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Napa valley is a blissful heaven for those who need an escape from a monotonous nerve-wracking life. If an escape for health beckons, then a massage in Napa Valley at St. Pierre Massage is an absolute for getting your mind and your body rejuvenated.

The most well known massage therapy center in Napa Valley is none other than the St. Pierre Center for Massage. With years of experience, St. Pierre Center for Massage has specialization in offering professional services along with personalized treatment. We take pride to let you experience comfortable massage rooms filled with soft lighting & soothing music, natural body products, organic cotton blankets and soft fleece pads with heated tables and much more. You can find this heaven like place in Napa Valley (Napa County) north of the San Francisco Bay Area in the state of California.

Napa massage packages during Napa wine region vacations can release your stress by pampering your body amazingly. After getting a massage, you will certainly feel far better not just physically but also mentally and spiritually. Napa massage packages and Napa spa packages are a great help to heal your body in natural way because trained Napa massagers work properly for your system. One of the noteworthy features is that they don’t use drugs while massaging instead utilize numerous natural products and scented oils for enchanting your soul with a lifetime experience.

St Pierre Massage in Napa offers a variety of packages that pamper you with Swedish massage, Sports/Deep Tissue massage, Therapeutic Stone massage and many other types of relaxing spa treatments. Some of the Napa Valley Massages focus on specific body areas and bestow them with aroma-oil therapy treatments like Natural Face Mask, Foot Glow, Neck Wrap, Back Glow, Cold stone face massage etc.

Fill your Napa Vacation surrounded by romantic wineries followed by a day of massage. St. Pierre Massage attracts peace seekers to a mind retreat in a remarkable atmosphere. Come visit us and relieve the stressful work pressures from your week and take in life from the wine region.

For more information please visit : Seo Services India

Best Of Napa Valley On A Budget
No doubt about it, the Napa Valley can be expensive. Hundred- dollar bottle of wine? They’ve got it. Thousand-a-night hotel suite? Right this way. But there are vine values to be found if you know [...]

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by wallyg

Napa Wine Tours in Northern California recommends a unique occasion to make out down a single road for miles and have ample of wineries to prefer in clear sight. Make use of a chart to sketch your day in advance that will help you to have a spontaneous stop at any winery that stare exciting along your way through. Yearly, lots of people stay in the valley for tasting and tours of the winery to boost their love of wine. Visit the Napa valley of your desired producers or survey and start your wine country tours.
1) Glance in online at a Napa wine tours visitor website for a clear picture featuring the locality of all the wineries. Napa Valley is departed into five regions: Calistoga, St. Helena, Oakville/Rutherford, Yountville and Napa.
2) Think about the occasion of year when making your trip plans. If you don’t like crowds, stay away from the region’s most popular destinations. If you are seeking for enthusiasm, plan your trip during a celebration or special event. The climate is not a big issue in planning a wine country tours visit, since the temperature in California is mild all through the year.
3) In the larger regions, it is not much easy to visit all of the wineries in a single trip. First-rate four or five wineries to visit–either the brand you distinguish, favorite wineries or latest wineries you haven’t been to before.
4) Visit the selected wine region websites to check out brand of wines you be fond of, whether you want to take a tour by seeking to few wineries that offer Napa tours, while others don’t and locality  where it will be much more efficient to visit wineries that are next to each other. A few wineries have tours per hour; few more may be constrained to just one or several per day. Make your reservations if suggested.
5) Fix a schedule to one or two winery tours in your day. Majority tours charge a bill but consist of tasting numerous varieties of wines. An in-house sommelier, frequently called a “wine steward” who will be usually in hand to respond your questions.
6) Depending on the Napa Valley Wine Tours selected, you may find countless other activities, such as barrel tasting, grape stomping or gracious snacks.
7) Take your lunch at one of the many wineries with a picnic area. Paying for food and wine at the winery’s wide-ranging store will be an easy option.

Here is the few more tips/warning to consider,

1) Investigate the servicing hours of the wineries. Mostly wineries will be stopped at 5:00 or 6:00 p.m. Also remind whether the winery is opened free or by appointment only.
2) Many wineries spot the progressing hills of Napa Tours when you schedule more than a day to discover.
3) Most Napa Valley Wine Tours encourage members to be at least 21 years old. Pre-plan to pay off for wine tasting because some wineries charge a fee for tasting also.

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Overview

The Napa Valley is nicely known as well-known vacation spot to visit along with reside. Although most folks know it because of it is world-famous wines, it also has world-famous restaurants, and even other non wine-related attractions. The Napa Valley is located approximately 50 miles north from the city of San Francisco. It is situated approx and also 50 miles west from the city of Sacramento along with about 40 miles east of your coast. Napa’s place helps it maintain its more compact town allure atmosphere, but it’s nonetheless shut sufficient to enjoy the attractions of nearby larger cities.

Local weather

The Napa Valley has a Mediterranean climate. The mild local weather is ideal for grape increasing and also tends to make it a great location to reside. It benefits from coastal fog to keep it cooler within the summer. Most summers may have a few days of temperatures around 100? F. July along with August are normally the hottest months of your year. Fortunately the hottest temperatures only last several days at a time prior to the cooling fog returns. Normally the northern finish of your Napa Valley is warmer than the southern finish.

