Inside Napa Valley - Fall 2017

inside

napa valley Fall 2017

CRUSHIN’ IT in the Napa Valley

3341 Solano Ave (Redwood Plaza), Napa (707) 252-8131 • www.creationsfinejewelers.com

inside

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Touring St. Helena

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Your favorite things

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Yountville by foot

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Remembering Pierce

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Small World after all

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Napa Tire rolls on

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Preserving our lands

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Stand for mental health

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Getting to Know You

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Great Estates

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Orthodox devotion

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Soaring over Napa

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Las Alcobas kicks it up

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Adventurous air

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Davies tasting

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Living the Life

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Charter Oak impresses

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A family legacy

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Friend chicken popup

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Where in the Valley?

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Better with biscuits

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Horsing around in AmCan 40

Pestoni: All in the family

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A mother’s love

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Wineries to visit

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Standout dads

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Events of summer

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To advertise in Inside Napa Valley, please call us at 707-256-2228 | A publication of the Napa Valley Publishing Company

Crush is upon us NORMA KOSTECKA Advertising Director

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t’s been a hot one in the Napa Valley, but fall is in sight, with harvest and crush already under way. Don’t worry, though — there’s plenty of great weather and good fun left in this summer of 2017.

In this edition of Inside Napa Valley, we’ll finish our tour of quirky urban tastNORMA KOSTECKA ing rooms that we started in the last edition, and this time visiting St. Helena and Yountville. We’ll get an insider’s look at the 10 top-rated Napa County wineries for visitors, at least based on the reviews on popular travel websites.

We’ll take to the air to examine the balloon culture high above the Napa Valley, and we’ll have a look at some more

adventurous air-sports options if ballooning is too tame for your tastes.

In the world of small business, we’ll meet the multi-generational experts behind Napa Tire (you’ll be surprised by how much you don’t know about your trusty wheels) and we’ll visit with Napa’s popular Small World restaurant.

Next we head into the vineyards to see how the second generation of a pioneering Stags Leap District family is rethinking their legacy and look at the ways the Land Trust is trying to preserve the precious agriculture and open space in the valley.

We’ll look one family’s commitment to mental health care and a visit an Orthodox monastery — in Calistoga, of all places.

We all know that moms are great, but what about dads? Our production schedule means we

talk about Mother’s Day every spring, but we miss out on Father’s Day in early summer, so in this edition we’ll do a bit of a makeup and look at Napa County’s best dads, as nominated by you. But there’s plenty of love for moms too, as we meet a Napa mother who opened her heart and her family to a young man in need.

We’ll bring you a new edition of “Great Estates,” looking at some of the most unusual and luxurious homes on the market in the valley.

This time we visit a spectacular Spring Mountain mansion that happens to have a noted wine brand thrown in as a bonus.

Columnist Colin MacPhail, a wine-industry consultant and a keen observer of life in the Napa Valley, continues his “Living the Life” series, this time celebrating the joys of small

town living.

We’ll get to know Napa Valley College President Ron Kraft and we’ll continue our “Where in the Valley” visual quiz. And we’ll try something new, where we put some questions to you, the reader, and get to know you a little bit better.

On top of it all, we’ll continue to bring you some of the best of our recent food and wine coverage from the pages of our Napa Valley Publishing family of newspapers.

So hoist a glass of refreshing Napa County white and join us for the latest edition of Inside Napa Valley.

On the cover: A ripe grape cluster hangs on the vines at Steltzner Vineyards, where a second generation is building on a family tradition in the Stags Leap District (See story, Page 34). Photo

by Suzanne Becker Bronk.

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TASTING “MAIN STREET” on Napa County’s

A walking tour of St. Helena’s urban tasting rooms DAVID STONEBERG editor@sthelenastar.com‌

‌A

n afternoon walking tour of six St. Helena tasting rooms included Farmstead and Trujillo on the south side of town to Thornhill and Orin Swift in downtown proper.

Catherine Bugue, a St. Helena Star tasting panelist, and I acted as tourists on that spring afternoon. We made no appointments and after simple interviews, discovered what each of the tasting rooms offered. These six are presented in alphabetical order.

CLIF FAMILY — If you’re looking for something to nibble on, a delicious meal, a wine and tasting menu or a tasting flight or two or wines by the glass or bottle, either indoors or outdoors, then Clif Family is the place to go. And, if you want to help out a local nonprofit, either through one of two programs, the major “Sip and Support” or smaller “Dine and Donate” events, then this is the place as well.

Mike Anderson, tasting room manager, said the Clif Family/Velo Vino tasting room has been open since 2011, although the owners, Gary Erickson and Kit Larson, have been making wines since 2004.

“We have multiple experiences for folks to jump right into,” he said in a private tasting room that included a large table with a gorgeous wooden top. “We have two different menus that we feature each day, our wine and tasting menu and the other our menu for the food truck (Clif Family Bruschetteria), which parks on Vidovich Avenue, right outside our

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In the mood for some sparkling wine from the North Coast? Stop in at Thorn Hill Vineyards’ tasting room.

Tastings at 1234 Main, and manager Scott Turnnidge will pour you a glass of Brut Cuvee de Prestige.

David Stoneberg, Star ‌

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Customers at the Orin-Swift tasting room in downtown St. Helena chat with the staff over a glass of wine. The decor of the tasting room is unique, with beautiful stone and wood walls.

tasting room.

“Depending on what a guest is looking for, whether it is a bite to eat and a glass of wine, a more in-depth wine and food pairing experience or just tasting through a flight of wines, we can do any of those options,” he said.

An added benefit is a shaded outdoor patio that’s just delightful on a spring afternoon. Anderson, who has been with Clif Family for three years, said the large green food truck was launched in 2014.

Two flights of wines are crafted, the “King of the Mtn. Tasting,” which is $40 and includes the winery’s flagship red wines; or the “Yellow Jersey Tasting,” which is $25 and includes a good mix of whites and reds and is designed as an introductory tasting.

Laura Barrett is the winemaker, who came to Clif Family at the end of the 2014 vintage.

A big part of what Clif Family does is supporting the local community, when it partners with a number of organizations for its “Sip and Support” event. “It basically entails having that group be present here and we donate a portion of the proceeds, both from the food truck and the tasting room, from that day’s sales to the organizations,” Anderson said.

In the past, those groups have included the St. Helena Little League, the St. Helena food bank, Napa County Land Trust and others.

FARMSTEAD LONG MEADOW RANCH — Of the six wine tasting rooms we visited, Farmstead Long Meadow Ranch and Clif Family have been established the longest, seven years for both. They are roughly across from each other, along with newcomer Trujillo Wines, on Highway 29.

Farmstead LMR is more than just a tasting room: It is a complex made up of a farm-to-table restaurant, café, general store (located in the historic Logan-Ives house, built in 1874) and on many summer weekends, it is the place to go for live music.

Lisa Julius, General Store manager, served up a 2015 Long Meadow Ranch Sauvignon blanc made from grapes grown on LMR’s Rutherford estate, where they grow 200 varietals of organic fruits and vegetables, sold at the St. Helena Farmers’ Market from May through October.

The General Store showcases a lot of homemade goods, including a tomato puree, a new barbecue sauce, a Bloody Mary mix and jams and jellies. It also is where customers can taste wine, whiskey or enjoy an olive Please see Tastings, Page 7

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TASTINGS From Page 5

oil flight. The olive oil comes from olives grown and pressed on the Long Meadow Ranch winery. On that site, located up in the Mayacamas Mountains, is an olive tree that is 100 years old, and according to Samantha Klee, tasting room sales associate, the tree has no genetic match anywhere in the world.

“We got it tested at UC Davis and in Spain and we found no match,” she said.

A flight of four wines, out of seven offered, is $25. Wines range from a 2015 sauvignon blanc to a 2013 merlot and a 2013 cabernet sauvignon. Also offered is a library wine flight, including cabernet sauviIf you go gnons from 2004, CLIF FAMILY 2006 and 2008 and 709 Main St. a 2012 petite sirah 707-968-0625 from Rutherford.

Cliffamilywinery.com Cost is $40.

