Wines and Knowledge

Napa Valley and Universities (USA)

Factsheet 4×1

Date: 05/09/2012 and 06/09/2012

We were in San Francisco, very close to the famous region of Napa Valley, where the grapes of California wines are grown, and we could not stop to go there to check if the wines are really good!
On the morning of 5 September we took our rental car (The Beetle) and drove for just over an hour to reach the endless vines that extend to the foot of the mountains of the valley. We stopped first in wine Beringer, but the tours through the process of wine production only begin in the afternoon. We continue on the road and, less than 1km to Head, we came across a large building that looked like a castle. We got to understand what it was and found out that it was one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world: the Culinary Institute of America. We entered and were exploring the place. It is a secular building that was bought at a bargain price from its former owner for the creation of culinary school, whose structure impresses.

Historic Artifacts, impressionantes classrooms, the opportunity at any time students can put into practice what they learn; everything is very good. By sinal, not resist and ate lunch there even, in a cafeteria within the school and managed by the students themselves!

We ate gourmet sandwiches for a great price, the cost / benefit was excellent. This is because the products are not sold for profit and all that is collected in the cafeteria reverts back to school. Profit is the practical learning of students. After the parade we went to a winery search looking for mainly small and family. We reached the town of Napa and stopped at a small shop which was named one of the region's wineries, a August Briggs. However, Our statement was not sure, the store had no vineyard, Only the wine produced from grapes purchased from other producers. Anyway, was a small company of 4 family passionate about wine store and tasting offered. We decided to try: the wine was good and definitely not lost for good Argentine wines, chilenos or europeus. We know a grape variety that we had not yet seen, at least never for sale in Brazil, chamada Zinfandel. Grown in Napa Valley, Californian Zinfandel grape has its origins in Croatia, but before coming to the U.S. she was taken to Italy, which has undergone some transformations. We believe that the best wine that this was the first stop Zinfandel!

We left still searching for a winery that possessed the complete structure of the production process of wine. Indicated by the shop owner that stopped earlier, Fomos a vinícola Zahtila, a little further from the city and this guy actually had a small production of wine and family. We talked with the person who was there that, as we explained about the history of wine, has been serving us a few glasses of wine to prove. That was really different, very good. We prove some new and our choice was wine made with Zinfandel!

While We enjoyed, the woman who served us was counting enthusiastic as the winery was born. We do not know how far this story is true or if there is an iota of fiction, We go the more: gives a, Laura Mitchel, was an executive of a technology company in the U.S. (Cisco Systems) who decided to quit my job and open a winery to have a quieter life. But her husband did not like the idea and did not want to move to the region of Napa, eventually split with it and she was managing small winery alone. After some time, um namorado former Laura, I was interested in visiting the process of wine production in the region, acabou indo, without knowing, just Laura tied to wine. There are two re-found, resumed contact, dating back together and today manage the winery, married.

After all the talk and wine tasting, spent the vineyard to take a look and take some photos.

We just have to visit close to 5 given later, time to go back since we still had to pick up road. Ah, before returning stopped at a famous sandwich shop that stays on the road and we could taste a delicious burger tuna!

And it was with this in-the-sun single ended our last day in San Francisco area!

The next day we set off for the north, going for a walk by the universities of Berkeley and Stanford, and we did. Both offer free tours for visitors who want to know more about their structures, just show up at the indicated time and participate in the tour visit (Berkley money, however, you need to book before – for more information, click here).

We begin by UC Berkeley, near San Francisco. Its campus is located within the city of Berkeley and therefore has a more urban face, but still quite green area.

As North-American public universities, different from the Brazilian, are not paid and are cheap. The price differs for students who reside in the state university and for those who do not reside in the same state: On average it can be said that a student from out of state pay 3 times more than a student's own state. And it's not hard to see these values ​​pass the 100 mil reais anuais!!

The University of California, Berkeley's rival Stanford University, we visited after, and it's funny and interesting to see the level of competition between them. St. rivals championships in college football, what is normal, after all are strong teams with nearby schools. But also compete in Olympic Medalhas of their students and Nobel Prizes its researchers and teachers. That's it! To get an idea, students at the University of Berkeley conseguiram quase the same number of Olympic Medals Brazil!!! And Stanford was not much different, despite having achieved a slightly lower number of medals in these Olympics and having lost the "competition" for Berkeley. Inclusive, speaking of Nobel prizes, Berkeley possui 22 awards and met up vacancies reserved for Car Nobel winners, can you believe??

During the visit strolled on campus, guided by a student, entitled to a visit to the library that has classic style, mega saved and filled with small tables with green abatjours those we see on film.

After a visit to Berkeley went to Stanford University, a little farther away from San Francisco, is in the region of Silicon Valley near the headquarters of tech giants, como Apple e Google.

Coming to campus is impressed: é giant, full of lawns between inúmeros the buildings of the university. Reminded us of our USP, only one version that was much greater. We drove to the meeting point for visit, that was guided by a student slightly more knowledgeable that Berkeley, more less enthusiastic.

She was telling us about the history of the university and its principles, like that all students should be treated equally, regardless of origin or ethnicity. However, just after, talking about scholarships that are transferred, asked whether foreign students could also apply for such scholarships and she told us not, I Só North American. Curiously this "equality" among all students!

The university's top Linha: all infrastructure, support student, gymnasium and dormitories are clean. The dorms seem upscale homes, with several rooms to be divided between students who live on campus. Inclusive, There is a tradition that students must spend at least their first year of college at Stanford, in such a dormitory.

Ah, another curiosity: despite his famous speech to the graduates of Stanford, Steve Jobs never studied at university. Walking through the university also visited a church that was designed by the wife of the creator of Stanford, in the year that he died. It is jaw-dropping: reminded us of European churches for their beauty, size, finish and richness in the details!

At the end of the visits, came to the conclusion that studying at both universities seems to be a very rewarding and interesting experience.

We finished the day with a visit to universities miss our college days and our own university, to USP. Above anything, she is the mother of Expedition 4×1 and that's where we met as bixos lost and where we went as explorers. Good memories of a time that seems far and near at the same time!

For more photos from this our passage through the Napa Valley and the Universities, click here.