A lot of times, instead of buying the more expensive appellation wines (such as Alexander, Napa, or Dry Creek Valleys), I go for the less expensive county designates or even just good 'ol "California" on the label.
All aboard "one of the world's most magnificent trains" for a tour of the many wineries peppered throughout Napa Valley.
Although much electronica music is associated with dance clubs and raves, especially clubs in places like Ibiza and Aya Napa, some electronica artists are devoted less to dance than to experimentation.
And I will join the Greek chorus in singing about how slick and commercialized Napa Valley has become over the years but I'll also confess that I'm always ready to go back.
As a simplistic comparison of the two, the Alexander Valley Cab will be generally softer and fruitier than the heftier Napa Valley Cab.
As for the Napa Valley Silver Oak, starting in 1994, the winery began blending other varietals to create for of a traditional Bordeaux-style wine.
At the bottom of the page you'll find access to additional listings for Napa Valley wine tours.
Back to the beginning theme of constant change, all maps and guidebooks age quicker than a good bottle of Napa Cabernet.
Based in Napa Valley, Marilyn Wines began in 1981 when a small group of amateur wine makers began making Merlot in someone's home.
Before Sideways this place was quiet, small and not as busy as other places like Napa or even Sonoma.
Below is our guide to some of the best tours you can book to experience Napa Valley wine country.
Cakebread Cellars is synonymous with the great Cabernets of Napa Valley.
California Reds - Offers a monthly selection of red wines from the Napa Valley region.
California wine regions are not exclusive to Napa.
Coppola has moved his value line of wines to Sonoma County at Rosso Bianco and confines his Napa winery for his top flight Rubicon Estate wines.
Enjoy the best views, wine and food of Napa Valley from the comfort of your Wine Train seat.
Essentially a restaurant and wine tasting room on wheels, this train slowly peruses Napa Valley's wine country while riders sip the best wines and eat the best wine country fare.
Finally, before moving on, check out Napa Valley Wine Tasting Weekend at LTK for a taste of what to expect.
Food items include Sonoma parmesan jack cheese, Ghirardelli Masterpiece Truffles, beef salami, Napa Valley mustard, Spanish olives, California pistachios, toasted sesame crackers and lemon almond cookies.
For cartographers, it's tough keeping up with the Joneses...or Coppolas or whoever because Napa Valley's winery landscape is in perpetual flux.
For example, perhaps you want to do a dinner where the wines have to be $10 and under…or perhaps a red from a certain area of Napa Valley.
For example, the 2008 HALL Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon which we have just released is complex and graceful, with an opulent texture.
For Lake County there are small inns at Clearlake or better yet, stay near Calistoga in Napa Valley and make Lake County a 1-day visit, it's only about an hour drive away to the northeast.
For those of you looking to take tours of both Napa and Sonoma Valleys in style, Beau Wine Tours is your ticket.
Golf is tough to beat at many of Napa Valley's golf courses.
Grey's has several prints in the collection such as Santa Fe, which is a floral done in pink and tan, and Napa, which is a purple floral design.
Hagafen Cellars in California's own Napa Valley has produced some outstanding Cabernets (and I have personally had the opportunity to try them a few times).
He puts together his own personal recommendations of planning a trip through Napa and other Northern California wine regions.
His beginnings were as a Brother at Napa Valley's Christian Brothers, learning his craft as assistant winemaker to the legendary Brother Timothy.
However, Cabernet Sauvignon is the grape that Napa Valley's world-class reputation is built.
However, things besides Napa Valley wineries will be reserved for another time and we will devote are time here to the thing that makes it great, the wine.
I liked this map for its detail and that it also covers Lake County and Mendocino County beyond Napa.
If you ask anyone about the Napa Valley "greats," Cakebread is sure to be at the top.
If you cannot make it to Napa Valley to visit the Wine Train, try bringing a little bit of it to you.
If you have never been to Napa Valley and have time for only one wine tour, don't miss your chance to see the wine region that put California on the worldwide wine map.
If you like the Napa Chardonnay's from 2001 - 2003, with Rombauer on the top of my list, then this is a great addition to your cellar.
If you want to make a reservation for the Napa Valley Wine Train, you have several options.
If you're planning on visiting, then you should see what's going on to make sure you're getting the most out of your Napa Valley experience!
In 1909, after indulging in the typical lavish high life not uncommon in Napa Valley, Chase, low on fortune, sold Stags' Leap.
In 1998, another successful and historic wine group, Napa's Beringer Wine Estates, acquired Stags' Leap Winery.
In 1999 Ray Duncan acquired the 150-acre Soda Canyon Ranch in Napa Valley, south of Stags Leap, to create Twomey Cellars.
In November 2005 the couple wed in Napa Valley, California, exchanging their vows in front of 130 guests.
In some ways the geographic relationship is similar as Napa Valley to Sonoma Valley with the Mayacamas Range separating the two.
In the early 1970s Jack Cakebread came to Napa Valley, as the story goes, to photograph its beauty.
In the heart of Napa Valley, you will find a small winery making quality limited production wines.
It covers the state's wine areas with a significant amount dedicated to Napa.
