The San Francisco Museum of Art exhibit “How Wine Became Modern” should more accurately be called “How the Global Wine Industry Became Modern” because it tells the story of how the triumph of Napa Valley wines Stags’ Leap Wine Cellars and Chateau Montelena at the Judgment of Paris in 1976 inspired legions of U.S. vintners, designers, architects and the media to do what Americans do best – reach out to the consumer – and created a more vibrant global wine market as a result.  The exhibit explores how the U.S. wine industry, and then the rest of the world, appealed directly to the aspirations, …

Saint Helena is in the center of the traditional winegrowing areas in the Napa Valley so it is a good base to discover wine country. Saint Helena is also an attractive place to stay because it is relatively compact, with most shops and restaurants within a four-block area on and around Main Street. It is a small, family-oriented town of about 5,000 residents where one gets the sense that the community spirit has never really changed over the years.
Dining options abound in Saint Helena, from small, local cafes such as …

Since the Napa Valley is about food and wine, a great complement to wine-tasting is food-tasting, and there is no better, authoritative place to receive food education than at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.  As the CIA is situated in the heart of the Napa Valley, visiting this National Register Historic Landmark is a great way to pace your wine tasting experiences.
With the lastest Flavor Bar, the CIA fills a spectrum of educational experiences for food enthusiasts at all price points that range from the 15-20 minute Flavor Bar to one-hour cooking demos to two-hour, six-hour and multi-day …

This is not a wimpy, token ‘hike’, this is serious, get out in the fresh air, earn that gourmet dinner type of hike over the large and beautiful estate of Kunde Family Estate in Kenwood, Sonoma Valley. And for those of you who love to travel with your dogs, this hike is made for the both of you. Jeff and Roberta Kunde have always enjoyed walking their dogs on the property and decided last year to invite visitors to join them. The hike begins in the morning and lasts for about three hours, …

One of the luxuries of living in the Bay Area is that within a couple hour’s drive, one can be transported to a completely different world, and some of the best destinations are on the Pacific coastline.  A favorite destination is Nick’s Cove in the small town of Marshall on the eastern shore of Tomales Bay, about an hour north of San Francisco on Highway 1 and one and a half hours from the Napa Valley.  Marshall is in the Point Reyes National Seashore/Golden Gate Recreation Area which is highly protected from development and is therefore one …

The first stage of the larger ‘farmstead’ conceived by Ted, Laddie and Chris Hall of Long Meadow Ranch has been completed with the opening of the wine and olive oil tasting room in Saint Helena on December 28th.  The tasting room is located in the historic Logan Ives House, a gothic revival farmhouse originally built in 1874 which has been faithfully restored by the Halls preserving over 90% of the original materials of the site.  Nearing completion are the adjacent open-air market featuring LMR’s organically grown fruits, vegetables, eggs and …

If you thought the Culinary Institute of America was
for professionals only, think again.  The CIA began offering a series of cooking and wine classes this year geared to food and wine enthusiasts with no prior training.  These courses range from two-hour to full week and customized courses as well.  One of the great things about taking courses at the CIA is that, as the leading culinary teaching institution in the U.S., a student can count on having some of the best instructors available.  One of these instructors is Chef John Ash, the James Beard Award …

Grains

If you are visiting the Napa Valley wine region and looking for a change of pace, take a brewery tour at the Calistoga Inn in Calistoga.  The brewpub at the Calistoga Inn is small
production facility for pub and restaurant patrons only, turning out four house beers plus seasonal offerings on tap or in 22 oz. bottles.  When you schedule the complimentary tour, consider arriving early at the pub or patio to taste through a sampling of the beers ($1.25/2-oz.) to enhance the experience, or have lunch with beer at the well-regarded restaurant.  As a non-beer drinker, I was fascinated by the distinct …

Many wineries in the Napa Valley embrace wine and art but in name and in venue, Clos Pegase Winery in Calistoga embodies the concept, which was recently recognized by the Great Wine Capitals Global Network (GWC) international jury in Bordeaux last week. GWC is a consortium of official civic and trade organizations representing the great wine regions who believe that regional culture is an integral part of the wine experience. Current members include Napa Valley/San Francisco, Bordeaux, Porto, Bilbao/Rioja, Cape Town South Africa, Mainz/Rheinhessen in Germany, Mendoza Argentina and Florence …

Cakebread Cellars commitment to food extends beyond its wines.  As part of Cakebread’s community outreach, Culinary Director Brian Streeter visits the Mount George elementary school in Napa once a month during the school year to educate the children about where their food comes from, to gain confidence with cooking and to experience international cuisines.  For example, a recent class centered around the different flatbreads of the world.  Chef Streeter has only two rules that he gives the children at the outset of each class.  “You cannot say yuck,” in part …