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OUT
&
ABOUT NAPA VALLEY
GUIDE
wINE
COUNTRY
WEEKEND
The hidden gems of Napa and Sonoma Valley
If you ever find yourself longing for a romantic
weekend, wine-drenched lunches in the sun
and 19th century French architecture on the
American west coast, then a weekend in the
wine Country is your perfect escape.
blessed with Californian climate and scenery,
Napa and sonoma valley offer over 400 wineries. so,
how to choose the best culinary experiences, wine
tastings and castle patios?
let Pouf! guide you to the hidden gems - the most
romantic picnic areas, best oaked Chardonnays and
breathtaking routes.
Rent a fast car, bring our map and fall in love!
BY sANDRA RUNsTEN
PHOTOGRAPHED BY sANDRA RUNsTEN & ERIk RUNsTEN
Located less than two hours drive
from the San Francisco Bay, Napa
offers more than meets the eye. In
the late 19th Century, Californian
wine stock saved the European ones
from getting extinguished by the
phylloxera. And, if this isn’t argument
enough, Napa is the birthplace
for winemaking so exceptional, it
enabled the Americans to do the
unthinkable in 1976. They beat the
French in the blind tasting wine
competition ”Judgment of Paris” - a
contribution big enough to make a
visit worthwhile for any wine lover.
[Watch the charming movie Bottle
Shock and learn all about it.]
Wines of the New World have since
continued to prove themselves a
worthy alternative to their European
predecessors, without making a fuss
about it. Americans are as relaxed
about wine making as they are
about wearing baseball caps and
short-sleeved shirts to a formal dinner.
This makes a visit to the Wine
Country an as breathtaking and
culinary satisfying experience as to
any wine district in France. But,
THE DRIVE bETwEEN wINERIEs Is
AN ExPERIENCE OF ITs OwN.
FIND OUT HOw INsECTs AND bIRDs CAN REPlACE PEsTICIDEs
bY A GUIDE OF THE bENZIGER FAMIlY.
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