Napa Valley 101 - Tips When Visiting the Top Wine Region

Visiting or traveling to California and want to stop by Napa Valley? Here are 5 great tips for visiting California's top wine region that will guarantee you have a great wine adventure!

Just north from San Francisco, the drive is approximately 90 minutes without traffic delays and it's a good idea to leave earlier (9 or 10am) rather than later. There are many tour operators that offer wine tours leaving from San Francisco, San Jose or Fremont. So you sit back and enjoy the wine while someone else worries about the driving.

Napa Valley dates back to the mid 1800's and today is the most popular tourist destination after Disneyland, with 4.7 million visitors annually. Currently, there are over 200 wineries within 30 miles, as well as hotels, spas, bed and breakfasts, golf courses, wedding facilities, and world-class restaurants in the area. But here is what you need to know before you embark on your "Sideways" wine adventure.

What You Need to Know for Your Wine Tasting Visit To Napa Valley:

1. Stick to 3 to 5 Wineries per Day. Any more and you'll be too rushed (and tipsy!) and won't be able to really enjoy the wine and vineyard setting. You'll want to be sure to take the time to have some snacks and eat - a wine-only diet is probably not a good idea.

2. Take a Tour of the Winery/Vineyard. Most vineyards/wineries offer tours of their fields, cellars, historical buildings, and processing methods. It's always fun and educational - I'd suggest you do one of these tours at one of the vineyards you visit, but not every one.

3. Wine Tasting Etiquette. Swirl, sniff, sip (and spit, if you're really just tasting). Appreciate the beauty and the intricate nature of the wine you're about to taste - and don't be afraid to be honest with the wine-tasting professional about what you think. They will be able to better gauge what you'll like better. Most vineyards are extremely welcoming and are flexible in what they charge. You're not required to buy any wine, but if you like a certain wine, the plus is that it's often usually much cheaper on site at the vineyard than in your local wine store.

4. Food & Fine Dining. A few of the top 50 restaurants in the world, as rated by Restaurant Magazine as well as The Michelin Guide are situated in the Napa Valley area. One of TripAtlas.com's favourites is "The French Laundry" by Chef Thomas Keller, and is found in Yountville. Reservations are required (available up to 2 months in advance.) If you're looking for something lighter, be sure to visit his Bouchon Bakery (try the sticky buns!).

5. Napa Valley Wine Train. The train departs from Napa and travels through the beautiful valleys to St. Helena. Throughout the ride, all aboard are offered the very best of Napa Valley's wine and foods while they take in the scenery. Each car has its own theme and lunches and dinners also have themes like murder mystery and jazz. The train is a great way to see all of Napa Valley while staying in one place (you, not the train).

One last tip is to check on custom/tax regulations if you're thinking about buying wine to take home, so that you don't have to surrender your Robert Mondavi wines to the smirking security and border officials.

Have fun and drink responsibly!

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