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VOLCANOES, VIEWS AND VINES

The secret to Napa and Sonoma’s success just might be the soil.

BY LEELA LINDNER

BOB MCCLENAHAN

The region’s hot days and cool mornings are essential to the final product’s quality.

IT’S EASY TO FORGET that the unassuming, bucolic landscapes of our northern neighbors are as internationally recognizable as the famous city anchoring the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sure, the food and wine dependent on said landscapes are on the international culinary radar and the luxurious spas nearby seem to cure whatever ails, but why? The answer might surprise you. The true reason for the productivity of these rolling hills and valley goes deep, as in down into the soil deep. And it took a few visionaries to imagine the possibilities this soil could bring — among them Charles Krug, Sam Brannan and Yountville namesake George Yount, all equally determined to unlock the land’s potential.

Volcanoes

Much of the soil’s richness can be traced to a cataclysmic event that happened millions of years ago when Mount Saint Helena, part of the now-extinct Sonoma Volcanics chain, erupted in a lateral blast similar to that of Mount St. Helens in the 1980s. This eruption resulted in a massive explosion of nutrientrich ash and sediment that then covered the valley. The wine country here shares the same type of superior soil that graces other famous winegrowing regions, including Willamette Valley in Oregon and Italy’s Naples, Santorini and Mendoza regions, to name a few. All are examples of soils composed of volcanic ash, rich in minerals like calcium, sodium and iron that are broken down over millions of years.

The Napa Valley Vintners website puts it a bit more poetically: “Violent geologic forces and the steady march of time have created an agricultural Eden that produces some of the world’s most sought-after wine.”

Vines

California wine country may be small, but it packs a punch. The Napa Valley Vintners website says “50 percent of the world’s soil orders are found within the borders of the Napa Valley Appalachian.” Soil orders are defined as a “single dominant characteristic affecting the soil,” terminology that did not exist when Charles Krug and Hamilton Crabb, two of the first successful Northern California winegrowers, first cultivated this mineral-rich soil to plant vineyards, along with a band of hardworking farmers. Though soil is a critical component of terroir (a French-derived term to describe all environmental factors that affect a grape’s growth), climate and terrain are also key ingredients. In this region, volcanic soil blended with cool foggy mornings and sizzling-hot days is the perfect recipe for a dynamite glass of wine.

Christopher Carpenter, a winemaker at Lokoya Estate, explains how the soil’s tough character can improve a wine’s taste: “When I’m on Diamond Mountain the volcanic history of Napa Valley is one of the first things that comes to mind. Hillside volcanic soils are austere, do not hold nutrients well, and are well draining. This forces the vines to struggle, which yields rich and concentrated flavors in the wines.”

David Howell, a geologist at the United States Geological Survey, agrees. “Soil can’t directly impart flavor, of course. But the extreme faulting, uplifting and mixing of the Coast Ranges has created an ideal viticultural laboratory, offering a wide range of conditions within a limited area,” he says. “There’s a huge variation in topography and soil nooks and crannies that impart character to the wine.”

This image: The soil is the key to flavor. Opposite from left: Petrified Forest; the Palisades; Old Faithful geyser.

Wellness

Volcanoes aren’t just good for growing healthy grapes. When it comes to tapping into human wellness, they also have something to offer. And few understood that better than Sam Brannan. Brannan, heralded as one of California’s earliest settlers, was a FortyNiner, merchant and millionaire magnate who traveled to the upper Napa Valley region (Calistoga) in 1852 upon hearing news of the “healing waters” from the geothermal hot springs there. Soaking in these hot waters and using the mud for bodily cleansing was popular with the indigenous Wappo tribe way before Brannan arrived.

Brannan, seeing the untapped potential in these therapeutic waters — created when the eruption of Mount Konocti left a fissure in the earth exposing groundwater to hot magma — decided to build a luxury spa retreat for the rich and famous, one that still exists today. What he assumed but could not possibly have known to be scientific fact was proven 160 years later when studies in balneotherapy (treatment of disease with immersion in mineral water) suggested that a good soak could reduce stress and inflammation and positively affect sleep and digestion. “Some of our guests have been coming here for the past 40 years to experience the detoxifying and restorative effects of our mud baths,” says Yalda Teranchi, spa director at Indian Springs Resort, built by Brannan in 1861. “The baths are great for pulling out many impurities [from] beestings, eczema and psoriasis as well as restoring tired joints and muscles.”

Views

For anyone needing further convincing a volcano was responsible for California wine Country, hiding in plain sight are three noteworthy attractions that showcase the evidence of cataclysmic eruption.

