Page 43 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

Country is open for business and awaiting
your visit.
Napa Valley is known around the world
for its exceptional wines, and draws more
visitors than any other area. The quintes-
sential wine country experience was
perfected here, with more than 300
wineries vying for your taste buds along
Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. While
the majority of visitors go to the big-name
wineries such as Robert Mondavi, Beringer
and Sterling, those in the know are heading
for Coombsville.
For serious wine collectors, Auction
Napa Valley has been the premier charity
event of the season for more than 37 years.
Love music and wine? Make plans to attend
BottleRock in May; it’s the hipster festival of
the year. Prefer something more pastoral?
Wind your way up Highway 128 in Mendo-
cino County to Anderson Valley for two
exceptional festivals, the highly regarded
Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Fest in May, and
the Aromatic White Wine Festival in Feb-
ruary, focusing on Alsace-style white wines.
In Sonoma County, Healdsburg reigns as
the king of the tasting rooms in California.
The three most popular annual events in
the area include Winter WINEland in Jan-
uary, Barrel Tasting in March, and foodie
favorite Wine and Food Affair in November.
One of the oldest regions, Livermore, is
just 30 miles east of San Francisco and best
known for its Chardonnay production and
the well-established winery estates of
Wente and Concannon.
SIERRA FOOTHILLS
El Dorado, Amador, Calaveras
The mining towns of the Sierra foothills—
Placerville, Amador City and Sutter
Creek—used to draw prospectors in search of
gold, but now wine lovers come in search of
riches in liquid form. The main street of Mur-
phys is lined with Gold Rush-era buildings
and more than 20 tasting rooms equal parts
rustic and sophisticated. The Barbera Festival
is the perfect place to sample Barbera along-
side other Italian varietals including
Montepulciano, Sangiovese, Vermentino,
Pinot Grigio, Nebbiolo and Aglianico.
CENTRAL COAST
Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands,
Chalone, Carmel Valley, Paso Robles,
Edna Valley, Arroyo Grande, Santa
Clara Valley
The Central Coast is one of the largest and
most diverse wine growing regions, and
Monterey is home to the granddaddy of all
wine festivals, the Pebble Beach Food & Wine
Classic in April, where you can sip fine wines
and enjoy small plates by star chefs.
If you are a Pinot or Syrah fan, head for the
highlands, the Santa Lucia Highlands, an
SANTA ROSA VINEYARD TOUR,
opposite; wine tasting in Temecula, top;
Salinas Valley vineyard, bottom.
2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 41