Napa Valley Wine Country

Napa Valley is undeniably one of the most beautiful destinations in the world. Located approximately one hour north of San Francisco, Napa Valley is the heart of the California wine country. More than 200 wineries call the valley home, producing the industry’s best wine in the world. Napa Valley’s landscape of picturesque rolling hills planted with vineyards is breathtaking. It's no wonder that Napa Valley has become a magnet for tourists.

Make the most of your visit to Wine Country. Be sure to take time to visit all the towns of Napa Valley - Yountville, St. Helena, Oakville, Rutherford, Napa, and Calistoga.

The Napa Valley's amiable climate makes it a veritable garden. A wide variety of fruits and vegetables thrive here: oranges, prunes, apples, olives and more. But what makes the Napa Valley truly unique is its remarkable suitability for the production of wine grapes. A maritime climate that produces cool nights and warm days combines with soils that are deep but not excessively fertile to yield grapes that are singular in their intensity, complexity and balance.

Napa Valley Mustard Festival
The Napa Valley Mustard Festival takes place every year during Mustard Season - a beautiful time of year when the gold wild mustard is in full bloom on Napa's fields, vineyards and hillsides. The scenery can be absolutely awe-inspiring.

The Mustard Festival takes place over a two-month period, drawing hundreds of talented chefs, winemakers, gourmet mustard companies, artists, musicians and sponsors together to showcase their best products.

Napa Valley Wines and Winemaking

Grape Harvest
Fall is the most rewarding time for vineyard owners because this is the time of year when the fruits of their labor are harvested. In California's wine country, grapes are usually harvested any time from late August to early November. This depends on the weather and the grape variety being harvested.

The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar levels, tannin development and acidity. In addition to determining the time of the harvest, winemakers and vineyard owners must also determine whether to utilize hand pickers or mechanical harvesters.

A mechanical vine harvester works by beating the vine with rubber sticks to get the vine to drop its fruit onto a conveyor belt that brings the fruit to a holding bin. As technology improves mechanical harvesters have become more sophisticated in distinguishing grape clusters from mud, leaves and other particles.

Despite the costs, some wineries prefer the use of human workers to hand-pick grapes. For hand-picking the grapes you will need a pair of clippers and grape crates spread throughout the rows below the vines. Quite simply, you clip the bunches off each long vine and place them in the crates. Take care not to damage the larger vines. Then, you transport the grapes to larger ton containers. The main advantage of this method is the knowledge and discernment of the worker to pick only healthy bunches and the gentler handling of the grapes.
Wines
Though just 30 miles long and a few miles wide, Napa Valley is home to diverse microclimates and soils uniquely suited to the cultivation of a variety of fine wine varietals. While Cabernet and Chardonnay are the most widely planted wine grapes, the Napa Valley holds many surprises for wine lovers looking for varieties off the beaten path including - Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is the acknowledged "king" of red grapes in Napa Valley. Some Napa Valley Cabernet vines from the 19th century are still producing, but most have been replanted over the years. Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex grape; its character can emerge as black currants, green olives, herbs or bell peppers. These wines age beautifully. The mouth feel of a cabernet will generally be robust and rich with an astringent finish and fairly high tannin level.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay is among the most widely planted grape variety in Napa Valley. Chardonnay is a green-skinned grape variety used to make white wine. It is believed to have originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France. Napa Valley makes several types of Chardonnay, ranging from fresh, crisp wines to rich, complex wines with layers of flavors. Due to the wide range of styles, Chardonnay has the potential to be paired with a diverse spectrum of food types. It is most commonly paired with roast chicken and other white meats such as turkey.

Wine Tours
Discover some of Napa Valley's finest wineries through exclusive wine tastings. The wineries are open for wine tastings to the public and offers tours by appointment; a few of them offer daily regular tours. Napa Valley wineries offer wine clubs which includes discounts on their wines, exclusive food and wine tastings and events, winery or vineyard tours, library or limited production wines, etc. Most of the vintage wineries have unique and interesting architecture and includes gardens and picnic area. When in Napa visit atleast two famous wineries and sample vintage wines in their tasting rooms.

