Ten reasons to go to Napa for those who do not drink wine

The Indians called this fertile land with fertile land, rivers filled with fish, forests with mushrooms and berries in one short word - Napa. The Napa Valley is one of the most beautiful places in California, where people are still fed by the land. About 90% of all fine wines in America are produced here.

Photo: IStock

There are almost 500 wineries in the valley, and more than half are open to tourists: you can go down to the cellars and participate in wine tastings. But even if you're a die-hard teetotaler, you shouldn't cross Napa off your list of must-see places. Winemakers have long realized that wine alone cannot attract guests, so many have turned their farmsteads into pleasant places to relax with a twist. But Napa is not only vineyards, but also natural wonders: a geyser-predictor of volcanoes and a petrified forest. The Forum has selected 10 interesting points on the map of the valley for you and compiled an interactive route.

To begin with, a small digression. During Prohibition in the United States (from 1920 to 1933), winemaking in Napa was put an end to. And even when the law was repealed, there was simply nothing to be revived, because many vineyards were cut down. So, the “godfather” of modern winemaking became “our man” - the Russian emigrant prince Andrei Chelishchev. It was he who was able to revive the American wine culture, for which he received the title The Winemaker's Winemaker, that is, “Winemaker of Winemakers.” The best proof that Napa was able to rise from the ashes is the fact that the most expensive wine comes from here. A six-liter bottle of Screaming Eagle, vintage 1992, went at a charity wine auction Napa Valley Wine Auction in 2000, for 500 thousand dollars. She was bought by Cisco Systems top manager Chace Bailey. This price was not given for one wine in the world.

Coppola wine

“Just as my cinema is accessible to every American, so should my wine be accessible,” these words belong to Francis Ford Coppola. The five-time Oscar winner, director and screenwriter is also a renowned winemaker. His estate vineyards Inglenook occupy more 2000 hectares of land, and production volumes are more than two million bottles per year. Coppola is not just “listed as the owner” - he spends all his free time at the Inglenook estate, which is open to tourists.

Coppola acquired his first vineyards in 1975 with a fee from The Godfather. When Dracula was a success at the box office, Coppola bought an estate and several other lands.

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Wine and cinema in the life of Coppola are inextricably linked: when it turned out that he did not have enough money for During the filming of Apocalypse Now, Coppola planted vineyards. But after removing «Godfather-3″, he was able to buy everything back. Francis Ford Coppola “infected” his colleagues with his passion: they bought the vineyard Christopher Lambert и Antonio Banderas.

Chance to meet the director, walking on the estate, great. In his spare time from winemaking, he cares and cherishes his collection of old film projectors and movie cameras, which is open to the public.

• Address: 1991 St Helena Hwy, Rutherford.

Wine for the White House

Jacob Schram began planting grapes, and in 1876 became one of California's most popular vintners.

After Jacob's death, his son took over the business, but during Prohibition he abandoned the idea. The winery had many owners, and in 1965 it was bought by the Davis family. She began making local “champagne,” the fame of which suddenly spread far beyond Napa. In 1972, a mysterious guest came to the winemakers, ordered 12 cases of sparkling Blanc de Blancs and asked them to deliver them to the airport. As it turned out later, the buyer was US President Richard Nixon, who decided to bring this wine as a gift to the People's Republic of China. Exactly the wine from the winery Schramsberg Nixon and Premier Chow Enlai filled their glasses, raising a toast “to peace.” Since then, the Schramsberg winery has become a favorite of presidents and the political elite, and each new president contracts to supply wine for White House banquets.

But this is not the only fact that the owners of the winery are proud of. There are at least two more reasons to be proud. The Schramsberg winery was mentioned in one of his novels by Robert Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island, and it was the cork and label from Schramsberg wine that the Discovery shuttle astronaut Ken Ham put in his luggage.

• Address: 1400 Schramsberg Rd, Calistoga.

The story of a dream

“This is not Italy, and the castle is not real,” tourists write reviews of the winery with disappointment. Castello di amorosa, adding more caustic reviews. But no one claims that this castle is ready to compete with its ancient European counterparts. Castello di Amorosa is just the story of one man's dream come true, who put a lot of effort and even more money into making it come true.

Dario Sattui is a fourth-generation winemaker; his great-grandfather founded the first winery in San Francisco in 1885. Dario inherited vineyards and acquired several more lands in the valley, but more than winemaking, he was fascinated by architecture. He dreamed of building a castle according to all the rules of ancient architects. To study the issue thoroughly, the meticulous millionaire even bought several ancient fortresses in Italy itself, and as a result, a project for a fortress was born, built according to all the canons of medieval architecture. Even 8000 tons of stone were sharpened and sawed by hand to make it authentic. Large fireplace halls, a moat, a stable, “destroyed” towers, forged gates that were specially doused with acid to give an ancient look, even a prison and a torture chamber - all this is in Castello di Amorosa. Construction lasted 12 years, during which time Dario almost went bankrupt, having invested $30 million in his dream. When the winemaker opened the castle to tourists, he expected a barrage of criticism from connoisseurs of medieval architecture, but he still heard more kind words. A castle in these parts is still a curiosity. Especially when you know its history.

