After a tough summer, with record hurricanes in our area, it seems to be the perfect time to appreciate great California wines and a getaway to Napa Valley. More than just great wine, Napa also means great hospitality. On one of my summer wine trips I traveled there with several co-workers, one of many trips to the region for me. With each trip, I realize that despite some changes, the grapes keep growing! There are some new fashions in wine making but one thing stays constant, and that is the warmth of the wine growers. These trips are intense, (thirteen wineries in two days), but extremely rewarding. In addition to the great food, wine and conversation we experience, each visit gives us insights into the work, science and patience that go into creating a great bottle of wine.

Would you believe that it would take a vintner starting a brand new winery, a minimum of eight years before he makes his first shipment? Five years just to prepare the land, plant the vines and cultivate them. Think about it, five years of hard work and waiting, before you can be sure all your canopies and all your soil will be perfect. Five years before your first press, then another two years of waiting for the maturation and fermentation process. Then, the bottling can begin. The lengthy process, of course, impacts the price of the wine, especially for a smaller winery where there is no such thing as economy of scale. The amount of juice harvested also plays a large part in the price of the wine. The more juice harvested, the more cases produced, and you will have a less expensive wine. Less juice harvested means fewer cases, as well as perhaps, a reserve, (and therefore more expensive), wine.

To have a successful start for a new winery, you need both talent and money. The money keeps you going until the winery pays for itself, and the talent ...well the talent speaks for itself. Most winemakers still make wine by taste and not by formula.

Napa is a small town, north of San Francisco, which gives its name to Napa County and California's most famous wine region. The Napa Valley, although one of the last of California's coastal counties to receive the vine, has earned the State's wines most fame. Wine production began here in the 19th century. Napa's diversity of exposures, climate and soil has led to several sub-AVAs, which stands for American Viticultural Area. These mini-regions produce very different wines, and are therefore useful to know. For example, you may find that you prefer Cabernet from Howell Mountain, and Merlot from Carneros. Some of the better known sub-AVAs in Napa are Howell Mountain, Mt. Veeder, Oakville, Rutherford, the Stag's Leap district, and Carneros.

While the versatile growing conditions give Napa growers Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel and other grapes as well, Napa is perhaps best known for Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, Napa has proved such an ideal home for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, one could argue a case for Napa's having caused their popularity in this country, and not the other way around.

I hope that this glimpse of Napa Valley wines will entice you to visit and discover Napa Valley. Imagine a journey to Joseph Phelps, Conn Creek, Stag's Leap, Domaine Chandon, Robert Mondavi Family, Opus One, Chateau Montelena, Sterling, Niebaum Coppola, Markham, Dominus Estate, Artesa, and Whitehall Lane. Not only do you learn from the wineries when tasting, you experience the scenery, learn why particular areas are best suited for particular grapes, and always take home a fine memory of that bottle that is sitting on your local store's shelf.

By Jean L'Hereault Jean
Jean is a certified sommelier and wine consultant for ABC Fine Wines&Spirits. Questions for Jean can be sent to Taste Dining&Travel or
e-mailed to: finelli@tasteweb.net