Napa Valley

NOVEMBER 2014 | SCANDINAVIAN TRAVELER 42

By Sam Eichblatt Photos by Jennifer Martiné

DISNEYLANDNapa Valley

Get on the Napa Valley Wine Train, the wildest slow ride of your life


FOR ADULTS

43SCANDINAVIAN TRAVELER | NOVEMBER 2014

O ne of the more surprising things about California’s Napa Valley is just how small it is.

The 45km stretch of small towns, vine-

yards and bucolic country side – a uniquely northern Californian mix of grapevines, olive trees, conical evergreens and the occasional, incongruous row of palms hovering over the landscape like visitors from the tropics – has a reputation in the wine world and with travelers alike that is wildly disproportionate to its size.

While the valley produces just four percent of the state’s wine, that wine is ranked among the world’s best, making it a magnet for oenophiles.

Here it is all about the good things in life. With some 400 wineries dotting the countryside, the main streets of Napa Valley are dedicated to wine and its complementary pursuits; small art galleries and antique stores, boutiques and hotels, restaurants that range from the rustic to the Michelin- starred, local food artisans of every stripe and, because the valley is geothermal, numerous spa resorts.

“Napa is like Disneyland for adults,” says Andy Florsheim, owner of the Goose & Gander restaurant in St. Helena. “The focus is on slowing down, having the time to really taste things, whether that’s food, wine, or great olive oil.”

SCANDINAVIAN TRAVELER | TOURS | NAPA VALLEY

Hello, last century!


T he wine that first put Napa Valley on the map was cabernet sauvignon but today a wide range of grape varieties flourish here. Within the Napa Valley appellation there are 16

sub- appellations, including the iconic Stags Leap district.

Thanks to its Mediterranean climate there is no “off season” (in fact, it is at its busiest in November and December in the days before Thanksgiving and Christmas). Large populations of Italian, French and Hispanic immigrants have given the valley a character all of its own, a breezy Californian version of Old World style.

One of the best ways to see the valley is to begin in the town of Napa, and drive north via Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga. Downtown Napa is also the departure point for the family owned Napa Valley Wine Train, a series of beautifully refur-bished, wood-paneled Pullman rail cars – some of which embarked on their first journey in 1915.

The train gently rocks its way to St. Helena and back, bordered by vineyards to either side, for the duration of the three hour-long dinner or lunch jour-ney. Besides the three dining cars, which are fitted out with white linen and sparkling silverware Orient Express-style, and a tasting bar, observation deck and lounges, it also offers winery tour packages.

I f you are driving, begin at Shafer Vineyards, known for its premium Hillside Select cabernet sauvignon and the Relentless syrah/ petite sirah blend that Wine Spectator magazine named its 2008 wine of the year.

It lies in the famous Stags Leap district, a small box canyon 3km long and 2km wide.

“The area is known for a unique style of caber-net, with rich fruit and softer tannins than in other areas of Napa,” says owner Doug Shafer. “The best

WINE SCHOOLTypical characteristics of Californian and French wines

California Grapes grown in warmer climates

Wines named for grape varieties

Full-bodied High alcohol (14% or higher)

Less acidity

France Grapes grown in cool

or temperate regions Wines named for place of origin

Lighter-bodied Lower alcohol (12%-13.5%)

Higher acidity


The Napa Valley railroad dates back to 1864. Passengers enjoy a gourmet meal during the three-hour round-trip from Napa to St. Helena

Napa

San Francisco airport

Calistoga

St. HelenaRutherford

OakvilleYountville

S A N F R A N C I S C O

N A P A V A L L E Y

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No horsing around: Wine tasting at Tamber Bey Vineyard is a treat

Oxbow public market is both a market and a store

There's something for every

taste in Napa Valley


descriptor I can think of is ‘juicy,’ with a smooth finish.”

The stunning winery, embedded in steep slopes of cabernet sau vignon vines, runs two tasting tours a day for up to 10 people that are available by appointment only. A wait of up to eight weeks is not unusual, particularly around harvest time, Shafer says, so it is worth booking ahead to avoid disappoint ment.

D rive 30 minutes north through picture- perfect Yountville – home to Thomas Keller’s iconic restaurant The French Laundry and the adjacent Bouchon – and you’ll arrive in

St. Helena, a lovely little town bursting with tasting rooms for the various wineries in the area.

Just outside town, Raymond Vineyards is a regular stop on the Wine Train tour. The certified organic and biodynamic vineyard and custom winemaking operation has an eccentric winery that includes mirrored fermentation tanks, a crystal chandelier, and costumed mannequins. The winery also doubles as a party venue.

The Theater of Nature introduces visitors to biodynamic farming and practices such as burying goat horns filled with cow dung to produce a highly concentrated fertilizer and insect repellent – and explains the basics of fermentation, aging, and wine tasting.

At the next stop, Calistoga, you’ll find the Indian Springs Resort & Spa, an old-school spa resort with clusters of cabins and gnarled olive trees lining the drive.

Nearby Tamber Bey, a winery and tasting room with vineyards in Yountville, is housed within the Sundance Ranch, an equestrian facility for training top performance horses. The central courtyard is flanked by stalls for 18 resident horses.

“Our wines are soft on the palate, and very food-friendly,” says Tamber Bey’s manager, Doug Eisele.

Aged in French oak barrels, the pinot noir and rabicano, a Bordeaux blend named for a pattern of white markings on a horse’s coat, in particular stood out for their depth and complexity.