Organization

The Napa Valley is famous intended for its wineries. You’ll find approximately 300 wineries in the Napa Valley. Even though there are many large wineries, the bulk of these wineries are more compact boutique wineries. The wine industry in total generates about billion yearly for the region. Regardless of this only 9% on the Napa Valley is planted vineyards with one more 3% regarded as appropriate for growing.

Genuine Estate Market

Once the genuine estate market is very hot, home costs within the Napa Valley tend to increase on the same rate or greater than other parts in the state. Even though the recession has impacted significantly of California, real estate prices in Napa haven’t fallen as significantly as other components of your state since on the desirability of dwelling in the region.

Napa Valley News

It is possible to locate the latest about Napa Valley through the nearby newspapers, web sites, tv and even radio stations. It’s a good notion to plan forward with season you’ll be visiting so you’ll know what type of weather to expect.

Napa Valley Fastpitch Softball: MI&V 12, Branagan Insurance 2 (6 innings)
Olivia Henderson pitched a two-hitter with four strikeouts and Magdalena Gonzales went 3 for 4 with an RBI and two runs to pace MI&V in Tuesday night’s second Senior Division contest.

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Napa Valley Tours, in the Bay Area in California is renowned for its fabulous vineyards and excellent wine tasting centers. There are more than four hundred wineries and tourists keep visiting the place at all times of the year. Napa Valley grow many grape types including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, and many other popular varieties.

It is reported that more than five million visitors come to Napa valley Wine Tours each year and that explains why the roadways are so congested – particularly during summer weekends. Peak season are the summer months as also the harvest crush season during September and October. It has to be stated that the Napa Valley has received international recognition as one of the nine Great Wine Capitals of the world.

Most wineries offer tasting facilities to the visitors. The larger and better known wineries such as Mondavi and Beringer are open daily providing hosting facilities, guided tours of the operation areas and separate rooms for tasting the select wines. The smaller wineries understandably offer tasting facilities only by prior appointment, but the advantage is your tour and tasting may be personally conducted by the owner.

Most vineyards charge a nominal amount for the tasting but your tasting experience will be well worth that money. Wine Country tours are not only interesting but also highly informative particularly for wine lovers. Some of the renowned wineries that you should not miss on your wine tour are – Beringer Vineyards and V. Sattui Winery at St. Helena, Grgich Hills Cellar at Rutherford, Robert Mondavi Winery at Oakville, The Hess Collection Winery at Napa, Sterling Vineyards and Castello di Amorosa at Calistoga.

If you are an avid wine lover and wishing to undertake a Napa valley wine tour, there are tourist organizations that would imaginatively plan a whole week of wine country tours and it will be for you an exhilarating experience. They will take you around not only to the well known wineries but also the ones that are located in certain inconspicuous areas of Napa Valley where it is not possible to go without a tour guide.

Certainly Napa tours are the ideal ones to chill out your stress and spend quality time with your friends and loved ones. The simple fact is that even reaching Napa valley wineries are thrilling and fun-filled adventures. There are several modes of transportation to reach the Wineries like bicycle, hot air balloon, train or bus, horseback, rental cars etc.

The tour organizers of Napa and Sonoma tours will usually take you to all the premier Napa valley wineries and most of the tours include great picnic lunch, ride over the Golden Gate Bridge and 50-minute relaxing Ferry/Bay Cruise. Furthermore, San Francisco restaurants allow you to bring your own purchased wine and pay a very small corking fee.

Prepare yourself for a wine tour of Napa for your next vacation and you will surely carry home some of the most scintillating memories possible and with an irresistible urge to visit the valley again.

Sides reach 8-year agreement on rents
Chateau Calistoga mobile home park residents spent at least a part of the Memorial Day weekend pondering a tentative eight-year agreement that could end a push by the park’s owners to raise rents by at least $ 100 a month.

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People around the globe flock to California for many reasons and Sacramento and Napa Valley Wine Tours itself attract almost six millions of visitors round the world. Wine tours are exotic and exclusive because one can do many things like visiting the authentic wineries, seeing the process of distillation and taste some of the world famous wine. Napa Valley Wine Tours are an experience that all wine lovers should experience once in their lives. There are many organized tours that are available Yountville, Oakville, and Calistoga and for those who like to travel in limos can even ask their limousine service provider to organize the tour. This is an excellent way of travelling as one gets the services and confirmed bookings even in rush seasons. The valley has some of the most beautiful sceneries and Napa Valley Wine Tours are just the perfect way to enjoy the beauty of nature in an exotic way.

Tour operators can have many ways to plan the visit but the most common ones happen on a daily basis from San Francisco. There are some fine wineries on the list depending on the package and service. While group travelling is predetermined, limo services can be customized on request. One can choose to visit from three to even more wineries and get to know the process of making wine in a very personal and elaborate way. One can also get the chance to buy exclusive range of wines at very good prices while tasting some of the finest wines in the valley. The small area of Napa valley has hundreds of wineries and each has something that is worth paying a visit. Group buses and Limo services are active and one can take the Highway 29 or even Silverado Trail which is excellent on drive. Silverado trail is very less crowded so remains a favorite in the peak rush times of the year. Highway 29 is more popular as it was many wineries on the way.

