Summer sunset in Napa Valley vineyard

The Visit Napa Valley Blog

Matt Villano

Author

Matt Villano

Matt Villano is a freelance writer, copywriter, and editor based in Healdsburg. He has covered Wine Country for 15 years. Learn more about him at whalehead.com.

Napa Valley Ale Trail

Napa Valley is known for its world-renowned wine. However, in recent years the valley has established a reputation as a hotspot for another magical elixir: beer. In the approximately 35 miles between American Canyon and Calistoga there are nearly two dozen breweries, microbreweries, and watering…

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Best Pools to Lounge By this Summer

While it’s fun to spend days tasting great wine and eating gourmet food, it’s undeniably glorious to sit by a beautiful pool with a novel and a drink in hand, too. Dozens of Napa Valley resorts have pools worth swimming in, but here’s a look at some of the best of the bunch right now. Calistoga…

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Best Winery, Resort, and Inn Wedding Venues

Napa Valley remains one of the most sought-after places in the country to host a destination wedding – and understandably so. With a Mediterranean-like climate, gorgeous landscapes, and world-renowned food and wine, it’s no wonder so many couples opt for a wedding amongst our rolling vineyards…

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Hidden Gems of Napa Valley: Napa Valley Olive Oil Manufacturing Co

Local olive oil comes with a side of history at the Napa Valley Olive Oil Manufacturing Company in St. Helena. The shop, which lives in an old white barn two blocks east of Highway 29 behind The Charter Oak restaurant, has been selling oil, salumi, cheeses, and a variety of imported Italian foods…

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Hidden Gems of Napa Valley: Kollar Chocolates

Napa Valley’s most famous chocolatier, Kollar Chocolates, brings a fine-dining sensibility to the chocolate business for sweet treats with flavors such as fennel pollen, poppy saffron, miso chili and more. And, yes, the goodies are as delicious as they sound. The man, Chris Kollar, was named Chopped…

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Hidden Gems of Napa Valley: Linda Falls

High in the hills of Angwin, on the western flank of Howell Mountain, you’ll find one of the most spectacular cascades this side of Yosemite. Linda Falls Trail offers a great hiking trail in Las Posadas State Forest, located just south of Angwin. Icy water from the Conn Creek tumbles over granite…

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Hidden Gems of Napa Valley: The Petrified Forest

In the Napa Valley, there’s old and then there’s *really* old. Old would be the building that houses 1881 Napa, a structure that dates to the year 1881. Old would be the circa-1888 Greystone Cellars complex that houses the Culinary Institute of America. Heck, in the case of wine, even Schramsberg…

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Hidden Gems of Napa Valley: Connolly Ranch

In the olden days, back before Napa was a hotspot for food and wine, the big city was mostly agricultural, with farms and ranches everywhere. Today, you can capture that vibe at Connolly Ranch. The 12-acre parcel in Browns Valley is a working farm that bills itself as farm-based education center, a…

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