Napa Valley: A look back at 2013

(NVR) - The Napa Valley is alive with the holiday spirit. Red velvet hats with white “snowball” toppings are de rigueur for the season. The shops and restaurants in all the towns are decked with strings of holiday lights, and the wineries are brightly lit for the holidays. This is a fitting end for another magical year in our valley.

Some of the highlights of 2013:

January

Napa Valley’s “first lady” Margrit Mondavi received the Monteith Trophy, considered to be one of the most prestigious awards in the wine industry.

Master of Wine Tim Hanni introduced his new book, “Why You Like the Wines You Like.”

For the second year, January was designated as Napa Valley Restaurant Month.

February

Napa Valley Vintners introduced “Napa Valley Rocks,” a DVD that shows what makes Napa Valley America’s premium wine-producing region.

Premiere Napa Valley, Napa Valley’s annual fundraising event, was a stunning success.

March

Successful wine book author James Conway introduced his new book, titled “Nose” — a work of fiction set in “a gorgeous Northern California valley” (a thinly veiled Napa Valley).

Lots of remodeling and construction went on: digging of wine caves at new Joseph Cellars Winery in Calistoga; a new winery, Cairbean Winery, being constructed on the former site of the St. Helena Market Place in north St. Helena; a new rotunda at Meadowood Restaurant; and a new office and storage building on the grounds of Castello di Amoroso.

A celebration was held with the grand opening of the Napa Valley Performing Arts Center at the Lincoln Theater at the Veterans Home of California at Yountville.