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San Francisco/ Napa Valley
San Francisco, the city in which singer Tony Bennett left his heart, is on
the west coast of the United States, with a notably temperate climate,
thanks to the Pacific Ocean. It has a population of about 750,000, and
according to a US study, is rated as the most sustainable city in the
county, judged on factors quality of life and healthy economic development
factors such as air quality, tap water, zoning, knowledge base, and energy
policy. Nationally and internationally, it is a favoured tourist
destination..
It is the focal point of the San Francisco Bay area, which also includes
the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. San Francisco itself is one of the
most densely populated cities in the US, but was not part of the US until
1847, during the Mexican-American War, and was a small settlement until
gold was discovered in California two years later. The wealth generated by
the gold rushes turned San Francisco into the banking and financial centre
of California.
The city was almost destroyed by an earthquake in 1906, and there was a
major earthquake in 1989. The threat of earthquakes – the city lies near
two fault lines – mean that buildings must meet high standards
structurally.
Like Melbourne, which also grew because of goldrushes, it has a sizeable
Chinatown district. There’s a considerable demographic and population
mix, and San Francisco is said to have the largest population of Asian
Americans in the US.
It’s a lively and vibrant city, and is known as a notably liberal city.
From the 1950s, its reputation has grown as a centre of alternative
lifestyles and culture, reinforced by the presence of the University of
California at Berkeley. This was the city of the beatniks and hippies, and
now a gay city. It’s a city of literature and performing arts, and of
cafés – there are hundreds of them. The San Francisco Opera and San
Francisco Ballet are some of the oldest continuous performing arts
companies in the US, while the Asian Art Museum and the new MOMA (Museum
of Modern Art) are more recent.
It’s also a city of hills, and a considerable diversity of
neighbourhoods and architectural styles – which is one reason it has
been the backdrop of so many movies. The rises are recorded in the names
of the areas: Nob Hill, Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill, Pacific Heights.
Since it is surrounded by water, it is also a city of bridges. The Golden
Gate Bridge and the Oakland Bay Bridge were both built in the 1930s. The
ocean keeps the city relatively cool, especially in hot US summers. The
writer Mark Twain joked that the coldest winter he ever spent was summer
in San Francisco.
As cities go, it’s highly educated, and is growing as a centre for
biotechnology and biomedical research as well as Information Technology.
It’s a good city for eating and drinking, of course. Berkeley and San
Francisco are two centres for California cuisine, which essentially
combines French techniques and a lighter, more salad-driven style. Farmers’
markets have been an important feature of Bay area eating since the 1970s,
when Berkeley-based chefs such as Alice Waters focussed on sourcing the
best locally and specially grown produce. In San Francisco itself,
innovative cooking often draws on Chinese and Japanese traditions.
One of the features of the table is of course wine. California is by far
the major wine-producing state of the US, and the fourth largest wine
production area in the world. It is no accident that the American Centre
for Food, Wine and the Arts is in the Napa Valley, Calfornia’s largest
vineyard area. It’s a major tourist area, enjoyed for its many small
towns, appreciated for its climate, and admired for its wines.
The wines
The Napa Valley is the best known of the extensive Californian vineyard
area, although its total production represents a small percentage (about
four per cent) of the total wine production of the state. The Napa is
distinctive for its range of soils, formed as a result of volcanic
activity and geological evolution dating back millions of years.
There are roughly 44,000 acres of vines, and close to 400 wineries. Napa
appellations include Yountville (named for George Yount, who planted the
first vines in around 1838), Stags Leap, Mount Veeder and Napa County.
The most important single grape variety in Napa is cabernet sauvignon,
with more than 17,000 acres. That is followed by chardonnay, which is the
most popular varietal wine in the US. Other varieties are merlot (which is
the top-selling red varietal in US supermarkets), sauvignon blanc, syrah,
and pinot noir. A little zinfandel is also grown: although it is often
regarded as a US grape, it was introduced to California during the gold
rush. It is closely related to the Italian grape primitivo.
The Napa Valley’s wineries vary considerably in size, from million case
production to small family-owned companies that might produce only 200
cases a year.
Most producers share a strong commitment to sustainability and the
environment, and to benefiting the community. For example, Auction Napa
Valley is the world’s largest charity auction and greatly benefits Napa
County health, youth and housing. Robert Mondavi is a major benefactor of
the American Centre for Food, Wine and the Arts.
See: San
Francisco-Napa Valley Image Gallery
Contact: sanfrancisco@greatwinecapitals.com |