Price: visit to the castle - $17, excursion with wine tasting - $32, children under 21 years old - $7 (price includes juice), children under 3 years old - free. Children under 21 can only enter the castle if accompanied by an adult.

• Address: 4045 St. Helena Hwy, Calistoga, CA 94515.

To the mountains by gondola

Stirling Winery built in the Greek style and is considered one of the most picturesque wineries in Napa. When American Peter Newton returned from the Greek island of Mykonos in 1964, he decided that his winery must certainly be built in the Greek style. This is how white terraces and Greek statues appeared. You can get here by cable car: the basket takes you to a height of 90 meters, and the entire northern part of the Napa Valley is in full view.

• Address: 1111 Dunaweal Ln, Calistoga, CA 94515.

Panorama of Napa

Like Sterling Vineyards, this winery is high in the mountains, but has views across southern Napa. Moreover, this pleasure is absolutely free; they do not charge money for entering the winery. Despite the fact that the history of the family of winemakers goes back to 1551, the Roventos clan has no nostalgia for antiquity or for its native Spain. Winery Artesa is an avant-garde building, and the architect decided not to try to create something more beautiful than the local views. Artesa attracts non-wine drinkers with exhibitions of young and daring artists and sculptors. The largest travel site tripadvisor.com awarded this winery the title of Best view in Napa Valley.

• Address: 1345 Henry Rd, Napa.

Picnic among the vineyards

Winery V. Sattui is an Italian estate with perhaps the best French cheese shop in Napa and a traditional American picnic spot. It’s just nice to take a walk here, sit by the fountain and - in this winery - plan lunch. Of course, you can find fine dining restaurants in Napa, but a picnic among the vineyards is a special treat. The local deli sells both hot and cold dishes, snacks, and a special delicacy is baked garlic. You probably won't find better food in all of California. A separate long counter is dedicated to cheeses from around the world.

• Address: 1111 White Ln at St. Helena Hwy.

Scheduled geyser

Napa is worth visiting not only for the vineyards with history. This place is rich in natural wonders. Just three million years ago, a volcano died out in this place. But its eruptions are reminiscent of a geothermal source - a lonely geyser “The Old Faithful”. The geyser erupts every 30-40 minutes. First, the first hot steam appears from a crevice in the ground, and then a stream of hot water begins to shoot into the sky. Underground, at a depth of about two miles, its temperature is more than 170 degrees Celsius. But don't be alarmed - during the eruption it is not hotter than 50 degrees.

The time between eruptions can be spent in a small zoo, which is located nearby. Hurry up and customized geyser, expressing impatience, is not necessary. The fact is that if eruptions begin to occur more frequently, an earthquake may occur in the 500 area in the coming days.

• Address: 1299 Tubbs Ln, Calistoga.

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Petrified Forest

Petrified Forest and mountains of frozen volcanic ash - a unique archaeological find. Langsdorff redwoods (the name given to the largest redwood trees on the planet) have long since died out, and fossilized trunks are the only thing left of them. The volcanic ash seemed to preserve the redwood forest, which is why the trees did not burn, but over the next tens of thousands of years they completely petrified. If you look closely at the huge stones, you can see that these are actually stumps, which even have growth rings. And what looks like a large fallen tree to the touch turns out to be a stone. Amazing feeling.

• Address: 4100 Petrified Forest Road, Calistoga.

High School

In the Napa Valley you can not only try the delicacies, but also learn how to cook them. The prestigious Culinary Institute of America is located in the former storage of wine barrels, which was built in 1889 year. The monumental structure with walls half a meter thick resembles a castle rather than a warehouse. Culinary Institute of America opened in 1946 to train soldiers returning from the war, but over time it grew into a prestigious university. A year of study at the institute costs more than $25 thousand; chefs from the best restaurants in the world come here to improve their skills. You can try masterpieces from student chefs at a local restaurant. Or you can take a master class yourself. Price - from $15.

But the tourist far from the kitchen has something to see here. For example, on a unique collection of corkscrews and bottle caps from around the world. And be sure to ask to be allowed to look at the institute’s audience. This is a rare chance to see a professorship with a huge grill and stove.

• Address: 2555 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574.

Restaurant on wheels

There are several ways to get around Napa: in your own car, in a limousine from a local tour company that can accommodate a large family, on a bicycle from one of the many rental shops, or even on a horse. But one of the most interesting and educational ways is a retro train that goes through picturesque vineyards.

Wine train - this is not a cheap, but it is an elegant and original way to admire the valley. Twenty years ago, Vincent de Domenico bought an abandoned railway, restored it, bought early 20th century carriages from the railway museum and opened a very profitable business. A colorful train runs between Napa and Santa Elena, and the restaurant that opened there has gained fame as one of the best in the valley. Chef Kelly McDonald prepares everything on the go, in three specialized kitchen cars, in front of travelers. Along the way you can enjoy lunch, wine and views of the Napa Valley, which is beautiful and magical at any time of year.

• Address: 1275 McKinstry St, Napa.

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