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by Benay Bernstein
In Napa… COPIA First, Wineries Second.
I was not surprised to learn that Julia's Kitchen, one of the top 100 California Restaurants according to the San Francisco Chronicle, is a featured Napa destination, having eaten there myself on every one of my visits to Napa wine country. But, I am continually surprised to hear from fellow travelers, that COPIA, the home of Julia's Kitchen (Julia Child, that is) remains little-known to wine adventurers. Seasoned wine lovers and novices alike will find the charms of COPIA compelling. COPIA, COPIA, what is COPIA? Simply put, COPIA is a wine and food Exploratorium for adults (and children). In my mind, it is an essential first stop before visiting Napa wineries.
Brainchild of Robert Mondavi and Julia Child, COPIA, The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts, is the Napa home of wine gardens, arbors, winetasting experiences, wine blending classes, kitchen demonstrations, food art, exhibits, films, concerts, etc. Infused with a sizable grant from Mondavi and many of his and Julia Child's industry associates, in November 2001, COPIA opened its state of the art facility on the oxbow of the Napa River and in the process created a mecca for true wine and food devotees.
Why go first to COPIA and postpone for even one afternoon the fabulous winery visits you have traveled across the country – and in some cases, the world - to experience?
Because you will certainly pick up a pointer or two; you'll get the lowdown on Napa wineries and you will have so much adult fun. In one short day you can attend a few half hour classes, tour the exhibits, eat a fabulous meal complete with paired wines and shop at Cornucopia, an extremely well stocked wine and kitchen museum store. Best of all, programs at COPIA prepare you to be a more  discerning wine acolyte. Some of the experiences offered at COPIA include:
Wine Spectator's Winetasting Table featuring the winery of the week.
Pairing Wine with Food, a 30-minute class, which guides you in developing your own personal vocabulary to describe and remember the wines you taste in Napa. By tasting the five flavors, salty, sweet, sour, bitter and savory (umami) with both a white and a red wine, and recording your reactions, you gain a true understanding of wine and food marriages.
Visiting the wine stations in COPIA's atrium gives you the opportunity to compare wines within families and learn what flavors appeal to you the most. Each station has four themed wines so you can compare such factors as: the influence of oak barrel aging on wine; the effect of winemaking techniques (i.e. some give wine a buttery taste); climate and soil influence on flavor (referred to as terroir) particularly in Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs. Personal note: I liked the idea of tasting oaked, non-oaked, buttery, and smooth wines in succession. I learned a lot about my preferences.
 Wine in the Garden, another 30-minute class brings you into the white garden square, or red garden square depending on the wine offered that day. In this class the taster experiences the sensation of combining wine with fruits, vegetables and herbs which customarily enhance the wine. In August this year I tasted American Riesling in COPIA's sunny California white wine garden and was delighted to learn that American and Australian Rieslings are not as sweet as the standard German Rieslings. Now I have a new white wine to include in my repertoire.
 Winetasting 101 and 102 entitled "Know Before you Go" and "Taste, Quality and Price" are self-explanatory and have the added bonus of including a free Country Passport which includes special programs and discounts at select Napa wineries.
Cooking Demonstrations are held twice daily in the Meyer Food Forum. Our demonstration in August was an Italian bread salad featuring heirloom tomatoes. Magnifique and simple to prepare!
Spending only a half day at COPIA this past August, my husband and I still managed to enjoy two rotating exhibits, one of wine country paintings by Ira Yeager and the other photographs of families around the world with the foods they eat in an ordinary week. Comparing the proteins, dairy products, vegetables and packaged items and especially the cost of a week's dietary intake was fascinating. This exhibit was based on the book, "Hungry Planet: What the World Eats", written by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. We played in the interactive exhibition, Forks in the Road, answering quizzes and identifying wine aromas and we appreciated the display of Napa wine growing history. Even still we missed out on a number of classes, eating an elegant brunch and taking a comprehensive Wine Blending workshop. I could have strolled in the gardens longer and visited the various vegetable trials, orchards, kitchen and kids gardens with great pleasure. Perhaps next visit - for there will certainly be a visit to COPIA each and every time I pass through Napa, California.
© November 2007 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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