For those who are crazy about wine can spend half of the later September visiting the wineries when the grapes are sorted and fermentation process is started. This is where one can see how wines originate and how the best priceless wines are made. Most wine lovers love to visit this valley every season and stay for a long time. One can get the best country side feeling amidst breathtaking views of nature and some of the finest wineries in the world. To avoid the hassle of not getting the bookings on your required dates, booking in advance is a great option. While cheap and affordable conveyances available the entire time, exclusive travelling like limousines may need prior booking. It gives the chance to get the discounts and also gives a better idea to plan your travel to selected wineries in the area. If you looking to stay for a while, contact your Napa Valley Wine Tours provider about the options to stay in the countryside and have an inside look of the wine world.

Prep report: Albini leads San Marin softball to NCS win in the rain
SEBASTOPOL — Rain nearly gave the San Marin High softball team a win over Analy after just six innings in the North Coast Section Division II quarterfinals Saturday, but after an hour-and-a-half delay with parents, coaches and players working to salvage a playable field, the teams were able to finish the game and San Marin beat Analy 3-1.

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We’ve often described the Northern California Wine Country as a ‘Disneyland for Adults’, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave the children behind. For many people, visiting wineries is only one day of their trip to San Francisco. After all, with all of the attractions it has to offer, the Bay Area is a great destination for the whole family. A daytrip to the scenic counties of Sonoma and Napa provides an opportunity to enjoy a relaxed pace with stunning views, wonderful tours and interesting wineries. The wineries and their gift shops are admittedly more interesting to the adults than the kids, but they will still enjoy the trip because it is, after all, farm country, and what kid doesn’t enjoy that? Sonoma especially takes great pride in their agricultural diversity, so as you travel around you’re going to see a wide variety of plantings, orchards and livestock in between the vineyards. 
 
We’re seeing increasing numbers of children in Wine Country. While it is still a relatively small number, parents are finding ways to make it work. The secret to having a great time together in Sonoma and Napa is to realize that while many wineries are not suitable or enjoyable for children, there are many others that are. Sonoma and Napa have over seven hundred wineries, of which about half can be visited easily so there are plenty to choose from, as well as many other family attractions. 
 
One of the most kid friendly and adult enjoyable destinations is the Plaza in downtown Sonoma.  If you’re coming from San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge you’ll be at this historic and charming place in a little over half an hour. This is the ‘Philadelphia of California’, because it is the place where the Republic of California declared its independence from Mexico.
 It is helpful to know that there are the counties of Sonoma and Napa, and the cities of Sonoma and Napa.

Even though Sonoma is a small city of about nine thousand people, it is big on history. It is the only city in California that enjoys all three of these distinctions; it was an official Pueblo, or city under Mexico, it was a Franciscan Mission (the twenty-first and final), and it was the military headquarters for the entire West Coast under both Mexico and the United States. Around the Plaza, which is the largest in California, there are numerous historic sites as well as nice restaurants and shops. In the Plaza there are great picnic tables near the playgrounds and the newly restored duck pond.

The tourist bureau sits on the Plaza in an old Carnegie Library building and it can provide additional information for a great day with kids. A unique attraction called Train Town is just two minutes back down Broadway, the road that led you to the Plaza. This is a small old-style amusement park suitable for young children up to approximately age ten. There is a small train to ride and a traditional merry-go-round and it harkens back to a time before special effects were digital. There is even a petting zoo. 
 
Around the Plaza are several winery tasting rooms where you can taste some excellent wines without spending all day getting there. Then you can nip back to the playground before moving on to the next winery. Five minutes from the Plaza is one of the Sonoma originals, the Sebastiani Family Winery, with their great old barrel room, one of Sonoma’s best gift shops and some very nice wines for you to sample. They also offer a trolley tour of Sonoma that explains about its wonderful history. Just to the south of town is the Larson Family Winery, on the old Sonoma Rodeo site. This was where the champion race horse Seabiscuit stabled overnight when he was racing on the West Coast. It has a farm-like setting with llamas and sheep. Horse rides through the vineyards can arranged in advance, bocce courts and picnic areas round out the experience.  
 
From the Plaza you can head north on Route 12 up the Valley of the Moon, a scenic route. Voted Sonoma’s best tour, the Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen offers a wonderful mix of agriculture, education and fine wine. Their vineyards are tucked in a pretty little valley on Sonoma Mountain just down the road from Jack London’s old ranch, now a park.
 Their tour, aboard a tram attached to the back of a tractor, winds its way up into the vineyards where they explain the biodynamic approach to agriculture, a remarkable system that is increasingly popular with many high-end wineries. Next you visit the barrel caves and finish up in the winery for a tasting. Admittedly wineries are about adult enjoyment, but there are often children on the Benziger tour and they always seem to enjoy themselves.  
 