Calistoga’s Old Faithful geyser may not be as well-known as its Yellowstone sibling, but it is actually one of only three “faithful” geysers in the world. Spouting hot mineral water at regular intervals, the geyser is said to predict California earthquakes when its eruption patterns grow more erratic days before a quake. The recently renovated grounds include a picnic area, outdoor kitchen space and bocce ball courts. oldfaithfulgeyser.com

Another volcanically derived natural wonder is the eerie Petrified Forest. Now a privately owned park, it features old redwoods that were leveled in the explosion, buried under 200 feet of sediment and turned to stone. It’s been called one of the finest examples in the world of an ancient forest and confirms that redwood trees once grew in more inland spots than today. Roam the trail on your own or take a guided tour that reveals more details about these massive trees. petrifiedforest.org

To view the California Palisades, or as San Francisco Chronicle outdoors writer Tom Stienstra calls them, “Calistoga’s stairway to heaven,” one simply need gaze up at Mount Saint Helena from the town of Calistoga. The volcanic cliffs created from extensive lava protrusions are dramatic even from a distance. For a closer look at the cliffs and sweeping panoramic views of the valley, you can hike the 10-mile trail up the mountain, starting at the trailhead in Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. napavalleystateparks.org m

To Your Health

FAIRMONT SONOMA MISSION INN AND SPA

For an elegant thermal springs experience, it’s hard to beat the baths at the Fairmont’s Willow

Stream Spa. Fueled by the ancient waters of Boyes Hot Springs, which lie 1,100 feet below the hotel, this 40,000-square-foot spa is as chic as it is historical. The “Bathing Ritual” begins in the spa’s bathhouse and includes an exfoliating shower, dips in mineral soaking baths and a Watsu pool. For a splurge, try the signature Willow Stream Elements treatment with a moor-mud wrap, therapeutic bath and warm massage. $29 guests; $89 day pass (bathhouse experience); $269 for 90 minutes (Elements treatment); 100 Boyes Blvd (Sonoma), fairmont.com/Sonoma

INDIAN SPRINGS CALISTOGA Built on Sam

Brannan’s original spa property, this is the perfect place to soak up history. The grounds include a geothermal swimming pool, volcanic ash mud baths and four geysers. Try the “Classic Mud Bath” (pictured) made of 100 percent pure volcanic ash found on the property and geyser water, for an experience first discovered by the indigenous Wappo tribe many centuries ago. $95 for 50 minutes, 1712 Lincoln Ave (Calistoga), indianspringscalistoga.com

SOLAGE SPA “Cleanse, nurture and restore” is the mantra for Solage’s “signature mudslide.” A threepart detoxifying treatment focuses on “the mud,” “the waters” and “the rest.” This twist on the tradi-

tional Calistoga mud bath adds pure essential oils to the mineral-rich mud and finishes with guests sinking into a sound-therapy chair. $110 for 60 minutes, 755 Silverado Trail (Calistoga), solagecalistoga.com

LOW-CALORIE COCKTAIL Looking for a signature party cocktail that won’t make you pop that top button? Carey Clahan of Laughing Glass cocktails has you covered. For a refreshing drink just over 100 calories, pour four ounces of the cocktail maker’s new pomegranate margarita (28 calories an ounce), fill the rest of the glass with sparkling water and toss in a garnish. Done. Laughing Glass can be found at all major retailers. $16. laughing glasscocktails.com MIMI TOWLE

A Classic Spa

HOT SPOT On the corner of Center and North streets in downtown

Healdsburg, a generational foodie fairy tale is happening every night from 5 to 10 p.m. The story begins in the 1940s with Grandpa Valette, a Frenchborn baker who landed in the Alexander Valley at this very corner (minus the stop signs and cars on the road) to open a bakery. Eventually the bakery closed and the space was home to restaurants such as the now-defunct Zin. Finally, in 2014 Valette’s two grandsons returned to the corner and are now running one of the most popular restaurants in the area, Valette. In a town already boasting award-winning culinary experiences, Dustin Valette and Aaron Garzini have used their longtime roots in the community to their advantage. Aaron runs the front of the house and Dustin, a veteran chef, runs the kitchen. The undecided and adventurous won’t want to miss the “Trust Me” tasting menu offering dishes like Dustin’s signature scallops en croute (a wow-inducing puff pastry) along with whatever he finds at the farmers’ market. $15 per course, four-course minimum. valettehealdsburg.com M.T.

