Champagne has grown in popularity rapidly around the world, although some people still avoid it because they associate it with headaches. We'll show you how you can really enjoy this magical concoction with no ill effects. You tell us which producers most interest you and we help you finalize a relaxing itinerary that can include a bit of Napa, Sonoma, the Russian River, or even Anderson Valley. If we confirm some weeks in advance, we make it a priority to get you into the second oldest winery in Napa Valley: driving up a hidden mountain road, we arrive at the historic grand Victorian that says you've arrived at Schramsberg, to experience where 2 million bottles mature in nearly two miles of man-made caves. They'll show you how racking and riddling (not a musical genre) help create the champagne that's been served at the White House since its earliest production. Of course, you also taste their flight of sparkling wine (at $75 per-person). Lunchtime offers a number of options: the highly rated Solbar in Calistoga (the Old West town turned spa resort) or a traditional general store in Russian River villages so small you'd miss them without a guide, or at the restaurant of America's top cooking school (the CIA), or…there're so many superb choices! If you've focused on Napa Valley, we cruise the scenic Silverado Trail to Chandon (or Mumm) for a seated tasting. Both offer sculpted grounds and enchanting vistas. Frank Family also serves a sparkling wine, only at the winery. To draw our afternoon to a crisp, satisfying finish, we climb the grand staircase at Domaine Carneros (or Gloria Ferrer) for champagne or pinot noir while relaxing on the terrace overlooking a panorama of the rolling hills of the Carneros. We return to The City, possibly stopping in downtown Napa to sample the ecstatic properties of chocolate. Or, you may have "done" Napa and want to experience the less traveled Russian River region, which features its own champagne houses—the most historic and famous being Korbel (founded by an enterprising Bohemian). There's also Iron Horse (with its panoramic view) and J (Judy Jordan's very elegant venue where tastings can be paired with fine food). Or, you may wish to venture even farther from San Francisco to the breathtakingly beautiful Anderson Valley, to taste at the Roederer Estate or Scharffenberger: Sante!