FARMSTEAD A tasting of three 738 Main St. olive oils is $5.

707-963-4555 Owners Ted and Longmeadowranch.com Laddie Hall have ORIN SWIFT three distinct prop1325 Main St. er ties, 650 acres 707-967-9179 Orinswift.com that make up Long THORN HILL VINEYARDS M e a d o w R a n c h St. Helena Tasting Room Winery, their Ruth1234 Main St. erford farm property 707-302-5168 and the Farmstead Thornhillvineyards.com LMR property at Frissonwines.com 738 Main St. Klee TRUJILLO WINES said different events 661 Main St. are held throughout 707-965-2943 the property, includTrujillowines.com YAO FAMILY WINES ing weddings and 929 Main St. a chef ’s table, four 707-968-5874 or five-course meal, Yaofamilywines.com paired with LMR wines, where the chef comes out after each course and explains the meal.

ORIN SWIFT — Orin Swift has made a name for itself as a brand, and we expect that visitors will see that name above the Main Street doorway and just have to stop in for a taste. Expect chic minimalism at this Manhattan-like bar with each wall of its long, narrow physique made from a different natural element: stone, wood lathe, and metal.

Rob Birney, who has been with Orin Swift for three years, greeted us at the tasting bar and provided some background on the space and the wines. The tasting room had a soft opening in June 2013, followed by a more formal opening that fall.

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Mike Anderson is the tasting room manager of Clif Family Winery, which has been open at the corner of Main Street and Vidovich Avenue in St. Helena since 2011. They have been making wine since 2004.

Can’t decide which tasting menu to select?

The Orin Swift team thought that might be the case, and allows for visitors to call heads or tails — which are actually the names of the two main tasting menus. Whether you end up with Heads or Tails, each provides three tastes for $10.

The wines on each of the flights include chardonnay, a grenache blend, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah blend and a Bordeaux blend. Depending on the wine, they were made with grapes grown in the Napa Valley or throughout California.

The third flight, The Finite Few, includes

a taste of four wines for $20 and includes a Napa Valley sauvignon blanc, a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and two California wines, a grenache and a pinot noir.

What exciting things can we expect from the Orin Swift tasting room going forward?

Here, and only here, they will be making special tasting room-only and wine club-only wines available to visitors.

THORN HILL — For the past two years, Thorn Hill Vineyards has had a tasting room in downtown St. Helena and Scott Turnnidge has been manager since November. It Please see Tastings, Page 8

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TASTINGS From Page 7

at its large winery and tasting room on Highway 29 in Lake County and in Lancaster, Penn., which is the home of winemaker Amy Thorn and her husband, Jack.

In St. Helena, the tasting room also serves wines from Frisson Wines, owned by Terry and Pam Davis. A signature wine tasting costs $20 and includes six wines, three from each label and two from the 2012 vintage and four from the 2013 vintage. The 2012s include two Frisson cabernets, one from Diamond Mountain, the other from Georges III. The four 2013s are Frisson Dutton Ranch Chardonnay from Sonoma, Thorn Hill Pinot Noir from Napa Valley, Thorn Three Sisters Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa and Thorn Hill Old Vine Zinfandel from Red Hills in Lake County.

Wines also are available by the glass, from $6 to $20 for Frisson and $8 to $14 for Thorn Hill wines and by the bottle. Also available are a charcuterie and cheese plate, a wine and chocolate pairing and a dessert wine tasting paired with an Italian biscotti.

Turnnidge said the nice thing about

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Rob Birney has been with Orin Swift for the past three years. During a recent visit he poured the winery’s 2015 Abstract, which is a Grenache blend, made from California grapes.

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David Stoneberg, Star‌

The Farmstead General Store hosts wine and whiskey tastings as well as selling a wide variety of organic products created from crops grown on their Rutherford property.

the tasting room is that you don’t need an appointment, since it is located within the city limits. “For most wineries, built since 1990, you need an appointment. But here you can walk in and taste our wines, although, if I’m super busy, I may ask you to come back in 15 minutes,” he said.

TRUJILLO — Walk into the Trujillo tasting room and you will see a rustic room filled with weathered wood, large green plants and

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Stephanie Bueno pours two tastes of Trujillo’s 2014 cabernet sauvignon, made from grapes grown in the Howell Mountain, Rutherford and St. Helena areas.

plenty of tables. It’s a nice homey space, said Stephanie Bueno, sales associate, who added the room was designed by Terry, the wife of winemaker Michael Trujillo. In designing the room, she sought to get people to sit down “and we sit down with them, get to know them, talk to them, engage with them and the wines,” Bueno said.

Trujillo Wines was established in 2012, although Michael Trujillo has been making

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Scott Turnnidge has been the manager of the St. Helena tasting room for Thorn Hill Vineyards since November. A variety of wines from two producers, Thorn Hill and Frisson Wines, are poured at the downtown tasting room.

wine for years, first with Sequoia Grove and then with Karl Lawrence from 1991 to 2012.

The tasting room opened in March 2016 and at first the traffic in front of the storefront was pretty hectic, because of the construction on Main Street.

Now, though, the road surface is smooth and nice and Bueno said people are coming in and are more than welcome to park in the back — with its big parking lot — and walk to the other tasting rooms downtown.

Busiest days are Fridays and Saturdays.

A tasting flight of four wines is $25; if you want to taste the two red wines or a white cuvee and a rose, cost is $15 for each of the two wines. Current wines being poured include a 2016 Madelynne White Wine Cuvee, 2016 Madelynne Rose, 2014 Trujillo-Madelynne Red and the winery’s flagship, 2014 Trujillo Cabernet Sauvignon.

Both red wines are made with grapes grown in the Napa Valley.

Following the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle wine competition, Trujillo Wines won a gold medal for its 2014 cabernet sauvignon from Rutherford and two silver medals, one for its 2013 Madelynne Red Wine Cuvee from Howell Mountain, and the second for its 2015 Madelynne Rose from Russian River.

YAO FAMILY WINES — If you’re a basketball fan, you’ve heard of Chinese superstar, Yao Ming, who retired from the Houston Rockets in 2011. He owns a wine brand, Yao Family Wines, and they are poured at his tasting room in St. Helena, adjacent to Gott’s Roadside Café.

Anna Egan, marketing coordinator, said the tasting room is “very relaxed” and the tasting room is a place where “you can pick a corner and sip your wine, not have any pressure, just enjoy the sights, each other and the experience.”

Three tasting flights are offered, for $35 (current wines), $50 (reserve wines), and $80 for library wines. The last two include the option of a cheese and charcuterie tray. Additionally four wines, from 2015 Napa Crest Sauvignon Blanc to 2013 Yao Ming Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon are available by the ounce, for $3 to $15; the glass from $10 to $60; and the bottle from $32 to $225.

Egan said the library flight is for customers who want to enjoy older vintages and the “best of the best.” It includes a vertical tasting of Yao Ming Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from 2010, 2011 and 2012.

She mentions the 2010 is a 98-point wine.

Winemaker for these wines is Tom Hinde and grapes are sourced from St. Helena, Rutherford, Oakville and Yountville.

The busiest days are Fridays, Saturdays

David Stoneberg, Star‌

Anna Egan, who has been working in the Yao Family Wines tasting room since November, says the first comment she hears from customers is how beautiful the tasting room is.

and Sundays and Egan sums up the tasting room as “a nice location to visit” either before or after lunch.

Catherine Bugue contributed to this article.

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series on Napa County’s urban tasting rooms.

Yountville is profiled in this issue; Napa and Calistoga were featured in the previous edition.

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SIP AND inSHOP Yountville

Stewart Cellars Jess Lander

Unusual zoning rules mean urban tasting rooms double as stores JESS LANDER

I

f you like a side of shopping with your wine, spend a day walking Yountville’s urban wine trail along Washington Street. Here, the wine tasting experience has a little something extra that you won’t find in the neighboring small towns like St. Helena and Calistoga. In Yountville, every tasting room is required to use 25 percent of its space for retail — which means you can sip while you shop for home goods, decor, art and more.

There are at least a dozen tasting rooms to visit, but here is a sample itinerary that will provide a variety of wine, shopping, food

and experience.

