Past Blast: Napa Valley

View of Napa Valley, from J. Phelps Vineyards

It's hard to be in Italy for so long and not leave with an appreciation for Vino. So I had an opportunity a couple years back to visit USA's answer to Tuscany: the Sonoma & Napa Valleys just north of San Francisco. Today just features a couple of the Napa wineries we visited, perhaps Sonoma will get her own post on down the line.

Inside J. Phelps; I'll take a barrel to go, please

Our first stop of the day was a winery my friend Rob had set his eyes on, famous for their blending capabilities. Instead of just a single grape dominating whatever you're drinking [Cabernet, Merlot, etc.], a blend delicately balances several grape types to produce an all-around tasty beverage. Usually there is no harsh aftertaste or dominating tannins. Joseph Phelps Vineyards produces the much-touted Insignia blend. Set up on the hills above Napa Valley, you get a great view as well as a great tasting. We left the winery with a bottle each of the heftily-priced drink, and I'm still searching for an event worthy of its uncorking! Of course, it's still doing some much-needed aging, so maybe I'll figure something out in a few years.

Inside Mondavi's Winery

After driving along the bottom of the valley along the Napa Valley Wine Train route, we also hit up the Robert Mondavi Winery. Practically a Mecca for wine enthusiasts, Mondavi helped start the entire Napa Valley wine business 40-something years ago. Empty of major wineries since Prohibition, Mondavi built the first in Napa in 1966. 10 years later, his 2 American vintages won in a Paris tasting of red wines from around the world, and Napa was officially on the oenophile map. The main winery is on the valley floor, surrounded by grapevines. Mondavi Winery is large enough for group tours if you want to hear some more of the history, and if you want to peek inside the cask storage buildings.


You can't go wrong in Napa, as long as you have a designated driver. We visited in early Spring to beat the heat & tourist season. The tastings were outstanding; the wines were certainly worthy of Italia. And there are so many wineries, you'll always have something new to see.

Mondavi's Winery, where it all started