A whistle-stop tour of California’s Wine Country

February, 2009

Bigger than the whole of the United Kingdom but, appealingly, with around half the population, California holds huge allure for tourists and Americans alike. Standing near my temporary home in Orange County I can see sandy beaches to the West and snow-capped mountains to the East (or smoky mountains in brush-fire season), all bathed in endless sunshine, which must go some way to explain the eternal optimism of the locals, even as the job market crashes resoundingly around them. 

My journey takes me from the OC to the California wine growing regions of Paso Robles and the Napa and Sonoma Valleys via the breathtakingly beautiful, coastal Highway One, which I pick up at San Luis Obispo. 

Less well-known than Napa and Sonoma, the limestone clay soils of Paso Robles in San Luis Obispo County provide ideal growing conditions for Rhône varietals and whilst passing, I can’t resist taking in a visit to Tablas Creek Vineyard, owned by the Perrin family of Rhône’s Château de Beaucastel and Robert Haas of Vineyard Brands. The winery has already planted seven of the multitude of Rhône varietals, importing them from the Château de Beaucastel vineyards via a strict quarantine procedure care of UC Davis and the wines are matured mostly in large barrels so that the oak is not overwhelming – a criticism often aimed at New World wines. I love their single varietal Grenache and leave with a bottle of this and one of their Côte de Tablas Rouge, a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Counoise. 

At the time of my visit, the wines from Four Vines winery were not available in the UK, but intrigued by the achingly trendy names of the wines (Anarchy, The Biker, Naked … you get the idea) I can’t resist calling into their tiny tasting room in Paso Robles to see what the fuss is about. I nearly whizz past the door of the unassuming looking building on the edge of North River Road but once inside I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the wines. The real stars of the show are their Zinfandels from low yielding vines, but as a fan of unoaked Chardonnay I buy a few bottles of their “Naked” Chardonnay, fermented in 100% stainless steel with lovely citrus and mineral notes. 

I would love to spend more time in Paso Robles and highly recommend a visit to Justin winery if you have time to try their superb Isosceles and Justification red Bordeaux blends. But with commitments in Napa, I head north along the winding coastal route, trying to concentrate on the road rather than the sheer cliff drop to my left. I suggest taking someone with you to share the driving along this route as the views to the Pacific Ocean are so stunning. It takes me rather longer than expected to reach San Simeon as I keep stopping to take photos but once there I take a break to watch the Elephant seals who have just calved and who seem to be enjoying the attention of crowds of tourists. I don’t have time on this trip but it is worth visiting the extraordinary Hearst Castle for a day where you can take a guided tour of the private playground of the media tycoon William Randolph Hearst. You have to see it to believe it… 

Continuing northwards, I pass through Big Sur (NB: the petrol station here is the last one for 40 miles) and cross over Bixby Creek Bridge, a concrete structure straddling a 700 foot span and stopping on the northern side I find an excellent spot to take in the rugged coastline that I have just travelled along. From here it is not far to Monterey where I stop for a delicious supper of wild Alaskan salmon at Passion Fish a restaurant specialising in responsibly sourced, sustainable seafood, followed by a scrumptious cheesecake at the Sardine Factory on Steinbeck’s famous Cannery Row. There is so much to see and do in Monterey but I am still three and a half hours south of the Napa Valley so in the morning I am up early and heading further northwards through San Francisco and over the Golden Gate Bridge towards my destination (there is a quicker route via the ring-road but where is the fun in that?). 

The Napa Valley offers such a plethora of wineries that it is worth doing your homework first to plan a route. You definitely need your own wheels (or better still a car with a driver) as public transport is fairly non-existent and taxis are very expensive. Take a look at www.napavalleyvineyards.org, a fabulous website complete with maps, hotel suggestions, winery details and everything you would want to know about the area. 

In essence, the Napa Valley runs south to north and is split in two by the busy Highway 29 which runs the entire length of the region with wineries either side. On this visit, my first appointment is in St Helena in Northern Napa, home to Joseph Phelps Vineyards so rather than take the busy highway, I decide to travel along the parallel but much quieter Silverado Trail running past the famous Clos du Val winery and Mumm Napa which takes me up to Phelps’s “Home Ranch”. Here, biodynamic growing methods are being used to maintain a balanced and healthy vineyard and I encounter a flock of sheep wandering around the ranch en route to my meeting with Mike McEvoy, Director of Sales. 

The wines at Joseph Phelps Vineyards are stunning and I am treated to a tasting of their Cabernet Sauvignon, full of blackberry and cassis flavours but with an Old World restraint, and the soft, rich, opulent Insignia (available from Private Cellar – 01353 721 999) as well as a preview of the wines from their new Freestone Winery on the Sonoma Coast. I buy a couple of bottles of the Cabernet for my wine-buff friend in the OC, hoping to fox him with the Old World characteristics in a blind tasting. 

