just a quick note for facts...the average price of Napa Valley wines overall is right around $30--which means there are a lot under this price. The $100+ is a drop in the bucket. Cabernet is only about half of the region's production, so maybe try some other varieties...they are out there.

Yes, Sonoma County makes more wine--Napa Valley grows just 4% of CA's wine. If you think the food and wine current state is boring, you haven't been for a while...give it a try, that's all I'm saying. The good news is there are lots of great wines and incredible food all over the place in the north bay...how lucky are we?

It never was. They marketed it and promoted it. The spa's are horrible. The worst massages ever and its because California hands out massage lic. Most states make you intern a year. The restaurants are NOT that wonderful and the staff so, so.

VEGAS has better food.

Room rates...crazy.

Snobby and for no good reason. KEEP IT

These comments are really what's really sad.

@Chris and others: No one would argue that Napa isn't vibrant and interesting (well, apparently judging by these comments some would), but I think the writer was referring to the wines getting a staid reputation, not the town or the county as a place to visit.

Some of you might want to read more than a headline before commenting. But I guess when you do so anonymously you don't care how stupid you sound, so why bother putting your meager brains to use?

Honestly, Anonymous No. whatever who said Napa is only getting better and stronger completely contradicts himself and denigrates Napa in the very next sentence. At least make up your mind which kind of an asshole you are.

And also, what is with all the anonymous comments? Are you all a bunch of children who do something naughty and then run away before anyone knows it's you? You are all so very sure of yourselves and your opinions and yet can't put your names to them.

Napa is only getting better and younger, this writer obviously doesn't know what he's talking about. That being said, Sonoma is where the people 'in the know' go, Napa is for people who plan their vacation by Googling 'Wine Getaway '. Sonoma is what's hot.

There sure are some broad sweeping statements being tossed around in these comments. I've lived in Napa for three years, and I understand much of the "high snobriety" sentiment that comes with this town. I have a love/hate relationship with it.

It's great to see new spots like Carpe Diem, 1313, and Biscuits opening up, which cater to those of us who just want to enjoy life without the pomp and circumstance. But I do hate that we have so few options for a normal meal that's affordable. Case in point is the Biscuits place that opened up - great food and great prices, but they shut down every day because they can't meet the demand, and you need to wait 30 minutes just to get a fried chicken sandwich.

That said, there's really not much going on in this town. Everything shuts down at 9 PM. Hardly any young people live here, and the producers of great wines think they need to price them all above $100 for some reason...

It's our patriotic duty as Californians to buy overpriced, overrated wine from boutique Napa wineries started by narcissistic entertainment lawyers and investment bankers as monuments to their own ego.

Is it that hard to find "real" things to write about in the wine industry today? Is this a "Hipster" point of view of Napa. Does anyone care about the glasses anyone wears? Please tell me what the point is, fashion, young people, red solo glasses of wine to go?

Its sad that all Napa wine producers are lumped into the same category. I truly hate it.
I moved me and my family half way across the country (from my waiter job) to pursue being a winemaker in Napa and because of the coolness of so many people here, I've been able to do it.
For the valley, I'm sorry for whatever experience the haters of Napa have experienced in the past. There are a lot of cool, young, unpretentious, passionate winemakers here now (that you probably haven't heard of yet). Give us another chance.
As for the price... you have no idea how expensive it is for us producers to make wine here (especially on a small scale (economy of scale)). Then there's the cost of sales on top of it!
As for style of wine... we produce wines from a specific place (terroir) in California and to change what Napa gives us (in terms of ripeness) would be a manipulation, and "manipulated" wines seems to be the topic of so many SF Sommeliers beef with Napa so I dont get it.

I beg to differ...Downtown Napa has reinvented itself from a sleepy little drive-through town on the way to the wineries to a destination in itself. There a jazz club in Napa that's would remind you of a mini Yoshi's and two other venues run by former Yoshi's employees that bring in world class artists like Natalie Cole and Branford Marsalis. The various summertime festivals in downtown Napa are free, have great food and not packed like the Fillmore Street Fair or other SF festivals. There's been three or four trips when I intended to visit the wineries but didn't get out of Napa. Also Downtown Napa is very close to the Silverado Resort, which has some of the least expensive hotel deals during the off-season; five star accommodations for just over $100 a night. As far as I'm concerned Napa has never lost it's groove, particularly Downtown Napa. Finally wine tasting is exactly that, visiting various wineries, tasting the different wines and determining what YOU like, not what "the experts" say you're supposed to like.

