There is more to Napa Valley than just the town of Napa itself. In fact, three other sizeable towns extend north along a 30-mile stretch of Highway 29. Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga offer their own selections of lodging, restaurants and activities, but considering the concentration of wineries in the valley, you're in the heart of the Napa Valley no matter where you stand.
Napa Valley claims around 45,000 acres of vineyards and a concentration of more than 300 wineries. It's easy for first-time visitors to feel besieged by this valley of grapes.
When it comes to breathtaking views, few Napa Valley wineries can compete with Kuleto Estate (kuletoestate.com) in St. Helena. Kuleto consists of more than 700 acres of untouched wilderness stretching across the Hennessey Basin. The mountain terrain, according to wine experts who favor the hillside-grown grapes, creates a rewarding and complex grape. This and other unique growing conditions throughout the estate make for an exceptional selection of cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and syrah. But it's the panoramic views and the vast wilderness setting around Kuleto that will leave a lingering taste.
Besides its petite syrah and cabernet sauvignon, Quixote Winery (quixotewinery.com) showcases an unmatched architectural design style worthy of a visit. Viennese artist, architect, philosopher and environmentalist Friedensreich Hundertwasser's jovial creation, set against the Stag Leap Palisades, is built without a single straight line anywhere in the design. The roof is garnished with grass and trees, and both the interior and exterior radiate intense shades of paints.
Nestled within the Vacas Mountains is Jarvis Winery (jarviswines.com), just outside of Napa. This must-see winery's special touch lies underground. The winemaking facility here rests beneath the rolling landscape in a 45,000-square-foot cave system. It is the favorable humidity and temperature provided by caves that wine makers have always preferred for barrel aging their wine. Jarvis, however, took the next step by taking the winemaking process subterranean as well. In fact, it's the first winery in the country to make wine in this manner.
Beringer Vineyards (beringer.com) is Napa Valley's oldest continuously operating winery. Jacob Beringer bought his first plot of winemaking land in Napa Valley back in 1875. His vineyard survived all those years of prohibition - one of the few to do so - and blossomed into one of the valley's most recognizable names. Tour Beringer's Old Stone Winery and the aging tunnels while pairing various wines with some tasty treats.
Napa Valley's smaller wineries make for a more intimate experience and should be enjoyed at a more deliberate pace. Heibel Ranch Vineyards (heibelranch.com) started in 2000 as the family's labor of love built by hand and began farming organically in 2007. Call ahead of time and tour the grounds in a 1963 Willys Navy Jeep named Sugar Magnolia before heading back for a friendly wine tasting. Smith-Madrone Winery (smithmadrone.com) is a family-run, estate-bottled winery consisting of 34 acres of vineyard dating back to 1972.
While it's difficult to make a wrong turn when planning your stops through wine country, you want to know that you've seen the very best of the estate wineries and the most welcoming of the smaller boutique wineries before time runs out. It's a fairly safe bet that you will bypass some of the good ones. Or you could avoid the issue and assure yourself a more comprehensive journey through wine country.
Beau Wine Tours (beauwinetours.com), for example, offers four, six- and eight-hour private tours through Napa Valley and nearby Sonoma County in the comfort of a limousine. Beau Wine can also customize a tour to meet your interests and your taste. If the private tour is not your style, enjoy a three-hour trip from Napa to St. Helena and back again aboard the scenic Napa Valley Wine Train. The route follows tracks originally laid in the 1860s for visitors to the Calistoga hot springs. Now the trip includes a meal in one of the train's dining cars; for an additional cost, disembark for one of the many private winery tours along the route.
Second only to its reputation for great wineries, Napa Valley has established itself as a culinary heavyweight, attracting chefs from all over the country. Market Restaurant (marketsthelena.com) in downtown St. Helena is just one example. Here you will enjoy an up-scale setting while dining on classic American fare at a not-so-up-scale price. Chef Eduardo Martinez uses ingredients from local organic farms to load Market's menu with a range of savory seasonal favorites.
Claim your seat at Terra Restaurant (terrarestaurant.com) in St. Helena where Chef Hiro Sone's eclectic menu serves up the likes of grilled breast of Liberty Farm duck with duck sausage and broiled, sake-marinated Alaskan black cod and shrimp dumplings. Meanwhile, pastry chef Lissa Doumani lures guests to linger a while longer to indulge in Terra's dessert menu.
The stone structure that is now one of Napa Valley's finest restaurants, The French Laundry (frenchlaundry.com) in Yountville, was built in 1900 and originally operated as a saloon. As the years passed, the building housed a brothel before becoming an actual steam laundry in the 1920s. When Chef Thomas Keller opened his restaurant in 1994, the name stuck and came to be known for unmatched cuisine and ambiance that borrow inspiration from the French countryside. The menu here changes daily, offering two exceptional nine-course selections sure to leave the palate begging for more.
Executive Chef Scott Ekstrom and Angèle Restaurant (angelerestaurant.com) offer guests the area's finest bistro fare in the heart of downtown Napa. Riverfront patio seating lends well to the area's temperate climate and views of the beautiful Napa River.
Napa Valley's other must-taste restaurants include La Toque (latoque.com), offering more than 2,000 wines and a vast menu selection created with locally grown ingredients; JoLe, in Calistoga, serving up contemporary American fare; and Redd (reddnapavalley.com), in Yountville, serving what Chef Richard Reddington calls "Napa Valley contemporary cuisine."
Pair your selection of restaurants with the right choice of Napa Valley lodging. From the quiet country B&B to the deluxe suite at the most opulent spa, the choices are as complex as the wines you'll sample.
Just a short stroll from historic downtown Napa and a brief drive from all those wineries, Hennessey House Bed and Breakfast (hennesseyhouse.com) offers visitors a historic base from which to explore the wine country. Amenities include a gourmet breakfast, mid-day refreshments and wine and cheese every evening. Fireplaces and feather beds greet travel-weary guests, while some rooms even have their own personal wine cellar.
For something more secluded, try the Wine Country Inn (winecountryinn.com) in St. Helena where you can immerse yourself in true wine country living at its best. This B&B is out of the way but not out of reach; within five miles of the inn are 50 wineries and 15 restaurants.
For luxury in downtown Napa, nothing beats a night at the Napa River Inn (napariverinn.com). Step into the distinguished grace of the 1800s with a Victorian-styled room, complete with fireplace. Take your coffee and a newspaper out to your private balcony, and let the river view set the mood for a day of vintage sophistication.
The Tuscan villa style of the Napa Valley Lodge (napavalleylodge.com), in the enchanting town of Yountville, offers a hushed departure from the busy days in the valley. Rather than a crowded downtown street, the view from your room will be that of a more bucolic setting; Napa Valley Lodge is set amidst a cabernet sauvignon vineyard.
For family-friendly lodging, try Calistoga Spa Hot Springs (calistogaspa.com). All guests gain unlimited access to the four therapeutic mineral pools. A visit to the spa includes a selection of mineral, steam and even volcanic ash mud baths. For a serious upgrade in luxury while keeping the benefits of a spa, consider staying at the Silverado Resort and Spa (silveradoresort.com) or the ultra-classy Hotel Yountville (hotelyountville.com).
While the wineries will certainly draw you in and tantalize your taste buds, it's the time you spend between each tasting and tour that will flavor the depths of your trip to Napa Valley.