A Napa wine tour is fun any time of the year, though summers can be hot. Spring and fall are the perfect time to plan a wine tasting visit. To participate in the wine tasting you must be atleast 21 years old.
Some of the popular Napa Valley Wineries are:

• Rombauer Vineyards is one of Napa Valley's most popular wineries, sitting on a hill above Silverado Trail. The winery has an unparalleled reputation for Chardonnay, and also produces excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Merlot. The hillside winery features metal art, picnic areas, walking trails, and great views of the valley.


• Rutherford Hill Winery is a pioneer in the development of California Merlot. Today, Merlot remains the flagship wine of the company with 75 percent of Rutherford Hill's production dedicated to this varietal, one of the leading Merlots of Napa Valley.


• V Sattui Winery is the fourth-generation, family owned a premier winery commemorating a tradition of winemaking that began 125years ago. V. Sattui specializes in single-vineyard Cabernets & Zinfandels, but is also known for its excellent Rieslings, a Gamay rose and a solera-made Madeira. V. Sattui wines are sold only at the Winery. In addition to its wines, V.Sattui offers a Deli & Cheese Market and makes it an ideal place for picnic.


• The Robert Mondavi Winery is a shining symbol of Napa Valley since 1966. The winery has a beautiful architecture by Cliff May and reflects the missions of early California history. The wine varietals offered by this winery are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Fume Blanc and Moscato d'Oro.


• Beaulieu Vineyards, founded by Georges de Latour in 1900 is the longest continually operating winery in Napa Valley. Beaulieu Vineyard is opened daily for tours and tasting programs showcasing the bold terroir expression of their wines. The winery offers excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Bordeaux Blend.


• Beringer Wines - No winery more thoroughly embodies the timeless appeal and seductive flavor of Napa Valley than Beringer Vineyards, Napa's benchmark producer since its establishment in 1876. Whether you want to buy a case of White Zinfandel or Private Reserve Cabernet, you can taste them first at one of the two tasting rooms. Find out which one has your favorite wine. The vineyard offers highly acclaimed Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Nightingale and Sauvignon Blanc.


• SterlingVineyards - Perched 300 feet above the town of Calistoga, Sterling Vineyards offers panoramic views of Napa Valley. An aerial tram carries visitors up the hill to the winery, whose architecture was modeled after that of the Greek island of Mykonos, where Sterling founder Peter Newton once lived. Sterling offers the best Reserve Wines, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Shiraz and Zinfandel.

Save The Tiger!

Tiger - The National Animal Of India

Tigers are on the threshold of extinction. According to WWF, Tigers are amongst the ten most endangered species in the world. Over the last century more than 95% of the Tiger population has been wiped out & three sub-species are already extinct. Less than 3500 tigers remain in the wild today with around 50% in India & their numbers are declining fast.

Human welfare and economic development in Asia depends on the same clean water, clean air, natural flood controls and other forest resources that tigers need. At the turn of the 20th century, according to sources, India had an estimated 40,000 tigers in the wild. In 2002, based on pug mark census, this number was 3,642. As per the monitoring exercise by Wildlife Institute of India in association with National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Government of India using camera traps, in 2008 we were left with only 1,411 tigers. This number is so small that they will be gone soon if we don’t wake up to the crisis.

The tiger is not just a charismatic species. It's not just a wild animal living in some forest either. The tiger is a unique animal which plays a pivotal role in the health and diversity of an ecosystem. It is a top predator and is at the apex of the food chain and keeps the population of wild ungulates in check, thereby maintaining the balance between prey herbivores and the vegetation upon which they feed. Therefore the presence of tigers in the forest is an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. The extinction of this top predator is an indication that its ecosystem is not sufficiently protected, and neither would it exist for long thereafter.

If the tigers go extinct, the entire system would collapse. For e.g. when the Dodos went extinct in Mauritius, one species of Acacia tree stopped regenerating completely. So when a species goes extinct, it leaves behind a scar, which affects the entire ecosystem. Another reason why we need to save the tiger is that our forests are water catchment areas.

