You might say it’s in the water. Calistoga’s celebrated hot springs and “Old Faithful” geyser were once said to have healing powers, and American settlers were fast to capitalize — none more than Sam Brannan, who famously heralded the Gold Rush shouting “Gold! Gold on the American River!” up the streets of San Francisco. He founded and named the town, a portmanteau of “California” and “Saratoga,” and built a resort he’d hope would rival its easterly prototype, even stretching a rail line to reach it. As fate would have it, Calistoga became more so a place to wine about. The ’73 Chardonnay from Chateau Montelena was the winning white at the 1976 Judgment of Paris, a singular event that helped plunk Napa Valley on the wine world’s map. Whether you’re wandering the covered Old West sidewalks in town or soaring over the vines on Silverado Vineyards’ gondola, Calistoga is a vintage worth giving a swirl.