Start at the north end of town at one of the newer tasting rooms in town, Stewart Cellars, where you can fuel up for your day of wine tasting at their fast casual cafe, Gather Cafe. Chef Sarah Heller’s menu is full of fresh, healthy eats separated into “Greens” and “Grains,” but you’d be a fool to pass up the Belgian waffles, stuffed with sweet or savory ingredients like bacon and goat cheese.

Take your food outside to the courtyard, where you can request to have your wine tasting at the same time, or after you chow

A taste pairing at Silver Trident.

Jess Lander

down. Before you leave, take a Cross the street, and wander peek into the NOMAD Heritage into the stone building of Ma(i) Library, and browse an eclectic sonry, home to both a wine collection of books, all of which are for sale.

Please see Shop, Page 12

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SHOP From Page 11

collective and art gallery. On a nice day, sip in the sculpture garden, where you can’t miss the giant corkscrew priced at $43,000, created by David Tanych, the same artist behind the lock and key and jacks set often seen on Oak Knoll Rd. The work of more than 100 artists is on display both inside and out.

“It’s like a living gallery. It’s a lot more relaxing, a lot less threatening to shop for art with a glass of wine in your hand. We don’t want to be intimidating, we want to be fun,” said Ma(i)sonry art consultant Marissa Radova.

“Everything but the building is for sale. You can sip, savor and shop.”

The tasting menu at Ma(i) sonry can be overwhelming at first, featuring the productions from about 20 wineries, but their staff will help you curate a tasting based on your wine preferences.

From Ma(i)sonry, head down towards V Marketplace, where you’ll soon happen upon the JCB Tasting Lounge. Even if over the top isn’t your taste, it’s worth a stop in for the experience — and the bubbly. In true Jean Charles Boisset fashion, the tasting lounge is full of glitz and glam, from mirrors on the ceiling to oversized chandeliers, velvet and of course, a lot of leopard print.

Keeping with the theme, only pricey, luxury items are for sale, including JCB’s custom-designed jewelry collection, candles, perfumes, glassware and copious amounts of gorgeous crystal. If you’re hungry, grab a cheese and charcuterie snack at JCB’s Atelier next door.

Catty-corner to JCB is Hill Family Estates, run by third-generation prune farmers.

The antique store turned tasting room sells mostly small home decor items at its front of house, but the most interesting finds are not for sale.

You’ll find several sports

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Jess Lander‌

Silver Trident

Jess Lander‌

Jess Lander‌

The giant corkscrew, priced at $43,000, created by David Tanych, in the sculpture garden at Ma(i)sonry.

jerseys signed by their respective athletes, an old barn wall painted in an American flag, a guitar stained in red wine by Ryan Hill (VP and Director of Sales), a painting done by former San Francisco 49er Vernon Davis and a life-sized replica of a red judge chair from The Voice.

All of these have interesting stories behind them that the Hill Family staff will happily divulge while you enjoy your wine flight.

Be sure to try their French-style Syrah, which contains a small amount of Viognier.

For your last stop of the day, you’ll be relieved that Silver Trident is more like a cozy, impeccably designed home than a tasting room. Everything from the hip, black and white photographs to candles to the furniture you sit on is exclusively from the Ralph Lauren Home collection and available for purchase.

Silver Trident’s seated tastings occur in the living room, dining room or library, paired with four small, delectable bites.

“The town is forward-thinking in wanting to attract day

Belgian waffles at Stewart Cellars’ Gather Cafe.

visitors here to the town of Yountville, to really spend time here, see how great the town is, and also to attract additional visitors that will come here for something else beyond food and wine,” said Shane Soldinger, VP of Sales at Silver Trident. “Every place you walk into has some other element. We’re really the first to take that requirement and make it a full on experience.”

Editor’s Note: This is part of a series on Napa County’s urban tasting rooms. St. Helena is profiled in this issue; Napa and Calistoga were featured in the previous edition.

Ahmad Ali Musa (“Mike”), owner of Napa’s Middle Eastern Small World Restaurant, prepares for the lunch crowd with General Manager Rico Gramlich.

Tim Carl

Napa’s

SMALL WORLD TIM CARL

Middle Eastern restaurant offers a safe spot in a weary world After emigrating from Israel to Los Angles at age 14, Ahmad Ali Musa (“Mike”) worked at his uncle’s grocery store and finished high school before moving to Napa. Years later, in 1995, he’d open a falafel restaurant, Small World, that has become the place to enjoy Middle-Eastern-inspired food in the Napa Valley.

“I come from a long line of restaurant owners,” Ali Musa said.

“My father was a famous chef in

Israel and owned three restaurants. My mother’s family owned five or six, so no one seemed surprised that I ended up having one, too. But in the Napa Valley?

That might have been a bit of a surprise.”

Even today the options for Middle Eastern fare are rare in Tim Carl Wine Country, where French, Ahmad Ali Musa (“Mike”), owner of Napa’s Middle Eastern Small World Italian and nouvelle cuisines have Restaurant, holds a plate of house-made baklava with General Manager Please see World, Page 15

Rico Gramlich and Chef Matthew Richmond (formerly Bistro Jeanty in Yountville), who prepares for the lunch service.

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WORLD From Page 13

historically dominated the culinary scene.

“I had heard about the opening of a Middle Eastern restaurant and was excited to try it out,” said Jack Morgan, who at the time was the publisher of the Napa Valley Register. Morgan had spent time in New York, where he’d enjoyed Middle Eastern dishes. “We didn’t have such food where I lived when I was growing up, but I loved the flavors and freshness of the food, so having this new option in downtown Napa was something that I really looked forward to and still do. We often still enjoy lunch or dinner there with our family and friends.”

“When Mr. Morgan came to the restaurant the first time it was only our second day open,” Ali Musa said. “I really didn’t know what I was doing and was hiding in the back. When he came in he called, ‘Hey, anyone here?’ I peeked around the corner and told him that I was making falafel and that the recipes came from my family and they were all made kosher and halal. He just nodded and then ate. The next day a reporter came in to write up a story.”

The day after the interview they closed up shop and he and his wife headed down to San Francisco. It had been a long time since they’d taken a break, and the restaurant had brought in a whopping $50 the day before.

“Fifty bucks was really something at that point, so we decided to celebrate,” Ali Musa said.

“When we were in San Francisco just walking around, this guy calls out to us, ‘Hey Falafel Man, did you see the front page of the Register today?’”

Later Ali Musa found a paper.

The story had run on the front page with his photo front and center.

“The day after the article ran there was a line down the block,” Ali Musa said. “We ran out of food and I was asking my wife, ‘What do we do now?’ She said we need more supplies. I nodded and ran down to Safeway to stock up. We kept cooking as best we could. Since then things have been pretty consistent. We have

lots of repeat customers, which is something that I really value.”

“This is the best place to get falafel in the Napa Valley,” said Marc Frankenstein, a Napa resident and frequenter of Small World. “I find myself craving the food, and I like that it’s so fresh and reasonably priced.”

Beyond providing good food and a friendly smile, Ali Musa hopes the restaurant provides a safe place for a tired world.

“There is so much anger out there, but we are really all the same when it comes down to it,” Ali Musa said. “I believe in all the world’s religions and traditions because we all come from one power and it’s the same. It’s possible to get along, especially around the table. In my experience everyone, no matter what their tradition, got along where I grew up in Nazareth. And my many local friends from the Jewish community have been wonderfully supportive and helpful over the

years, including my first landlord, who wrote into the lease that I had first rights to purchase the building after he died. I am eternally grateful for his kindness and thoughtfulness.”

“The food is one thing, but it’s really Ali Musa’s — and the entire staff ’s — personalities that makes people want to return,” Morgan said. “His friendly smile and support of the community have had a positive impact on bringing people closer together.”

Part of these broader efforts include supporting local charities and the efforts of Peace Table, a local organization that, according to Ali Musa, seeks to create peaceful solutions for conflict and a way to foster new relationships that build a stronger community.

