California -- Winter Is A Vintage Time To See The Wine Country

CALISTOGA, Calif. - The joys of California's wine country aren't reserved for wine lovers. And here's another shattered myth: There's no need to brave unwieldy crowds.

Summertime in Napa and Sonoma valleys - the country's most visited wine-producing region - can be a tourist's nightmare: Traffic at a standstill, occasionally searing heat, packed-in wine-tasting rooms. But wait until after October, when the crowds depart, and a more peaceful picture emerges.

"It's just beautiful in winter, and you get lots more attention," says Connie Marsh, from Seattle who visits here most often in off-season.

Yes, the vines are bare, but as winter nears, the valley floor turns green, and later, when wild mustard seeds sprout, a brilliant yellow.

Traffic jams and summer's 100-degree days are replaced with leisurely drives and cool fog hovering over the hills. Even rain, which can be frequent, has a romantic feel.

"Everyone has more time in winter," says Bob Hattaway, who has lived in Napa Valley for nearly two decades and sells wines at Grgich Hills Winery in Rutherford.

"It's very peaceful. Some days you'll have the tasting room to yourself. You might even get a chance to chat with the winemaker."

As in Washington's and Oregon's wine regions, visiting the California wine country in winter also allows travelers to sneak preview - or "barrel-taste" - the current vintage. And 1997 might be a fine year for such a sampling since vineyards here ripened under near-perfect conditions, leading to a record crop.

Hattaway suggests winter visitors be aware that some wineries curtail hours during off-peak months. Always call ahead.

Be ready for rain - but don't let it keep you away. Even during damaging floods the past couple years, most wineries stayed open.

There are also some travel axioms that hold year-round. For one, take it easy. The sheer number of wineries in the two valleys - there are more than 400 in Napa alone - can be daunting.

Veterans suggest picking two or three favorite spots, and one good restaurant, and taking things leisurely. Tour books can help you choose, but often it's word of mouth that leads to the best places. Once there, simply ask around.

Another tip: If you're driving, be aware that those seemingly tiny tastes of wine add up.

If you want out of the car, one option is a trip on the Napa Valley Wine Train, which chugs from Napa to St. Helena. Riders eat gourmet food and wine.

There are also guided tours - by bus, van, or limousine. While some can be large and impersonal, smaller tour companies often offer customized packages that include lunch with wine makers, horseback rides through vineyards, lectures on the valley's history or specially arranged tastings.

"We can essentially hand-hold you through wine country," says Linda Viviani, whose tour packages start at $750 a day.

While wine is the obvious draw, there are plenty of activities to make the area a relaxing winter retreat.

In Sonoma County, for example, orchards of peaches, walnuts and plums share the soil and climate with grapes; many farmers invite visitors to visit and sample their products.

If food is your interest, stop at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Rutherford. Housed in a massive 19th-century stone building, the institute's classrooms are home to some of the nation's top chefs; reasonably priced tours allow you to sit in on a class and sample the goods.

Winter is also a perfect time to explore the back roads and tiny towns that abut Sonoma County's Russian River. A bit farther north are the lush, rolling hills of Mendocino County, a gateway to redwood country.

Or take Calistoga. Nestled at the northern end of Napa Valley and just east of Sonoma, the town derives its name from a California millionaire's attempt to create a resort to rival Saratoga Springs on the East Coast. His intended moniker - "California Saratoga"- soon was shortened to "Calistoga."

But his vision of a hot-springs mecca remained intact. Today, there are dozens of spas and hot springs in Calistoga, offering thermal pools, mud baths, and massages.

A half-hour drive north from Calistoga takes you to Harbin Hot Springs, a nudist colony hidden in the foothills. The rustic property is a bit hard to find, but its caretakers welcome visitors to the mineral-rich hot springs, a sauna, and miles of hiking trails.

If the bed-and-breakfast crowd is more your style, you'll find scores of them throughout the area.

Finally, if you're exhausted by the traveling and weary of wine, maybe it's Sonoma Mountain Brewery that's beckoning. Opened in July, and cashing in on wine lingo, the brewery invites tourists to watch them create what they dub the state's only "estate-grown" beer.