palate was fully saturated I took a peak at Copia’s Edible Garden and also forayed into the Copia Store, a very enticing area that offers lots of wine country-related books, wines, wine accessories, jewelry and artisan delicacies.

Copia will be buzzing with special events throughout 2008 (How Does Death-by Chocolate Walk-Around Tasting grab you? [02/23/08]), but there are great reasons to visit in-between the main events. There’s a whole lot going on daily, like complimentary wine tasting (featuring the winery of the week), films and building tours . There are also cooking demos and interactive tasting programs, such as wine and food pairings, whose prices vary. And for folks who learned their culinary chops watching Julia Child on the tube, there’s fine dining at Julia’s Kitchen, their signature restaurant named in her honor.

When you go:

Copia, The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts
500 First Street, Napa, California
707-259-1600 or 888-512-6742
www.copia.org

Open daily (except Tuesday) 10AM to 5PM

(Closed the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day)

Free Parking; Wheelchair Accessible