April, 2009

Rating: 10 out of 10

Tariff : 

• Bike tours range from $60/day self-guided to $140/day lead by tour guide and include complimentary tastings at several wineries and a picnic lunch. We had a slightly shorter ride (12 miles round trip), but all the individual attention, information, and custom selected wine tastings we could ask for.

Our Itinerary

Meeting and getting outfitted at the Napa Valley Adventure Tour shop along the side of the Oxbow Public Market near downtown Napa. Head north out of town on the Silverado Trail on bikes in 2 groups. Stop at three wineries. Occasional talk on some aspect of Napa Valley history or wine growing. Gourmet picnic lunch on one of the properties. Ride back to the bike shop with one additional winery stop along the way.

Our Guide

We were led by none other that the owner, Paul Hendricks, a veteran rider, adventurer, and tour leader.  He taught us a good deal along the way, starting with the basics like the role of the late Robert Mondavi in the development of the Napa Valley as the wine capital it is today. We learned that the valley is about 28 miles long and 15 miles wide and has approximately 15 appellations or distinct regions known for the types of wines they produce. We were traveling in the Oak Knoll and Stag's Leap regions that day. Paul told us that the grapes are dry farmed--meaning they are primarily watered naturally by the winter rains, stressing the plants, causing them to grow deeper roots to find water, and thus to produce better grapes. We learned what brix means and even got to test a brix meter at Judd's Hill winery.  This little device allows the grape grower to squeeze a bit of juice on a small glass panel (like a slide) and look through an eye piece to view the sugar content of the grape + or - 1%  at that point and thus determine its readiness to be picked. He said the grapes are picked at night or in early morning for the best flavor and that the giant propane tanks and windmills occasionally visible in vineyards are used to circulate warmer air across the valley floor in the case of a late frost. We learned about 'green' methods for discouraging animal and insect pests and what 'naturally sustained' and 'organic' grape growing means.  Just in case we were thinking it would be lovely to buy a vineyard in Napa and start our own label, we learned the value of an acre of land there--unplanted $200,000 - $300,000 and planted $400,000 - $500,000, with land in some famous appellations going for up to 1 million dollars an acre!  There goes that plan. But seriously, Paul had a wealth of knowledge and experience and a sense of humor to boot. His assistant gladly helped those that needed a lift back after lunch and the atmosphere was very relaxed and enjoyable even for those of us who are only 'sometimes' riders.

Our Equipment

We had nicely kept up hybrid KHS road bikes with wide tires and quick adjust seats. Even the helmets could be custom adjusted with the touch of a finger. We each had an individually labeled map and a small pouch on the handle bars for personal items.   Every rider received a red water bottle from the tour company.

Some of the group getting outfitted for the trip	Paul helping with adjustments

The Wineries

On this particular tour we visited 4 different wineries: Judd's Hill, Razzi, Regusci, and Van Der Hayden, all of which were situated along Silverado Trail.  Each of these boutique wineries was selected for its uniqueness, as it is easy enough to walk into the big name spots along Route 29 on your own. First we headed to the Napa River trail, a beautiful winding trail high above the river shaded by trees. We wound our way across town to the Silverado Trail which is the 2nd main road running up valley (the other is Rte 29). 

Tasting in the cellar of Judd's Hill Winery

We cruised along the bike lane until we came to our first stop:  Judd's Hill Winery in the Oak Knoll appellation. We went inside a brand new building--rather barn-like--housing the giant wine vats and a several walls of wine barrels. We met several of the staff, Pat Burke and Devin Joshua, who offered our group a private tasting of 6 of their wines. I was particularly fond of the light, fruity 2005 Lodi Petite Syrah and the smooth 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a blend of 50% estate grapes and 50% other Napa grapes--both are award winners. This  microcrush winery is unique because it will custom blend a wine of your choice with as much or as little of your help as you prefer and in as small a quantity as 1 barrel (about 24 cases). It also offers a bottle blending day camp for aspiring vintners.