Please don’t make the mistake of bringing children to trendy wineries where they have nothing of interest for kids. They will spend the hour while you are tasting wine bored with nothing to do. The wineries that are kid friendly have made a big effort to be so. At both the Sonoma Plaza and Benziger you’ll find good picnic tables, so pick up some sandwiches either at the Plaza or at the Glen Ellen Market. 
 
Many of the wineries in the Valley of the Moon are kid friendly as long as you have an adult willing to keep an eye on them. The grounds are gracious and park-like allowing for a little outdoor enjoyment in beautiful surroundings.  Some of those that come to mind are B.R. Cohn, Imagery, Landmark and St. Francis. Chateau St. Jean and Ledson Winery both have deli markets and picnic tables on site. They are all within five miles of each other along Route 12, the main road in the Valley. Hint: Bring a soccer ball or a Frisbee. There are some great lawns in the Valley of the Moon. 
 

Visiting Napa with Children


 
Napa is a great place to visit because everything is close together. The whole valley is only thirty miles long by five miles wide, and while there are other wineries tucked up in the hills, the variety of wineries that are easy to reach is wonderful. However, it is not as agriculturally varied as Sonoma. Napa is another half hour farther from the Golden Gate Bridge, but the ride brings you through the beautiful Carneros district with its vineyard covered rolling hills that have a distinctly Tuscan feeling. Napa is closer to San Francisco via the less scenic Bay Bridge. 
 
Napa has a bit more of a city style than its country cousin Sonoma, but there are several places that children will especially enjoy. Everyone enjoys spectacular architecture and great views, something at which Napa excels. A classic example of this is the Artesa Winery, with its hilltop site overlooking Carneros and the Bay. Artesa is close to San Francisco and despite not being built with children in mind, the feeling is relaxed enough and the variety of places to explore extensive enough that everyone in the family will be charmed. They even have an elevator for those with strollers. 
 
Just to the north in Yountville is Domaine Chandon, one of Napa’s original makers of sparkling wine. This is a favorite for groups and people with children because the grounds are gracious and accommodating, with lawns, ponds and wildlife. Up on the patio, they offer snacks along with their elegant sparkling wines and the tables make it easier to keep everyone together. The springtime tadpole explosion in the ponds will keep any child entertained. 
 
One of the most enjoyable family wineries is Francis Ford Coppola’s Rubicon in Rutherford, about half way up the Napa Valley on Highway 29 (St. Helena Highway). He took the historic Neibaum/Inglenook building and surrounded it with gardens that have all of the graciousness of a southern Italian villa. The exhibits and old barrel rooms upstairs are enough to entertain most children. During the summer they provide model sailboats to send gliding on the fountain pool in front of the building. There is a small café, with outdoor seating, a great gift shop and of course some wonderful wines. 
 
Just to the north is the V. Sattui Winery which in this context is most valuable for their great deli offerings and large picnic area. Napa does not have a lot of picnic areas. On a Saturday in season it can get busy, but finding food, wine and picnic tables all together certainly makes the logistics of blending wineries with children much easier. The wineries have dramatically more traffic on Saturdays than Sundays. 
 

The Wilds of Calistoga

 
For the San Francisco-based traveler, unfortunately, two of the most interesting wineries for children are all the way at the northern part of the valley, just south of the ‘old west’ style town of Calistoga, which is a great, kid-friendly place to visit onto itself. These two wineries are not suitable for infants in strollers, but for children eight years and older they are a fun experience. First is Sterling Vineyards, famous for its aerial tramway that carries visitors to its hilltop winery. Many years ago it was the first large winery to charge for their tastings. The price includes the tram ride. Between the tram, the gift shop and the tasting you need to allow an hour and a half to enjoy the place. Get there early to avoid the lines. 
 
Just across Highway 29 is one of the newest, large wineries in Napa, although it was built to look old. The Castello di Amorosa is built like an authentic castle, from real stone and hand wrought iron. The vision, the forty million dollars and thirteen years it took to build produced a remarkable place. Children are restricted to the early morning tours so you should check their website for the schedule. The tour with tasting takes about two hours. The admission for Rubicon, Sterling and Castello di Amorosa all range between and , although they offer discounts for children and young adults. 
 
Napa gets hot in the summer, but very dry, so there are very few flying bugs. During the Winter it gets rainy, but not very cold. Both Spring and Fall are gorgeous, and harvest time, from late August through mid-November, is a very busy, exciting time in Wine Country. 
 
Small, private wineries are often at people’s homes, so for the collector, traveling with children, you should ask your potential hosts if children are welcomed. If you want to get to the smaller wineries with children, consider hiring a guide with a car or SUV (avoid limos due to the need to sit sideways or backwards which increases the possibility of carsickness). While there are limo services in San Francisco, many of the experts live in Wine Country but they pick up clients in the city. Hiring a driver greatly reduces the stress and increases the enjoyment. Explain that you have children and ask them for a guide that is comfortable with that. Some guides are parents and actually like children. For them it’s something different and in fact we remember every tour we’ve ever done with kids. Touring with children is educational and a lot of fun, as long as you go to wineries that they’ll find interesting too. So enjoy your day with the kids in Wine Country.

