A Weekend in Napa
Valley With a 2010 Mazda CX-7 Sport Front Wheel Drive
 |
Text and Photos by:
Juan C. Robbin, July 2010 |
ecently, this writer and his family did
a long weekend stay in California’s Napa Valley wine growing region,
enjoying decadent dining as well as world class wines. Mazda supplied
us with a new 2010 CX-7 Sport FWD ideally suited for our wine region
extravaganza. We made arrangements to stay in the town of St Helena, a
quaint town on the northern end of the valley. We chose the Harvest Inn
as our home away from home while in Napa. From our second floor terrace,
the expansive vistas of the adjoining vineyard as well as the dramatic
mountain ranged called the Mayacaymas where breathtaking.
www.harvestinn.com
The Mazda CX-7 is a compact SUV that
offers excellent versatility combined with good fuel economy. The look
is crisp and modern and definitely is in keeping with the current Mazda
Nagare theme, or “motion and flow” design philosophy. The front
wheel fenders have a flowing arch and the rear hatch has a sweeping
dramatic, almost exaggerated angle which creates a superb side profile
for the CX-7.
Our 1st stop was the famous
Chateau Montelena which became known after the stunning win in the 1976
Paris wine tasting event. This historic win clearly put Napa Valley on
the radar screen of wine drinkers the world over.
www.montelena.com
Inside the CX-7, the driver and its
passengers are greeted with a neat and efficient interior. We loved the
high-center dash information screen that also houses the handy-dandy
rear back-up camera display. Additionally, this small screen is also
used when the optional navigation package is ordered. Seats are sporty
yet comfortable. Controls and switchgear feel great, maybe, even better
than in some Japanese premium brand versions. There are plenty of cup
holders as well as cubby holes, making the CX-7 a pleasure to use as a
multi-person hauler.
The afternoon brought us to the superb,
single vineyard winery called Nickel and Nickel. The tasting was held
for us in the intimate setting of their 19th century restored
house. We sampled their reds and whites, as well as their world famous
desert wine called Dolce. Afterwards, we got a tour of their cellar
where the attention to detail is astounding. Each barrel stack is
perfectly lined and the floor is impeccable.
www.nickelandnickel.com
One of the most pleasant drives we did
during our 450 miles with the CX-7 was crossing over the valley towards
Point Reyes where we picked up Highway 1. This is a spectacular road
which borders the Pacific Ocean, cliff-winding its way south. The CX-7’s
four-cylinder, 161 HP engine surprised us with its spirited performance
as well as its excellent efficiency. The dramatic curves on Hwy 1 can be
a challenge in most cars, while the CX-7 managed it with gusto! Brakes
and steering feel direct and positive, even during aggressive turns.
Throttle pedal resistance is excellent, making the CX-7 easy to drive
smoothly. Our car came with the optional moon-roof as well as heated
front seats. Curiously enough, we encountered multiple micro-climates
along the way, going from A/C one minute to ambient temp heat 10 miles
later. A must stop along Highway 1 is the famous Muir Woods reserve.
There we experienced the majestic redwood trees, most being more than
100 years old.
One other winery we visited was Swanson
Vineyards. This is a small, boutique winery that we discovered their
wines by coincidence while having dinner the night before. Liking the
wine so much, we called them and made reservations for a tasting. We
were pleasantly surprised with the taste and quality of their wines not
to mention their hospitality.
www.swansonvineyards.com
The Napa region has hundreds of wineries
that will satisfy the taste and budget of any wine drinker, all while
having a great time and learning something new in the process.
Knowing that we would be four adults
with luggage, the CX-7’s cargo capacity would be put to the test. We
accommodated four medium suitcases as well as several personal bags.
Yeah, it was maxed out, but we still managed to put everything we
brought in the rear cargo compartment, quite impressive.
The 2010 Mazda CX-7 SUV: Nimble, sporty
and superbly designed, offering an excellent blend of comfort, style and
efficiency. The Napa region is blessed with superb weather, beautiful
mountains and valleys as well as spectacular grapes that grow to become
some of the best wines in the United States. Ironically, the color of
our 2010 Mazda CX-7 was a red that looked like it was poured out of a
bottle of Napa Merlot.
The Essentials:
MSRP: $22,340.00 MSRP (As tested): $25,110.00
Fuel Economy (Observed): 24.5 MPG
Engine: Inline 4 cylinder, 2.5 liter, 161 HP
Popular Options: Convenience Package, Navigation Package, moon-roof.
visit:
www.mazdausa.com
