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Napa
Valley Without much argument, the
Napa Valley is California's most popular
wine-producing region- and with good reason. The
wines are generally excellent, there are enough
wineries to keep a busy visiting/tasting schedule
for a week, the scenery is some of the most
beautiful in the state, and there is an abundance
of accommodations ranging from busy resorts to
secluded, romantic bed-and-breakfasts. Because of
the popularity of the Napa Valley, the area can get
quite crowded, especially on the
weekends. Beringer Vineyards
[St. Helena], one of the most popular
wineries in the valley, is a must-see for the
first-time visitor. The historic Rhine House is one
of the better-known landmarks in the valley and
there is an excellent tour which includes a visit
to their famous caves. The wines are always
impressive, especially the Chardonnay, and Cabernet
Sauvignon and the reserves, which can be sampled
for a fee, are definitely worth tasting. You'll
also find a large selection of gift items here,
most bearing the Beringer label. Chateau Montelena
[Calistoga], is a small-scale midieval
castle beside a five-acre Chinese garden lake. I
actually came to see the winery grounds, which I
would recommend to anyone visiting the Napa Valley,
but was just as impressed with the wines. The
Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was one of the best I've
tasted and was well worth splurging for. Clos du Val Winery
[Napa], whose tasting room is highlighted
by 50-foot ceilings, produces some excellent wines,
especially the Cabernet Sauvignons and one of my
favorite dinner wines: the Carneros Chardonnay.
Unfortunately, the winery, which was at the top of
my "priority list," was closed on three consecutive
days for special events during my last
trip. Clos Pegase
[Calistoga] was built in the 1980's by
owner Jan Shrem as a "temple" to both wine and
art." The imposing winery is seems to be an
eclectic Egyptian/Roman/Greek/modern mix and art
adorns almost every wall inside. The architecture
and grounds, which includes a formal garden, are
definitely worth seeing and afforded aome very good
photographic opportunities. A tour of the wine
caves is definitely worth your while. The winery
produces Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Franc,
Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Sirah. I particularly
liked the Carneros Merlot. Folie a Deux Winery
[St. Helena] loosely translated means
"share the fantasy," which is what Dr. Larry
Dizmang, a psychiatrist, had in mind when he
converted this former sheep ranch into a winery.
The wines include an award-winning Chenin Blanc,
Cabernet Sauvignon, and a sparkling wine called
Fantasie. The cottage-style tasting room is
comfortable and a relaxing change from the nearby
mega-wineries on the main highway. Grgich Hills Cellar
[Rutherford] was started by Mike Grgich
(whose Chateau Montelena chardonnay is legendary)
and Austin Hills (heir of Hills Bros. coffee) in
1977. The small wood-paneled tasting room is housed
in an ivy covered Spanish-style building on the
main highway. The Chardonnay is still excellent,
but the Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon are
equally excellent, if not better. Milat Vineyards
[St. Helena], whose tasting room is located
in a small, simply decorated cottage on the main
highway, specializes in estate grown varietals.
Their wines are available only at the winery and
include a buttery Chardonnay, Zinfandel and
Cabernet Sauvignon. Prager Winery and Port
Works [St. Helena] will provide an
experience you'll never forget. The tasting room is
tiny and dusty, has cobwebs in the corners and old
currency tacked to the walls. Jim Prager sat us
down in some overstuffed chairs and provided us
with tastes of his red wines and Ports (and
chocolates for a fee). The Tawny Port was excellent
but a little pricey. When I said that I'd "take
one," he instinctively assumed that meant one
case. Robert Mondavi Winery
[Oakville] has one of the best guided tours
in the valley- taking you first into the vineyards
and then into the winery. The Mission-style winery
and grounds are impressive and accommodating for
the large number of visitors. I would suggest that
you make an appointment for a tour early in the
morning, as the wait can sometimes be several
hours. The wines are very good, especially the Fume
Blanc and the Cabernet Sauvignon, and are widely
available. Robert Sinskey
Vineyards [Napa] gets my vote for the
most architecturally pleasing winery. It is an
impressive mix of stone, redwood and teak, and has
a variety of grapevines planted in a small garden
as you enter the tasting room. The best part of
this winery is that is has some of the best wines
in the valley. This is THE place for Pinot Noir,
offering several to choose from, but they also have
a very impressive Chardonnay and Merlot. In fact,
before you finally taste the selected (a different
one each day) Pinot Noir, you are served a hot hors
de ouvre which is chosen to complement the wine. I
opted for a wonderful Carneros Pinot Noir and a
Carneros Chardonnay. Rombauer Vineyards
[St. Helena] was the most impressive
surprise of my last visit to Napa Valley. Billed as
"by appointment only," this winery was recommended
by a wine affectionado at the B&B that I was
staying in. I took a chance of driving in without
an appointment only to find the best Chardonnay
that I had tasted thus far. With only few wines
available, and only a few cases of each left in
stock, I walked out with the wonderful Carneros
Chardonnay and an equally-impressive
Cabernet. Rutherford Hill Winery
[Rutherford] is situated high above the
valley just off the Silverado Trail. Here you will
find almost a mile of tunnels, one of the most
extensive systems of wine caves anywhere in the
U.S. The tasting room is cavernous, with high
beamed ceilings and cathedral-style doors.