It's actually useful for local Napa Valley roads when used in con-junction with the above maps.
It's difficult to deny that Napa Valley is the eponym for California wine country.
Its George de Latour Private Reserve is a benchmarking standard for Napa.
Justin Meyer has been an important figure in Napa Valley and one of its wine visionaries.
Know this a priori, there is no be-all and end-all Napa Valley winery map.
Let's move over a few miles to the west of Napa Valley and for the next round of California Wine Country Trips.
Like most things in Napa Valley, things keep moving, and Robert Brittan did that in the spring of 2005.
Like Napa Valley, there are plenty of options in Sonoma Valley, Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, Guerneville and other towns.
Mason is famous for its Sauvignon Blanc in Napa Valley.
Mention California wine or even United States wine and the majority of people in this country and around the world will think of Napa.
Most cities and towns have at least two to three part store chains like Pep Boys, AutoZone, and Napa Auto Parts.
Most tour companies focus on Napa but there are many that will detour to these other regions.
Napa is certainly the most famous area of this region, noted for its Cabernet Sauvignon.
Napa is where Cabernet Sauvignon is king but the royal family also includes Chardonnay, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel.
Napa Valley is less than an hour to the north east from San Francisco.
Napa Valley wine tours are an easy and stress-free way to see one of the country's most scenic and productive valleys.
Napa Valley wineries may grow multiple grape varietals but there's no point to have a winery in California's premier wine area without a signature Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux-style blend (Meritage) wine.
Napa Wine Tours provide visits to Sonoma and Napa counties by bus, limo, train and balloon.
Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Mendocino, Santa Barbara…if you've gone wine tasting, chances are you went to one of these regions.
One probable difference is Sonoma Valley doesn't worry about Napa Valley sending its Air Force over to visit in the same way the Argentinians sometimes worry about Chile's.
One problem in navigating and finding wineries in Napa Valley is the constant changes that take place.
Our Napa Valley Collection Merlot is dense and full of cherry flavors.
Our St Helena winery in the heart of Napa Valley was the first Gold Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) certified winery in California.
Rumor has it that they got their permit for picnic grounds when Napa County was more lenient towards wineries having them.
San Francisco Tours provides personalized service to the Sonoma and Napa wine countries.
Sauvignon Blancs come from around the world and have fun comparing a Sancerre from France with Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, Napa Valley, and South Africa.
See you in line at 9 a.m. I'll be at the Napa Valley estate, but you can also go to the Alexander Valley one if that's more convenient.
Silver Oak has limited vineyard property in Napa Valley, and they traditionally have purchased their grapes from other growers.
So, if you're planning a wine trip to the Valley, whether it's for the day or for several, a Napa Winery map is more than handy, it's a necessity.
Sonoma doesn't get the press and notoriety of its eastern neighbor but they don't want to be Napa.
That's the annual Release Day at Silver Oak Cellars for their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
The 2002 vintage Silver Oak Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon will be released on February 3, 2007.
The Alexander Valley property increased their acreage and this winery produces almost double the volume of the Napa Valley estate.
The Artisan Collection wines are small production, often single vineyard wines that showcase the talents of our winemaking team as well as the diversity of the Napa Valley appellations.
The California Wine Country book covers Napa as well as most of the state's other wine regions.
The class is taught by experienced Napa Rose chefs.
The focus doesn't have to be on the tried and true Napa Valley or French wines either.
The following is a list of wineries broken into different categories to help you sort out the Valley's wineries and wines for when visiting or choosing a Napa wine.
The following is a sampling of wineries in Napa Valley that will make picnickers feel at home.
The HALL Wines Napa Valley Collection brings the HALL experience home wherever that is.
The Men's Double Money Clip is made from top grain Napa leather and comes in either black or coco.
The Napa and Sonoma regions, located north of San Francisco, encompass miles of carefully tended vineyards.
The Napa area is without a doubt one of Northern California's greatest attractions.
The Napa looks great in the classroom, at home and on family outings.
The Napa Valley Collection wines are blended using the finest fruit from our estate vineyards throughout Napa Valley.
The Napa Valley Wine Train is a favorite destination for everyone, whether they live in the Bay Area or they're just visiting.
The only minus to Napa is that it's everyone's choice to visit and it can get crowded, especially on a summer weekend.
The overall effect of this frame is chic and elegant, highly reminiscent of visiting Milan during the height of summer, or hopping from winery to winery in Napa Valley.
The reason they are useful is the combination of information and tips about individual wineries and also restaurants, hotels/inns, shopping, and other sights and activities in the Napa area.
The region is less organized than Napa Valley and its spread all over.
The Valley itself lies about 50 miles northeast of San Francisco and is easily reached by car or Napa Valley wine tours.
The wine is actually a blend of fine Napa Valley Merlot grapes and Cabernet Sauvignon, with each year's blend slightly different but always at least 75% Merlot.
The wine region incorporates the 30 mile sliver of a valley plus the multitude of sub-AVAs dotting the mountains and small valleys that line the Napa Valley.
The Wine Train in an antique train that runs on a 36-mile track through Napa Valley.
