Sip, sight see and sit back and enjoy California's great wine country.
VINTAGE NAPA VALLEY
by Sam Dalton (First published in Valley Magazine)

Every time I visit Northern California’s Napa Valley, I am reminded of George Calvert Yount who, in 1831 upon eyeing this expanse of nutrient-rich acreage stretching some 30 miles from San Pablo Bay to the base of Mt. St. Helena, proclaimed, “In such a place I should love to clear the land and make my home. In such a place I should love to live and die.”

Yount, with help from friendly indigenous Wappo Indians, built a Kentucky blockhouse and a mill on a site (later named Yountville) about midway between Napa to the south and St. Helena to the north and it was here that he planted the first grapes in the Napa Valley.

Today more than 200 wineries cultivate a sprawling emerald patchwork of grape-laden vineyards cradled on three sides by oak-studded mountains rising beneath a cottony sky of azure blue. The names of legendary winegrowers like Charles Krug, Beringer, Louis Martini, Mondavi and Inglenook roll around the palate with a clarity as familiar as the award-winning vintages they bottle in state-of-the-art temples of viticulture along either side of Highway 29.

Yet, anyone planning a trek through the Napa Valley can still expect to find several unique and, in a few cases, little-known wineries, as well as a couple of luxuriously romantic hideaways secluded along the picturesque backloads meandering a few miles east and west of “Winery Row”.

Driving the 395 miles (one way) between California’s San Fernando Valley and Napa takes Every about seven-and-one-half hours with gas stops and meal breaks. You might consider breaking up the journey by overnighting halfway at Harris Ranch, a lovely Mediterranean-style oasis just off I-5 at the highway 198-Coalinga exit. From there, it’s pretty much a straight shot up the freeway to Highway 12 at Lodi (about 11 miles north of Stockton) where you hang a left and then take Highway 29 straight into Napa.

Once in town, make your first stop the Napa Valley Conference and Visitors Bureau. The folks here are knowledgeable about the area and very helpful. After stocking up on maps and brochures, head west on Redwood Road and travel about six miles to the Hess Collection Winery.

This winery-cum-art gallery exhibits the contemporary art collection of Swiss entrepreneur-wine maker, Donald Hess. After sampling Hess’s vintage chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, you can browse through 130 pieces of abstract expressionism by such notable artists as Robert Motherwell, Frank Stella and Francis Bacon.

Continuing north on Highway 29 to the quaint town of Yountville, you’ll spot Domaine Chandon perched on a hillside behind the historic Yountville Veterans Home. Domaine Chandon was founded in 1973 by Moet-Hennessy, a descendent of Champagne Moet & Chandon, the French vintners who brought the world its first taste of champagne nearly two and a half centuries ago.

At the entrance to Domaine Chandon, a graceful wooden footbridge arches over a gurgling stream that empties into a fern-shrouded pond. Ahead, a winding pathway rises beneath a sun-dappled grove of oak, sycamore and willow trees, leading to the Gallery where visitors, awaiting winery tours, explore historical exhibits featuring the work of coopers, artisans, glassblowers and cork makers.

The upper level of the visitor’s center houses Domaine Chandon’s elegant French restaurant. Massive walls, built with stones gathered by hand, give way to arched doorways reminiscent of the caves of Champagne. A cozy dining room opens onto a breezy terrace overlooking a lush carpet of grass bordered by colorful roses and wild flowers. If it’s time for lunch or dinner, treat yourself to the culinary mastery of the resident chef.

Resume your journey and look for the entrance to Villa Mt. Eden winery along the Oakville Crossroads just west of the Silverado Trail. This rambling cluster of whitewashed wooden buildings was once used as a movie set for “They Knew What They Wanted.” A popular pre-WWII film starring Carole Lombard and Charles Laughton. A sign resting against the spokes of a weathered buckboard reads “Welcome to Villa Mt. Eden. Set your watch back 50 years.” Nearby, a scrappy hound languishes beneath a window air-conditioner as cooling drops of condensation splash across his dust-covered fur.

In the winery’s simple tasting room, congenial hosts present award-winning chardonnay, zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon and pinot noir.

Turn left out of Villa Mt. Eden and head north along the scenic Silverado Trail. At Highway 128, turn right (east) and snake along this two-lane road past Lake Hennessy to where the road forks. Bear left on Chiles-Pope Valley road and follow the signs to Rust Ridge Winery.

