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World renowned viticultural region - Napa Valley's privileged location, glorious Mediterranean climate, and fabulous terroir are conducive to growing quality grapes.

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A valley of vineyards - The rolling landscape is textured with neatly combed vineyards.

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Historic wineries - More than 400 wineries dot the fertile valley floor and surrounding hills.

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Seeing red - The region is celebrated for its highly prized Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Cellars - Pinot noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel are among other grape varieties grown here.

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Robert Mondavi (1913–2008) - A leading California vineyard operator, Mondavi is credited with bringing the state's wines to worldwide attention. His family continues to produce wine in Napa Valley.

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Domaine Carneros - The winery is best known for award-winning Carneros sparkling wine, and its beautiful chateau building.

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Flagship label - Carneros's sparkling wine, Pinot Noir, is still the region's flagship wine.

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The wine tasting experience - All Napa Valley wineries offer visitors an opportunity to sample the fruits of their labor.

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Beringer Vineyards - The centerpiece of the estate is the ornate Rhine House, dating back to 1884.

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White varieties - The refreshing nature of white wine, namely Sauvignon Blanc, makes it a favorite summer drink.

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Grape crusher statue - Napa Valley's famous landmark is a vintage grape press statue.

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The wine-making process - A worker removes must (the freshly pressed fruit juice that contains the skins, seeds, and stems from picked grapes) from a fermenting tank used for pressing.

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Freshly pressed - Juice from freshly pressed sirah grapes drips out of a wine press at the Koves-Newlan Winery.

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Ageing gracefully - Loading oak barrels with wine, where it will age.

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The right balance - Throughout the process wine is checked regularly for taste and color.

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Expert opinion - Sommeliers Larry Stone and Paul Roberts, both of Napa, inspect a bottle recovered from an 1864 shipwreck.

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Working the vineyards - Harvest season, from August through October, is a magical time to visit Napa Valley.

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Ripe for the picking - By the end of summer, winemakers and workers race against nature to pick their grapes at the peak of ripeness.

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Music and wine - JaM Cellars, home of Butter Chardonnay, JaM Cabernet, and Toast Sparkling, is a funky tasting room where live music enhances the wine vibe.

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On the right track - The Napa Valley Wine Train takes passengers on an exhilarating journey to St. Helena and back, stopping at celebrated wineries along the way.

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Travel in style - Fine dining and, of course, plenty of good wine make up the ingredients for a vintage rail experience.

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Let's celebrate - Napa Valley wines are often the drink of choice served at celebrity events and prize-giving ceremonies.

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Napa City - The largest city and county seat of Napa County overlooks the Napa River.

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Gourmet food and vintage wine - The French Laundry restaurant, located in Yountville, boasts three Michelin stars and is a recipient of the Wine Spectator Grand Award.

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Napa has it corked! - Napa Valley is California Wine Country personified and one of the country's top wine tourism destinations.

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Cheers! - In 2016, Napa Valley welcomed 3.5 million visitors, according to Visit Napa Valley.

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Air time - A highlight of any visit (apart from discovering great wines) is a flight over the vineyards in a hot air balloon.

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Napa wines - Mumm Napa is one of California's top sparkling wine producers.

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Vines and vineyards - The region's wineries offer tours of their premises, and tasting sessions.

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