Nevada County man on parole arrested during traffic stop
A parolee from Nevada County with outstanding warrants was arrested Tuesday in Calistoga during a traffic stop, police said.

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by lyng883

Napa Valley is known for Vineyards, wineries and wine. Major attractions of this area are rolling hills, steep mountains and amazing micro climates that make it ideal for growing a variety of grapes. There are many vineyards that grow different types of grapes in Napa valley.

Napa Wine tours are one of the unique tours in Napa Valley from San Francisco. Napa wine tours will take you to the entire premier Napa Wineries. In this tour you can enjoy picnic lunch, four winery stops, ride to the Golden Gate Bridge and then return back to San Francisco. Along with Napa Valley tour, a tour guide is appointed who will provide information about Napa Valley.

Napa Wine tours will start from Ferry Building and then you will get close to Alcatraz, Bay Bridge, city of San Francisco, as well as Golden Gate Bridge from a short distance away. Next destination would be Domaine Chandon where you can enjoy sparkling wine tasting. Sparkling wines are tasted during celebrations only. Domaine Chandon’s winery is second to none in the wine country. Some popular wines are Brut Classic, Pinot Noir Rose, etoile Rose and Pinot Nior. Domaine Chandon blends beautiful architecture with majestic landscape of Napa Valley.

Your next stop would be at V.Sattui Winery where you can taste wide variety of wines. V.Sattui is a family owned winery which is a perfect place for a great picnic and bottle of wine. V. Sattui has one of the best delis around with great selections of cheeses, pastas and desserts.  You can taste red, Italian, sparkling, dessert, white and other old vintage reserve wines.

Next popular destination is Whitehall winery. Whitehall Lane was founded in 1979. In 1979, two brothers started the winery and directed their winemaking efforts successfully to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. They named the winery, Whitehall Lane. Napa wine tours will take you to this beautiful vineyard where your taste buds can enjoy the drink. The last popular destination is Franciscan vineyard. Franciscan has its roots deeply embedded in the soil of Napa Valley. Founded over three decades, Wine industry revolutionaries Raymond Duncan and Justin Mayer shaped the winery’s beginnings.

The tour ends by Ferry/bay cruise at the Ferry Building. Ferry building is located to most hotels, especially if your hotel is in Union Square, Financial District or Fisherman’s Wharf. Most San Francisco hotels are in those neighborhoods.

When you’re on a Napa Valley wine tasting trip do remember following points:
Limit the amount of wine you drink
Take your time to enjoy the scenery of the winery
Ship your purchases from Napa to your home
You can enjoy your trip if you want to enjoy the taste with the help of your wine.

Blazing the Trail
A Napa Valley trail? Yes, we can! I’ve never met Chuck McMinn in person, but we’ve both asked the same question when enjoying multi-use trails in other communities: “Why can’t we do this in the Napa Valley?”

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Some of Napa Most Prestigious Wines

Wines & Vineyards

provided by Cocktails & Wines | http://www.cocktailsandwines.com  

Amuse Bouche, Beringer,  Burgess, Cain Five, Far Niente, Folie a Deux, Grigich Hills, Harlan Estate, Pahlmeyer, Paradigm, Quintessa Rutherford, Robert Mondavi, Cask 23-Stag’s Leap, Bond, Bouchaine, Bravante, Cakebread, Dominus Estate, Duckhorn, Etude, Insignia, Miner, Nickel & Nickel, Opus One, Rutherford Hill, Screaming Eagle, Silver Oak & Stags’ Leap

Appellations

During the early decades of winemaking in the Napa Valley, grapes were often planted in patchwork pattern vineyards in which many varieties were mixed. But experience has since shown the wisdom of matching grapes with locations whose microclimates and soils are best suited to particular grape varieties. Within the Napa Valley, regions have emerged that possess distinct microclimates and terrains, imprinting recognizable characteristics on the grapes grown within them. Vintners and growers within these regions delineate the boundaries of these growing areas, giving them names that reflect their regional designations, or appellations.

Data supporting a proposed American Viticultural Area, or AVA, is submitted to the government, which decides whether the proposed appellation designation will be granted. The Napa Valley is itself an appellation. Within the Napa Valley appellation exists 14 subappellations, or AVAs, including:

Atlas Peak, Chiles Valley District, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Los Carneros, Mt. Veeder, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, Spring Mountain District, Stags Leap District, Yountville, Wild Horse Valley and Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. The Calistoga appellation is still pending approval.

Atlas Peak AVA Climate:

Cool, mountain-influenced, with temperatures about 10 to 15°F cooler than the Valley floor in summer. Above the fog line, there is a low diurnal change, with summer temperatures rarely above 90°F (30°). Elevation: 760 to 2600 ft (231m to 792m). Rainfall: 38 inches (96 cm) annually. Soils: Volcanic in origin, with basaltic red color, shallow with limited water retention, so irrigation is often essential. Principal varieties & characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon: Bright berry and cherry fruit, and more acidity than wines from Stags Leap District. Chardonnay: Crisp, flora, aromatic, with distinctive pear-mineral flavors and bright acidity. Chiles Valley District AVA Climate: Fairly warmer summer days (mid-80°F plus), but due to higher elevation and summer fog at night, quite chilly at night (below 50°F). With colder winters and spring, as well as strong winds, harvest comes later than on valley floor at Oakville. Elevation: 800 to 1300 ft. (242 to 394m). Rainfall: 35 inches (88cm) annually.