The winery does have 500 acres of vineyards in Monterey, 16 acres at Rutherford in Napa Valley, and they source grapes from partners in Alexander Valley in Sonoma and from the Central Coast's Santa Maria Valley and Paso Robles.
The winery's two collections, the Napa Valley and Aritsan Collections, frequently garner praise from wine experts, earning 90+ point ratings from well known wine critics like Robert Parker and Wine Spectator.
The words, Napa Valley, on a bottle resonate to most wine drinkers and this special wine region is not just emblematic of California or U.S. wine but of New World wine regions everywhere.
There are a plethora of Napa Valley wineries with unique personalities, histories, quality and size.
There are actually two parts to Sonoma, there's the Valley which is sliver over the Mayacamas Mountains to the west of Napa.
There are more than 40,000 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley AVA, and that doesn't include the surrounding mountain AVAs with wineries stealthily tucked away on the Mayacamas to the west and the Vaca range bounding to the east.
There are over 300 wineries in the Napa Valley AVA that separates the Mayacamas mountains to the west and the Vaca mountains to the east.
There are so many standout Napa Valley wineries that it is nearly impossible to pick a favorite.
There are state hospitals for the insane at Agnew, Santa Clara county; at Stockton, San Joaquin county; at Napa, Napa county; at Patton, San Bernardino county; and, with a colony of tubercular patients, at Ukiah, Mendocino county.
There are tours you can take of the region that meet in Napa Valley, or ones you can take that begin in San Francisco and then transport you to Napa Valley.
There is a fee to taste, but in Napa Valley that is not to be unexpected.
There's also Temecula in Southern California that has a long history of winemaking but it's off the beaten track and doesn't have the magnetic appeal like Napa does or even Monterey.
There's the age-old tour map that you can get at a bookstore, a Napa Valley visitor center, auto club, or at your B&B in Yountville.
They are also vastly different in character than Napa or Sonoma.
They choose wines from Napa and Sonoma, as well as lesser-known wine areas including Monterey and Santa Barbara.
This "unique travel company" puts together tours of the Napa Valley based on your "wine preferences."
This fantastic resource for those interested in visiting Napa Valley breaks down the many tours you can take of the region by type, including bus, carriage, hot air balloon, jeep, limousine and train.
This is a coastal mountain region that probably has more in common with Mendocino than with Napa Valley.
This is a fun, elegant way to enjoy the best features Napa Valley has to offer.
This is California's most northern wine region and is a bit wilder and woollier than its more staid Napa neighbor to the south, or even Sonoma.
This is good-sized winery map for Napa and Sonoma with the individual wine AVA's outlined.
This is just a hop, skip, and jump from Napa and covers an area near Clearlake to the northwest of the valley.
This means you may or may not find that $200 Napa Cab in the category; but, a $20 Alsatian Gewürtztraminer may be.
This part of the state is a much more natural setting where you can find cattle ranches and vineyards throughout, such as in the famous Napa Valley.
This popular tour will take you through some of the most spectacular areas of Napa, have either lunch or dinner which you can select at boarding time, along with a number of great red and white wines.
This sub-page to the official web site for Napa Valley offers a terrific directory of Napa Valley wine tours to take advantage of.
This Syrah is made from 2 very well known vineyards in Napa (Hestan and Page-Nord Vineyards)that other well known wineries produce wine from--such as Siduri and Rosenblum.
This three hour journey takes you through the historic town of Napa, then onward through Napa's famous wine valleys to the village of St. Helena.
This unique company offers personalized wine tours in Napa and Sonoma Valleys, but also Italy, Australia, Chile, Argentina and Spain!
This wine country is one or two hours north of San Francisco and shows more diversity than Napa Valley.
True, Malbec is grown in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley, but it's usually blended a la Bordelaise as part of a Meritage concoction.
Under an act approved on the 25th of March 1903 a state board of charities and corrections, - consisting of six members, not more than three being of the same political party, appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, and holding office for twelve years, two retiring at the end of each quadrennium, - investigates, examines, and makes " reports upon the charitable, correctional and penal institutions of the state," excepting the Veterans' Home at Yountville, Napa county, and the Woman's Relief Corps Home at Evergreen, Santa Clara county.
We are lucky to own vineyards that are not only some of the finest in Napa Valley, but that also reflect the diversity of the valley.
What makes Opus One $150 a bottle whereas other Napa Valley Cabernets from the same area sell for much less?
When most people think of California's wine country they focus exclusively on the Napa Valley.
When they are good, wine country guidebooks are another excellent source for Napa Valley maps.
While visiting Napa Valley, I recommend visiting Cakebread, but you just can't drop in.
With no offense aimed at the Central Valley, it's the proletariat wine growing region versus the aristocratic Napa Valley and Sonoma County.
Without a doubt, Napa Valley, with its multiple Mondavi vineyards, the ever popular Beringer Vineyard and its variety of Silver Oak wineries is emblematic of the wine country.
You can also visit CSAA or NapaValley.com for information and links for dining and lodging in Napa Valley.
You will notice that most other wineries in Napa don't have picnic grounds at all.