Long Weekend: Napa and Sonoma
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Uncorking a few in the wine country
By Ron Kaspriske
The 16th at silverado
The 16th at silverado
The first thing you need to know about the wine country an hour north of San Francisco is that locals get upset if you refer to the area as "Napa." "Napa is an auto-parts store," said one resident of Sonoma County. "There's Napa, and there's Sonoma."
Duly noted. But whichever region you are referring to, the golf is full-bodied.
Starting in the Napa Valley, the Silverado Resort's two courses ($160 with cart, underwent a $4 million renovation in 2005. They play much differently despite both being designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. The 4-star North Course, a classic, parkland design with oak-lined fairways, is the more challenging, stretching to 6,900 yards. The 4-star South Course (6,685 from the tips), site of a Champions Tour event for 14 years until 2002, has generous fairways and some picturesque holes. Although much of the course is routed through a housing development, it retains its appeal.
In the Sonoma Valley, the 3-1/2 star Sonoma Golf Club ($175 with cart, which hosts the Champions Tour's Charles Schwab Cup Championship, is an underrated layout in the foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains. With rolling terrain, massive oaks and a few well-placed creeks, it was one of Sam Snead's favorites and dates to 1928 when Sam Whiting (of Olympic Club fame) designed it. It can be played only by guests of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, five minutes up the road.
Also worth a round is Eagle Vines Golf Club ($65 with cart, in Napa. Part-time resident Johnny Miller designed the 7,251-yard course in 2004. Vineyards frame its boundaries, and water is in play on 11 holes.
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STAY HERE
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Photo By Joey Terrill
Illustrations By Christopher Niemann - The Silverado Resort (707-257-0200) has a variety of options, including condos. In November, it offers a suite and two rounds of golf for $199. Rooms at the Fairmont (707-938-9000) are $450 and up.
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VISIT HERE
- Kunde Estate Winery & Vineyards (707-833-5501) or Chateau Montelena Winery (707-942-5105) are two of many that offer a snapshot of wine making ($5-$25 for tasting).
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EAT HERE
- Downtown Joe's on Main Street in Napa is the kind of place where the bartender is your friend the minute you sit down. Also, try the Kobe burger sliders at the Grill at Silverado.
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GET THERE
- Fly into the San Francisco or Oakland international airport, then head north 60 to 90 minutes.
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