Napa Valley

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Napa Valley stands for great vineyards and awesome wine from California and features in almost all of the “Top 100 must-visit places in the world” lists. Napa, as it is often referred to,  is unarguably one of the most famous wine growing regions in the world. Vineyards and wineries are all about the benevolence of nature; commitment to quality; passion for perfection; architectural splendor; serial wine tasting, and last but not least,  great deals on good wines. With the fame and popularity of Napa in ascendance, free wine and tasting tours are fast becoming a relic from the past. There are now very few wineries which offer free wine tours and they are literally far between, maybe even 20 miles between two. Lodging in Napa Valley There are plenty of lodging options in and around Napa Valley, but weekend rates could be double or more than double the cost of weekday rates. During extended weekends like Memorial Day, even modest rooms in motels (modest by all standards) can be priced around $200 per night. Finding good accommodation at great prices on weekends is like spinning a web of deception. Full gas tank, camping equipment, and a picnic anytime  approach would hold you in good stead. Having GPS in your car will help. Places of Interest If you are staying in Napa, downtown or nearby, a visit to Vallergas Market in Redwood Plaza can feed you and equip you for your leisurely drive(s). They have a great salad bar, olive bar and a soup bar, apart from the fresh sandwiches and cold-cuts.  Every hotel/ motel has a “preferred” winery tour suggested list and restaurant list handy, and some also have discount coupons. Do pick them up  – you don’t know when you might need them. Wineries are wineries, so look out for those which have a story to tell. In a day, two or three wineries can be covered at  a leisurely pace. Remember you are on a break and not here to break “how many wineries you can see in a  day” or “how many wines can you taste in a day” records. If you have two or more days on hand, structure the tour by regions: Yountville and about, St Helena and about, and Calistoga and about. Robert Sinskey Vineyads in the Yountville neighborhood, Baringer Vineyards in St. Helena, and Sterling Vineyards in Calistoga fairly represent their respective regions and have distinct feel, wines, architecture and character to them.  Booking your tour ahead of time works very well, as the best tours in these three vineyards are almost always sold out. Food and Wine Lunch at Robert Sinskey Vineyard Kitchen is recommended; Baringer has a great store for wines and accessories; Sterling has a defined and very well choreographed approach to wine tours. The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is a suggested option for an early dinner. To mark a special occasion, the Napa Valley Wine Train is an expensive but exclusive option: good food, great wine, heritage ambiance and arguably the best views of the Napa Valley from comfort of your own lounge seat. If want to have a relaxing getaway and let your hair down, spend a weekend wine tasting in Napa Valley.