Ralph & Lahni de Amicis, Napa, Sonoma, San Francisco
This is a collection of chapters about the history of Napa and Sonoma. It is written in the tradition of ancient historical story telling where the details are not always correct, but the spirit of the narrative reveals the heart of the players and times.
It comes from what we tell our guests as we travel around wine country, it is based on what we read locally, and what we hear from other guides, both inside and outside the wineries.
The stories tend to be short because we have a limited time to tell each story, over a shoulder while driving. Often before finishing a story some other feature comes up in the windshield and we're on to a another tale.
If you take exception with a detail we happily admit that this is not a text book. Hopefully it is a lot more fun to read, and it gives you a picture and a feeling of how this area evolved. If you have something entertaining to add or correct please email me at ralph@amicistours.com , Ralph
Many locals consider the Winter in Wine Country the most beautiful season, when the golden hills turn verdant green, misty fog weaves among the low hills, and the leaves on the vine fall away and bright yellow mustard flowers form broad stripes between the rows.
Whether or not you think that it was a good idea that California became part of the USA, it is now a foregone conclusion. It's journey from a being a part of Spain, and then Mexico and then an independent republic, to America's most populated state was done quite gracefully.
So many times the history of wine country comes in multiple versions and a perfect example is that there are two or three translations for the name Sonoma. Two are very similar, Valley of the Moon and Valley of the Seven Moons. The third one is less entertaining, namely ‘Nose’’, but I think that’s just a snide commentary about the bizarre amount of pollen that descends on downtown Sonoma.
One of the rockiest and most beautiful parts of Napa Valley is a little side valley in the southeastern corner called Stags Leap, where steep, chimney like cliffs tower over bench land vineyards. It is a narrow valley tucked between those towering cliffs to the east and rounded green hills to the west. Here and there canyons branch off, home to numerous vineyards.
In mythology the Phoenix was an immortal bird who would be destroyed by fire, and then rise restored from its own ashes. Napa Valley’s modern wine making history since the coming of the Europeans has that same quality.
Despite the existence of a big grape growing valley called Russian River and the San Franciscan neighborhood Russian Hill, visitors are still surprised when we explain that there once was a large Russian presence along the northern California coast. The flag of Imperial Russia was one of the seven flags that have flown over Alta California, not including the flag of Imperial China, but that’s a different story.
The name Sonoma means Valley of the Moon, in Astrology the Moon symbolizes the Mother and your Mother feeds you. Therefore Sonoma means food, and apparently it always has. Sonoma is made up of narrow, diverse locations that promote a shockingly wide variety of species. As compared to many of the waterways in Northern California, where rivers irrigate narrow slices of land, Sonoma Creek and the Santa Rosa Laguna share their water over very wide areas, winding their way into small and fertile places.
The Pre-Colombian history of California is misty because the hundreds of tribes that lived in this region left no written record and barely shared a language. With our Euro-Centric approach it is easy to ignore the powerful Pacific Rim influence on the history here.
Partners with the San Francisco Travel Association
For convention & conference meeting planners we provide Top Achiever Award Trips, plus Speakers, Seminars and Team Building Programs. For more information designed for the busy meeting planner visit www.AmicisSeminars.com .
Call 707-235-2648 for Tours, Books & Seminars Copyright Ralph & Lahni de Amicis 2011 All tasting fees, hours, wine lists, etc are subject to change.
