Napa Valley Uncorked
A seven-night route through château terraces, historic
cellars, sunrise skies, vintage railcars and intimate inns —by Denise Copeland
“Wine is meant to be with food. That’s the point of it.” — Julia Child
N apa Valley runs north through California in orderly rows of vines, pale stone cellars and sun-warmed hills, with cool mornings giving way to dry a ernoons scented with rosemary, earth and oak. e landscape appears peaceful, but Napa rewards a little ambition. Wine waits behind iron gates and inside mountain caves. Breakfast may arrive beneath a Baccarat chandelier. A sunrise balloon rises while most vacationers are still negotiating with the snooze button. is itinerary begins at home, with a ight search open on one screen and a rental-car reservation on another. It then moves from the southern edge of the valley to Calistoga, trading airport uorescent lighting for sparkling wine, Cabernet, chef-prepared breakfasts and a rental car that spends most tasting days parked with dignity. First Things First: Booking the Flight San Francisco International Airport is the practical starting point for this trip. SFO sits about 58 miles from Napa Valley, and the drive to downtown Napa generally takes one to two hours, depending on tra c. Oakland International is slightly closer at 51 miles, while Sacramento International is 63 miles away. Sonoma County Airport is only 45 miles from Napa Valley, though ight options tend to be more limited. Travelers with a convenient connection into Sonoma County should certainly compare it before committing.
For the broadest choice of schedules and rental cars, book a nonstop ight to SFO if one is available. Aim to land before noon. An early arrival provides time to collect luggage, retrieve the car and reach Napa before a ernoon tra c begins behaving like a ernoon tra c. Reserve the rental car when booking the ight. A premium sedan or compact luxury SUV suits the trip better than a convertible. e convertible sounds glamorous until luggage, wind, sunscreen and a winery purchase all demand the same small patch of trunk. A comfortable vehicle with good climate control, supportive seats and adequate cargo space wins this argument. At SFO, the Blue Line AirTrain operates around the clock and connects every terminal with the airport’s centralized Rental Car Center. Complete the rental company’s online check-in before departure, add an additional driver if needed, and photograph the vehicle before leaving the garage. None of this is romantic, but neither is discussing a mysterious wheel scratch at 6 a.m. on departure day. Keep the rental car for airport transfers, hotel changes and sober sightseeing. On wine-tasting days, hire a private driver. Beau Wine Tours builds customized chaueured itineraries and can help coordinate winery appointments and dining reservations. is costs more than appointing one member of the party as the permanently thirsty chaueur, but it is considerably more gracious.
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