How To Get An Insider’s Look At Napa And Its Wines

22.08.2023 - 18:35 / forbes.com / Will I (I)

I love wine. I love swirling it, inhaling it, letting it rest on my tongue and enjoying its complexity. I especially love it paired perfectly, when a bite of seasoned steak and a sip of a lovely cab bring out the best in one other. But like most, I don’t love wine snobbery that makes me feel that if I had a more refined palate, I might be allowed to have an opinion about the wine I’m drinking.

It’s a common worry among travelers to Napa Valley, arguably the most well-known wine country in the U.S. Will I sound like an amateur when I’m tasting wine? Or will I come off as a know-it-all if I ask questions about, say, how the grapes were macerated?

Luckily, you have access to one of the best kept secrets in Napa and a truly fun experience – the Wine Center at Meadowood. The Wine Center is part of the recently re-opened Meadowood, a legendary resort in the heart of Napa Valley. With 36 rooms and suites nestled into hillsides; the bleating sound of goats and sheep; and a host of amenities, including the award-winning Meadowood Spa and a hiking trail that provides beautiful, California views, this resort caters to both activity-seekers and rest-and-relax dwellers. The Wine Center is perfect for both, and as a guest of this resort, you can sign up for as many classes as you like, all the while sipping wines most people will never have access to.

The beauty is that this is a safe place to ask all your wine questions – nothing is too easy or too advanced. Helmed by Kelli White, author of Napa Valley, Then and Now and a top sommelier, and Sarah Bray, a prominent wine expert and writer/lecturer, classes are accessible to everyone from beginners to oenophiles.

It’s a great way to kick off a Napa vacation, providing you with a lay of the land when it comes to wine from this region. Staying in one of the cottages on the property puts small, personalized classes just a few steps away. You can even request specific topics under the umbrellas of guided wine tours and blind tastings.

On a recent visit, I took a class called The Art of the Label, where White discussed how labels affect the wine drinking experience. Using examples from history and rare bottles that she passed around and poured for our group, she made us think about an aspect of wine we rarely consider. Being able to taste truly fine wine was a bonus, but the best part was feeling free to ask any burning question without fear of embarrassment. White and Bray go out of their way to use wine as a bridge to lively discussion. No question is stupid, and no wine is too expensive to serve and enjoy with whomever signs up for the class.

“We’re here to excite wine’s place in your life,” says White, “to tickle your brain while providing wines you can’t taste