This article originally appeared in the October issue of NCGA Golf Magazine
Napa is the queen of wine country, a region known for its glamour without ever trying too hard
By Joe Passov
Napa County lays claim to the largest concentration of award-winning wineries in North America. They reside primarily in the long (35 miles), narrow (five miles) landform between two mountain ranges known as Napa Valley. With a Mediterranean climate ideal for growing grapes, the Napa Valley, situated 45 miles northeast of San Francisco, has evolved into one of America's greatest lures for those who count food and wine as passions. Astonishingly, only 4% of California’s wine comes from Napa Valley, but what emerges from these vineyards is barrel-aged perfection. Toss PGA Tour golf and world-class dining into the mix and you have the ingredients for an unforgettable experience.
PLAY
Ever since Robert Trent Jones Jr. redesigned then 12-year-old Silverado North under his father’s umbrella in 1967, it has proved immensely popular with tourists and tour pros alike. In September, Scottie Scheffler joined other legendary names such as Jack Nicklaus, Billy Casper, Tom Watson and Ben Crenshaw who have triumphed here.
The tranquil, easy-to-walk, parkland layout measures 7,166 yards, a number that Johnny Miller stretched by 300 yards in 2010 and beyond when he renovated the course. Miller, a longtime resident, captured the Silverado PGA Tour event in 1974 and 1975.
Quick, subtly contoured, perfectly groomed greens provide a PGA Tour experience every day. The beauty contest winner is the 182-yard, par-3 11th (number 17 on the reconfigured tournament layout), which calls for a rainbow tee shot over a duck pond to a green tucked into the trees. Another superb test is the 571-yard, par-5 16th, (number 12 on the tournament course), which is gracefully menaced by 300-year-old oak trees and a curling creek.
Miller asserts that the 6,612-yard, par-72 Silverado South course gets overshadowed, but is fun to play. It certainly was fun for Lee Trevino, Billy Casper, and Tom Kite, who were among the winners when the PGA Tour Champions held court here from 1989-2002. An original design from Robert Trent Jones Jr. in 1967, the South is hillier than the North, with more water in play. Oh, and if you happen to get hungry on North or South, feast on the same famous Burgerdog they make at The Olympic Club.
At Chardonnay Golf Club in American Canyon, each hole is named for an aspect of the wine industry and the layout itself zigzags through 150 acres of Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir vineyards. With six par-3s, par-4s and par-5s on the 6,948-yard tract, plenty of birdie chances exist, but temper expectations, because the greens are chaotically contoured. Perhaps the sweetest Chardonnay sip occurs at “Cuvee,” the 198-yard, par 3 eighth that enjoys a panoramic view of the valley.
Next door to Chardonnay is Eagle Vines, which owes much of its character to its neighbor. When it opened in 2004, it appropriated ten holes—today’s 2 through 12—from an earlier incarnation of Chardonnay. Johnny Miller, who co-designed the 7,297-yard Eagle Vines, infused supreme shot values into every hole, notably the 165-yard, par-3 14th, which plays to a gigantic island green complex with grape vines to the right and a lake and four bunkers framing the target. As with Chardonnay, Eagle Vines is core golf—with no homes on the interior to mar the interaction with nature.
Vintner’s Golf Club is the golf embodiment of good things coming in small packages. This Yountville nine-holer measures just 2,929 yards from the Tournament tees, yet it delivers all the golf and scenery you could want in a two-hour, par-34 dose. Highlights include a lake-and-bunker carry at the 188-yard, par-3 fourth with mountain backdrops; the uphill, 530-yard, par-5 sixth, which heads straight at the Veterans Home of California, the nation’s largest residence for veterans; and a lake to avoid on the right side of the 421-yard, par-4, dogleg-right ninth.
STAY
To play Silverado, you must be a guest at the Silverado Resort. Located near the heart of Napa, a short drive from dozens of top wineries, the AAA Four-Diamond-winning resort (every year since 1976) has just undergone an impressive upgrade to most of its condominium-style guest rooms. A 16,000-square-foot spa and fitness center and acclaimed dining at the Grill are among the enticing amenities. Don’t miss a cocktail or small bite at the Mansion Bar & Terrace at the magnificent main clubhouse, where afternoon delight means a glass of wine, sun-dappled oaks and mountains and a babbling creek.
SIP
Napa County, which encompasses the Napa Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA), is home to approximately 500 physical wineries that are open to visitors for tastings and tours. Many are among the nation’s elite for wine quality and setting. Here are three personal recommendations for a transcendent wine-tasting experience.
The Oakville region of Napa, situated north of Yountville and south of St. Helena, produces superior big, bold Cabs—think Opus One, Silver Oak, PlumpJack, Groth and Nickel and Nickel, for starters. For its combination of wine excellence and idyllic setting, book a visit to Far Niente. An Oakville institution since 1885, Far Niente furnishes a handsome, tri-level stone winery, 13 acres of landscaped gardens and refreshingly cool wine caves, all of which are accessible on the 90-minute Tour and Tasting experience. Chardonnay fans will rejoice here as well.
Fun-seekers, as opposed to wine snobs, should head to Napa Valley’s northernmost town, Calistoga, for the Sterling Vineyards adventure. Sure, Sterling boasts its share of 90-point wines, but its top attraction is the Aerial Gondola ride to a modern white hilltop villa for an afternoon tasting while soaking up unparalleled views.
For a taste of actual history, drink in the ambience at Chateau Montelena in Calistoga. The winery catapulted California wines into the stratosphere when its 1973 chardonnay ranked ahead of its Burgundy competitors during a blind tasting at the 1976 Judgement of Paris. From its stone castle carved into the hillside to its bucolic Chinese lake and gardens, Chateau Montelena is a must-visit.
DINE
If you have the coin and clout to snag a reservation at The French Laundry in Yountville, generally accepted as America’s top-ranked restaurant, congrats! For mere mortals, here are three outstanding eateries.
Pair an exquisite setting with Italian classics that stack up to the ambience, and you have Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa. A longtime favorite of Johnny Miller, this bistro dazzles with patio seating, both under a tent with a central fountain worthy of a Roman piazza, or further out under the sky, so close to a vineyard you could pluck the grape of your choice. The six colossal spinach raviolis that graced my plate, three slathered in a lemon cream sauce, the other three in tomato sauce were sublime.
Among the highest rated restaurants in Napa since it debuted in 1983, Mustards Grill laughs at pretentiousness—describing itself as “Garden-driven Truckstop Deluxe in the heart of Napa Valley.” What it takes seriously is its cuisine. Located halfway between Yountville and Oakville, Mustards does comfort food unimaginably well, from meatloaf to burgers to mashed potatoes, each prepared with an imaginative twist.
Winner of dining’s most prestigious honor, the James Beard Award for its thoroughly modern treatment of classic roadside fare, Gott’s Roadside in St. Helena grills its 100% angus, vegetarian-fed beef hamburgers, seasons them, adds a secret sauce and pops them into toasted buns. Whether you opt for a burger, chicken, salad or tacos, you’ll consume them outdoors at one of four picnic table areas. [There’s also a Gott’s in the heart of downtown Napa that is next to the Oxbow Public Market.]
Napa Valley is as good as it gets for that seductive combination of feeding our golf fix, satisfying our appetite for delicious food, tasting at the source of where the grapes are grown, and kicking our feet up at one of the many agreeable places in which to stay.