I don’t drink. OK, it’s true I’m a lush when it comes to coffee, and I’ll chug the occasional diet ginger ale if I’m feeling rambunctious. But I don’t drink booze.
So why would I love the wine country?
Well, clearly Napa Valley is astoundingly beautiful, and I’m easily intoxicated by verdant valleys, country roads and curvaceous hills — rows of grapevines combed over their backs like neatly coifed tresses.
But it’s not just the visuals. When you dig even deeper, past the glorious landscapes and world-class wines, you’ll find historic buildings, art galleries, honey farms, golf courses, cooking classes, hiking and biking trails, and so much more.
It’s a teetotaler’s paradise — especially at this time of year, before the crush of summer crowds. So here’s a short flight of things to do and see — a taste of Napa Valley, without the wine.
1.
The CIA: I began to appreciate the valley’s ample attributes for abstainers after a recent visit to the CIA. Not the spy CIA, but the foodie CIA — the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, with its culinary-arts degree programs for the pros, plus sampler courses and cooking demos for the rest of us “food enthusiasts.” While the spouse, who fits into the enthused category, took a half-day weekend class (learning how to make hummus and farro with vegetable ragout), I wandered the beautiful 1889 stone building with its arched entry and grand hallways, pretending I was a first-year at Hogwarts. You can shop for avocado slicers and refrigerator thermometers in the gourmet kitchen shop, or have a fabulous meal at the Wine Spectator Greystone restaurant. Table seating is available, but it’s extra fun to sit at the counter and watch chefs prepare your kabocha squash ravioli and fennel sausage tagliatelle; www.ciachef.edu/california.
2. Bale Grist Mill: I’ve passed the road sign for this a thousand times and finally decided to stop in. Just up highways 29 and 128 from the CIA, between St. Helena and Calistoga, down into an oak-dotted glade, over a path and across a creek you’ll find a fully restored, water-powered mill built in 1846. The mill offers tours and still grinds grain — take home a bag of freshly ground cornmeal, spelt, buckwheat, rye or whole-wheat flours. And you’ll learn the origin of terms like “fair to middlin’,” “proving your mettle” and “cockeyed” (Hint: They’re all related to milling grist, which I learned, thanks to the tour, is grain). Plus they hold events like pancake breakfasts and harvest dinners; www.napavalleystateparks.org.
3. Bothe-Napa Valley State Park: Right next door to the grist mill is this lovely 1,900-acre park where you can picnic, hike 10 miles of trails and swim in the spring-fed swimming pool on hot summer days. There are also campsites open year-round. They even have yurts! And coming soon are three historic cabins, originally built in the 1930s and recently restored; napavalleystateparks.org.
4. Wineries: OK, I know I said no wine, but some of the winery buildings themselves are supercool, and nondrinkers are indeed allowed entry. No alarms will go off as far as I know. Be sure and stop in at Beringer Vineyards in St. Helena and check out the Rhine House, a classic 19th-century Victorian with elaborate gables, turrets and stained-glass windows; www.beringer.com.
And if you’re feeling medieval, you must visit and tour Castello di Amorosa on Highway 29 up toward Calistoga. It’s styled after a 13th-century Tuscan castle complete with drawbridge and moat, a 500-year-old fireplace and a dungeon with a real iron maiden. General admission is $25-$35 ($15 for those under 21); www.castellodiamorosa.com.
5. Art: In addition to individual galleries throughout the region, impressive art collections and exhibits are featured at several wineries. Check out 27 gelatin silver prints of some of Ansel Adams’ most famous works, on loan from Adams’ descendants and on display at Mumm Napa; www.mummnapa.com/visitmummnapa/fine-arts-gallery.
6. Driving: Pick an off-the-beaten-highway country road and explore. While waiting for the husband to finish his cooking class, I motored the Silverado Trail, then took a road up to the town of Angwin, just below the summit of Howell Mountain. Up there you’ll find Las Posadas State Forest, full of trails, creeks, canyons and vista points; www.stateparks.com/ca.html.
7. Walking/eating: Get yummy samples and history lessons on walking foodie tours ($80) in downtown Napa, stopping in at spots such as the Model Bakery and Oxbow Market; try www.foodiesonfootnv.com or www.gourmetwalks.com/tours/downtown-napa.
8. Marshall’s Honey Farm: Buzz on by Marshall’s in American Canyon for local honey that’s raw, pure, unheated, uncooked, unfiltered and certified kosher. Wander around the honey house and see how they extract and bottle the honey, taste some samples and buy honey bottled on the spot just for you; www.marshallshoney.com.
Staff writer Mary Orlin contributed to this story. Contact Angela Hill at ahill@bayareanewsgroup.com, or follow her on Twitter @GiveEmHill.