Sonoma has the coast, redwoods, more scenic vineyards, more awards and inexpensive food and entertainment. Napa has image??

This article is really bad. The grammar/spelling errors are embarrassing, and there's no basis for the premise. While Napa has its detractors, the valley still produces some of the finest wine anywhere. Granted, the style of wine and the focus on Cabernet Sauvignon will not be everyone's thing. But Napa is a brand, and it sells well. Does anyone accuse Apple of being overpriced and pretentious? Maybe, but they still line up around the block to get the products because it's good stuff.

Napa is overpriced and overrated. I haven't been there in years. I go to Sonoma or Healdsburg now...

I'm trying to get my head around overpriced wines somehow being available "on tap" and being tranferred into red Solo "to go" cups. Is Napa trying to get its groove back by becoming some kinda upscale kegger?

Napa's big bold Cabernets will always be popular (but I wouldn't mind if they became a little less popular to bring prices down).
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I received my initial wine education on French wines, and for many years I resisted the allure of California wines and looked down on them (as I was taught) due to their abundance of fruit and tannins.
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But then I decided to drink what I like, and not what I am supposed to like.
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It's hard to go back to Bordeaux after getting used to Napa's reds. When you're spending a lot of money on a bottle (and in my book, $50+ is "a lot") you want to get something for your money (ie, impact). Which is why Napa wines became so popular.

Downtown Napa has become the place to be. Having lived in Napa for 5 years, I've seen such a change and I think it's great! Places like Morimoto, Carpe Diem Wine Bar, Zuzu and Oenetri have wine lists that cater to a broad spectrum. These are places I go to and I think have some of the best lists around. Carlotta Cellers, Azur, and Mark Herrold Wines are some of the wines you can find that are fantastic. And they are well priced. Carpe Diem has great pricing as does Zuzu's. Has Napa Valley lost its groove? I think it's coming into a second renaissance

Abraxas. Agreed. We love the stuff. Sinskey makes some nice stuff IMHO. We always look forward to their Vin Gris.

Each to his/her own. If you don't like Napa (county) for whatever reason, stay away. Many of us still love it, esp the unpretentious city of Napa. Not a thing wrong with Sonoma either.
While there are many restaurants and wineries that do cater to the well-heeled, there are many high quality restaurants and wineries that are affordable, the owners and staff affable and cordial.
We welcome you, but please leave your attitude at home.

The first sentence is embarrassing.

It's Matthiasson, not Mathiasson.

And: It's Steve Matthiasson, not Mathiasson.

No secret here, Napa wines are over-priced, over-tannic and outside of CA, no one pretends they are good. The absurd amounts of pepper and tannins is excused away as "complex and bold". No one is buying that BS anymore. $3 table wine in Italy is better than the best Napa $200 bottle.

Napa has gotten too big, and costly, for it's britches and I no longer go there, except to take relatives wanting to see the "Valley". We just don't stop anywhere.

There are far too many other great wine regions, creating great wines that don't beat you over the head with their fruit.

I'm with you, Chris. Napa Valley is more popular than ever. Just because a few "young beverage Professionals" assumed Napa Valley was only producing cult Cabernet doesn't mean the Valley has lost its groove.

I am in my early 30s. Napa fun? Hahah. Give me a break! Gray hairs, snotty foreigners, over-priced wine. No thanks.

Napa is boring. Rich white people, overpriced pretentious dining, yawn yawn yawn

Napa is boring. Rich white people, pretentious overpriced dining...yawn

A bunch of self-imposed fart sniffers. Who cares!

Give me a break. Ridiculous headline. I've lived in Napa for 10+ years and it's more vibrant and interesting than it's ever been.

Abraxas, not Abrexas.

At By? Me edit at by mine self