Napa Valley

As a California native, and a person who has lived in the Napa Valley and Sonoma County wine country for years, I keep my copy of "Napa Valley The Ultimate Winery Guide" in the trunk of my car. It is not only my guide to wineries in each particular geographic section of Napa Valley, but also my resource for tracking down a certain vintage or type of wine. It also assists me in planning short excursions during which I may want to visit an art gallery along with a winery, and long weekend tours with friends when I want to give an overview with a bit of everything Napa Valley has to offer: a small town not well-known by tourists, a French-Chateau, the best view in the Valley, wonderful walks and, always, pointers on events--both fixed offerings at each winery and seasonal goings-on. The detailed information and directions make this guide a user-friendly pleasure.In short, this is a convenient reference book on how to get the most out of Napa Valley...whether you are a resident who hasn't yet had the opportunity to discover all of Ms. Allegra's wonderful finds, or a visitor wanting to pack a variety of the Valley's best into a day or two.This is a must for anyone visiting Napa Valley, or vicariously enjoying an armchair tour through the beautiful photographs.

If you travel to the Napa Valley without this book, you will commit the unpardonable vacation crime of being uninformed about the must-see, must-taste nooks and crannies of your destination. You can purchase other Napa Valley books, but they won't be this well-written, this beautifully rendered, and this chock-full of mouth-watering recommendations and tips. The authors are true food and wine insiders, and they're not impressed by trendiness for its own sake. If you want the most interesting winery experience possible in the Napa Valley, check out this book.

Having never been to the valley, this book was an invaluable help in breaking down the different wineries into catagories of interest other than just wine tasting, and the suggestions were right on the money. A must for any first time goer, and a great source for all else.

Wonderful pictures and great insight into the Napa Valley. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has visited Napa (as a rememberance) or to anyone planning a visit (great for planning your visit). The book included my favorite wineries from my last visit and gave me great ideas of which ones I must see next time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

"We have a day or two. There are 200+ wineries. How can we best enjoy a quality visit of the Napa Valley"? While directing the Napa Valley Wine Auction, this question was often posed to me by prospective visitors. What a pleasure it was and is to point guests in the direction of Antonia Allegra's fine book, Napa Valley: The Ultimate Winery Guide. It is a splendid resource for discovering or simply remembering the wonders of this world-renown wine region. Antonia Allegra's award-winning writing style, reminiscent of MFK Fisher, complemented by the stunning photography of Richard Gillette is as inviting as the lush landscapes of the Napa Valley itself. Touring alternatives, including many hidden gems, are selected from the favored 50 wineries. While offering seasonal variation, tours are thoughtfully presented to appeal to a wide range of possible reader interests be they wine-making, architecture, gardens, panoramas, art, grape-growing or regional characteristics. Even cave-dwellers will find a dream tour in these pages. As a guide, a gift or a treasure, readers are certain to find satisfaction in the Artistry of "Napa Valley: The Ultimate Winery Guide". I've purchased dozens as gifts, and most recently carried several copies of Allegra's book on a luggage-sparse trek of South America where it became a wonderful tool for communicating the otherwise indescribably rich wonders of this valley I have the good fortune to call "home".LN Russell