Page 8 - AAA Shelby County – AAA Now! – March/April 2019

TRAVE
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Enjoy the Good Life in
California Wine Country
California may be best known for its beaches, mountains and laid-back lifestyle, but it’s also known for producing exceptional wines. In fact, the Napa and Sonoma valleys have attracted visitors from around the world since 1862.
IBy Judie Karhan
n Napa Valley alone there are now more than 200
wineries, among them the famous Robert Mondavi Winery. And Sonoma Valley, which has equally as many wineries, can claim the rich chardonnay grape growing Carneros region as
Calistoga, situated on the northern edge of Napa Valley, guests of Solage Calistoga enjoy the Spa Solage, featuring invigorating treatments and therapies. Once your mind and body are refreshed, enjoy dining at Solbar, named Best New Restaurant
in Napa Valley.
For a truly unique culinary
experience, visit the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Housed in one of Napa Valley’s most historic and majestic properties, visitors can enjoy dining and cooking demonstrations, participate in lectures, and may even have the opportunity to
cook in a professionally equipped kitchen. Immerse yourself in the food and wine culture of the Napa Valley as you evaluate varietals in
a tasting theater tailor-made for professional wine education.
In Sonoma, you’ll find a laid-back atmosphere where family-owned wineries treat visitors like friends. The valley also boasts having had Jack London as one of its residents. Be sure to visit Jack London State
designing their labels.
To get a breathtaking panoramic view of wine
country on a clear day, take flight in a hot-air balloon, soaring over vineyards and mountains. Following the flight, enjoy a private champagne brunch amid some of the most picturesque scenery in the country.
If you prefer to be more grounded, take a guided bike tour of the region’s rolling, vine-covered hills and wineries.
Train lovers can tour the wine country in style aboard a restored 1915 Pullman railroad car, courtesy of the Napa Valley Wine Train. The three-hour train ride takes passengers through historic Napa to the quaint village of St. Helena and includes a gourmet meal.
You can even travel through the vineyards to the wineries in a carriage drawn by two horses. Enjoy the easy pace, beautiful scenery and world-class wines.
Cheers and bon appetite!
its own. Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of the California wine industry and is home to some of the earliest vineyards and wineries in the state.
There’s plenty to see
and enjoy in wine country, especially when it comes to food and drink. Many wineries offer picnic facilities, and what can be better than sampling
a couple of great vintages, buying a bottle of wine, and parking your friends and family on the bench while enjoying the wine with a delectable lunch from a local deli. California’s wine country is also known for its world- class restaurants, marvelously blending the flavors of France, Italy and California.
Deborah and Todd Barga in Napa Valley
If you think grapes are made solely for consumption, think again. At the Health Spa Napa Valley, you can indulge in grape seed mud wraps and therapeutic massages. In fact, California’s wine country holds a long list of spa properties. In
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Historic Park and walk the pleasant trail leading to the ruins of a house London built yet never occupied. You can also take a tram tour of the grape fields and
winery at the Benziger Family Winery. Specializing in premium estate and Sonoma County wines, the winery also incorporates well-known artists in
MARCH/APRIL 2019
Now!