Napa Valley: The Home of California's "Wine Country"  by David Bernstein
 

Napa Valley: The Home of California’s “Wine Country” Everyone likes a good wine tasting tour. The question arises: Where are we going to go and how reachable are the wineries from one another? Few regions in the US boast a better environment for vineyards and the subsequent wine manufacturing than California. When you think of California's “Wine Country,” you're thinking about Napa Valley and Sonoma County, situated just north of San Francisco and the Bay Area. Father Junípero Serra, a Franciscan missionary, first brought wine to the state of California when he began the first vineyard in San Diego in 1769. In the years that followed, wineries began to creep farther north along with establishment of Spanish missions. The wine industry really began to take root after the Gold Rush of 1849, when Count Agoston Haraszthy established Buena Vista, the first premium winery in the area. In nearby Napa Valley, Charles Krug introduced Riesling grapes in 1861. The Charles Krug Winery is still in operation but is now run by the Peter Mondavi Family. The area's wine industry continued to flourish over the next century but failed to receive international recognition until the mid-1970s. The Stag's Leap Winery put California's wine country on the map after it squeezed out a victory over world-renowned Mouton Rothschild in a competition in Paris in 1976. By the mid-1980s the wines from Napa Valley were considered fit for royalty, Quail Ridge Vineyard's 1981 Chardonnay was served to the late Lady Di and Prince Charles at the White House. In the last two decades California's wine country has continued to grow and now the region is home to hundreds of wineries and vineyards. Millions of people visit Napa Valley and Sonoma County every year to imbibe the Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons, Pinot Noirs, Merlots, and Zinfandels the area is now famous for.

California's central coast is known for gentle, green hills and deep valleys (you may have even seen a landscape shot of the Napa Valley as the default wallpaper on Windows XP). The Napa Valley is to the east of Sonoma County and is typically warmer in the summer, resulting in a better yield of Cabernet Sauvignon. Sonoma County's slightly cooler weather typically brings in better Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Despite the hotter weather father south, Paso Robles, near San Luis Obispo, has established an American Viticultural Area that has become one of the fastest growing winery regions in California. Napa Valley and Sonoma County The better-known wine country of central California is, of course, in Napa Valley and neighboring Sonoma County, which are home to over 280 wineries. This beautiful area, with its gentle rolling hills, is a great place to tour around. Virtually every winery offers tours and wine tastings, they vary in price between $5 and $20 and are usually open daily - be sure to check with the individual winery for exact hours. To check out other vineyards and wineries, planning is a must, simply because of the sheer number. Keep in mind that this area is also very scenic (in case you're traveling with a non-wine drinker). For fans of the 1980s television show “Falcon Crest,” this area was the setting for the fictional “Tuscany Valley.” Most of the wineries offer free public tours from mid-morning to late afternoon, but many of them require some sort of advance reservation.

California wine production truly started in Sonoma County at the Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery, which started off as part of the Sonoma Mission set up by the Spanish in 1824. The Seabstiani Vineyards produce a wide assortment of wines and appellations such as Zinfandel, Merlot, Pinot noir, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. Tours of the Sebastiani Vineyards are available, as is wine tasting, for a small fee.

Located on the Carneros Estate, the oldest winery in Sonoma County is Buena Vista. In addition to being a state historical landmark, the Buena Vista Winery was started by Count Agoston Haraszthy and is the headquarters for the U.S. branch of the “Knights of the Vine.” There are tours offered which only cost about $15 per person as well as a $5 tasting fee. The Green Hungarian is a particular selection of the wine produced by the vineyard.

Another unique winery, the Carmenet Vineyard, create wines using exclusively French techniques, such as malo-lactic fermentation, and by stacking their wines in a natural cave. Tours of the Carmenet Vineyard are by appointment only and their in-house wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and Merlot are available for tasting. 

About the Author

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