Home Front: Eye On Napa Valley, California
The Wappo Indians, who originally inhabited what is now California’s Napa Valley, referred to the region as the "Land of Plenty".
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The Wappo Indians, who originally inhabited what is now California’s Napa Valley, referred to the region as the "Land of Plenty" due to its fertile soil, which remains ideal for agriculture—especially for cultivating grapes. Just an hour’s drive northeast of San Francisco, the Napa Valley has come to represent the pinnacle of California’s wine culture.Stretching roughly 30 miles north to south, the valley is traversed by California Highway 29, along which the area’s cities of Napa, Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga are located. An escalating popularity of the region’s wines has driven the rise in tourism in recent years, resulting in increased commercial and residential development in the valley’s downtown areas. But some of the most highly sought-after properties are in the rural hillside and valley floor.
Late August to early October is the best time of year to visit the Napa Valley. The vines radiate with hues of red, yellow, and orange, indicating the start of the harvest season, or "crush." During this time, many of the area’s top wineries offer unique tours that allow visitors to witness the full crush experience, and family activities abound, from lively art and music festivals, to farmers markets and county fairs.
What’s New in Napa Valley:
Stay: BeautifulPlaces, a luxury villa rental company with more than 25 Napa Valley properties, has recently added to its portfolio Terra del Cuore (above), a trio of Tuscan-styled homes with unimpeded views of the valley. BeautifulPlaces, 800.495.9961, www.beautiful-places.com
Shop: Located in downtown Yountville, Blackbird Vineyards has just opened a
combination tasting room, antiques and furnishings showroom, and art gallery
called Ma(i)sonary. The venue displays items in a gallery setting, while an
outdoor sculpture garden holds tastings of some of the region’s finest wines.
Ma(i)sonry, 707.252.4444, www.maisonry.com
Dine: Ubuntu restaurant on Napa’s Main Street features a menu of
daily harvested organic fare, much of which is picked from the restaurant’s
biodynamic garden. To help work up an appetite, visit Ubuntu’s adjacent yoga
studio.
Ubuntu Restaurant and Yoga Studio, 707.251.5656,
www.ubuntunapa.com
Imbibe: The Crush Camp for Weekend Winemakers takes place from September 18–20
and 25–27, providing participants with the opportunity to collect, crush, and
blend grapes to create their own wines at five local wineries.
Crush Camp for Weekend Winemakers,
707.967.5288
Unwind: The 20,000-square-foot spa at Solage Calistoga offers an array of
treatments, including mud baths, to relax the body and soul beyond what even the
most ample of wine consumption can provide.
Solage Calistoga, 707.226.0800, www.solagecalistoga.com
