Napa Valley
Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley is best known for its world famous wine-producing region. Lesser known but equally important is the high quality of olives, vinaigrettes, and olive oils it produces. The combination of its natural beauty, pleasant Mediterranean climate, and its relative proximity to San Francisco, Oakland, and Sacramento has made it one of the country’s most desirable places in which to live and to visit. Its well documented resistance to urban sprawl and suburban development helps it maintain its awe inspiring landscape set along rolling green hills and clear blue skies.
Napa Valley is widely considered as one of the top American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) in California and in the United States, with a history dating back to the early 19th century. By the onset of the 20th century, there were already more than 140 wineries in the region. Of those original wineries, a good number still exists in the valley today, including the Charles Krug Winery, Chateau Montelena, and Beringer. However, the wine industry in Napa Valley suffered a major setback when the prohibition took effect and gripped the entire country in 1920. For more than 2 decades, the valley’s wine industry suffered and measures were being undertaken to curb its decline and possible extinction. After the repeal of the prohibition and the end of the 2nd World War, the Napa Valley wine industry began to thrive once again. Succeeding decades saw its reputation in the international market rise higher and higher.
During the 1960s, it was ranked alongside France and Italy as the finest producers of wine. The region got an enormous boost from the result of the famous Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which saw a Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon besting several famous French labels in a blind tasting format. That event cemented the region’s reputation as a world class wine producing region. Today, Napa Valley is home to more than 300 wineries and grows many different grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, and other varieties.
Napa Valley is one of the most popular regions to visit in California. It is visited by as many as 5 million people each year, making it the 2nd most popular tourist attraction in the state, next only to Disneyland. The valley is also known for its gourmet restaurants, cafes, and excellent spa treatment centers. A visit to Napa Valley won’t be complete without embarking on a Wine Tasting Tour, where all visitors are able to sample the finest wines that the region has to offer. All for free! Above everything else, visitors come to Napa Valley to appreciate the climate, landscape, and the meticulous process of wine producing, all combining to produce a product that all Americans could be proud of.
The nearest International Airport serving the valley is in San Francisco, which is only a short distance away. For travel and sightseeing across the valley, it is recommended that the Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail be used. The two roads provide the most advantageous route in exploring Napa Valley. Some areas could only be accessed by foot or by bike, so for touring the valley from within, it is advisable to either take a walk or ride a bike than to ride a car or a bus.
Napa Valley Information
Napa Valley Wineries : comprehensive list of wineries in napa valley California.