A dirt lane to this 442-acre former Black Angus cattle ranch curls between golden pastures where resident thoroughbred horses graze beneath stately oaks exquisitely draped in Spanish moss. On the right, an ancient Indian mound rises behind a tattered equipment barn.

Soon, you’ll come upon a rustic ranch house that has been converted into a home five-room bed-and-breakfast inn. You’ll find owner Susan Meyer-Fresquez puttering about the vegetable garden behind the kitchen.

Her husband, Jim, a former horse trainer, tends 54 acres of organically grown varietals that are bottled in a winery that once served as the ranch’s cattle barn. The plaintive whinny of a stallion outside underscores Jim’s nostalgic tour of frayed racing mementoes adorning the winery walls. A weathered plank across a couple of barrels serves as a tasting bar. Tarry a while and savor a robust cabernet amid the solitude of this peaceful refuge.

A few miles from Rust Ridge, you’ll find Nichelini Winery tucked into the downhill side of Lower Chiles Valley Road. Founded in 1884 by Anton Nichelini, this moss-encrusted, hand-hewn stone relic is the oldest continuously owned family winery in the Napa Valley. There are still about seven acres of producing zinfandel that were planted by the patriarch in the late 1920s.

An ancient roman press (believed to be the only one in California) graces the entrance to the visitor area and the original wine cellar where Anton’s grandson, Joseph, invites you to sample estate bottle petite sirah and zinfandel. Behind him, yellowed newspaper clippings chronicling the Nichelini legacy hand on massive red wood wine barrels.

Below the winery, a bucolic picnic area basks in the shade of 80-year-old Black walnut trees. Don’t be surprised if a resident cat plops in your lap expecting a scratch behind its ears.

At the northern end of the valley, near Calistoga, Chateau Montelena lies secluded beneath towering pines at the foot of Mount St. Helena. Designed to resemble the great Chateaux of Bordeaux, this magnificent imported stone castle was built in 1882 by Alfred L. Tubbs, a prominent California State Senator.

At the entrance, an enchanting garden embraces a crystalline lake where genteel swans paddle about an authentic Chinese junk. Pause to admire Chateau Montelena’s impressive façade and you’re transported to the French countryside of another era. Imposing windows and doorways arch beneath spiraling turrets crowning 12-foot walls that extend into the hillside to form a manmade cave.

In the tasting room, world-class chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon, zinfandel and Johannesburg Riesling ferment in French Limousin and Nevers oak barrels.

Of course, in addition to visiting wineries, a getaway to the Napa Valley should include a stay any of the charming country inns that grace the celebrated villages along Highway 29 and dot the rolling foothills bordering the Silverado Trial. Two that come to mind are wonderful examples of places you’d read about in novels whose heroes have names like Catherine and Heathcliff.

Old-world ambience awaits you in the historic town of Yountville at the AAA-Four Diamond-rated Vintage Inn. Here, multi-level clusters of wood and antique brick contain 80 units—each with a wood-burning fireplace, compact refrigerator and whirlpool bath. Wooden plantation shutters open onto spacious patios and balconies—a perfect spot to savor your complimentary bottle of Vintage Estate Sauvignon Blanc. Shaded walkways saunter past babbling fountains to a sunny outdoor pool and spa.

Mornings, a hearty buffet breakfast (included) is served in the lobby. Nearby the deep ebony of a grand piano reflects the soft glow of a crackling fireplace.

A few miles away, Auberge du Soleil lies nestled in a 33-acre hillside olive grove overlooking the Napa Valley at the end of Rutherford Hill road east of the Silverado Trail. Hands down, in my opinion, this is one of California’s most luxuriously romantic hideaways.

Eleven chateau-styled ocher adobe cottages house 48 spacious rooms and suites—each with a private entrance and vine-covered patio or terrace. Inside, hand-glazed earthen tile spills from atop built-in furniture to floors adorned with wine country lavender rag-woven rugs. Curl up with your favorite book on cushy down pillows so large they dwarf sofas flanking a massive stone fireplace. In the bath, fresh candles rest about a giant two-person tub.

Outside, the heady scent of honeysuckle fills the air as you wander past colorful wildflowers bathed in the spray of a tumbling brook. Graceful hawks soar above oak and olive trees that shade a lovely pool and spa surrounded by a sun-drenched redwood deck.

Steeped in the rich legacy of wine making, the Napa Valley offers its visitors a heady combination of natural beauty, historic treasures and cozy country inns. After spending a few days amid the serene beauty of this earthen sliver of paradise, like me, you may find yourself repeating the words of Yountville’s most famous citizen.