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If you have never been to Wine Country you owe
yourself a visit. Wine Country is quite beautiful lending itself to
rolling hillsides and flourishing, perfectly straight rows of grape
vines. The pastoral countryside and quaint villages makes this a
delightful area to visit.
Napa Valley is in northern California at the
northeastern tip of San Pablo Bay about an hours drive from San
Francisco. To the west is Sonoma Counties, to the east is Lake
Berryessa, Yolo, Solano County, and to the north Lake County. Napa is
actually just one of many valleys in Napa County but is by far the
largest and best known. According to the Napa Chamber of Commerce,
Napa Valley is 30 miles long and one to three miles wide, and is home
to at least 375 wineries.
Napa County has a population of about 110, 000 people,
and five incorporated cities. North to south they are: Calistoga, St.
Helena, Yountville, Napa, and at the southern end, American Canyon,
Angwin, Deer Lake, Lake Berryessa, Rutherford and Oakville are
communities with post offices but aren't actual towns.
The county's primary industries are wine-grape growing,
wine production, and tourism. Thanks to the stringent and ongoing
efforts by the vast majority of voters, there is little development in
the county itself. Most commercial and residential development is in
the cities. This preserves a huge amount of agricultural land allow in
Napa County to avoid the urban spread that has affected almost of all
of other San Francisco Bay Area counties. The result is an attractive
place for residents to live and tourists to visit.
Most of the wineries are open daily and year-round for tasting. If you are
coming to Wine Country it would be wise to make your plans and
reservations prior to your visit. |