Why I Fell In Love With The Napa Valley
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by Colette Dartford. Colette's debut novel Learning to Speak American is out now (Twenty7, £7.99, Paperback Original) and is based on her experience of renovating a derelict house in California’s Napa Valley. Having bought and renovated the house, Colette lived there with her husband for many years before moving back to the UK. Colette wrote the book in California where it was a quarterfinalist in Amazon’s first novel award. Before becoming a writer, Colette worked as a Political Research Consultant in public policy for many years and has an MPhil in Political Science. Her second novel, The Sinners, will be published by Bonnier in 2017. http://colettedartford.com
The Napa Valley is called ‘wine country’ for a reason. Although it is less than thirty miles long and five miles wide, it boasts over four hundred wineries. Its gently rolling landscape is covered with meticulously tended vineyards, many decorated with silver streamers that glisten and dance in the light. With abundant sunshine and a hot dry climate, the Napa Valley is perfect for cultivating grapes. The heat of the day abates considerably at night, allowing the grapes to ‘rest’ and their flavour to intensify. It’s no surprise then, that some of the world’s most sought after wines derive from this little slice of heaven, fifty miles north-east of San Francisco.
I first visited the Napa Valley eleven years ago and instantly fell in love with it. The valley is made up of four main towns - Napa, Yountville, St Helena and Calistoga – each with its own unique character and identity. The largest is Napa itself, which sits at the southern end of the valley.
Napa has undergone a renaissance in recent years and now attracts renowned chefs. Ken Frank’s ‘La Toque’ restaurant has a Michelin-star and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has opened a restaurant in the smart Riverfront area. If you want something more casual, however, head to the Oxbow Public Market with its fabulous range of eateries – everything from artisanal breads and cheeses, Hog Island Oysters, burgers from the legendary Gott’s Roadside, fresh roasted coffee and delicious cakes and pastries. There is fresh produce too if you want to put a picnic together or take something home to enjoy later with a bottle of local wine.
But if romance is on your mind, you may want to book an alfresco table at Angele and watch the sunset over the Napa River as you dine. Alternatively, consider taking the famous Napa Valley Wine Train – a museum quality antique train with three kitchens on board and a collection of early 20th century Pullman rail cars, faithfully restored to evoke the spirit of luxury rail travel in the early 1900s.
I first visited the Napa Valley eleven years ago and instantly fell in love with it. The valley is made up of four main towns - Napa, Yountville, St Helena and Calistoga – each with its own unique character and identity. The largest is Napa itself, which sits at the southern end of the valley.
Napa has undergone a renaissance in recent years and now attracts renowned chefs. Ken Frank’s ‘La Toque’ restaurant has a Michelin-star and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has opened a restaurant in the smart Riverfront area. If you want something more casual, however, head to the Oxbow Public Market with its fabulous range of eateries – everything from artisanal breads and cheeses, Hog Island Oysters, burgers from the legendary Gott’s Roadside, fresh roasted coffee and delicious cakes and pastries. There is fresh produce too if you want to put a picnic together or take something home to enjoy later with a bottle of local wine.
But if romance is on your mind, you may want to book an alfresco table at Angele and watch the sunset over the Napa River as you dine. Alternatively, consider taking the famous Napa Valley Wine Train – a museum quality antique train with three kitchens on board and a collection of early 20th century Pullman rail cars, faithfully restored to evoke the spirit of luxury rail travel in the early 1900s.
No trip to the Napa Valley would be complete without wine tasting and with so many tasting rooms and wineries to choose from, it’s difficult to make recommendations. However, for sheer glamour and breathtaking scenery, Domaine Carneros takes some beating. It produces sparkling wine and Pinot Noir from its estate vineyards, which house a beautiful château inspired by the classic 18th century Château de la Marquetterie in Champagne, France.
If you want a complete contrast to Napa, head north on Highway 29 to Yountville, the culinary jewel in the Napa Valley crown. Don’t be fooled by its diminutive size (a population of around 3,000) – in terms of food and drink, Yountville punches well above its weight. Yes, it’s a small town, but it has nineteen high quality restaurants, six of which are Michelin-starred. There are six hotels too and first time I came to the Napa Valley I stayed at the Villagio Inn & Spa. I worked off calories from the complimentary champagne breakfast by cycling around the town’s quiet streets and back roads, with their cute wooden houses and manicured vineyards.
As far as wine tasting goes, there are many excellent options, but if you want to combine wine tasting with art appreciation, try the stylish Ma(i)sonry, housed in a handsome 1904 stone building. It is an art, design and wine-tasting gallery with a delightful outdoor sculpture garden, where you can sit and sip to your heart’s content.
