From the Inside Flap
Fodor's Compass Wine Country 3ed.Created by local writers and photographers, Compass American Guides are the ultimate insider's guides, providing in-depth coverage of the history, culture, and character of America's most spectacular destinations. Covering everything there is to see and do as well as choice lodging and dining, these gorgeous full-color guides are perfect for new and longtime residents as well as vacationers who want a deep understanding of the region they're visiting.
Outstanding color photography, plus a wealth of archival imagesTopical essays and literary extractsDetailed color mapsGreat ideas for things to see and doCapsule reviews of hotels and restaurants
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INTRODUCTION
I have returned to my favorite Wine Country cottage to relax, to taste the young, still-fermenting wines of the current vintage, and to eat good food. Only an olive grove separates me from one of the Wine Country's busiest thoroughfares, yet everything here is peaceful. I can listen to birds chirping in the blackberry thicket behind the winery and hear the splash of a heron as it lunges after fish in a pool left in the summer-dry creek. A hummingbird flits past, stalling intermittently to extract nectar; quail call from the vineyard. The heady aromas of fermenting must waft through the air, mingling with the dusty smell of the vineyard and the perfume of autumn roses. Later that night, after dinner, I sit by the open window, sipping a glass of well-aged zinfandel. A screech owl calls, interrupted now and then by the unearthly howl of wandering coyotes. This is the Wine Country at its best.
I first visited Napa's and Sonoma's wine valleys in 1968, driving across the hills from Davis, where I had just started graduate school. The Wine Country has changed since then, but in many ways it has remained the same. There are more wineries now -- and more visitors, but the spirit of the land remains intact. This, I remind myself, is still one of the best places to visit -- as the great number of "wine tourists" would seem to prove. While some locals decry the influx of so many visitors, wine tourists are a special breed. For the most part, they are eager to learn more about wine, willing to taste and evaluate, eagerly picking up advice from the staff at winery tasting rooms. They are a happy bunch, these visitors, united by a common appreciation of fine wine.
There is an instant rapport, a communion of spirits, among lovers of fine wine that is unequaled in any other profession or hobby. It is open to all who embrace its spirit, and its members readily and freely share information. No serious scholar of wine will keep secrets from fellow students. The discovery of a great wine is knowledge to be shared. Tasting rooms are places where anecdotes are told and tips are given.
As local wineries gained international respect for their wines, the Napa and Sonoma vineyards took their rightful place among the great wine-producing districts of the world. Today, there is more good wine than ever, but, best of all, the quality of food and lodging has caught up with the wine, making the valleys and mountains of Napa and Sonoma some of the best places to visit -- anywhere. Wine is more than a beverage. To fully understand it, you should know its background. We are inviting you on a tour of the landscape where some of the world's best wines are produced. We shall give you a short history of the region and introduce you to the men and women who grow the grapes and make the wine, as well as to the chefs who create the dishes that enhance wine's place at the table. Pour yourself a glass of wine, sit back, and relax, and we'll be on our way.