“I feel blessed to have been elected to chair Peace Table three times and that I was invited to speak out for women’s rights alongside Rep. Mike Thompson at last year’s women’s right march in Napa,” he said. “We need to take care of each other and the earth. This is our duty — to care for this place and keep it safe for future generations.”

Please see World, Page 16

Tim Carl photos

WORLD From Page 15

New customers to Small World might find the payment system a bit strange.

“We use what we call the honor system,” Ali Musa explained. “People order their food but then pay after they are done eating, just telling us what they ordered. We trust our customers.”

Most of the time this altruistic behavior works out well and helps foster a genuine sense of community within the restaurant and beyond.

However, there are those who take advantage.

“Just a few days ago a man took someone else’s food and started walking down the street with it,” Ali Musa said.

“When I called after him I was thinking that once I got the food back to the customer I’d offer this guy a free lunch — he must have needed it.

But that’s when he punched me square in the face.”

He pointed to his swollen lip and then shrugged, “It takes all kinds I guess, but these small bumps will not change the way we do business.”

The most popular items at Small World include vegetarian chickpea-based gyros of hummus and falafel pita ($7.50), or offerings that include roasted shawarma (beef and lamb), chicken or other options, any of which can be layered into chewy pita bread gyros ($8) that are heaped full of fresh vegetables and homemade pickled or cured condiments.

Other options include salads ($9 to $13), burgers ($6 to $8) and fresh-made baklava, a rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of crunchy filo dough filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey ($1.50).

Specialized coffee drinks such as Turkish coffee or “Affok” (a version of a traditional Israel coffee drink, according to Ali Musa) and beer and wine are

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Tim Carl‌photos

Ahmad Ali Musa (“Mike”), owner of Napa’s Middle Eastern Small World Restaurant talks about his desire to bring people closer together through food and good service.

available.

“All our food comes with the hope of making people feel welcome, but the baklava is special in that its tradition is about bringing people together,” Ali Musa said.

“We named this Small World because that’s the way we see it — Everyone wants the same things. And what we started as a Small World seems to have gotten just a little bit bigger, and that’s a good thing.”

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Mike Palladini, stewardship program manager of the Land Trust of Napa County, conducts a tour of the Trust’s 175-acre Linda Falls preserve along Conn Creek near Angwin.

Land Trust of Napa County works to preserve wild, ag lands TIM CARL

A

s the sun lifts over the eastern mountains of Napa County, Mike Palladini, stewardship program manager for the Land Trust of Napa County, surveys the horizon. Bears have been seen in the area, and Palladini is excited by the possibility of witnessing what even a few years ago might have been unheard of — a sow and her cubs.

In 1977, Napa residents F.S. “Si” and his wife June Foote donated 200 acres of land on the slopes of Mount George, the most prominent peak east of downtown Napa. The idea was to preserve the character of the Napa Valley by protecting land from development and abuse in perpetuity. Now, over 40 years later, the LTNC portfolio of properties includes more than 100 square miles of Napa County, five times the size of the city of Napa itself.

“The Land Trust now protects

Submitted photo

Land Trust volunteers at work on a creek bank in the Linda Falls preserve.

over 12 percent of the land in Napa County,” said Doug Parker, the organization’s CEO. “We have several priorities for conservation that include agriculture, scenic areas and maintaining

biodiversity. Since so many properties in Napa contain more than just one of these, many single projects protect a combination of two or even all three of these priorities.”

Many vineyard owners have entered into agricultural-protection agreements that allow them to still own and operate their vineyards with the LTNC holding conservation easements.

“In just the last two years, we have worked with Dario Sattui to complete his fifth conservation easement (he has now protected 600 acres — agriculture and natural areas),” Parker said. “We have recently also worked with Larry Turley and Suzanne Chambers to complete their third easement and with Andy and Betty Beckstoffer to complete their 10th easement and Ted Hall has six or seven, and there are many more, too.”

The impact of these and other vintners is that more than 10,000 acres of farmland are now permanently protected. Vineyard owners maintain ownership over Please see Land, Page 20

19

Tim Carl‌

Mike Palladini, stewardship program manager of the Land Trust of Napa County, surveys the wildlife at sunrise on the Trust’s 3,030-acre DunnWildlake Ranch Preserve just northeast of Angwin.

LAND From Page 19

the land, ensuring it can only be used for agriculture, but there is also a significant newly passed tax benefit.

“Rep. Mike Thompson cosponsored an enhanced incentive for donors of conservation easements within a bigger tax bill that was passed nearly two years ago,” Parker said. “The donation of an easement involves giving up some or all of the landowner’s potential to build on their property — in Napa, that usually means houses or wineries. A landowner who donates any portion of these development rights is making a charitable contribution, which, like any charitable contribution, lowers the taxable income on their state and federal income tax.”

“I am firmly committed to protecting our wetlands and natural spaces, including permanently enacting into law tax policies for conservation easements, which provide incentives to farmers,

20

ranchers, and other landowners to preserve their property for conservation,” Rep. Thompson said.

According to Parker, the enhanced incentive that Thompson sponsored essentially allows the landowner, if they can’t use the entire deduction in one year, to spread it out over more time, for up to 16 years.

“We have over 140 easements, so we have worked with a wide range of landowners all across the county,” Parker said. “The easement is a flexible document — it is not an all or nothing thing. For instance, if a landowner can build

three houses on their property, they can donate one, two or three.

Any donation will qualify for this charitable contribution. The same is true for wineries.”

Building contiguous wildlife corridors Beyond vineyard easements, the LTNC also either owns or has easements on many open spaces and wildlands throughout the Napa Valley. These areas serve to maintain the rural beauty and natural health of the area and to provide space for native animals, insects and plants to thrive.

“We just completed our largest easement ever, protecting over 7,200 acres next to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park,” Parker said.

“Combined with other adjacent protected land, this creates an area of over 22,000 acres of contiguous protected land. This fits right into the corridors we are trying to create and gives us confidence that we can create the large connected corridors that we aspire to protect across the county.”

It’s an ambitious undertaking.

The LTNC aspires to create a broad-connected path of protected lands throughout Napa County and beyond.

“We live in what is known as a biological hotspot,” said Palladini.

“This whole area is critical because it holds a diversity of life within many different environments, each of which has its own intrinsic value. Allowing for contiguous corridors within and through the region will go a long way to preserving what we have today.”

“We envision several corridors across Napa County,” Parker said.

“One would run along the entire length of the ridge and the hills

of the east side of Napa Valley — from Robert Louis Stevenson State Park we just completed, down through our Wildlake Preserve, to Las Posadas State Forest in Angwin, to Lake Hennessey (owned by the city of Napa), to our Sutro preserve that includes Atlas Peak, to Milliken Reservoir (also owned by the City of Napa), and on down to Newell Open Space, another project the Land Trust was involved in, on the east side of American Canyon. So there are already a lot of islands of protected land along that ridge. We just have to connect them all.”

Beyond the internal Napa Valley corridor, the LTNC strategy is eventually to link to the new 330,780-acre Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, a link they believe is key to creating a broader West Coast corridor.

“The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, which, again, Mike Thompson championed, designated a bunch of existing federal land as part of the national monument,” Parker said. “From the wildlife corridor perspective the importance of that area is that it extends from Lake Berryessa northwards to about 7 million acres of continuous protected land to the Oregon border.

If we can link Napa’s protected land to that very large corridor, it enhances our protected land, increasing the chances that it can endure as a functioning system that can support Napa’s native species over the long term.”

The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument is one of the 24 protected areas targeted for review by the Trump administration — a review that could result in rescinding, shrinking or altering uses of the monuments. Whether the president has the authority to eliminate a national monument is unclear.

Submitted photo‌

Two black bear cubs join their mother from the forest behind them. Photo from one of the Land Trust of Napa County’s motion-activated cameras.

“Berryessa Snow Mountain has become an iconic and beloved part of our community, drawing people from across the country and supporting important jobs in sports and recreation,” Thompson said. “I am working hard with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect the Berryessa Snow Mountain Monument.”

Cameras deployed In June 2016, to assess how well the LTNC’s plan to help improve natural areas, they deployed a grid of 20 motion-activated cameras on their lands.

