Tasting the Good Life: Wine Tourism in the Napa Valley explores the stories of tourists and workers alike in the Napa Valley. The book's authors, George and Sharon Gmelch, bring their unique perspectives as anthropologists to the topic of wine tourism, examining the rich history and culture of the Napa Valley. We interviewed the Gmelchs to get their thoughts on wine, tourism, and the future of the Napa Valley.
What first interested you in writing a book on Napa tourism?
Well, we have studied tourism in other places, particularly Barbados, and when we inherited family property in the Napa Valley it seemed like a great opportunity to do research on tourism while also getting to know the place—and some of the people—much better. We’d been visiting on vacations and family holidays since 1971 and will eventually retire there. There also hadn’t been much written about this kind of tourism in the US.
Five million people travel to Napa Valley each year. What is the source of its great appeal?
Great wine and food combined with magnificent scenery and only an hour north of San Francisco. The Napa Valley has a higher density of wineries than anywhere else and many great restaurants. It’s also a very beautiful place. And there are lots of other things people can do, some of which not everyone is aware of—like biking, hiking, hot air ballooning, massage and thermal baths.
Your book is largely comprised of stories of Napa Valley workers. Of all the people you interviewed, what story stands out in your mind the most?
It's impossible to say because they represent 17 very different workplaces and experiences in tourism—from viticulturalist and vineyard worker to wine maker and wine educators, from restaurant wait staff to famous chefs, from balloonist to masseuse. Everyone who is in the book told great stories about their lives and their work in the Napa Valley. There was a selection process in which we kept only the best of many interviews.
As anthropologists, what do you bring to your study on Napa Valley that others may not?
Like most anthropologists our primary objective is to get into the heads of the “natives”—the people who work in wine and tourism—and describe the world as they see it. Through interviews and narratives we enable them to tell their own stories about their lives and work in the Napa Valley and about the changes that are occurring. We’re interested in the big picture too—the development of wine tourism in the valley and the impact of its growing popularity.
You interview everyone from farm workers to tour guides to wine specialists. Out of all of them, what would be your dream job?
George: Great question. For me, viticulturalist or vineyard manager…growing wine grapes. On the other hand, given the spectacular scenery and near-perfect climate, being a hot air balloonist (like Joyce Bowen) wouldn't be too shabby.
Sharon: Probably the same answer for me because I enjoy the outdoors so much. But I’m also interested in design and, obviously, in people’s behavior—so perhaps a tasting room consultant like Craig Root.
In your book, you explain that Napa Valley is largely a tourist destination for the wealthy and middle class. What can the Napa Valley offer tourists on a budget?
There are still five wineries that don't charge a tasting fee, and there lots of others that offer specials over the Internet that make wine tasting affordable. And there are reasonably priced accommodations in the city of Napa and even in St. Helena and Calistoga, and of course there is always camping in Bothe State Park near St. Helena. There are more activities available than people realize—hiking, biking, thermal baths, museums, art galleries, farm tours—many of which are affordable.
You explain that Napa Valley tourism really began to take off in the 1980s. How has the wine tasting experience changed since then? What does it offer the next generation?
More attention is paid to explaining the nuances of wines (if people are interested) and more talk about wine and food pairings. There is also much more diversity in tasting rooms and the kind of tasting room experiences they offer—from simple to sophisticated to over-the-top. Other kinds of “tastings” are also available, including olive oil and cheese.
Out of all the wines that come out of the Napa Valley, what is your favorite?
Too many to say. But among them would be Honig’s Sauvignon Blanc.
What do you think the future holds for the Napa Valley? Will it always be a luxury wine destination?
Probably. The valley has great soils and a perfect climate for producing premium grapes and wine. But all tourism destinations go through a developmental cycle analogous to birth, growth, maturation, and decline. Decline sets in when the local resources and infrastructure can no longer keep up with the volume of visitors. At this point the destination exceeds its “carrying capacity.” Social and/or environmental stagnation sets in, and the characteristics that once made the destination appealing and accounted for its success—such as the hospitality of locals, its appealing and uncongested environment, and the lack of gross commercialization—disappear.
At present, wine tourism in the Napa Valley is healthy and growing, but there are areas of concern, and signs that Napa tourism has reached its carrying capacity up-valley.
Other upscale tourist destinations like Carmel, Santa Fe and Aspen, all once delightful places to live, many feel have crossed that line and today suffer from too much tourism. As many visitors comment, “Great place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live here.” So far, few visitors to Napa say this. One fact is abundantly clear and that is that the future of Napa’s wine tourism rests on the fate of its Agricultural Preserve. It is the land-use restrictions of the Ag Preserve that have protected the valley’s vineyards from development and thereby preserved both its wine, its bucolic environment and with them its tourism industry.
Without Napa’s verdant vineyards, open space, rural character, and beauty, tourism will surely decline no matter how fine Napa's wines and dining are.
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