Spring into the
SEASON Discover the Bounties of Napa Valley Outdoors
Taylor Family Vineyards // Photo by Bob McClenahan
S
pring is here, and it’s the perfect time of the year to enjoy the good life in wine country. Although Napa Valley enjoys a mild, Mediterranean climate year-long, as the weather starts to warm and days begin to grow longer, the valley offers a gorgeous canvas to get outdoors and explore. Napa Valley is not a very large area, measuring only 30 miles long and five miles wide at its farthest point. But this small valley can pack a big punch when it comes time to move the party outside. Whether it be a long walk among the numerous hiking trails, a bike ride along the Napa Vine Trail, a paddleboat or gondola ride on the Napa River, an excursion in a balloon high atop the valley floor, or an alfresco wine tasting experience among the hundreds of wineries with beautiful views, for the outdoor enthusiast, Napa Valley is indubitably one of the world’s most beautiful places to behold. Napa Valley’s agricultural and winery experiences are especially spectacular during the springtime as the grapevines transition from the bright yellow hues of the mustard season and come alive with bud break, sprouting a new vintage for the year’s growing season. There isn’t anything much better than relaxing outside on a warm afternoon, sipping a glass of handcrafted Napa Valley wine, overlooking acres of undulating vineyards winding afield amidst a backdrop of the Vaca Range or the Mayacamas Mountains. It’s often hard to anticipate what may be next because it’s entirely possible, at that particular moment, that time has stood still. As far as immersive springtime winery experiences—there are many. Depending on which end or side of Napa Valley one may be, the possibilities can range from an intimate wine tasting with a winery owner on a private patio overlooking a family vineyard, an ATV ride around a winery farm, a choreographed tour of a historic winery with breathtaking views, or a Michelin-worthy food and wine pairing on an open veranda. On the following pages and in our Things to Do feature on Winery Farms (page 19), we are pleased to present a variety of winery experiences that showcase the bounties of Napa outdoors. So, as you plan your journey, whether you choose to explore these particular properties or are inspired to put together a list of your own, a visit to Napa during the Spring will surely be one of your most memorable. To discover more wineries and places to visit to build your Spring itinerary, visit our website or www.visitnapavalley.com.