“We are seeing high levels of overall mammal diversity in the area, and a high abundance of large

mammals, particularly black bear.”

Palladini said. “Most people know about many of these animals in the area, but many are surprised to learn bears live in Napa County.”

The LTNC welcomes others to join them in their mission “The Land Trust is a membership organization and anyone can join by contributing,” Parker said.

“We have a large number of volunteers, but other volunteers are needed to help carry out a range of activities, from monitoring easements and cameras to restoration projects on protected land to office tasks. We have a schedule of hikes at many beautiful sites across the county that members

can participate in.”

One of the most scenic hikes might be within the LTNC’s 175acre Linda Falls preserve near Angwin. The trail meanders along the picturesque Conn Creek that flows serenely through angular volcanic boulders and lush stands of white alder on its way to the Bell Canyon Reservoir, which supplies St. Helena with water.

“Volunteers and conservation crews have helped us to dramatically reduce invasive species and reestablish many of the native plants that naturally occur along this section of Conn Creek,” Palladini said. “The preserve protects 132 native plant species, including several rare species such as Napa False Indigo and Narrow-anthered California Brodiaea. Native habitats on the preserve support numerous breeding birds, including migratory species like warbling vireo and black-throated gray warbler. The preserve also supports a diverse array of mammals, including black bear, bobcat, black-tailed deer and gray fox.”

“Napa is a beautiful place and people want to ensure it continues to be beautiful,” Parker said. “We protect land, and each property we protect is protected in perpetuity, which is a long time.”

Tim Carl‌

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

Napa Valley College President Ron Kraft I’m reading now: I like to read a couple of books a week. Right now, it’s an H.G. Wells Classics Anthology, a series by Ken Follett titled “Fall of the Giants” trilogy, and a re-read of a Utopian novel called “Islandia”

by Austin Tappan Wright.

Best place on the planet: There’s a little cabin on the Lake at Big Bear Mountain; we spent an incredible time there with our family.

Next item on my bucket list: Backpacking parts of Australia with my sons.

Favorite household chore: Repairing anything electrical for my wife.

Least favorite household chore: Paying the monthly bills.

Best job I ever turned down: Managing Partner of an international incentive travel company.

Most unusual place I have lived: A 600-square-foot cottage on the beach in southern California with our three sons, my wife, our Great Dane, two pet rats, and cat.

What I wanted to do when I grew up: Still aspiring to be a Renaissance man.

Pet peeve: People who stop to view a car accident.

Unlikeliest concert I ever attended: As a teenager saw the Doors at a little dive in Santa Barbara before they hit the big time.

Favorite kind of day off: Breakfast with wife and the boys at Southside Café or the General Store, kayaking the Napa River, movies at the Cinemark.

I love Napa County because: It’s the people, always working to make it better.

Ron Kraft is the president of Napa Valley College.

J.L. Sousa, Register

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GREAT ESTATES

The perfect

PACK AGE DEAL At $33.15 million, this estate comes with a noted wine brand as a bonus

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ecretly nestled on Spring Mountain sits a dreamy, 42-acre estate that’s listed at $33.15 million. But before you gawk at the price tag, know that this is a package deal, which includes not just an exquisite home, but also vineyards and a luxury wine brand.

It’s a familiar story in Napa Valley: British ex-patriots and owners Perry and Carolyn Butler left the tech industry for the wine dream.

They built the house in 1998 after struggling to find a Tuscan/Mediterranean-style home that also had room to plant. When they got their first look at this property (and the view), they took it on the spot, even though it just had the foundation of a house.

“The view is to die for, it goes right down Napa Valley, and in the morning all you can see is the balloons. It’s gorgeous,” said Perry Butler, who said the reason for

JESS LANDER 2910 Spring Mountain Road springmountainestatenapavalley.com

Matthew Momberger‌photos

selling is simply retirement.

“We just want to retire. We’ve done this now for 18 years, and the time is right to move on and give it to somebody else,” he said.

The wine label, Juslyn Vineyards, is currently under the direction of winemaker Angelina Mondavi, daughter of Marc Mondavi

of Charles Krug. Valued at $7.2 million, the brand’s two red wines have consistently scored 91-96 points by Robert Parker for the last 15 vintages “She has one of the best palettes I’ve ever come across. Her blends are incredible, and she has a passion for the vineyards as well,

which she shares with me,” said Butler of working with Mondavi.

Like Howell Mountain and Diamond Mountain, the Spring Mountain growing region is gaining more popularity for its primo mountain fruit, and Butler says this property specifically sits in the middle of an hourglass shape in the land, resulting in an extra unique climate due to the wind that travels through the gap.

Currently planted vines of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot and petit verdot produce between 14-25 tons, depending on the year, and there’s room for another couple of acres to be planted.

Please see Estates, Page 26

25

Matthew Momberger‌photos

ESTATES From Page 25

As for the Tuscan/Mediterranean-style, seven-bed, six-bath, 9,600-square-foot mansion, it sits on 8 acres and comes equipped with a large motor court for showcasing an exotic or vintage car collection, a garden center with two greenhouses and a wine cellar that can fit upwards of 6,000 bottles.

Out back, you’ll find more amenities: an 80-foot lap pool that stretches beyond the length of the house, outdoor kitchen and pizza oven for summer entertaining, a gorgeous fountain statement piece, koi ponds, gardens, guest house, and a slew of other open-air lounge areas.

Inside, the floors are marbled and natural light flows in via large collections of windows. As you tour the many rooms, you’ll meander your way through a series of French doors and under towering ceilings. A majestic, semi-spiral staircase leads to the second floor, where there are four bedrooms (one currently set up as a gym, another an office), and several rooms have balconies.

The master suite, on the ground floor, extends into a large sitting area with a window seat, and the main living room features a grand, limestone fireplace for chilly nights.

Future owners have the chance to make their own mark on the estate, for there is an additional 2.25-acre home site, primed for construction.

While the property sits not too far up Spring Mountain Road, to the right of Fantesca Winery, it’s so secluded, hidden beyond a gate and up a long driveway, that it feels as if you’re at the very top, with nothing else around but 360-degree views.

And yet, the action of downtown St. Helena, with boutique shopping and world-class food, is just a few minutes away.

“This estate is only a five minute drive to downtown St. Helena with amazing views of vineyards. It’s private and peaceful, which is very rare to find so close to downtown,” said Sotheby’s International realtor Olivia Hsu Decker. “Many vineyards are in remote locations, way up on the hill tops, and you have to drive more than 45 minutes just to buy groceries or go to a restaurant.”

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Napa Valley Aloft balloons take to the sky.

Submitted photo‌

A high like no other K I R K K I R K PAT R I C K

Hot air ballooning in the Napa Valley

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ven if you have lived here most or all of your life, you really haven’t experienced the beauty of the Napa Valley until you’ve seen it drifting 2,000 feet above as the sun peeks over Mt. George.

It’s the kind of experience that brought Chelsea Clinton, her future husband and the secret service entourage here after her father left office. Matt Lauer, Today Show host, once did a broadcast from a balloon in the valley. Many have proposed to their future husbands or wives from a balloon here.

The thrill of ballooning here encouraged local boy and self-described thrill seeker, Bob

Barbarick, to get into ballooning 40 years ago. “A group of us saw an ad for hot air ballooning in New York and decided we wanted to try that here,” Barbarick, owner of Balloons Above the Valley, recalled. “At that time there were no balloons in California.”

“We bought a balloon, got a pilot from the South Bay to train us, and called our group the Yountville Aerostat Society,” Barbarick said. “We just did it for fun; at that time the Napa Valley wasn’t known for wine, food or anything else. We noticed whenever we flew, people below were pulling off the road to watch us. Pretty soon people were asking us for rides, which we charged $5 for.”

“I was the owner of AAMCO in Napa and working full time for Safeway in St. Helena at the time. When it occurred to me I

could perhaps make a business out of this, I asked my father for his help and advice,” he said. “He said something along the lines of ‘If you build it, they will come,’ like Field of Dreams, and that was the beginning.”

