Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/857596
A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7 M A C O N M A G A Z I N E | 57 In The Spirit AFTER COMING OFF A GREAT WINE TRIP TO CALIFORNIA, I figured I'd write about wine this month for the column. Everyone who drinks wine most likely has either tried wines or have heard of wines from Napa Valley. The Napa Valley is an easy ride north of San Francisco but feels like a completely different world from the bay's hustle and bustle. Napa Valley is a huge agricultural area and all of the wineries are truly working farms with almost everyone who lives there somehow making money in the wine industry. This area is full of very cute towns that include the city of Napa, Calistoga, and my favorite, Yountville. Each of these towns has its own personality, and the good news is that every wine list is going to be filled with a great selection of local wines. The famous chef Thomas Keller has a few amazing restaurants in Yountville, the most acclaimed is The French Laundry. If you decide to go, you need to book a reservation months in advance. Napa Valley itself was one of the first designated American Viticultural Areas in the country. It is considered one of the most premier wine regions in the world. What makes it special is the terrain is so diverse that it makes the wines able to have many different characteristics. When you see the lay of the land, you can see why each one has its own specific qualities. There are parts of the area that are valleys, and then others are mountainous, at much higher elevations. Napa is home to 16 different sub AVAs as well as 100 different soil types. When you are visiting the wineries, you get a sense of how soil and location affect the taste of the wines by trying two of the same varietal side-by-side from different vineyards with the same wine maker. It is amazing how different these wines are even though all of the other aspects are the same. Most wineries offer tastings and tours, some are better than others, but the more you try, the more knowledge you will have about wines and the contrasts of the terroir, which refers to the characteristic flavor imparted to a wine by the environment in which it is produced. I highly recommend taking a trip to Napa. If you'd like to learn more about beer, wine and liquor, listen to my radio show Barstool Troubadours on Sundays at 1 p.m. on 100.9 The Creek. - RICHIE JONES IS THE OWNER OF DOWNTOWN GRILL & PARTNER IN PIEDMONT BREWERY & KITCHEN.