Napa Valley is California’s adult-Disneyland, a place where the gods of drink and food reign. Napa is itself reveling in the midst of relatively recently-won prestige as a world class wine region (its chardonnay is the globe’s best, by most reckonings) and the place is awash with tourists throughout the summer and virtually every weekend year-round. They come not only for the wine, but because this is a beautiful county that’s filled with vibrant vineyards and small towns like St. Helena (population: 5000), a little gem whose main street is lined with old stone buildings. For every splash of tourist junk (one St. Helena store sells $40 handbags made from cigar boxes), there are places of authentic value (don’t miss breakfast at Gillwoods, an old-fashioned, modestly priced coffee shop smack in St. Helena’s center). Go to Napa Valley (about 75 miles north of San Francisco) and the only problem is doing all that’s worth your time – it’s that compelling a destination.
Must-See: You cannot see visit all the wineries in Napa. By one count, there are over 250 of them, ranging from household names (Mondavi and Sutter Home) through small-production boutique wineries. Where to stop for tastings? The name wineries often are over-run by tourists, so a smarter strategy is to seek out tastes of wines you’ve never tried before. New but highly rated is the Niebaum-Coppola Winery (Hwy. 29 in Rutherford), owned by movie-maker Francis Ford Coppola who has integrated – with care and respect – the historic Inglenook winery (founded in 1879 by Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum) into his own sprawling wine business. History is richly presented at the winery – don’t miss the 1891 payroll records for Inglenook employees – and there’s also a shop well-stocked with dishes, clothing, and wine glasses. At $5, the Niebaum-Coppola tasting is pricey, but the money buys sips of four elegant wines including an aged Rubicon (a zesty red that sells for upwards of $50/bottle). 707-967-3495.
Still lesser known but acclaimed by wine experts is the Freemark Abbey Winery (Hwy. 29 north of St. Helena), which dates back to 1886 when Josephine Tychson became the first woman to operate a winery in Napa. Tastings are $3 and include four or five pours (the whites are best here) plus a souvenir wine glass. The name, incidentally, comes not from a religious order but from 1939 when Albert "Abbey" Ahern bought the business with partners Charles Freeman and Markquand Foster and they concocted a winery name that had parts of everybody’s name. Don’t miss the attached candle-making factory, where candles are hand-made and come in a brilliant array of colors and shapes. 800-963-9698.
Another stop: the V. Sattui Winery, which lures picnickers with a two-acre grassy grove shaded by century-old oak trees that’s a mile south of St. Helena on Hwy. 29. A plus: V. Sattui Wines are medal winners but they are available only at the winery. A great choice: the Mendocino County chardonnay, about $16. It might seem heretic to sip wine from another county in the heart of Napa, but this is fruity chardonnay with only a hint of oak. Great breads – including a superb olive loaf; deli salads (try the couscous. Made with dried fruit, it’s a rare taste); and the usual meats and cheeses are also sold at the V. Sattui Winery. 707-963-7774.
Must-do: The classic tour of Napa Valley is not by car but on the Wine Train, which operates daily from Napa to St. Helena and back. The ride – in lavishly refurbished cars – takes about three hours as the train slowly passes through miles of vineyards, on a route that mainly tracks Hwy. 29. The ride’s centerpiece is a leisurely lunch or dinner. This is not "railroad food;" it’s cleverly composed cuisine prepared under the supervision of a chef. One meal offered a choice among beef tenderloin, pork achiote, free range chicken, fresh halibut, and "vegetarian" (chipotle ravioli with vegetables). The train fare is $36. Lunch is $25, dinner is $31, and wines (selected from a Napa County list) are extra. 800-522-4142.
A Surprise Treat: Napa isn’t only for wine: A must-see is the Old Faithful geyser in Calistoga, a natural fluke that every half-hour or so shoots a 60-feet geyser into the air. Each eruption lasts three or four minutes, and spectators can get close up at this privately-owned attraction (admission: $6). Don’t get too close, though. The geyser, triggered by geothermal activity, produces water that erupts from the earth at a steaming 350-degrees. Its regular eruptions make it one of only three such geysers worldwide, say the experts. 707-942-6463
Where to Stay: Napa Valley sports many fine boutique hotels but rooms often are hard to find, especially on weekends. Advance reservations are a must. Another tip: avoid hotels on Hwy. 29 around St. Helena. The road is jammed and noisy most days.
A favorite is Napa Valley Lodge in bucolic Yountville (population: 3300). Many rooms feature fireplaces and patios which open onto vineyards. Rates: $132-$210 for two, including a Champagne buffet breakfast. 800-368-2468.
Another top choice is the intimate (25 rooms) Wine Country Inn, on the outskirts of St. Helena (and a peaceful half-block away from Hwy. 29). Promising guests "country tranquillity," the Wine Country Inn features regular wine tastings, and a superb complimentary breakfast with fresh-baked rolls and usually an exotic egg dish (one morning: "Death by Cheese" – delicious despite the forbidding name). Rates are $91 to $211 for two. 707-963-7077.
Copyright 1998 by Robert McGarvey.
This article appeared in Journey Magazine.
