If you're a wine lover, the Silverado Trail should be on the top of your agenda on a visit to Napa & Sonoma Wine Country. Between Napa in the south and Calistoga in the north, you’ll find some 40 wineries dotting this trek, which parallels Highway 29.
Head northeast of Napa on the Silverado Trail, starting with super-Tuscan-style Sangiovese at Luna Vineyards. Stone bulls glower from atop pillars lining the driveway of Darioush, a jaw-dropping winery styled after the ancient Persian temples that offers monumental Merlots. Oenophiles need no introduction to Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, which produces some of the best California Cabernets. Further up Silverado, you’ll spot the tasting barn and pet goats of laid-back, solar-powered Casa Nuestra, ideal for picnics with melon-accented, dry Chenin Blanc made from 50-year-old, organically farmed vines.
And those are just the highlights. Spend a day wine tasting by car or, for a more leisurely pace, by bicyle. Whichever mode of transportation you choose, the Silverado Trail will please both novices and experts.
The Silverado Trail runs 29 miles (46 kilometers) along the Eastern edge of the Napa Valley. The route is well-marked the entire way. The trail passes through Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and ends in Calistoga. Do pick up a map in Napa, as many fine wineries lie just off the Silverado Trail, and are worth a visit. Along the route you’ll also find shopping, lodging, dining, and a variety of other services.
