42 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF: JORDAN WINERY / BELLA UNION bounty and roots of the region. Go beyond the tasting room with these immersive wine country experiences. DISCOVER THE PERFECT PAIRING In recent years, many Napa and Sonoma wineries have elevated their tastings by introducing culinary experiences that highlight how wine and food can be enjoyed together. At St. Helena’s stunning new Bella Union Winery, which opened last year, the Jewel Box Tasting pairs the label’s limited-production cabernets and cabernet blends with seasonal dishes in a glass-walled room showcasing sweeping views of Napa Valley. Offerings at nearby Clif Family Winery feature ingredients from the 100-acre Clif Family organic farm, including the Pasta e Vino lunch, paired with the winery’s full- {due west} It’s not even 11AM yet, and I’m already elbows-deep in wine—or what will become wine after the fermentation process is complete. It’s all part of the experience at Harvest Crush Camp at the Wine Foundry, a custom winemaking facility in Napa, where I’m learning how to “punch down” the skins of red wine grapes in their juice using a heavy metal tool to aid fermentation. Before this trip, I knew little about the grape-to-bottle transformation that my favorite wines undergo, despite my many visits to wine country over the years. Offered annually during harvest season, this hands-on bootcamp gives aspiring winemakers as well as neophytes like me the chance to participate in the process. In Napa and Sonoma, opportunities abound for visitors to gain a deeper understanding of—and appreciation for—the beauty,
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