According to Marsha Treacy, Balloons Above the Valley’s new general manager, “We’ve become one of the biggest hot air balloon companies in the country, taking about 14,000 people up right here in the Napa Valley. We have nine balloons, we operate up to five of those consistently.” In addition to her GM duties, Treacy is an accomplished pilot herself and has flown balloons all over the country.

Many passengers come back more than once. Bonnie Caswell, from DeKalb, IL, was recently aboard a Balloons Above the Valley flight 12 years after her first

experience. “Originally it was on my bucket list,” she admitted, “so I went with my daughters and we had a great time. The excellent treatment we received brought us back for more. They really know what they’re doing and I love their banter in the air.”

“This time the flying conditions were fantastic,” said Caswell, “we went faster and further than before.”

Of course, as you may have noticed if you were up at sunrise recently, there can be close to 20 balloons in the skies over Napa Valley these days with several local companies offering rides.

Gabriel Gundling, president and owner of Napa Valley Balloons, said his companies fly more balloons than anyone in Please see Balloons, Page 30

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BALLOONS From Page 29

the country. Gundling owns Napa Valley Balloons as well as companies in Sonoma, Calistoga and Lake Tahoe. His infatuation with balloons began when he was a small boy growing up on five acres north of Napa.

“As a kid, my sister and I would watch these balloons fly over and it was pretty cool,” Gundling recalled. “One day we got this butcher paper and we decided we were going to do a big sign that said ‘balloons land here.’ The very first day we put out the sign, it actually worked. Apparently the pilot and everyone on the balloon wanted to land there for the cute little kids.”

“That kind of got everything going for me,” he said. “Eventually I got to know all the pilots and the balloons. Napa Valley Balloons would take us up on rides, and later on as an adult, Don Surplus, one of the owners at the time jokingly told me I should go off to business school and come back and run the company. I never forgot that.”

He started an apprenticeship with Napa Valley Balloons in 2004, and became a partner in 2008. He bought out the remaining partner in 2012 and has been running it ever since. “Our balloons now carry a distinctive tulip pattern so you can tell which are ours,” he said.

A young couple from Raleigh, NC, Ashley and Patrick Shulman, were on their first-ever balloon ride recently. “I wanted to do something special on the day of our 5th anniversary, something you can’t just do anywhere,” said Mrs. Shulman. “I did some research and we settled on Napa Valley Balloons because they had a brunch at a winery afterwards.”

Her husband said they had a great time: “It exceeded our expectations. The views, where else can you get them like this?” he said. “I’d do it again, for sure.”

His wife agreed wholeheartedly: “Instead of dreaming or wanting to do things like this, you should go do them.”

Balloon companies here in the Napa Valley say that most of their business comes from the Bay Area, with the balance representing local residents, people from out of state and international tour groups. Most fly similar sized balloons, up to 24 passengers, and most charge in the $200-250 range for a 45-60 minute flight, which can include a champagne brunch.

Napa Valley Drifters, owned by Napan Terry Bulman, does it a little differently. In his 20th year, Bulman’s company flies three-, sixand eight-passenger balloons only. “They’re lighter, easier to manage, and a more intimate and exclusive experience” Bulman said. “I’m

30

Submitted photo‌

Napa Valley Drifters workers display a sign they use to help make sky-high marriage proposals special.

Submitted photo‌

Bonnie Caswell of Dekalb, Ill. and her brother, Dick Quincer, from Pasadena on a recent Balloons Above the Valley flight.

not into volume; we’re more like a private flight. Two people can have a private flight for $1,000 for instance.

“We have couples who get engaged on our balloon flights, our ground crew holds up a big sign that says ‘will you marry me?’ and the pilot will drift the balloon over the sign. We’ve never had anyone say ‘no.’”

Bulman literally started ballooning from the ground up, beginning with a ground crew.

In 1997, he bought Napa Valley Drifters.

“There is no better way to see the Napa Valley than in a hot air balloon,” Bulman confirmed.

Napa Valley Aloft, founded in 1978 and now owned by the Kimball family, is one of

the older companies in the Valley. Father Jay Kimball and son Jayson are both pilots.

“We have smaller baskets, up to 12 people, so you’re never crowded or stuck in the middle and you always have a view on the edge of the basket,” said reservations manager, Cammi Tercovich. “We operate five balloons, and often they are up at the same time. We travel wherever the wind takes us.”

As any pilot will tell you, you can only take balloons up or down. Direction can be controlled somewhat by changing altitudes to catch a stronger breeze. It’s not unusual for a balloon to land near the spot it took off, although typically they travel from the Yountville area to various landing spots in Napa.

“I love that it’s so peaceful,” said Tercovich, “being from Napa myself, it’s fun to look down and see places you recognize, but you also see a lot of things from the air that you could never see from the ground. And even with a lot of balloons in the air, it’s never crowded,” she concluded.

Many riders commented about the friendliness, local knowledge and banter of the pilots. As Terry Bulman joked, “we’re all full of hot air.”

It’s clear that hot air ballooning is now a quintessential part of what the Napa Valley has to offer to locals and the world. And as beautiful as they look from the ground, the view from above is equally as stunning. In fact, as someone who recently had a balloon ride for the first time, I can say there’s nothing like seeing the Valley from 2,000 feet at sunrise.

So next time a special occasion rolls around, or you have friends in from out of town, include ballooning on the list of amazing things to do here along with wine tasting, mud baths and dining out. It’s a high unlike any other.

FLYING HIGH Options abound for air sports in Northern California JESS LANDER

I

n Napa Valley, if you’re talking about taking to the air it’s all about the hot air balloons, but if you’re looking for a true adrenaline-pumping rush from the sky, you’ll have to venture a bit out of town. The best part? These air adventures don’t require you to wake up at the crack of dawn, they provide expansive views of the beautiful Bay Area, and they are less likely to be cancelled because of a little wind.

Helicopters HeliCo Sonoma offers wine country chopper tours from the Sonoma County Airport for up to three passengers. Fly for 20, 30 or 60 minutes, starting at $250 total (not per person).

With multiple tour options to choose from, your flight might include birds-eye views of Sonoma wine country, including Alexander Valley, Healdsburg and Dry Creek Valley, and bodies of water like Lake Sonoma, the Russian River, Bodega Bay, and even the chance to go as far as Tomales Bay and Point Reyes. There’s also a special 60-minute Napa and Knight’s Valley tour option, if you want to fly closer to home. helicosonoma.com, (707) 526-8949 Or, book a helicopter tour with Napa Helicopter Charters.

While they can pick you up at the Napa Airport, it’s much more cost effective to fly out of their base at the Sonoma County Airport, just like HeliCo. They too can fit up to three passengers and charge per flight, not person: $325 for 30 minutes; $650 for an hour. They will fly you anywhere in the Bay Area you desire, but their most popular flight follows the Russian River to the Pacific, around Bodega Bay and back home in half an hour. c h a r t e r h e l i c o p t e r. c o m / napa-helicopter-charter Biplanes With Sonoma-based Vintage Aircraft Co., you’ll be stylishly strapped into a restored, 1942 WWII open cockpit biplane, which can cozily fit up to two, medium-sized people. A leisurely 20-minute flight soars over Sonoma Valley, but for double the time, you can choose your own adventure. They will you fly over Napa and Sonoma wine country, head We s t t o t h e coast, or South to the city, for views of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and more. For an extra

$50, true adrenaline junkies can add “aerobatic maneuvers,” like barrel rolls, loops and hammer heads. Twenty minute flights start at $175 for a single passenger, and $95 for a second. vintageaircraft.com, (707) 938-2444 With 50 years of experience in the air, Captain Bob of Coastal Air Tours, also based in Sonoma, takes passengers on tours above the Bay Area in his 1926 restored Travel Air biplane. Choose from a set list of tours, like the 30-minute Napa Wine Country Tour ($175, second passenger $95), or the 60-minute Marin Coastal Tour or San Francisco Bay, Golden Gate Tour ($295, second passenger $145). He also encourages guests to design their own custom tours and he loves showing off his favorite hidden gems.

(415) 609-7273 Hang Gliding If you want to be less confined and fly like a bird, go hang gliding.

