Luxury Life & Style

Solage's Solbar the Cellar valley girl bonnie'S guide to napa by bonnie graves A s a young(er) New York-based aspiring sommelier in the late 90s, I made it my mission to familiarize myself with the quirkiest possible international wine regions: from the Marmandais to Heathcote to Casablanca to Yecla, I spent long hours pouring over wine maps, plotting out the harvests I’d work when and if I ever escaped restaurant hours long enough to vacation somewhere other than my hometown on the Jersey Shore or my friend’s cabin in upstate New York. This same bias in many ways extended to domes- tic wine-producing areas too. Everyone had heard of Napa Valley and its big-ticket cabs and oaky chardonnays; I was much more interested in up-and-coming viticultural areas like the Santa Rita Hills, the Santa Lucia Highlands and Walla Walla, which to a Manhattan resident sounded about as far-flung and exotic as Bora-Bora or Timbuktu. Fast-forward about a decade, and I found myself happily ensconced at the Meadowood Resort in Napa where I recently enjoyed one of the most impressive dinners I have had in years. Somehow, grimy youth hostels and washing fermentation tanks now seem less appealing than Meadowood’s high threadcount sheets and Relais and Chateaux service. A friend who works in PR had kindly invited me to visit some of her clients, and with base camp established (portable crib, Sesame DVDs, nanny next door), I was ready to get to know Napa all over again. When people ask me for Napa Valley recommendations, I always suggest they get off the beaten trail, in this case the heavily trafficked Highway 29. With more than 4.7 million annual visitors, Napa is second only to Disneyland in total California tourist volume, and that can make for some serious jams on peak weekends. Consider visiting mid-week, and plan your trip well in advance – some of the finest tasting room experiences are invitation-only, but if you call ahead you just may find the door open. You may also have a better experience if you limit your tasting to a select few destinations each day with ample time for picnicking and napping. I sometimes suggest that visitors consider focusing on a single area within the Valley, like the Stag’s Leap District, Mt. Veeder or Howell Mountain AVAs, and that you consider hiring a driver, too. Napa’s role on the current world wine stage was well dramatized by my recent trip north. From the rarefied air at Ann Colgin’s mountain estate to the folksy energy at Frank Family Vineyards to the enduring popularity of a winery like Flora Springs, Napa is at a critical crossroads of mission and product. Having joined with European wine regions such as Champagne, Jerez and Oporto in protecting place names, “Napa Valley” on a wine label 84 Luxury Life & Style May/June 2008

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Editor's Letter Carte Blanche Home The Arts Seen in the South Bay Give Drive Spotlight Feature Seen in the South Bay Travel The Cellar Dine In Developement Coda

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