Timeless Napa
Much has changed in Napa Valley since I moved here in 1978. Back then, Napa homes were among the least expensive of any Bay Area county's, and great restaurants were rare. Not anymore. Many knew Napa as the location of a state psychiatric hospital. More knew of its famous wines, and with only 30 wineries, it was easy to visit simply by driving along Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail. Today there are hundreds of wineries and thousands of brands; Cabernet alone has perhaps 700 individual bottlings.
But some things haven't changed. Without much effort you can travel back in time to experience what early settlers saw and built. And you can sample many of the wines that helped define Napa Valley and are still made in their original style.
The physical lay of the land is unchanged too, although there are thousands more acres of vines planted in the nooks and crannies of the hills and valleys. But the mountains haven't moved. Touring Napa affords the opportunity to absorb the valley's diverse geography.
If you want to take in the gentle rolling hills of Carneros, visit the di Rosa Preserve, the former home of Rene di Rosa, who planted his Winery Lake Vineyard in the early 1960s. It's now a museum, and you'll stand among miles of vines, the source of magnificent Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Syrahs. From the hilltops in Carneros you can see the expansive San Pablo Bay, which plays a vital role in moderating the valley's temperatures.
Never been to Mount Veeder or Howell Mountain? Take a drive and you'll appreciate the steep, rugged terrains and thickly forested landscapes. Follow Deer Park Road through Angwin on Howell Mountain and you'll end up in Pope Valley, a distant extension of the Napa appellation. On the way back, stop at one of the turnouts to see the craggy outline of the valley and the hundreds of little mounds dotting the valley floor.
The best view in the valley? Many think it's from the road leaving Clover Flat Landfill near Calistoga. Driving up Petrified Forest Road near Calistoga or the Oakville Grade gives you a feel for how the topography changes heading toward Sonoma.
Many of the grand old wineries built in the 19th century are still in use, beautifully restored and timeless. Beringer, Charles Krug, Chateau Montelena, Far Niente, Greystone (now home to the Culinary Institute of America), Rubicon Estate (formerly Inglenook winery), Schramsberg and Trefethen are more than 100 years old.
If you visit Mayacamas, at the top crest of Mount Veeder, you'll experience the rocky terroir and a winery built in 1889. There you can catch a glimpse of San Francisco in the distance. If you drive to Nichelini Winery in Chiles Valley, east of the Napa Valley proper, which dates to 1884, you'll discover both a unique appellation and a winery that's still owned by the Nichelini family. It makes Sauvignon Vert (Muscadelle de Bordelais), a rare Bordeaux white from a 1946 planting. There are hundreds of acres of stumpy, 100-year-old Petite Sirah and Zinfandel vines, two of Napa's signature reds.
As Napa has evolved as a winegrowing area, vintners have wrestled with which grapes to plant where and with wine styles. Heitz Cellar has stuck to its guns. Its Cabernets, from the Napa bottling to the Martha's Vineyard, show a house style of impeccable balance and pure Cabernet flavors. Heitz Chardonnay is still made in the traditional style, with no malolactic and little oak influence. Grignolino, an Italian grape seldom seen here, is still part of the mix, as is a Port.
Search out a bottle of Stony Hill Chardonnay, once Napa's greatest white, or bottles of its white Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Sémillon de Soleil, a dessert wine. They are beautiful throwbacks to a different time. Many of the tasting rooms or wineshops offer rare old bottles that let you taste how Napa wines evolve. At some wineries, they still pour older vintages. Compare those with current styles.
Even though I've experienced this landscape for 31 years, I continually marvel at its sheer physical beauty, the landmarks of Mount St. Helena or Stags Leap, the remote sites chosen to plant a vineyard or build a winery. Each time I explore Napa Valley I discover something new or new ways to think about how it has evolved and yet remained the same.
Senior editor James Laube has beeen with Wine Spectator since 1983.