Tracking back along the Silverado Trail, I drop into Robert Sinskey Vineyards (6320 Silverado Trail) where my favourite wine is his stunning Pinot Blanc. In the tasting room they are showing the full range of wines, all of which are made from estate grown fruit using organic or biodynamic methods. After this, I head for the imposing Opus One, the joint venture between the Rothschilds in Bordeaux and Napa Valley royalty, the Mondavi family. The winery’s architecture is stunning and the Opus One 2004 is lush and rich, with good acidity and medium but noticeable tannins. The wine (a blend of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec) is incredibly smooth and with a long cassis finish. Yours for $180 a bottle from the winery. 

There is a huge range of restaurants to choose from when visiting the Napa Valley. At lunchtime, many people head for the upmarket charms of Dean & Deluca in St Helena where a long line of hungry customers waits good naturedly for sandwiches from the incredibly well-stocked deli counter. There is so much to tempt you in this store but I prefer to head for the unassuming looking Oakville Grocery on the corner of the Oakville Crossroad and Highway 29, which looks basic on the outside but inside you will find a treasure trove of delicious food, wine, coffee and excellent sandwiches made to order. From here you can choose to drop into any of the multitude of wineries along Highway 29, most of which have a tasting room and welcome visitors, or you may prefer to track back to the Silverado Trail. I visit Cakebread Cellars and Clos du Val on this trip and, for interesting buildings suggest Darioush and Artesa wineries. Assuming your principal reason for visiting is wine tasting you won’t be interested in the fabulously up market shops of St Helena, but it’s worth knowing that they are there! 

For supper I love the amazingly friendly Bistro Jeanty in Yountville where they serve hearty French style fare, perfect after all that wine tasting. You can even take along some of the wines that you have collected throughout the day to try with your supper for a small corkage charge. For something a little smarter, try Bouchon in Yountville, 25^o Brix in St Helena and, for very upmarket dining, try to get a reservation at the French Laundry – even if you can’t get a table, their website is a joy to browse through. 

The Napa Valley and neighbouring Sonoma are full of lovely hotels and bed and breakfasts, but be prepared to pay a reasonable price for somewhere comfortable and quiet. Beware of cleverly photographed “budget” hotels. In Napa, the Marriott Hotel has been smartened up with a makeover and it also has the benefit of a Spa. For a real treat, try the Poetry Inn, which is way out of my budget, but was recommended to me by the late Tom Shelton who always looked after me so well on my visits to the Valley - or head over to Sonoma to the Fairmont. As I am on a work budget, I opt for the Vineyard Inn in Sonoma which is basic but comfortable and in very easy reach of downtown Sonoma. 

My final day in wine country is based around the beautiful Sonoma Valley. More rugged and less manicured than Napa, I find Sonoma incredibly peaceful and my first visit is to the beautiful haven created by Marimar Torres at Marimar Estate. Marimar’s vineyards are all certified organic and she is now moving into biodynamics with great success. Her wines are beautifully pure and I am a particular fan of her Acero Chardonnay, matured in stainless steel (acero in Spanish), rather than oak, as well as her delicious Don Miguel Vineyard Pinot Noir. 

From here I drive over to the brand new tasting room at Freestone Winery – a biodynamic venture by the team at Napa’s Joseph Phelps Winery. Although I have tasted the first vintages of these wines at Joseph Phelps, this is my first glimpse of the winery and I am treated, along with Carlos Montalvo, JPV’s Puerto Rican importer, to a fabulous tour by winemaker Theresa Heredia. Theresa is a mine of information and so full of energy and enthusiasm for the Freestone project that it is hard to keep up with her as she scrambles over the barrels, making up blends as she goes along for us to try. I love their Fogdog Pinot Noir and toasty Fogdog Chardonnay (named for the famous morning fog that settles over the Sonoma Coast vineyards) and also highly recommend their Ovation Chardonnay – delicious. 

Finally, a real discovery before heading back to Orange County when Mike McEvoy of Freestone and JPV treats Carlos and me to a superb lunch at K&L Bistro on Sebastopol’s Main Street (+1 (707) 823-6614). The menu here offers a sumptuous range of deliciously cooked temptations including fresh Dungeness crab cakes, boudin blanc sausages and the ubiquitous but delicious steak frites whilst the atmosphere is relaxed but with attentive service. I highly recommend this gem and it sets me up perfectly for the long drive home.

Laura Taylor, Private Cellar