When we protect one tiger, we protect about a 100 sq. km of area and thus save other species living in its habitat. Therefore, it’s not just about saving a beautiful animal. It is about making sure that we live a little longer as the forests are known to provide ecological services like clean air, water, pollination, temperature regulation etc. This way, our planet can still be home to our children.

International Tiger Day

On September 23, 2000 a few dozen school children and parents dressed up as tigers and endangered wildlife to parade in the streets in Vladivostok. Their aim was to educate people about the dangers facing tigers and other wild animals in the Russian Far East. What they did not know is that their efforts would strike such a chord with the people of Vladivostok and others around the world that just 5 years later, their festival would be an annual city holiday with over 3,000 participants in Vladivostok alone and that every year their efforts would inspire many similar public displays of affection for tigers around the world.

Tiger Day was started by The Phoenix Fund, a Russian non-governmental organization sponsored by Save The Tiger Fund and other international donors. Since then it has been a rallying point for other tiger conservation efforts around the world. In 2003, 21st Century Tiger and AMUR encouraged European and Russian zoos to adopt and promote the concept as an awareness creation and fundraising tool for tiger conservation. In 2005 the Campaign Against Tiger Trafficking was launched on international tiger day, while ceremonies around the world drew diverse public support, including a group of local Shamans on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra. In the Russian Far East, Tiger Day is as popular as ever, just last year, during the month of September, tiger day celebrations occurred in 6 different cities in the province of Primorye.

September 27th 2009 marked the 9th year anniversary of International Tiger Day.

Go out loud and tell others that tigers are dying and that they need our help.


The wilderness is to be experienced and not to be disturbed and polluted. Follow the forest department guidelines when visiting any wilderness area, tiger reserve in particular. As the saying goes ‘Don’t leave anything behind except foot steps, and don’t take anything except memories.’

iPAD

The moment the tech world has been waiting on for possibly decades, maybe years and definitely months has finally culminated into today… The official launch of Apple’s highly anticipated tablet device: the iPad.


All of the built-in apps on iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things with these apps that you can’t do on any other device.

Safari - The large Multi-Touch screen on iPad lets you see web pages as they were meant to be seen — one page at a time. With vibrant color and sharp text. So whether you’re looking at a page in portrait or landscape, you can see everything at a size that’s actually readable.

Mail - See and touch your email in ways you never could before. In landscape, you get a split-screen view showing both an opened email and the messages in your inbox. To see the opened email by itself, turn iPad to portrait, and the email automatically rotates and fills the screen. No matter which orientation you use, you can scroll through your mail, compose a new email using the large, onscreen keyboard, or delete messages with nothing more than a tap and a flick. If someone emails you a photo, you can see it right in the message. You can also save the photos in an email directly to the built-in Photos app. And iPad works with all the most popular email providers, including MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL.

Photos - With its crisp, vibrant display and unique software features, iPad is an extraordinary way to enjoy and share your photos. For example, the Photos app displays the photos in an album as though they were in a stack. Just tap the stack, and the whole album opens up. From there, you can flip through your pictures, zoom in or out, or watch a slideshow. You can even use your iPad as a beautiful digital photo frame while it’s is docked or charging.

Video - The large, high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching any kind of video: from HD movies and TV shows to podcasts and music videos. Switch between widescreen and full screen with a double-tap. Because iPad is essentially one big screen, with no distracting keypad or buttons, you feel completely immersed in whatever you’re watching.

YouTube - The YouTube app organizes videos so they’re easy to see and navigate. To watch one, just tap it. When you’re watching in landscape, the video automatically plays in full screen. And with its high-resolution display, iPad makes the latest HD YouTube videos look positively amazing.

iPod - With the iPod app, all your music is literally at your fingertips. Browse by album, song, artist, or genre with a simple flick. To play a song, just tap it. iPad even displays album art at full size. Listen to your music with the powerful built-in speaker or with wired or Bluetooth wireless headphones.

iTunes - A tap of the iTunes store icon lets you browse and buy music, TV shows, and podcasts — or buy and rent movies — wirelessly, right from your iPad. Choose from thousands of movies and TV shows (in both standard and high definition), along with thousands of podcasts and millions of songs. Preview songs before you buy them. Or just sync iPad with the content you already have in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC.

