I’ve waxed on shamelessly about the expensive prospect of living and thriving in Napa Valley, but could it be those rants aren’t quite as justified as I once thought? In a recent report from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Napa kept its crown in 2012 for having the most expensive agricultural land in not only California but in the United States. The Holy Grail, otherwise known as Cabernet Sauvignon, plays heavily in the hefty price tag that our vineyard land commands, to the tune of $50,000 to $300,000 per acre, in comparison to vineyard land in neighboring Sonoma County, which goes for a paltry $35,000 to $125,000. Then there are farther reaching areas like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County that glean a mere $18,000 to $50,000 for agricultural land.
Regardless, the plumped up price tags didn’t deter would-be buyers from stepping up to the plate to purchase. A typical year sees 15 to 20 commercial vineyard sales, where 2012 brought more than 40. Another reported shift for 2012 was the return of more local buyers, in contrast to 2011, which saw a spike of Chinese buyers.
It also seems that holding the trump card of the most expensive land around comes with some pretty compelling financial perks, like gargantuan levels of tourism and spending. The 2012 Napa Valley Economic Impact Study and the Napa Valley Visitor profile survey reveal Napa Valley receives 3 million annual visitors pouring as much as $1.4 billion per year into our fair land, with three-quarters of said visitors coming for culinary and wine tasting purposes. So while real estate and cost of living prices feel beyond astronomical in these parts, it appears our primo land, wine and food may well be worth their weight given these stats. The biggest bucket of loot came from retail shopping, which accounted for 35 percent of overall spending, with lodging trailing at 24 percent. Another revealing data point is that visitor spending supported nearly 10,500 jobs and accounted for $51.7 million in tax revenues. So while those employed in our restaurants, wineries and hotels (as well as many other outlets) may not be able to afford to reasonably live in the area where they’re employed, at least we have our lush Napa Valley land and lifestyle to thank for something.
Flaunting our local assets
With the ongoing popularity of local farmers markets, it was only a matter of time before the fruits of our land got put to other uses. By press time, one such venture, Napa Valley Distillery, should be offering fruit-based distilled spirits featuring some of Napa’s natural assets, with such concoctions as vintage vodka made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes, barrel aged cocktails and more. The family owned micro-distillery, led by Arthur and Lusine Hartunian, will be located inside Napa’s Oxbow Public Market where libations will be available for retail purchase, not by pours, until licensing is obtained. Right in line with the release of the “The Great Gatsby” remake, the shop will resemble an old-fashioned speakeasy, bringing Napa right back to its Prohibition-era roots.
Kevin Sprenger of Santa Rosa’s Sprenger’s Tap Room is also getting in on the local goods action with early-stage development plans for a beer garden and gastropub that will be located in downtown Calistoga between Puerto Vallarta restaurant and the warehouse that backs up to First Street. Sprenger plans to brew the new joint’s beer from spring water pumped from the same well his father, former owner of Calistoga Mineral Water, Elwood Sprenger, used to pump local water back in the ’70s. This is good news to townies and visitors who hail to the brewski side of the house, given the holes that were left when Silverado Brewing Company closed it its doors last fall and the Calistoga Inn battened its hatches shut when a fire caused its temporary—feels like forever—closure. The good news for beer hounds that can’t wait until next year to sip the suds is, the latter is set to reopen at the beginning of July, just in time for the summer swelter.
One of downtown Napa’s newest eating haunts, Napa Valley Bistro, occupying the former space of “Neela’s” Indian restaurant, plans to also leverage the best of Napa Valley, in its offering of sustainable, local, comfort food. Fitting given the joint’s chef, Bernardo Ayala, has been a part of the Slow Food Napa Valley movement since 1999 and comes hot of the grill of an 11-year stint as executive chef at Silverado Brewing Company, where he was responsible for making it one of the first green restaurants in the valley. For his latest venture, Ayala teams with Chef Ernesto Martinez with ambitious plans for a menu that will appease both the culinary and cost-conscious crowds. Napa could certainly stand to have another contender competing in the affordable eats department. Ayala is committed to filling plates with creative, seasonal classics pulled from local producers and products.
Moving out
Looks like Napa’s Andaz, formerly known as Avia, is on deck to change hands once again. Hyatt Hotels purchased the property in 2011 from Avia parent company, Lodgeworks. With an asking price of $75 million, it’ll be interesting to see how quickly the hotel will change hands, though it’s reported that Hyatt will continue to manage the property even when it goes under new ownership. Until then, we can wage bets on whether or not the hotel will don yet another name change and if the swanky hipster vibe will remain. Regardless, with lodging representing 24 percent of Napa Valley’s $1.4 billion in visitor spending, it’s doubtful any of this will matter to the future owner.
