NAPA VALLEY - Visitors can get a double dose of Wine Country culture at some of the many local wineries offering a museum-quality art with your pour. As avid collectors, many of Napa Valley's winery owners have put incredible personal collections of sculpture, fabric arts and paintings on public display in tasting rooms, caves and throughout their vineyards. Usually available for perusal at no charge, these unlikely galleries have some of the most impressive modern and regional art around. Lucky you.
Land of Plenty' is what Napa meant to the region's original inhabitants, the Wappo Indians. This valley, snug between the Mayacamas and Vaca mountains in Northern California, claims some of the most expensive agricultural land in the world, producing wines of ‘cult' status. The main ecological factor of the region is the cool wind and fog that is sucked in from San Pablo Bay during the afternoon, cooling the vines. Temperature fluctuations from north to south can vary as much as 15 degrees, even though the valley is only 30 miles long and five miles wide. Due to these climactic differences, Napa Valley has many unique microclimates that have their own AVA designations. With over 300 wineries and 43,000 acres of vines, the Napa Valley AVA is certainly the land of plenty .
Your choice of Napa Valley wineries is virtually endless, ranging from boutique family businesses with extremely small production to much larger wineries with names that you will probably immediately recognize. Virtually all offer tasting of current releases. Keep in mind that most wineries charge a fee for wine tasting. Many wineries, however, will deduct this fee from the price of a bottle of wine, if you want to purchase one. Prices for the wine tasting in Napa Valley varies, but are generally in the $5.00 to $10.00 range.
Many Napa Valley wineries offer fascinating tours, where you can learn all about the wine making process while you gaze upon row after symmetrical row of vines. Each winery has a different look and feel, from the grandiose to the down home. And of course, each winery has its specialties – you may be able try Zinfandels to your heart's delight at one place, and only Chardonnays and Cabernets somewhere else. Even if you don't partake in the grape yourself, you will definitely want to visit at least a couple of wineries during your stay in the wine country. Almost all the wineries have charming gift shops where you can pick up unique Napa Valley wine country items for your friends back home.
You can take several days to tour wineries in just the Calistoga area, or you can just spend a few hours – it's entirely up to you. Just know that some offer tours – which you are not required to take – and you should of course allow for more time if you're touring. Give each winery at least a half an hour, to sample some things on the tasting list and take in the view.
