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2010 Mazda CX-7

By Juan G. Robbin
A weekend in Napa Valley with a 2010 Mazda CX-7 Sport Front Wheel Drive.

Recently, 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.