come and taste his wine at one of the
first tasting rooms. As the travel writers
discovered napa’s bucolic charms, they
began romanticizing the area as a wine-
taster’s playground. in 1976, napa
wines made the world look at California
with even more interest after winning
over French judges in a blind taste test,
and pulling out a surprise win at the now
infamous Paris Wine tasting that year.
After that, napa’s status among
oenophiles shifted from playground
to mecca. And in the 90s, Bay Area
wine pilgrims brought their tech bubble
money with them to napa, solidifying
the area’s upscale ascent relative to
the quieter, more agricultural-feeling
Sonoma.

technically, Sonoma was the first of the two valleys to grow wine grapes. its coastal climate nurtures grapes to impart lovely nuances in wine, and Sonoma has attracted a loyal following for its delicate Pinots, complex Chardonnays and other

great varietals. in the meantime, napa has attracted more recognition, tourist dollars and demanded higher prices. Sonoma winemakers and many wine critics agree that Sonoma wines are as good as napa’s, but napa has done a better job of promoting itself.

“Part of it is hype,” suggests Richard L. Arrowood, a longtime Sonoma winemaker. “they’ve sold the sizzle as well as the steak. So far, we’ve only sold the steak.”

What they do sell well in Sonoma though, are t-shirts and bumper stickers that say “Sonoma makes great wine. napa makes great auto parts.”

But of course, it’s all in the spirit of friendly competition. Because in napa and Sonoma, there certainly aren’t any sour grapes.

 

Left: Scenes from the elegant Napa Valley Above: The exuberance of winemaking in Sonoma Valley