Soils: On the valley floor, primarily alluvial soils with silty-clay composition of marine origin, with good fertility. Hillsides show more clay-loam and stony-clay composition, mostly marine in origin, with some volcanic outcropping, and less fertility.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc: Cabernets usually reveal a lush yet firm texture with good acidity, firm tannin and distinctive cherry-blackberry flavors. Merlot typically has vibrant black cherry flavors mixed with a touch of cocoa.

Diamond Mountain District AVA Climate:

Moderately warm temperatures with lower maximum temperatures and higher minimum temperatures than north Napa Valley floor, due to topography and altitude. Significantly cooler than valley floor near Calistoga, 50 to 95°F in growing season (10 to 32°C). Elevation: 400 to 2200 ft. (130 to 530 m) Rainfall: 40 to 55 inches (135cm) annually.

Soils: Residual uplifted soils of volcanic origin, often reddish and very fine-grained, even gritty in texture, composed of both weathered sedimentary and volcanic origin.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc: firmly structured, rich and fairly tannic when young, with strong blackcurrant, mineral, and cedary flavors. Less supple and fleshy than valley or benchland wines, with good aging potential. Chardonnay: Full-bodied, yet revealing mineral, green apple-peach aromas with fairly firm acidity; less richly textured than valley floor wines. Howell Mountain AVA Climate: Similar to the facing Spring Mountain AVA, however slightly warmer and dryer overall due to strong afternoon sun influence. Fairly cool nights in both ranges and higher elevations help maintain good acidity. Elevation: 600 to 2200 ft (184 to 675m).

Rainfall: 40 to 50 inches (125cm) annually. Soils: Predominantly volcanic, shallow and infertile. Drainage is high, fertility low. Principal varieties & characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel: Powerful, firm, blackberry-currant flavors and often richly tannic, with excellent acidity for aging. Chardonnay, Viognier: Sinewy, firm and not as fruity as those of the valley floor, revealing more citrus and stone fruit flavors.

Los Carneros AVA Climate:

Cool, with prevailing marine winds from the San Pablo Bay and through the Petaluma Gap to the west. High temperatures during summer rarely exceed 80°F (27°C) with less diurnal range variation. Elevation: 15 to 400 ft. (4.6 to124 m)

Rainfall: Lowest in Napa Valley: 18 to 24 inches (7.2 to 9.6 cm) annually.

Soils: Clay dominated, very shallow in general, with more loam and hillside alluvials in the northern section. Yields typically are restrained by the hard claypan subsoil, which prevents deep-rooting.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Chardonnay:

minerally pear-apple and spice flavors.

Merlot:

sinewy and lightly herbal, with fine tannins and sleek structure.

Pinot Noir:

ripe cherry-cinnamon spice flavors with earthy notes.

Mount Veeder AVA Climate:

Cool to moderate, with most vineyards above the fog-line, meaning warmer nights and cooler days and less diurnal range than the valley floor. Typical mid-summer high temperatures about 85°F (30°C).

Elevation: 600 to 2100 ft. (183 to 650m).

Rainfall: 35 inches (87.5cm) annually. Soils: Sedimentary based, former seabed, shallow and generally well drained, as well as more acidic, with low fertility. Most have a sandy or sandy-loam texture. Principal varieties & characteristics: Ageability is a hallmark of Mt. Veeder wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel:

Low yields give red wines a firm, tannic structure with strong earth-berry aromas and rich, but powerful flavors.

Chardonnay:

minerally, appley, even citrus flavors with good acidity. Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA Climate: Moderate to cool: marine air and fog can remain until mid-morning. Late afternoon breezes frequently occur, maintaining slightly cooler temperatures than upper valley. Mid-summer temperatures may reach 92 degrees F (31.5 C) and drop to around 50F (10C) at night.

Elevation: sea level to 800 feet (244m) Rainfall: 36 inches (90cm) annually.

Soils: The valley’s largest alluvial fan formed by Dry Creek creates the defining feature of the district. The northwest area is composed of volcanically derived soils, with stony or gravelly consistency. South and east areas are transitional from gravel to silty clay loam.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon benefit from a longer growing season with slightly cooler temperature, though crop size is typically less than in other AVAs. Elegant style is the common note with fruit flavors of cassis, tobacco and spice typical to Bordeaux-style reds. Chardonnay showcases flavors of crisp apple, mineral notes and tropical fruit with fine acidity.

Oakville AVA Climate:

Moderately warm, with temperatures commonly in the mid-90°F range in high summer, but also still strongly affected by night and early morning fog which helps keep acidity levels good. East side of the AVA receives more of warmer afternoon sun.