App Store - iPad runs almost 140,000 apps from the App Store. Everything from games to business apps and more. And new apps designed specially for iPad are highlighted, so you can easily find the ones that take full advantage of its features. Just tap the App Store icon on the screen to browse, buy, and download apps wirelessly, right to the iPad.

iBooks - The iBooks app is a great new way to read and buy books.* Download the free app from the App Store and buy everything from classics to best sellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you’ve bought a book, it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich color, so it’s easy to read, even in low light.

Maps - Finding your way is a completely new experience on iPad. Tap to view maps from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, up close with street view, or with topography in a new terrain view — all using Google Services. Search for a nearby restaurant or landmark, then get directions from your current location.

Notes - With its expansive display and large, onscreen keyboard, iPad makes jotting down notes easy. In landscape view, you see not only a note-taking page but a list of all your notes. iPad even circles the current note in red, so you can see where you are at a glance.

Calendar - iPad makes it easy to stay on schedule by displaying day, week, month, or list views of your calendar. You can see an overview of a whole month or the details of a single day. iPad even shows multiple calendars at once, so you can manage work and family schedules at the same time.

Spotlight Search - Spotlight Search allows you to search across iPad and all of its built-in apps, including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, iPod, and Notes. It even searches apps you’ve downloaded from the App Store. So no matter what you’re looking for, it’s never more than a few taps away.

iPAD Design


LED-backlit, IPS Display - The high-resolution, 9.7 inch LED-backlit, IPS display on iPad is remarkably crisp and vivid. Which makes it perfect for web browsing, watching movies, or showing off photos. It’s also been designed to work in any orientation — portrait or landscape. And because it uses a display technology called IPS (in-plane switching), it has a wide, 178° viewing angle. So you can hold it almost any way you want, and still get a brilliant picture, with excellent color and contrast.

Multi-Touch - The Multi-Touch screen on the iPad uses the same revolutionary technology that’s in an iPhone. But for iPad, the technology has been completely reengineered for the larger surface, to make it extremely precise and responsive. So when you’re zooming in on a map, flicking through your photos, or deleting an email, iPad responds with incredible accuracy. And it does just what you want it to.

Thin and light - One of the first things you’ll notice about the iPad is how thin and light it is. The screen is 9.7 inches, measured diagonally. So overall, it’s slightly smaller than a magazine. And at just 1.5 lbs and 0.5 inches thin, it’s easy to carry and use anywhere. There’s also a slight curve to the back. Which makes it easy to pick up and comfortable to hold.

Up to 10 hours battery life - To maximize battery life, Apple engineers took the same lithium polymer battery technology they developed for our notebook computers and applied it to the iPad. As a result, you can use iPad for up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music.

Wireless - With built-in 802.11n, iPad can take advantage of the fastest Wi-Fi networks. And it’ll automatically locate available Wi-Fi networks, which you can easily join with a few simple taps. iPad also comes with Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, which lets you connect to devices like wireless headphones or the Apple Wireless Keyboard.

3G - iPad will also be available in a 3G model, with super-fast data speeds up to 7.2 Mbps. So if you’re traveling, or you happen to be somewhere that doesn’t have a Wi-Fi network, you can still get a fast connection for surfing the web, downloading email, or getting directions.

Connectivity - The 30-pin dock connector on the bottom of the iPad allows you to dock and charge it. It also lets you connect to iPad accessories like the Camera Connection Kit or the Keyboard Dock.

Audio - The powerful, built-in speaker produces a full, rich sound. Which makes watching a movie or listening to music even more enjoyable. It also comes with a headphone jack and a built-in microphone.

Accessories - There are lots of great accessories that have been specifically designed for iPad. The Keyboard Dock, for instance, is a dock with a full-size keyboard. There’s also a standalone Dock. And because iPad has built-in Bluetooth 2.1, it’ll work with an Apple Wireless Keyboard, too. There’s also a Camera Connection Kit that lets you import photos from a camera or SD card. There’s even an iPad Case that not only protects it, it also allows you to use iPad in various positions, to make it easy to type, look at photos, or watch movies. And through a range of accessories, iPad can output to TVs, projectors and displays.