WINE TASTING in the Napa Valley
BY DENNIS BEGIN
Te Napa Valley in Central California is the top viticultural area in the United States.
Te small city of Napa has 75,000 people with 140,000 in the surrounding valley,
extending from Napa to Calistoga. Located only 60 miles (100 km) north of San Francisco, this area produces some of the best wines in the world. Tere are 144 wineries with 45,000 acres of grapes produced by approximately 450 growers. California produces 89% of all U.S. wines. Places such as Yountville, Oakville, St. Helena and Calistoga are found on the labels of many California wines. Among Napa wines found in BC Liquor Stores are Caymus, Beringer, Domaine Chandon, Mondavi, Shafer, Signotollo, Starmont and Rodney Strong, just to name a few. Te grapes are Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvington, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel, producing a wide variety of excellent wines. If you are a wine connoisseur, try the Joseph Phelps 2008 Insignia at $236 Canadian a bottle. A more modest wine is a Robert Mondavi, 2005, Cabernet Sauvignon at only $149.99 a bottle. Napa, or Napo, is a Patwin Indian word, with the most plausible meaning being ‘house’. It was the Spanish who first moved into the valley in 1776, establishing the San
Francisco Solano de Sonoma Mission. Te Franciscan Padres initially planted grapevines, for sacramental reasons, of course. By the mid 1830’s, Mexico controlled the area with 13 ranchos largely using the valley for ranching. Following the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846 and the Gold Rush of 1849, the Napa Valley became part of the new state of California in 1850 and returned to agriculture. Te first record of a vineyard came in
1836 by George Calvert Yount, making wine for personal use. John Patchett in 1859 established the first commercial winery in the valley. Wineries continued to grow and prosper despite the 1930’s Prohibition. Two events propelled the Napa Valley into wine making. In the early 1970’s, the major US airlines boarded the wines of Robert Mondavi and the Gallo Brothers (from Modesto) on their flights, providing a huge market and excellent advertizing. Te second event took place in France. Keep in
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