Rutherford Hill produces Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, an exceptional
Zinfandel Port and Merlot, which accounts for most
of the production. You'll also find very nice
shaded picnic areas overlooking the
valley. Silverado Vineyards
[Napa], owned by Walt Disney's widow
Lillian and her family, is a very attractive winery
which produces some excellent Cabernet Sauvignons,
Merlots and Chardonnays. I particularly liked the
Cabernets. There are quite a few to choose from and
each is quite different from the others. Stag's Leap Wine
Cellars [Napa] is home to some of the
best Cabernet Sauvignons in the Napa Valley (which
you'd expect in the Stags Leap district). If you
love Cabernets, this is the place to go. In fact,
for a small fee, you can taste a sample of their
$100 bottle Cabernet and I will suggest that you
do- it is one of the best you'll find anywhere.
What really surprised me was their Beckstoffer
Ranch Chardonay- one of the best in the valley. I
bought several. You'll probably find a congregation
of the more serious wine lovers here, and they're
taking their time while enjoying the tasting. Their
second label, Hawk Crest, is a very good wine for
the price and I certainly wouldn't think twice
about serving it to dinner guests. Sterling Vineyards
[Calistoga] is probably worth visiting just
for the experience. Perched on a hill, this
stark-white Moorish winery is reached only by a
4-person per car cable tram ($6 for adult including
tasting and $3 for child) from the parking lot
below. You will find some of the most impressive
views of the Napa Valley from here and there is an
excellent self-guided tour- one of the best I've
seen anywhere. The wines are sampled (usually three
wines per tasting) in a cafe-style room and are
poured by a hostess while sitting at small
tables. Sutter Home Winery
[St. Helena] is easily recognized in the
valley by the landmark yellow Victorian mansion. It
is a very commercial winery, but offers a very
friendly, casual tasting and a wide variety of
consumer-style wines. If you prefer the lighter
non-oaky wines then you will enjoy the wines and
should definitely plan a visit. Sutter Home
invented White Zinfandel and the Chardonnay is
crisp and fruity as it is aged in stainless steel.
They also produce Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot,
Cabernet, a very good Zinfandel, and even a line of
non-alcoholic wines under the Sutter Home Fre
label. There is a very large selection of gourmet
food items and wine-related gifts in the adjoining
gift shop. Trefethen Vineyards
[Napa], at the site of the old Eshkol
Winery, is the oldest gravity-flow winery in the
Napa Valley and the largest estate vineyard in the
valley. Trefethen produces Chardonnay, Dry Riesling
and an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. They also
produce a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon under
the Eshkol label-- which I feel are very good wine
values. V. Sattui Winery
[St. Helena] is definitely the winery to
visit for an afternoon picnic. Much of the visitor
center is a full-service deli featuring almost 200
cheeses, meats, salads and breads, arguably the
largest selection in the valley. The grassy picnic
grounds are laden with picnic tables and shade
trees. You will not find yourself alone here,
either picnicing on the grounds (you can drink only
V. Sattui wines here) or at the extensive tasting
counter. There are quite a few wines available for
tasting, the staff is very friendly, and the
experience is very memorable. Villa Helena Winery
[St. Helena] might be the smallest winery
in the Napa Valley, but the tour (which one can
take in with a quick glance) was personal and
interesting. Because I was staying at a next-door
B&B, I walked up without reservation and was
treated to the few production wines, including
Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet and "impromptu"
barrel blend of what would one day be an excellent
Port. William Hill Winery
[Napa] Don't
Miss (First Visit):
Beringer, Robert Mondavi, Clos Pegase, Sterling,
Sutter Home and V. Sattui Wineries. Don't
Miss (Serious Wine Lovers):
Chateau Montelena, Robert Sinskey, Rombauer,
Silverado and Stag's Leap Cellars
wineries. By
the way... If you're looking for a nice
place to stay in the Napa Valley, I would recommend
the Vintage Inn in Yountville (around the
center of the valley). I have stayed in several
B&Bs but found my most memorable stay in this
mid-sized "resort." If you want a picnic spot
that is more secluded than most wineries, the
Bale Grist Mill, a State Historic Park is
only 3 miles northwest of St. Helena. There is a
working antique flour mill and shade to picnic
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