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USA - CALIFORNIA - NAPA VALLEY : AMERICA’S FOOD & WINE CAPITAL by Ursula & Eldrid Retief   Four Perfect Days in Napa Valley, California ... that’s what the itinerary brochure promised.And that’s what Napa Valley delivered. Its claim as America’s Food & Wine Capital is soundly based – some 280-plus wineries in a narrow, bucolic 35-mile long valley and any number of gourmet restaurants like The French Laundry in Yountville, named by Gourmet magazine as one of the top three restaurants in North America. Some of the wineries, like the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery and di Rosa Preserve, have become expressions of their owners’ lifestyle, and they share their passion with visitors.
A cow floating on the lake in the middle of its vineyards welcomed us to the sprawling di Rosa Preserve, the vision of Rene and the late Veronica di Rosa. Rene di Rosa has scrupulously ignored fashions, trends, critics, curators or other experts to amass over 2,000 works from 750 San Francisco Bay Area artists, a collection largely purchased from emerging artists. They are displayed in a 100-year-old winery-turned residence and four separate galleries set in 200 acres of rolling meadows and lush gardens. Many of the exhibits are wonderfully idiosyncratic. As Rene di Rosa says: "I suppose it’s OK to stand in front of a picture and weep, but I think my collection makes the point that it’s OK to laugh too." We also found some great works of art at Clos Pegase winery. In its aging caves is the Cave Theatre, a dramatic, vaulted underground chamber set amidst the 20,000 square-foot cave complex hewn out of an ancient volcanic knoll in the center of the estate. Nestled in its niches and alcoves, rare artifacts and sculptures add to the allure of this spectacular setting. The food component of the Valley’s title is exemplified by the acclaimed Napa Valley Wine Train. You can enjoy a champagne brunch, gourmet lunch or exquisite full-course dinner in beautifully restored antique rail cars while enjoying a relaxing journey through the heart of Napa Valley's picturesque vineyards. The newest attraction in Napa Valley, on Napa’s historic downtown riverfront, is COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts. Here, in Julia’s Kitchen, a gourmet dining room named for the patron saint of the pantry, Julia Child, you can watch culinary masters in action. Want to learn how to start a wine cellar, or deconstruct a lemon meringue pie? Perhaps you want to discover the art of composting? Or explore the language of art? COPIA's wine, food, art, and garden programs are educational and entertaining. They’re suitable for anyone, from the weekend dabbler to the seasoned professional and, take it from us, they’re a lot of fun. COPIA’s long-term exhibition, Forks in the Road: Food, Wine and the American Table, offers a lighthearted yet serious look at the place of food and wine in American life today. As further evidence of the region’s epicurean renown, one of the Culinary Institute of America’s two campuses is located in Napa Valley. Drop in for cooking demonstrations and fresh baked goods in its new Cafe, and try the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant. You may never be far from a winery in Napa Valley, nor are you from its towns and villages. Historic downtown Napa on the Napa River is home to quaint Victorian-era buildings intertwined with a beautiful outdoor shopping mall, creating a pedestrian-friendly town center. Downtown are studios and art galleries; the newly renovated Jarvis Conservatory, now open for live performances; and the landmark Opera House. Heading north you’ll find the charming village of Yountville, known for its variety of upscale retail stores, antique shops, art galleries and artist working studios. The Napa Valley Museum brings the history, the culture, the wine, art and heritage of the Valley together. Its interactive wine exhibit, CALIFORNIA WINE: THE SCIENCE OF AN ART, takes visitors through a year in the winemaking process. At stately downtown St. Helena you will find the Silverado Museum with more than 8,000 items relating to Robert Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure Island and Kidnapped. At the top of Napa Valley stroll along the historic western-style main street of Calistoga, home to some wonderful spas and to Old Faithful Geyser which gushes some 60 feet into the air every 30 minutes. The Calistoga Depot, built in 1868, includes six restored railcars housing historical exhibits and retail shops. Back in the 1860s, the Calistoga Hot Springs Resort thrived here. One of the resort's cottages is preserved next to the Sharpsteen Museum, which also has artifacts, dioramas and photographs about nineteen century life in Calistoga. A scale model of the resort is on display. You can step back even further in time, say 3-million years, at the Petrified Forest, five miles west of Calistoga where the texture and fiber of giant redwoods are preserved. When you go, make it midweek. Napa Valley is so close to San Francisco (50 miles) and Sacramento (45 miles) that it has become a major weekend getaway for many. A good time to go is in February or March, about 90 days after the first rains of autumn, when golden mustard carpets the Napa Valley. The Mustard Festival celebrates the mustard season with elegant, colorful events, from intimate winemaker dinners to grand gourmet gatherings. But really, you can go at any time. The Napa Valley climate is gentle with an average daily temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Splendid hotels and picturesque B&Bs are plentiful. Did they say four days? We haven’t even swung a club at any of Napa Valley’s 11 golf courses , nor checked out its many events or taken an early morning balloon flight over the lush vineyards. As they say, so much to do and see, so little time. A few more days might just do the trick. Photo courtesy Napa Valley CVB
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