Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Bubbly in the valley
|
The thirty-mile-long Napa valley is home to wineries, vine yards and vintners
|
Sip and tell An American couple tasting the wine at the famous Mondavi Robert winery
Napa valley in California is famous for vineyards, wineries and vintners. Based in Dublin (about forty miles from San Francisco), which falls under the Tri-valley (the other two being San Ramon and Livermore) as we would proceed towards Livermore we noticed vineyards on either side of the road on far away hill slopes as well as the plains. But more surprise awaited us as we drove to the Napa valley at a distance of 53 miles from Dublin.
The Napa town with its geometrically laid roads, presented itself in all its splendour and glory. We had little difficulty in locating the Winery Information Centre at Napa where souvenirs, brochures and magazines had been neatly arranged. Another attraction of this centre was that one could taste an array of orchard produce such as raisins, almond, cashew nuts, cherries, apricot, wine.
Then we moved on to visit the most famous winery and vine yard of Mondavi Robert not very far from the Information Centre. The thirty mile long valley of Napa is home to 400 wineries, restaurants and luxury resorts besides, outdoor activities. Actually, Sonama county in California is the birth place of the state’s wine industry, but Napa county is better known due to a famous upset victory in the “The Paris Tasting”.
In 1976 a noted Parisian wine merchant organised a formal wine tasting competition for superior French and California wines. And a blue ribbon panel of judges — all from Paris — awarded top honour to Napa valley vintners for their red and white wines. We stepped into Mondavi Robert’s winery around 11a.m. As far as one could see there were vine yards up to the foot of the hills. Black prince, as we call it, is the ruling variety grown here. It is most suited for making wines. For making sparkling wines, grapes are harvested earlier, giving them an edge of acidity that goes well with food. Acidity in wine cleanses and refreshes the palate. The bubbles in the sparkling wines help cut through fat, salt and protein and prep one’s taste buds for the next bite.
The encircling mountain range and the valley make it a nice picnic spot. The vines had come to bearing and the grape bunches were in different stages of ripening. Almost all visitors on that day made a bee line to the wine tasting room. Wines of sparkling colours were kept on the side racks, and on the edges of the delivery table. On payment of ten dollars one could taste four glasses of different wines. Though a teetotaller, I had a sip and it tasted bitter! It is said that the first rule of wine and food pairing is to drink what one likes. Dry rose sparkling wines pair with almost everything from salads and cheese through the main course. When the wine session was over, each one was presented with a wine glass to take home as a memento.
Opposite to the tasting room was the exhibit room where all the period tools employed in the wine cellars had been kept. There also was a portrait of Mondavi Robert on the wall. Another attraction of major wineries is the wine train through the valley to different destinations like Calistoga, St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville and Yountville from Napa.
The wine train has a pantry car that serves exotic brunch, lunch and dinner. During our visit, it did not ply. From Calistoga in the north one can have a ride in gondola savouring the green gardens of grapes down below up to Napa. After lunch (home-made), before returning to Dublin, we went for a stroll in the down town of Napa noted for its historic buildings dating back to Gold Rush and a less famous silver rush of the mid-1800s. Historians seem to agree that the name Napa is derived from the native American word “Miwok” meaning “plenty”.
R. KRISHNAMURTHY
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