California Hang Gliding usually takes off from Fort Funston in San Francisco, an extremely popular hang gliding

playground where the winds are known to be especially smooth and consistent. Soar over the city, Golden Gate Bridge and Peninsula, and if you’re lucky, spot some dolphins and whales. Tandem flights with owner and certified instructor John Simpson cost $300 and include a video of your ride, which lasts between 20-30 minutes. You must be under 200 pounds to fly and a handful of other Bay Area lift off locations are available. californiahg.com, (650) 4512549 Skydiving For the real daredevils, there’s of course skydiving. Touted as the best drop zone in California, NorCal Skydiving will take you two miles up in the air, where you will courageously jump from your plane and freefall 120 miles per hour while catching views that reach as far as Mount Shasta, Tomales Bay and the San Francisco skyline. You’ll soar over the vines of Napa, Sonoma and the Alexander Valley, the swells of the Pacific Ocean, glaciers, geysers and more, eventually landing next to the Russian River in Cloverdale.

Tandem skydives start at $169 and the price increases with the altitude. Group discounts are available. norcalskydiving.com, (888) 667-2259

Courtesy California Hang Gliding

31

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Living The Life: “Kiss me, Harold”

COLIN MACPHAIL

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n nature, large shoals of fish survive because there are so many of them. When a predator dives in and snags a couple of the slower performers, it’s “nature at work.” The City of Calistoga is just the opposite.

Because of the small population, our safety often lies in the fact that we all know each other, and sometimes quite a bit about each other’s business. We notice when things are out of sorts.

Meanwhile the pervasive tales of horror and abduction reach like icy fingers into our homes and communities. It’s a breathless omnipresent media that seeks to titillate and scaremonger all at the same time. Once you filter that and realize that Calistoga is as safe a place as it ever was for your kids, you can watch them cycle off without having a panic attack.

However, there was a little incident a few weeks ago that brought a pang of doubt and fear into my heart. Our Alice, who is four and a half, and I were at the coffee shop. She knows everybody there and a lot of people know her. Billy, Dean, Dennis, Scott, Terry, Wally, Paul, Kate, Sonny, Dana, Clive, Eva, Amber, Rosie, and Alan, to mention a few. All local people who throw a protective gaze over her perambulations around the coffee shop, catching up with those she knows.

In return, by seeing her roam freely around the space, her contribution of feisty charm reminds us all that we live in a small town where this kind of thing can exist.

It’s something to be cherished, something to be rolled around the palate and savored with concentration and appreciation. You can sense the communal energy of sharing in her antics.

She had been away for about

Submitted photo‌

ten minutes while I was absorbed in the newspaper. Suddenly she appeared at my side and said excitedly, “Harold kissed me!” At first I did not understand what she had said so she repeated it slowly and importantly, “Harold — Kissed — Me!” Now I get it.

I started running through all the names and faces I could see, trying to think who “Harold” was, and why he might have kissed Alice. It couldn’t be one of the regulars. I was putting names to faces but coming up blank.

Had he left already? “Where

‘neighborhood watch’ kept me informed on my older kids as they wandered further and later from our house on Grant Street.

I never told the kids that I knew what I knew; never reveal your sources. Clive once told me that he had stopped one night at the Monhoff Center to let Colbyn know that he looked “pretty suspicious” hanging around in the half darkness. Clive told me later how taken aback he was when Colbyn responded, “Not as suspicious as a driver stopping to talk to a 9-year-old in the dark, Clive.” Smart lad that. Graduated at the top of his year from Glasgow University in June.

Thanks Calistoga, for keeping an eye on them all over the years, and for the years to come.

did he kiss you Alice?” “On the lips.” Now I’m getting agitated.

“Alice, point out Harold to me” I asked her carefully. “He’s outside Dada!” I got ready to stand up.

“Outside where Alice?” “Outside in Kate Stanley’s van — Harold licked me — He really likes me!”

That’s when a lot of information came flooding into my brain.

Kate had said she and Alice were going to be back shortly. But I hadn’t really absorbed it. Of course, Alice loves Kate’s little Colin MacPhail is a wine conblack dog — Harold. sultant and writer who lives in I n t i m e s p a s t t h e Calistoga.

33

Shining a new light on

Stags Leap TO N Y P O E R

Steltzner seeks to build on family legacy with an eye to the future

its majestic palisades. The jagged rock formations rise over a place where some of California’s best wine grapes are grown.

Officially known as the Stags Leap District, the AVA is home “I’ve always thought of Stags to several essential vineyards. One Leap as kind of a valley within the was planted near the foot of the Valley.” palisades by Richard Steltzner a So said Rich Frederick, describ- half century ago. Behind a hill ing the slice of Napa Valley named along the Silverado Trail, the for a nimble-footed buck.

30-acre Steltzner Vineyard has Many would agree with the always been easy to miss — but winemaker at Revana Vineyard in hard to leave out of conversations St. Helena. Frederick pointed out that include longtime neighbors that, like Rutherford’s dust or the Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Shafer breezes blowing through Carneros, Vineyards, and the original Joseph Stags Leap boasts a Phelps Insignia property. signature feature: Building on a legacy In the late 1970s, Richard and his wife, Christine, built an estate winery on the Silverado Trail. They ran it successfully for more than three decades, all the while growing grapes for high-profile clients like Phelps and Clos du Val. After considering

several purchase offers over the years, the Steltzners sold the facility to PlumpJack Group in 2012, when Richard was 74. Now, five years later, Allison Steltzner is building upon her father’s career in the vineyard.

“I think in some ways those blind offers were a really big blessing, because it started the conversation about what direction we were going,” Allison said in early June. She had just concluded a blending session at her Napa office for the ’16 red wines from her family’s property. “The goal was to make great wine — and to make more contemporary wine in Stags Leap.”

Seated around the bottle-strewn table were her wine broker husband, Sam Sharp, and the veteran winemakers Mike Smith and Bob Pepi, with whom she collaborates.

BELOW: Allison Steltzner, right, with winemakers Mike Smith and Bob Pepi, left, and in the hat, Mike Loconto of the Barbour Vineyard Management team.

Suzanne Becker Bronk

34

“The wines of Stags Leap put a lot of Napa cabernet producers on the map,” she said. “However, I think that we in Stags Leap are a little stuck in the ‘80s, and we could be doing a little bit better.”

While overseeing steady improvements in the vineyard, Allison has parlayed previous experience as Steltzner’s national sales director into managing the reconceived Steltzner Vineyards label and Bench Vineyards, a brand she co-owns with Sam and her parents. Among other wines, they make a Bench Vineyards cabernet blend called Circa 64.

The name refers back to the year her father bought the property.

“It’s a lot of coming full circle in terms of people’s history here in the valley. Bob and Mike would speak to this more, but I have a lot of respect for my dad and for his farming history, and being a pioneer for cabernet at a time when it was not popular. In ’64 is was not.”

With their combined experience, Pepi and Smith can attest to how cabernet sauvignon’s fortunes have changed since then.

They make the Steltzner and Bench labels at Napa Wine Company in Oakville, and they enjoy the opportunity to work with the family’s grapes. “It’s possibly one of the best blocks of land in Stags Leap,” Pepi said, swirling the 2015 Bench cabernet in a glass next to the ’16. “It’s always going to give you good wine without trying.”

But, under Allison’s leadership, try they must. She’s on a mission to turn out compelling wines from her family’s vineyard and to make sure “that every person who has an input into this is understanding the results of it.”

“To me, that’s been the most interesting part,” she said. “We’re learning our own vineyards through the eyes of multiple people who are all experts in the own right. Bringing that expertise together… it’s people who I think all have a deep respect for the vineyard.”

“Allison is looking at how we can showcase Stags Leap in a new light,” observed Smith, who has

Suzanne Becker Bronk

Allison Steltzner with husband Sam Sharp and children August Sharp, 3, and Oliver Sharp, 10 months.

Suzanne Becker Bronk

Suzanne Becker Bronk

Winemaker Mike Smith

Winemaker Bob Pepi

his own St. Helena-based label, Myriad Cellars, and makes wine for several clients. Hiring him alongside Pepi was an easy decision for Allison and her husband; Sam brokers some of the brands Smith makes and was familiar with his attention to winemaking details.

