Today's title is Act 1, Scene 2 of what play?I recently reread a post of my trip with Brad to Napa this summer. There it was promised to fill in some of the details of the trip, but as I reread the post I realized Napa had changed in the short time I had been traveling through the region.
Brad, John and I; through John's generosity of time; tasted at two wineries one day and three the next. We started at Trefethen. When Brad was 18 months old, Maureen and I lived outside Sebastopol for a month when I went to Sonoma State. A great place called Graton. During that summer of 1988 we tasted wine all over Napa Valley, but mostly Sonoma county. One day we went to Trefethen and we have a picture of young Brad "driving" the antique tractor out front of the winery. I thought it might be nice to visit on Brad's first official tasting trip.
Trefethen has changed in 20 years like us all. Much more polished and upscale. John's work truck, though new, looked different than the M-B's, BMW's and Audi's out front. It was nice to see a trio ride up on bicycles as we left, but I think that is a trend also. The wine was good and as you would expect for Valley wine, not cheap. Reasonable for the region, but more than the past. I didn't dislike the wine, but as I have found some styles I like more than others. John and Ashley have taught and talked about how the winemaker can shape the grapes, and also how the viticulturist (grower) also.
Next that day was Pina's winery. This is an appointment only tasting winery. Wineries are doing this more. I can understand as they have to make the wine as well as sell it. Since John works for Pina, we had an appointment. As always they were very generous. For Brad this was an eye-opening experience. The last time we were here was during harvest and crush. I got to taste the grape juice right out of the crusher. Fresh grape juice, no fermentation, no alcohol. Already start to taste how a wine will end up.
Ana, the winemaker, put us through our paces. We tasted their offerings, then Ana offered to taste from the barrel. If you get the chance, do this. It is part of the stages of the process. Wine that I liked out of the barrel, and I mean really liked, were a year or two away from bottling and selling. They would get better being in the barrel longer. And they would get better still in the bottle over time. John has explained before that is part of the cost of red wine. The oak barrels are expensive and the wine takes years before it is sold. Some white wines are harvested in August/September and sold in the spring of the next year.
Pina makes great wines and we have supped from their bottles before and will in the future. They are an old Napa Valley family with connections to the early 1900's on both sides, but remain grape growers, farmers, at heart it seems. Connected to the land.
John had some work to do. So after Pina, we traveled up the hill to Lampyridae Vineyards. To me this is always the highlight to any trip to Napa. You know those places in the world that soothe your soul; this is one of those places for me. This is John and Ashley's place. Ashley was going to a chocolate party, so Brad and I were blessed to play with the children until John got home. As I said, what a hoot!
The next day was soccer practice, cornbread, Gary Vaynerchuk and small blessings and joys. The Tasting Trio were onto Sawyer Cellars first. This is one of the vineyards John tends. Charlie Sawyer is like many neo-Napa-ites. (I know it's not a word). He is part owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and has semi-retired to make wine. He is unlike many in that he is such a nice man and very down to earth. During harvest he is out in the vines with the picking crew tasting the grapes and directing the crew where to pick and where to leave for another day. Charlie wasn't at the winery that day, but his wonderful wine was. Great cab's.
I had asked John to think of wineries to visit that he hadn't been to in a while or never been. I chose Trefethen because it had been twenty years for me. We next went to Rubicon/Niebaum-Coppola/Inglenook. Francis Ford Coppola bought the Niebaum-Inglenook winery years ago. I have enjoyed the Coppola wines. They are mid priced and good everyday wines. John said the Rubicon wines were their top of the line wines and this property in the heart of the valley is their showplace. It was a fine example of the new Napa Valley. Valet parking at the beginning, Tucker car and Oscars in the display cases, goodies galore to purchase and good wine. Steep tasting price, but the winery put on quite a service and spectacle. I guess that is what you should expect from an Oscar winning director. Quite a place, but not necessarily my cup of grapes.
We were near the end of the day and needed to go to the store. We were near St. Helena, one of my favorite towns, on Highway 29. I have learned through experience that 29 is a bear to travel. The first time Maureen and I drove on 29 I remarked that it reminded me of a country road near home. Not anymore. We drove five miles out of our way to avoid a left turn.
The blessing was Prager Port Works. Woo, baby! If Rubicon is the new Napa, then Prager is the old Napa. And I found the mother ship. I like port. Unfortunately I can't affort real, old port. My liver is thanking me for that. John had said he doesn't understand how Prager can stay in business. They are in the heart of the valley and the tasting room is an old barn. When we stepped inside we were greeted with the reason they survive. They were packed with all kinds of people, but also many young people. The other places were for the yuppies and dinks. This cobwebb covered, dollar bill wallpapered barn had no pretensions. The grape juice is why you are here and the people were having a blast. The owners were having a blast. Grandpa Prager was sitting on a stool in one corner having a blast. And the grape juice is good. What a way to end the "valley" tasting for the day.
We traveled back up the hill to the home of the Derrs. Hop-on-Brad soon ensued, Ashley made a typically wonderful dinner, Buckwheat was roaming the vineyards, the sun went down, the fireflies showed their stuff, and great conversation with great people happened. A soothing weekend.
Answer: Romeo and Juliet -- Romeo and Benvolio have an invitation to the annual Capulet party dropped in their laps so to speak when the servant can't read the names on the list. Just think if that servant knew how to read, all those people wouldn't have died.