If you want a complete contrast to Napa, head north on Highway 29 to Yountville, the culinary jewel in the Napa Valley crown. Don’t be fooled by its diminutive size (a population of around 3,000) – in terms of food and drink, Yountville punches well above its weight. Yes, it’s a small town, but it has nineteen high quality restaurants, six of which are Michelin-starred. There are six hotels too and first time I came to the Napa Valley I stayed at the Villagio Inn & Spa. I worked off calories from the complimentary champagne breakfast by cycling around the town’s quiet streets and back roads, with their cute wooden houses and manicured vineyards.
As far as wine tasting goes, there are many excellent options, but if you want to combine wine tasting with art appreciation, try the stylish Ma(i)sonry, housed in a handsome 1904 stone building. It is an art, design and wine-tasting gallery with a delightful outdoor sculpture garden, where you can sit and sip to your heart’s content.
The next town along is the picture perfect St Helena with its pretty tree-lined Main Street, brimming with boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, tasting rooms and even a small independent cinema. In the spirit of full disclosure I should point out that I was so besotted with the place, it became the setting for my debut novel, Learning To Speak American.
If you’re looking for a place to stay and money is no object, book a room at the exclusive 5-star Meadowood Resort, with its Michelin-starred restaurant, swimming pool, golf course and grounds. For a cheaper, in town option, the boutique-style Wydown Hotel is small (12 rooms) but perfectly formed, and conveniently situated right on Main Street.
Despite all the wonderful dining choices in St Helena, nothing can compare to Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America, a world renowned centre for food and wine education. An impressive stone building dating back to 1889, you will see the CIA perched high above Highway 29 as you leave St Helena for Calistoga, at the northern end of the valley.
On the eight mile drive between St Helena and Calistoga are two places that offer a unique winetasting experience. On the left hand side is Castello di Amorosa, a winery modeled on a thirteenth century Tuscan castle that seems both out of place and tantalizingly audacious. Set back from the road and high on a hill, it is particularly striking when lit up at night.
On the other side of Highway 29, and also set high on a hill, is Sterling Vineyards, which transports visitors up to the winery by cable car. Having been greeted with a glass of wine, the self-guided tour explains the winemaking process from grape to glass, complete with elevated walkways and flat-screen televisions.
If you’re looking for a place to stay and money is no object, book a room at the exclusive 5-star Meadowood Resort, with its Michelin-starred restaurant, swimming pool, golf course and grounds. For a cheaper, in town option, the boutique-style Wydown Hotel is small (12 rooms) but perfectly formed, and conveniently situated right on Main Street.
Despite all the wonderful dining choices in St Helena, nothing can compare to Greystone Restaurant at the Culinary Institute of America, a world renowned centre for food and wine education. An impressive stone building dating back to 1889, you will see the CIA perched high above Highway 29 as you leave St Helena for Calistoga, at the northern end of the valley.
On the eight mile drive between St Helena and Calistoga are two places that offer a unique winetasting experience. On the left hand side is Castello di Amorosa, a winery modeled on a thirteenth century Tuscan castle that seems both out of place and tantalizingly audacious. Set back from the road and high on a hill, it is particularly striking when lit up at night.
On the other side of Highway 29, and also set high on a hill, is Sterling Vineyards, which transports visitors up to the winery by cable car. Having been greeted with a glass of wine, the self-guided tour explains the winemaking process from grape to glass, complete with elevated walkways and flat-screen televisions.
When you finally arrive at Calistoga you will see signs for hot springs and mud baths, which is what the town is traditionally known for. Calistoga has a laid back, almost hippy feel to it and having meandered through its downtown area, complete with quirky shops and lively eateries, I would recommend heading onto the Silverado Trail to Solage. Framed by the peaks and ridges of nearby mountains, Solage boasts Michelin-starred cuisine, an award-winning spa and a 130-foot swimming pool.
To do justice to the splendour of the Napa Valley would take far more than one thousand words, but I hope I have provided a flavour of what this unique place has to offer. You can find out more by clicking the links below, or better still, get to California and explore the Napa Valley for yourself.
To do justice to the splendour of the Napa Valley would take far more than one thousand words, but I hope I have provided a flavour of what this unique place has to offer. You can find out more by clicking the links below, or better still, get to California and explore the Napa Valley for yourself.
Helpful Links
http://www.napavalley.com https://www.yountville.com http://www.sthelena.com
http://visitcalistoga.co http://oxbowpublicmarket.com http://winetrain.com/train
https://www.domainecarneros.com http://www.meadowood.com/st-helena
http://www.castellodiamorosa.com http://www.sterlingvineyards.com https://www.solagecalistoga.com
http://www.napavalley.com https://www.yountville.com http://www.sthelena.com
http://visitcalistoga.co http://oxbowpublicmarket.com http://winetrain.com/train
https://www.domainecarneros.com http://www.meadowood.com/st-helena
http://www.castellodiamorosa.com http://www.sterlingvineyards.com https://www.solagecalistoga.com
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