Wine lovers among APA's 2009 annual meeting attendees can find some of the most prestigious wines in the world when they visit Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, both about an hour's drive north of San Francisco.
Part of what is known as California Wine Country, the Napa and Sonoma valleys have the natural advantages of a Mediterranean climate, long daylight, and soil content favorable for growing a diversity of high-quality grapes.
Winemaking in the region dates back to the 19th century. More recently, local wines shot to international fame after Napa wines beat famous French wines in blind tastings at a 1976 competition in Paris. Since then, millions of tourists flock to California Wine Country every year for a viticultural pilgrimage. The most popular wines produced from this area are Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot.
There are more than three hundred wineries in Napa Valley, according to the Napa Valley Vintners, a local trade association. Sonoma County Vintners boasts of more than 200 wineries. Some wineries are small, family-owned establishments producing a few hundred cases of wine every year. Others are multinational corporations selling millions of cases throughout the world.
Many wineries are open to the public and offer tours of their winemaking facilities along with tastings. Some wineries are open to visitors by appointment only. Many tour companies offer guided wine-tasting tours, including bike tours that take visitors along scenic routes through the hills and hit a series of vineyards in a day or an afternoon.
In addition to wine tasting, the area is well known for a vibrant culinary scene, thanks in part to the long and continuous history of immigrants settling there. As expected, Asian and Mexican cuisines, both diverse within themselves, have a profound influence throughout California. Modern-American, fusion, and many other ethnic foods are also popular with visitors and locals. The best of California food emphasizes local, fresh, organic ingredients and simple, healthy dishes that are best paired with, of course, local wines.
Surrounded by the Mayacamas and the Sonoma mountain ranges, the valleys are beautiful in spring with rolling hills and green vineyards. In addition to wine and food, there are a variety of outdoor activities such as biking, hiking, camping, balloon rides, and golf. For example, one can get a panoramic view of most of the San Francisco Bay area at the summit of Mount St. Helena by hiking up a trail located in the Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, named after the famed poet and author of such classic novels as Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
Sonoma Valley is about 45 miles from San Francisco. From the city, take highway 101 across the Golden Gate Bridge and continue north for about 20 miles. State highways 37 and 121 will take you to the heart of Sonoma. Napa is about 15 miles east of Sonoma, connected by highway 121. The major towns of Napa Valley all lay along state highway 29.
Detailed maps and other tourism information are posted at the Web sites for the visitors bureaus at<www.napavalley.org> and<www.sonomavalley.com>.▪
