Things to do in Napa Valley, CA

The story of the Wine Country can be traced to the mid-19th century, when the grandfather of California viticulture, Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszathy de Mokcsa, concluded that his 500-plus-acre Buena Vista estate in modern Sonoma County could produce winemaking grapes to rival those of Europe. Indeed, in addition to a Mediterranean climate of moderate temperatures and ample year-round rainfall, this part of Northern California boasts a landscape where two verdant valleys are cleft by rolling mountains. The result is an environment not unlike that of Tuscany – and one that yields excellent pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, and sauvignon blanc, not to mention terrific olives. Napa Valley, to the east, offers 200-plus commercial vineyards, most of which were founded after 1975. It extends from the San Pablo Bay's fertile Carneros region northward to Calistoga; its inviting hamlets and villages offer fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing opportunities.

The story of the Wine Country can be traced to the mid-19th century, when the grandfather of California viticulture, Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszathy de Mokcsa, concluded that his 500-plus-acre Buena Vista estate in modern Sonoma County could produce winemaking grapes to rival those of Europe. Indeed, in addition to a Mediterranean climate of moderate temperatures and ample year-round rainfall, this part of Northern California boasts a landscape where two verdant valleys are cleft by rolling mountains. The result is an environment not unlike that of Tuscany – and one that yields excellent pinot noir, chardonnay, merlot, and sauvignon blanc, not to mention terrific olives. Napa Valley, to the east, offers 200-plus commercial vineyards, most of which were founded after 1975. It extends from the San Pablo Bay's fertile Carneros region northward to Calistoga; its inviting hamlets and villages offer fine dining, shopping, and sightseeing opportunities.