Napa Valley, a delightful landscape of wildflowers and grapevines spread across miles of rolling hills, has been immortalized in film, literature and European wine competitions. As the first and only Agricultural Preserve in the United States, and the first officially designated viticultural area, this small section of Northern California harbors some of the most hallowed wineries and restaurants in the country. But don’t call Napa starchy. Along with a cluster of century-old palazzos and chateaus, the area features a growing array of contemporary tasting rooms, hotels, spas and food establishments, many of them opened or refurbished within the last two years.

This wave of renewal was delayed in October, when deadly wildfires burned across the North Coast. The majority of Napa’s wineries and vineyards (which served as firebreaks) were spared. Some travelers stayed away in the aftermath of the fires, but the valley was soon back on its feet, flaunting a more dynamic and fashionable face than ever.

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