Farther up the road we visited the Razzi Family Winery, an old home, brand new building for wine storage and tasting and a pool area with beer garden still under construction. Here visitors can gaze out the tasting room door directly at a field of Dijon cloned chardonnay grapes (I'm told it is unusual to see this type of grape being grown in the valley). The small, ultra modern tasting bar is comfortable and there was a sampling of cheese, almonds, and chocolate to go along with the 5 wines we sampled. We had an estate grown Chardonnay, a 2006 Sangiovese from the Russian River Valley, Trios Syrah from Sonoma, 2004 Brion Cabernet, and an '08 Burly Cabernet still aging in the barrel with 2 years to go. For the last one, we had to go into the 'cellar' and have the tastes drawn from the barrel with a large baster!

Tasting the wine straight from the barrel!

Even farther still along the Silverado Trail we rode our bikes up a long tree lined drive to the Regusci Winery, the oldest winery in the valley. Its long history reaches back to the 1800s when it was built by Terill L. Grigsby and called the Grigsby-Occidental Winery. It became a 'ghost winery' during prohibition and was bought by Gaetano Regusci in 1932. Not only grape growers,  the family raised corn, hay, prunes, walnuts, cattle, and hogs. The winery's enormous stone building was built with lava rock from the Napa Valley.  It's magnificent property has grassy picnic areas, shade trees, and a host of friendly dogs to greet visitors. 

The long driveway leading up to Regusci Winery

Our picnic lunch was set out by our tour leaders, and we had ample choice of sandwiches--turkey, roast beef, tuna, veggie--on a variety of rolls and breads, along with a creamy bowtie pasta salad, lemonade, and cookies.  While relaxing we met a driver for Napa Valley Hoppers--they run little motorcycle scooter cabs to take visitors between the various wineries.  We were even treated to a short spin around the grounds.

NV Hoppers offer scooter cab rides to visitors

Back in the wine tasting showroom we tried a chardonnay, a zinfandel, an estate merlot, an estate cabernet, and a Patriarch Proprietary blend--this last one and the Merlot were my favorites, but many among our group were impressed with the Zinfandel. Here I found out about the planting of legumes as a cover crop  during the grape vines' dormant period, later turning them back into the soil replenishing it for the next year's grapes.

Our last stop, heading back towards Napa on the other side of the road, was a very different sort of winery.  Completely unpretentious and obviously set on a lived-in family property was Van Der Heyden Vineyards.  In the driveway we passed a 'turtle crossing' sign, a young boy riding around on his bike, several dogs who wandered up to greet us and then lay down again lazily on the gravel, and the lady of the house, who pointed us to a covered patio with round metal lawn tables.

 From there those of us who wanted to participate in a tasting paid $10 and tried 5 wines.  First was a fruity, sweet sauvignon blanc, then a rose made with merlot grapes that was very sweet with a nice perfume. Following that was a Syrah that was aged in American oak barrels to temper its spicy/peppery taste. Then an '03 cabernet only bottled recently after being aged in the barrel for 48 months.  I should mention that the owner was quite a character and gave us a little talk about each wine interspersed with funny anecdotes and words of wisdom.  About this cabernet he told us that 1 year in the barrel equals about 3 years in the bottle and that anyone who sells you an expensive wine and then tells you to age it for 10 years really just wants you to do the work because he didn't age it long enough in the barrel in order to save time and money! We also learned a quaint expression for the wine that evaporates over time from the barrels (6%?)--it's know by wine makers as "the angels' share." The last 2 wines were a lovely white table wine that was a combination of Chardonnay Sauvignon blanc, and Semillon--a perfect summer white and a late harvest cabernet, which was a simply delicious dessert wine with approx 15.5% alcohol and 6.09% sugar.

On the road again

Inside Fatted Calf	Just around the side of the Oxbow Public Market

Once our trip was over I couldn't resist a walk around the corner to Fatted Calf for one of the most delicious porchetta sandwiches I've found. This sandwich is large: served on a fresh, crusty Italian roll and is just loaded with thinly sliced herb seasoned roasted pork. The butcher shop is clean and bright and has amazing meats and other offerings as well.

Napa Valley Adventure Tours

The Oxbow Public Market

610 First Street #10

Napa, CA 94559

707-259-1833