Elevation: 75 to 500 ft (23 to 150m). Rainfall: 35 inches (87.5 cm) annually.

Soils: Primarily sedimentary gravelly alluvial loams on the western side, with more volcanic but heavier soils on the eastern side. Low to moderate fertility and fairly deep, with average water retention.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot:

Ripe currant and mint flavors, rich texture and full, firm structure tempered by rich fruit.

Sauvignon Blanc:

Full, steely, yet very fleshy, and not especially crisp.

Rutherford AVA Climate:

Moderately warm, still marginally influenced by early morning fog. Western bench area is cooler, with less late afternoon sun, tempered by afternoon marine winds. (This AVA averages a bit warmer than Oakville and Stags Leap District). Usual summer peak temperatures are mid-90°F with good diurnal range.

Elevation: 100 to 500 ft. (33 to 150m).

Rainfall: 38 inches (95 cm) annually.

Soils: Western benchland is sedimentary, gravelly-sandy and alluvial, with good water retention and moderate fertility. The eastern side has more volcanic soils, moderately deep and more fertile.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel:

This is “Cabernet country.” Quite intense cherry and mineral, almost earthy aromas. Flavors are full, ripe, and notably currant with firm, but supple tannins for extended aging.

St. Helena AVA Climate:

Warm, due to greater protection from western hills, with less fog or wind incursions. The narrowing of the valley floor provides more heat reflection off the hillsides. Mid-summer temperature peak is often in the mid- to high 90°F range (31 to 35°C).

Elevation: 150 to 600 ft. (46 to 185m). Rainfall: 38 to 40 inches (95 to 100cm) annually.

Soils: South and west borders are more sedimentary, gravel-clay soils, with lower fertility and moderate water retention. Further north and to the east soils are prevalently volcanic in origin and are deeper and more fertile.

Principal varieties and characteristics:

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot:

deep, ripe, often jammy flavors, with firm tannins for structure, and appealing aromas of currant and black fruit.

Rhone varieties (Syrah, Viognier):

Fleshy, supple and slightly earthy. Zinfandel: Blackberry-like, well-structured.

Spring Mountain District AVA Climate:

Similar to Mt. Veeder AVA, with cool weather prevailing and smaller diurnal changes. Fairly cool nights and higher elevations help maintain good acidity.

Elevation: 600 to 2200 ft (184 to 675m). Rainfall: 40 to 50 inches (125cm) annually.

Soils: Primarily sedimentary; weathered sandstone/shale, loamy and friable in texture. Drainage is high, fertility low.

Principal varieties & characteristics: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel: Powerful, firm, blackberry-currant flavors and often richly tannic, with excellent acidity for aging.

Chardonnay, Viognier:

Sinewy, firm and not as fruity as those of the valley floor, revealing more citrus and stone fruit flavors.

Stags Leap District AVA Climate:

Moderately warm, with afternoon marine winds acting as an ‘air-conditioner’ to cool the warmer air radiating off the bare rocks of Stags leap itself and the surrounding hillsides. This AVA is often up to 10& deg;F warmer than in Yountville AVA. Mid-summer temperatures can reach 100°F, but more regularly are in mid-90 range (32-34°C).

Elevation: 66 to 400 ft. (20 to 123 m).

Rainfall: 30 inches (75cm) annually. Soils: Volcanic gravel-loams on the floor of the valley, with rocky hillsides, and low to moderate fertility due to hard clay bedrock subsoils 2 to 6 feet down.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese:

Distinguished by lush, velvety textures and fine perfumed cherry and red berry flavors, supported by soft tannins.

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc:

Round and ripe, especially Sauvignon Blanc, yet retain excellent citrus and apple flavors.

Wild Horse Valley AVA Climate:

A warmer area well to the east of Napa Valley proper, but still moderated by both altitude and prevailing winds coming off Suisun Bay to the Southeast.

Elevation: Wild Horse Valley 400 to 1500 ft. (123 to 460 m).

Rainfall: 35 inches (94 cm) annually.

Soils: Volcanic in origin, with basaltic red color, shallow with limited water retention, so irrigation is often essential.

Principal varieties & characteristics:

Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese:

Bright berry and cherry fruit, and more acidity than wines from Stags Leap District.

Chardonnay:

Crisp, flora, aromatic, with distinctive pear-mineral flavors and bright acidity.

Yountville Climate:

Moderate, with definite cool marine influence and fog contributing to cool summer mornings and the marine breeze keeping afternoons more comfortable than further up valley. Mid-summer peak temperatures may reach 90°F (31°C), with noticeable diurnal fluctuation to the mid-50°F range (13°C).

Elevation: 20 to 200 ft (6 to 61m).

Rainfall: 32 inches (80 cm) annually.

Article provided by Cocktails & Wines | Cyrus from www.cocktailsandwines.com

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by septillion

Where in the world can you pet a dolphin, dodge a geyser, fly high in a hot air balloon, ogle at ostriches, and tour a castle – all in a single day? Napa Valley, of course.

