Napa Valley Classics
Experiential Education

January 6, 2009

Understanding wine is a lifelong study. What better way to advance your knowledge than through real world experiences? Three classical wineries in this Napa itinerary, each in their own way, skillfully school beginner and oenophile alike in storied histories and selected personalities of Napa Valley wine making.

An idyllic base for this Highway 29 journey is Barbara Passino's and John Kuhlmann's charming Oak Knoll Inn. Book early to enjoy the intimacy of this tiny but upscale bed and breakfast surrounded by 600 acres of vineyards in the shadow of Stag's Leap mountain. Scrumptious breakfasts and warm hospitality set the right tone for a day of scholarship.

Just up Oak Knoll Avenue is your first stop, a tour by appointment only of Trefethen Family Vineyards. In 1968 Eugene and Katie Trefethen purchased the old Eshcol Winery and several surrounding farms. With painstaking care they restored a 19th century, wooden, gravity-flow winery, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Missing a hillside for caves and lift, designer Hamden McIntyre borrowed the shade of giant oaks to cool the wine and used a horse-drawn winch to hoist grapes to the third floor for crushing. Water from nearby mountain reservoirs flowed to the site through redwood piping. Learn about the many soil variations on the property and how they affect the choice of rootstocks and support a wide selection of grape varietals. Trefethen's historic setting and warm family atmosphere enrich the enjoyment of their award winning wines at tour's end.

Move from Trefethen's hearth and practicality to glitz and glamour at Rubicon Estate. Step out of your car onto a red carpet and into another age. Ahead lies a Bordeaux style chateau completed in 1887 by Finnish fur trader, Gustave Niebaum, on the site of the Inglenook estate. Francis Ford Coppola, five time Oscar winning director, reassembled the original Niebaum property. It took him more than 20 years.  He restored its former glory and created a marvelous venue paying homage to wine making and film making. The Minute 00:60 indulged in the Elevage Experience (one of four tours currently offered) that began under a single tree bearing oranges, lemons, and limes. We moved through vineyards, fermenting facilities and a grand barrel room adorned with crystal chandeliers. Our tour ended with a barrel tasting in Rubicon's extensive caves. This unique and educational tasting compared how oak staves from different woodlands affected the taste of similar reds.

Next, journey south on Highway 29 and keep an eye to the west for an instantly recognizable, mission-style bell tower and grand archway. Skip the masses at the tasting bar of Robert Mondavi Winery and sign up for the To Kalon tour and tasting. It is one of 11 very different tours that offer something for every level of wine enthusiast. More than 40 years ago, Robert Mondavi built his California Mission style winery complete with innovative, state of the art technology. Mondavi was one of the first to offer a modern winery tour as part of his vision to make wine an everyday part of the American table. Spend time observing how well his design accommodates visitors and furthers his vision.

And at what better American table to end a day and sample great wines than at Pat Kuleto's and Todd Humphries' Martini House in nearby St. Helena? Walter Martini, a retired opera singer who occasionally performed with Enrico Caruso, built this craftsman-style bungalow in 1923. The cozy basement now houses a well-stocked bar and wood burning fireplace, but during prohibition it reputedly housed Martini's bootlegging operations.

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