Schmap Napa Valley The Wineries

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Napa Valley - The Wineries
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You'll need a car for this tour. You're going to be tasting wine. So we'll start this tour near the top of the valley and work our way down, and be close to San Francisco when we're done.

Arriving in St. Helena along Route 29, you'll already have seen acres and acres of grapes to your right, and chateau-like wineries on your left. Past downtown St. Helena, you'll pass through an elegant quarter-mile tunnel of over-arching trees. Just after its end, turn left into the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.

The CIA--this CIA--is situated in the former home of the Christian Brothers winery, an imposing three-story 101-year-old building that housed generations of winemaking friars. Today, it's a master's level training center for working certified chefs. The CIA gives weekend cooking demonstrations in its fully-equipped teaching theater. Food enthusiasts may want to pay the $3 just to look at the kitchens: 15,000-square-feet of state-of-the-art kitchen space rendered after a recent $15,000,000 renovation. Take a look at some of the exhibits inside The Greystone mansion: Whatever you do, don't miss Brother Timothy's 1,800-piece corkscrew collection.

Leaving the CIA, pass back through the Tree Tunnel to Beringer Vineyards at 2000 Main Street. The Beringer family runs the highly regarded winery from their 1848 Tudor-style mansion. It's open 9:30am-5pm every day for tastings and exploration, and the Beringer staff is on hand to give tours.

Continuing along Route 29 to Rutherford, your next stop will be the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery in Rutherford. The Coppola of the name would be Francis Ford Coppola. Yes, that one. It seems that wine has been a tradition in the Coppola family far longer than movies: Coppola was, in fact, moved to start producing wines at the estate in 1975 as a tribute to his grandfather.

The 113-year-old estate has been magnificently and showily restored with lit fountains in front and dazzling appointments inside. Mr. Coppola's five Oscars are on display, along with other mementos from his movies-including the Tucker automobile from the movie of the same name. You can also taste wine. Rubicon is the jewel of the Niebaum-Coppola label, and it and other Coppola makes are available for sampling and purchase.

Your next stop, also in Rutherford, is the St. Supery Vineyards & Winery. Supery is a "can't-miss" stop for anyone interested in learning more about Napa viniculture, and winemaking in general. An extensive educational exhibit is on hand including a sample vineyard and the fabled SmellaVision display. Aside from having the most memorable brand name in the valley, SmellaVision is really a very useful tool for learning how to distinguish different varieties and regions of wine.

Keep heading south to Oakville. There, at 7801 St. Helena Highway South, you will come to the Robert Mondavi Winery. Arguably the most important figure in Napa winemaking history, Mondavi has created several important new varieties of white wine and sold millions and millions of bottles in the process. You can take a one-hour tour, an advanced two-four-hour tour and also attend an "essence tasting". Wine lovers, beer drinkers and teetotalers alike flock to Mondavi for its concerts (jazz and classical) and its art exhibits.

Last, as you approach Napa, turn right on Redwood Highway and climb up the hill to the Hess Collection Winery halfway up Mount Veeder. Hess cabernet sauvignons and chardonnays are highly regarded, but what makes a visit to the winery memorable is the first-rate collection of modern art.

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Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

Monastery w/ hi-tech kitchen

2555 Main St
Napa Valley, CA 94574
United States
+1 707 967 1100
http://www.ciachef.edu

The CIA's (Culinary Institute of America) West Coast campus resides in the former home of the Christian Brothers winery - an imposing three-story 101-year-old building. This is a masters-level training center for working, certified chefs. For $12.50, visitors can take part in cooking demonstrations and sample the chef's creation. Visit the website for demonstration times and days. CIA's Campus Store stocks an impressive supply of cookware and cookbooks for the serious cook. You may also want to dine at the campus Wine Spectator Greystone restaurant - the view of St. Helena from the terrace is grand.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Culinary Institute of America at Greystone photo by Eric B. Ford

Photo: Eric B. Ford

Culinary Institute of America at Greystone photo by SeeNeng, Foo

Photo: SeeNeng, Foo

Culinary Institute of America at Greystone photo by Chris Wilson

Photo: Chris Wilson

Culinary Institute of America at Greystone photo by Jose Tan, Jr.

Photo: Jose Tan, Jr.

Culinary Institute of America at Greystone photo by Caroline Ishii

Photo: Caroline Ishii

Hess Collection Winery

Art extraordinaire and wine, too 4411 Redwood Rd
(off Hwy 29 near Yountville)
Napa Valley, CA 94558
United States
+1 877 707 4377 / +1 707 255 1144
http://www.hesscollection.com/ Swiss millionaire Donald Hess displays a portion of his magnificent art collection at this renovated Christian Brothers Winery. The original stone structures built in 1903 were retained in the new facility, which also includes an audio-visual room, a 13,000-square-foot art gallery and an upscale store. While the wines are simple by Napa standards, they are both decent and affordable. The winery produces two varietals, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, under two different labels: The Hess Collection and the bargain label Hess Select, made with grapes from Monterey County.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Oakville

Napa Valley
United States
By this point, one has entered the real heart of Napa Valley wine production. Robert Mondavi, one of the titans of California wine, is headquartered in Oakville. Other, smaller wineries can be seen on both sides of the valley, though the premium cellars seem to be on the west side. While tiny Oakville has a post office, it's really an unincorporated part of Napa County, best known for the Oakville Grocery, a legendary roadside delicatessen stocked with a mind-boggling array of gourmet delights from France, Italy, and their own kitchens. As with other spots throughout the valley, one is likely to be greeted in early spring by a waving sea of yellow under sparse vineyards: growers often plant mustard underneath grapevines.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Robert Mondavi Winery

Napa's wine spokesman 7801 St. Helena Highway
Napa Valley, CA 94558
United States
+1 888 766 6328
http://www.robertmondaviwinery... Robert Mondavi is one of the most renowned vintners in Napa County, producing affordable and complex wines. The winery offers several tasting tours varying in depth and price. The Taste of Wine is a 2-hour formal tasting dedicated to training your palate as learning about various wine characteristics. Reservations are required all tours and tastings. In addition, the winery hosts countless concerts, art exhibits and community events. Visit the website for details on tours, tastings and events.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Rutherford

Napa Valley
United States
Microscopic Rutherford, population 525, is home to Beaulieu (BV) Winery, Rutherford Grove, Rutherford Hill, St. Supery Vineyards & Winery, Mumm Napa Valley (of champagne fame) and Francis Ford Coppola's Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery, which features memorabilia from his directorial career, including the Tucker automobile from the film of the same name. It's also a fine place to eat: Auberge de Soleil, La Toque, and the Rutherford Grill stand with the best of Yountville's superb French restaurants.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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St. Supery Vineyards & Winery

Learn wine with SmellaVision 8440 St Helena Highway
Napa Valley, CA 94573
United States
+1 707 963 4507/ +1 800 942 0809 (toll free)
http://www.stsupery.com St. Supery is a stop for anyone interested in learning more about Napa viniculture. An extensive educational exhibit is on hand, including a sample vineyard and the fabled SmellaVision display. SmellaVision is a very useful tool for learning how to distinguish between different varietals and regions in a wine's bouquet. Saint Supery's wine is highly regarded. It is, of course, available for tasting and purchase. Visit the website for tour details and prices.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Other nearby cities:
Berkeley (63 miles)
San Francisco (73 miles)
Sacramento (85 miles)
San Jose and Silicon Valley (122 miles)
Monterey and Carmel (209 miles)
Lake Tahoe (222 miles)
Yosemite (250 miles)
Reno (257 miles)
Los Angeles (623 miles)
Las Vegas (711 miles)

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