California’s Napa Valley is famous for its 300+ vineyards and wineries, but there’s so much more. It’s also an exciting, family-friendly destination. The area’s beautiful scenery draws hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. If your family prefers water sports, the Napa River has cruises, boat rentals, and even kayaking for the adventurous.

The Napa Valley is a short drive from San Francisco. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (formerly Marine World) is nearby in the town of Vallejo. Children (of all ages) are entranced by the marine shows featuring dolphins, seals, and killer whales. The many amusement park rides range from 11 gravity-defying roller coasters including the Boomerang – which goes backwards – to go carts, climbing walls, and toddler-friendly water play areas.

Continue north and you reach the town of American Canyon, gateway to the Napa Valley. The town offers affordable lodging options and convenient access to Napa and Sonoma County vineyards. Many wineries offer special wine tasting events, behind-the-scenes tours, and dinner packages.

The town of Napa is just 7 miles from American Canyon. Along with upscale shopping and dining options, the town is home to many Napa Valley tour companies. The hot air balloon tours won’t take you around the world, but do offer an exhilarating birds-eye view of the serene wine county landscape. Depending on the tour package, extras may include a champagne toast or even full gourmet breakfast after your flight.

There’s plenty to do on the ground too, as you continue north. Many families head straight for the small town of Calistoga, where wineries meet geysers.

The “Little Old Faithful” geyser is a top attraction. Stand back – way back! – and watch as scalding hot water shoots over 50 feet into the air every 30 minutes or so.

While the geyser is an impressive display of the area’s geothermal activity now, the Petrified Forest is a powerful reminder of the area’s violent volcanic history. Three million years ago, a massive volcanic eruption toppled a Redwood forest and covered it in a thick layer of ash. The silica-rich ash eventually turned the trees into solid stone. There’s a museum and shady trail where you can view the major tree excavations.

Calistoga’s Safari West offers a different sort of trail – one filled with cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, and other exotic animals. It’s not just an animal park; Safari West is a 400-acre wildlife preserve dedicated to education and wildlife preservation. Visitors can take guided safari tours and even stay overnight in a luxury safari tent. Be sure to plan ahead: reservations are required for all tours.

Now, any parent who managed all this in a single day would surely be ready for at least one glass of wine. The Castello di Amorosa is just the place. Set in a stunning castle, the winery offers relaxing horse-drawn vineyard tours and welcomes visiting families with a special area for kids to enjoy grape juice and coloring while parents attend an adults-only area wine tasting.

Of course, nobody could adequately experience the Napa Valley in a single day. You may visit the first time just for the wine, but you’ll soon discover that Napa has something for everyone in your family to enjoy. The area’s beauty and diversity beckons to travelers of all ages, encouraging many repeat visits.

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by jimg944

When you are bugged up with daily routine you need to take a break. Napa Valley wineries and Napa wine tours rejuvenate you surely.

If you like to have fun and frolic with friends, wine tasting, topped with scenic beauty then Napa valley wineries is the ultimate choice. You find here all groups smaller as well as bigger. The experience Napa Vally wineries and Napa wine tours offer is just out of the world! No picnic can be better than this for sure. Undoubtedly Napa valley Wineries and Napa wine tours are the best chosen place to unwind your stress. Napa wineries are producing top-notch wines across the USA.

Napa valley wineries are quite warmer in summer. Napa is situated to the west of Santa Barbara County. Napa County is between Mayacamas and  Saint Helena mountains. Hood Mountain is also situated at the west of Napa Valley. Napa County has been spread on a total area of 788 square miles.Napa has housed for a gamut of flora and fauna and also rare species. Many endangered species are also very well protected and seen here.

Reaching Napa valley wineries can be very thrilling and adventurous as well. There are many modes of transportation to reach Napa Valley Wineries. Bike, hot air balloon, train or horseback, rental cars are few of them to name. There are many agencies cropped up to help you regarding how to reach Napa valley wineries. Let’s see the mode of transportation in detail.

The main attraction of Napa valley wineries is wine tasting. A guide will be there to help you. As you go on for sightseeing you can’t take your eyes off from those swaying vineyards. Delicate creepers swaying with grape bunches are a sight to watch. Fantastic weather, scenic beauty and friends or family topped with excellent gourmet food make it to the fullest.

The combination of all these create a fantasy.

Car: Rental car facility is available. If you don’t like to be on wheels, driver will take to your destination very safely. Enjoy the natural scenery sitting back grabbing few manuals of wineries. These jeep tours will take you right in the middle of vineyard and also make you taste the variety of wines. Seeing wine making can be more educative.

Train: This train package consists of lunch and dinner. These wine trains host holiday and theme based trains to take you around. You can entertain each family member on this train.

Bus: Highly and professionally recognized driver plus itinerary of wine country are the major attractions of traveling by bus. This bus will stop at four wineries consists of lunch, and ferry ride. This tour will take you to all the hot spots of Napa valley wineries.

Bike: Bike vacations at Napa Valley Wineries offer packages with many add on features. Bike tours are ideal for friends group. Good food, company, wine tasting plus natural beauty make your picnic linger in your mind for a long time.

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