Roughly an hour’s drive north of San Francisco, Napa boasts more than 400 wineries and is a paradise for wine connoisseurs.
Vagabongs spent a gala afternoon in Napa amidst picturesque vineyards adorned with pictorial colors of fall.
Backdrop:
Long considered California’s most famous wine region, Napa Valley exploded into the global spotlight following the 1976 Judgment of Paris, when a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from Calistoga trounced nine other Chardonnays in a blind tasting in Paris, including extremely prestigious bottles from France. At the time, France was considered the world’s forerunning wine region, but this triumph forever changed the international perception of Northern California’s wines.
Best Wines of Napa:
Napa Valley’s best wines are its Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet blends. The generally warm, dry climate of Napa Valley suits the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety just fine.
The Chardonnay grape variety continues to produce Napa Valley’s most popular white wine by a good margin.
Best Times to Visit Napa Valley:
The best time to visit Napa is August through October or March through May. Napa’s peak tourist season corresponds with the region’s harvest season (August through October).
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