DESTINATION: Indian Springs Resort, Calistoga DISTANCE FROM MARIN: 60 miles

THE HEALTH-INSPIRED INDIAN Springs Resort in Calistoga has just completed a two-year refresh, which includes a face-lift for the Olympic-size geyser-fed pool. The 17-acre spread, famous for volcanic mud baths, has been owned by Pat and John Merchant of Marin since 1988. It’s impressive to consider how the original owners of the resort, built in 1913, brought the scalding-hot mineral rich water down to a comfortable 102 degrees. Keep in mind, Theodore Roosevelt was president at the time and the women taking the waters were likely wearing black mohair bathing suits. The complete renovation includes 75 new bungalows and lodge rooms, indoor event and meeting spaces, outdoor gardens with a giant checkers game and shuffleboard, and the property’s first restaurant, Sam’s Social Club. The Agave Garden can host intimate weddings. indianspringscalistoga.com M.T.

STAY The 14 historic Palm Row Cottages now feature decor and furnishings selected by Pat Merchant. Each has two large bedrooms, a cozy living room, a front porch, private back patio with fire pit, flat-screen TV and other luxe amenities. TANK OF GAS EAT Named after the resort’s founder and California’s first millionaire, Sam Brannan, this large one-room restaurant has been lauded in local and national press. At the helm these days is Sean McGrath. The chef’s impressive culinary resume includes Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley and Michael Mina and Americano in San Francisco. DETAILS Rates start at $299 for rooms and $399 for a Palm Row cottage on weekdays. Go on a Tuesday, through August, and stay in a new view room for $229 ($80 savings). Or just go for a spa day: $95 gets you a mud bath and access to the property, including the Buddha garden.

Beer Brothers

Mill Valley residents Chris Coomber and Rob Lightner have been neighbors for 20 years, and for the past seven they’ve been making beer together. This year they took the dive and opened up East Brother Beer Company, named after the lighthouse north of the Richmond Bridge where their taproom and brewery is located. Neither had professional training in beer making, though Coomber spent the better half of the past decade educating himself about the processes and techniques. The brewery is set to feature a saison, red IPA, red lager, oatmeal stout and pilsner as well as a bocce court, ping-pong table and cornhole game on site. eastbrotherbeer.com KASIA PAWLOWSKA

THE VOTES ARE IN Looking for the right bottle of wine to pair with this year’s election? According to Robert Parker, The Debate checks all the boxes. The wine critic recently gave the 2012 blend, a cabernet sauvignon from famed Napa Valley vineyards Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper and Beckstoffer To Kalon, a perfect 100 points. thedebatewine.com M.T.

Hostess Gift Refresh

Most brown liquor connoisseurs don’t know that before we had rye, rum or moonshine we had applejack — the first distilled spirit in the colonies. Yet after Prohibition it never made it back into drinkers’ glasses. But thanks to Marin resident Samantha Collins and her husband, John, Arkansas Black Applejack is now available from most alcohol retailers. How does it taste? According to a blog called Drinkhacker, “This 21-year-old applejack squarely lives somewhere between brandy and whiskey, with loads of vanilla and caramel on the nose, plus some barrel char … The finish is long, minimal in the boozy aftereffect that’s so common with fruit brandies.” Drink on its own or mix into a cocktail. M.T.

Five Shades of White

Looking to expand your white wine portfolio? We asked Jean Hoefliger, a Marin-based winemaker, for some tips. Hoefliger was raised in Switzerland and trained in France and South Africa and is currently the winemaker and GM of Napa’s Alpha Omega. M.T.

• Although known for its red wines, Tuscany is what you taste in the 2012 Monteverro Chardonnay, the slightly salty sea air evoked with each sip. Complex and elegant, this Italian chardonnay, often compared to a Puligny-Montrachet, will surprise wine drinkers with its exceptional quality.

• A vermentino, such as the 2013 Monteverro Vermentino, offers a lighter taste with a balance of minerality and bright fruits. This wine is perfect as an aperitif or complement to seafood.

• If you like a dry wine with a more tropical taste, a Napa sauvignon blanc is your varietal. The 2014 Clark Claudon Wild Iris Vineyards, with aromatics of passion fruit, Meyer lemon and gooseberry, is fresh and bright from the first sip to the last.

• If you’ve never had Viogner, start with the 2015 Tolosa from the Edna Valley. Its rich flavors of honey, caramel and toffee linger on the finish. This is an ideal wine for that night at home with Thai takeout.

• Those of you who say you don’t like chardonnay might try the varietal unoaked. Alpha Omega’s 2014 vintage was ready early, permitting an amazing balance on the palate, with an entrance of lemon, grapefruit and white peach, and a lingering taste of minerality, quince and jasmine.

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