SAN FRANCISCO’S BEST WINE BARSDogpatch WineWorks

A 1,390-square-meter winery located in the historic Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco (open to the public Thursday through Sunday).dogpatchwineworks.com

The Press Club Two blocks from Union Square and the

Moscone Convention Center, this hospitable wine bar and lounge offers California’s finest wines and beers.pressclubsf.com

Bluxome Street Winery A laid-back Californian winery that’s always

busy. The tasting room is open Tuesday through Sunday noon-7pm (for groups of six or more with prior reservations).bluxomewinery.com


Raymond Winery’s famous goat horns

Top Napa vineyards Shafer Vineyards

shafervineyards.com Staglin Family

staglinfamily.com Far Niente

farniente.com Larkmead

larkmead.com Silver Oak

silveroak.com Gargiulo

gargiulovineyards.com Pride Family

pridewines.com Opus One

opusonewinery.com Cardinale

cardinale.com

See the film Follow us on the journey through Napa Valley at scandinaviantraveler.com

All wine, no whine


Chicken tortillas with chili mayoGet the recipe at

scandinaviantraveler.com


Calistoga Inn’s purple tortillas or house specialty: pizza


J ericho Canyon, a boutique winery making only hand crafted Bordeaux-style wines, is just a five-minute drive away but it might as well be another world. The vineyard is widely considered to be one of the

most beautiful in the valley.Started by Marla and Dale Bleecher in 1989, Jer-

icho is a true family affair. Last year, their youngest son, Nick, produced his first wine, which was also the first rosé made on the estate.

“I joke that I’ve been working in the wine industry for 20 years,” he says. “I had a ‘mandatory’ intern-ship working with my parents at the vineyard, so I’ve been picking grapes and pruning vines since I was four.”

Bracketed by Mount St. Helena and the Pali-sades mountain range, the canyon is a microcosm of Napa Valley: sweeping terraces painstakingly planted with small plots of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc to make the most of the sometimes extreme temperature variations and volcanic, gravelly clay loam soils that produce small, intensely flavored yields. Likewise the Bleecher family’s respect for the land, combined with an emphasis on living well, is characteristic of the valley as a whole.


This way to Napa ValleySAS flies direct to San Francisco from Copenhagen, and offers connecting flights from elsewhere in Scandinavia.

Earn your points As a EuroBonus

member you earn points when you fly with SAS, Star Alliance och part-ners. A return trip to San Francisco will earn you at least 11,000 points.

Use your points You get a return

trip from Scan-dinavia to San Francisco from 60,000 points, taxes and fees applies from €42.

Upgrade for points

Make a better start to your trip, upgrade your ticket in advance or at the airport. An upgrade from SAS Go to SAS Plus costs 15,000 points one-way.

Book your flight at Flysas.com

Nicholas BleecherTara Katrina Hole

⇨

⇨Nick is 26, but brings a lifetime of experience to his own wine



Oxbow Public Market 1 In downtown Napa, the

Oxbow Market offers regional produce and casual dining; seasonal organic fruit and vegetables, locally distilled craft spirits at the Napa Valley Distillery, Hog Island oysters – and The Fatted Calf, an artisanal charcuterie and butcher shop.610 & 644 First Street, Napaoxbowpublicmarket.com

Model Bakery2 An institution for 30

years, this mother-daughter run enter prise is St. Helena’s town bakery. The 100-year-old gas-fired ovens churn out 1,500 of their signature olive oil-leavened English muffins every morning.1357 Main Street, St. Helenathemodelbakery.com

Wydown Hotel3 It’s the little things that

count when you’re traveling, and the Wydown Hotel in St. Helena, with its effort-lessly friendly service, chic but unfussy interior design, and comfy beds make for a serene and restful stay. Warning: you may not want to leave your room.

Doubles from $230.1424 Main Street, St. Helenawydownhotel.com

Silverado Resort4 Spread over five square

kilometers and featuring two 18-hole golf courses, the land-mark Silverado Resort (with its plantation-style mansion) just outside Napa has 390 guest rooms and a dedicated shuttle service.

Doubles from $210.1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napasilveradoresort.com

BREAD & BOARDMan can’t live on wine alone– not even in Napa Valley

Solbar5 Part of the Solage Resort,

the Michelin-starred Solbar is an unforgettable experience. Come for a predinner game of bocce and dine outside under the trees on exquisite light dishes (togarashi-cured Hawaiian hamachi, for exam-ple) or more hearty fare, such as seared loin and confit shoulder of Sonoma lamb.755 Silverado Trail, Calistogasolagecalistoga.com

Torc This airy stone-walled space

on Napa’s main street comes highly recommended. It specializes in exceptional local

produce paired with regional wines.

1140 Main Street, Napa

torcnapa.com

Calistoga Inn This

charm-ing hotel is

renowned for its outdoor dining,

with tables on the patio and picnic tables beneath the trees. Try the pizza: the dough is made with spent grain from the adjacent brewery.

Doubles from $170.1250 Lincoln Street, Calistogacalistogainn.com

Mount View Hotel & Spa Each of the rooms at the

Mount View Hotel in Cali stoga are styled differently and named for one of the region’s wineries. There’s also a spa, heated pool and hot tub.

Doubles from $270.1457 Lincoln Avenue, Calistogamountviewhotel.com

Get the mapFind these hot spots and more at

scandinaviantraveler.com

The world is your oyster

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How to get there

The 75km drive from San Francisco to Napa Valley

takes about an hour, depending on traffic.

For more information see visitnapavalley.com

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Napa Valley