“Something I learned early on is that you’ve got to keep on top of the cellar work,” Smith shared.

“Those mundane tasks are what create the wine itself. Great wine is made, not manufactured. And to make it, just like with a homecooked meal, you make it with

your hands. It’s what you do, instead of just relying on technologies and products to manufacture it for you.”

Reconceiving Steltzner Sam poured the just-blended 2016 reds from clear glass bottles and noted that, when they conceived the Bench Vineyards project after the winery sale in 2012, “there was serious consideration given to just growing and selling great grapes.”

The bricks-and-mortar Steltzner winery had a 20,000-case capacity that his father-in-law always maximized. “The sale of

the winery kind of freed Allison from that. When we started, there was no pressure to make any wine if we didn’t feel we had something really good,” he said.

For her part, Allison was confident in the quality of fruit but saw room for improvement in the vineyard. In 2014, she hired Barbour Vineyards to manage it. She explained that “this project is driven much more by the land than the techniques” and felt that, while the winemaking would quickly ramp up with the expertise, “we had to improve the land first.”

“As the grape growing continues to get dialed in, granted we’ve been blessed with really good vintages, but we see the quality has just jumped through the roof.”

The progress made by Jim Barbour’s company has been significant. Just ask Revana’s Rich Frederick. He and the St. Helena estate’s consulting winemaker, Thomas Brown, work closely with the respected vineyard manager.

In 2015, Barbour connected Revana with Allison, who wanted to see her family’s estate grapes expressed through “rising star winemakers who’ve never had access to this kind of fruit” — if just a couple of tons at a time.

Please see Leap, Page 36

35

LEAP From Page 35

“It’s kind of like what’s old is new,” Frederick said over the phone, describing the cabernet sauvignon he and Brown started making in the ’15 vintage from a mere seven rows of Steltzner vines. “We were thinking of new AVAs to work with that were already perceived as high-quality, and Stags Leap was one of those. We figured Steltzner would be a good place to get in the game and become a Stags Leap producer ourselves.”

Allison looks at Revana and other clients for their grapes as a “huge opportunity to shine a new light on Stags Leap.”

“My dad’s had the property for over 50 years. So, I’m really asking myself how it stays relevant in the context of Napa Valley for the next 50. How do we make wines that reflect the specialness of the property? You have to be relevant to consumers.”

Showcasing something special Not all consumers have the opportunity to dine at The French Laundry in Yountville, where both Steltzner’s and Bench Vineyards’ wines are a regular feature. But before head sommelier Erik Johnson took over the wine program at Thomas Keller’s flagship restaurant in 2014, the 29 year-old worked at Bouchon, its sister location down the road.

While there, he befriended regulars Allison and Sam and became intrigued by the Steltzner family history in Stags Leap.

“The first time I tasted the ’14 Bench, I told Sam I would take a case,” Johnson said on a recent call, taking a break from events around the landmark restaurant’s 23rd anniversary. “Thinking about the menu for us here at The French Laundry, I thought that it would be a great fit. It was something unique to share with our guests.”

He added that he finds wines made by Bob Pepi and Mike Smith to be “stylistically BELOW: The Steltzner vineyard Suzanne Becker Bronk photos

36

pretty classic” and echoed Rich Frederick’s comment about the AVA’s location.

“With Stags Leap wines, you look for something a little softer in style, a little bit more earthy, maybe a touch more of a green tone to it. You know, being kind of that ‘valley in a valley,’ it’s a very unique part of

Napa Valley, and I think the wines definitely showcase that.”

Reached on the phone after Allison’s June meeting, Pepi laughed that he’s not the kind of winemaker who dines regularly at The French Laundry, but he can appreciate a Napa Valley vineyard that has been around for more than twice as long.

“Allison said, ‘If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right.’ And I think Bench Vineyards, Circa 64, all of that pays tribute to the original purchase of this great vineyard, the early years when Dick Steltzner was a pioneer in Stags Leap.”

“As a winemaker, you don’t get a chance to work with a vineyard like that very often.”

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Where in the Valley? ‌ ow keen is your eye for Napa landmarks?

H Our photographer J.L. Sousa travels a lot of miles in pursuit of his images and along the way he’s taken some shots of interesting, quirky, and unusual objects, many of them in plain sight from major roads.

But it can be surprisingly hard to identify these places when you zoom in just on the details, even if you pass by the spots every day. How many of these Napa County places can you identify?

Answers are on Page 88

39

A LIFE

IN THE SADDLE

Kat Loera, Aliak Photography

Michelle Quirico on Arabian, Port Tiffany.

SARA JACKSON

American Canyon horse trainer offers a glimpse back at city’s ag past

I

n the midst of the development and traffic in American Canyon is an unexpected throwback to the region’s agricultural past: a horse training center.

“Big or small, I can train them all,” is the motto of Michelle Quirico, owner and trainer at MQ Training, which operates out of American Canyon Training Center. She also offers riding lessons,

40

and is active in showing the horses under care in many different disciplines.

“I can’t recall how or when I became obsessed with horses,” she said. “I popped out of the womb with the desire to be around them.”

It wasn’t until she was 12 that Quirico took her first big step into the horse world, when she began

volunteering for a therapeutic riding program called Cornerstone, which was run out of a privately owned boarding facility in American Canyon. It wasn’t long before the barn’s owner offered her a job cleaning stalls and feeding horses, in exchange for free one-on-one riding lessons.

Unknown to Quirico at the time, she was about to acquire her first horse — a young Arabian mare named Tiffany. Tiffany’s owner didn’t ride her much, allowing Quirico to ride her during her lessons. Seeing the

relationship blossoming between horse and rider, the owner sold Tiffany and all of her tack to the youngster for the one lump sum of $1.

“When I first started working with Tiffany, she was very standoffish and untrusting of me,” Quirico recalls. “It took months before she allowed me to be her human. I remember sitting on the arena fence. Tiff was saddled and I was holding her by a loose rein, while sitting in the shade, talking to another riding friend. Tiffany awoke from her nap, moved closer

Submitted photo

Submitted photo

Michelle Quirico on Arabian Port Tiffany, dressed in Arabian native costume to open the Arabian Horse races at the Alameda County Fair.

Team penning at the Grand National Rodeo in Daly City on the Quarter Horse, Smokin’, owned by Bill Erkelens.

to me, placed her head in my lap and shut her eyes. That was our best moment. That was the moment she decided I was hers.”

Over the years, while Quirico honed her skills on the back of Tiffany, she held odd jobs sitting behind a desk, staring at a computer screen. She worked those jobs to help pay to board and show Tiffany. Along the way, she developed her riding and now skills as a trainer, by taking lessons from well-established trainers who she admired. Her education also came from attending horse shows or watching others ride. She studied their techniques and what the horse’s responses were.

MQ Training came about by accident. “I was doing well showing my horse and eventually people started asking me to ride their horses,” she said. “I realized I could get paid to ride. Such a crazy concept; earning money at what I love to do and have a talent for. MQ Training eventually evolved into a training business.”

Now, close to 10 years later, Quirico has a menagerie of equines in her care, including quarter horses, Arabians, paints and those of unknown breeds.

She has on average 15 horses at a time in her care, which are in training, showing, being used as lesson horses, or horses she is providing special care for. If that’s not enough, Quirico also works with other horses stabled at other barns, when she has free time.

crippled even, and would probably need to be euthanized before age 9. But the horse reached 9 and seemed ok, so the owner decided to take a chance.

“With time and patience, the gelding turned into a nice riding horse,” she said. “He’s been ridden and shown under saddle by his owner, and doing well and staying sound. I’ve shown him a few times, too.”

“For nine years the owner thought she was watching a clock tick over her beloved horse’s head, waiting to make the call to put her horse down,” Quirico says. “She missed out on years of riding and enjoying her horse. She is now fulfilling her dream.”

When not training and giving lessons, Quirico hits the show circuit, showing different horses in many different disciplines.

She’s won belt buckles, trophies, plaques and embroidered gear, showing horses in western pleasure, trail trials, English pleasure, penning, gymkhana, and western dressage. For Quirico, it’s not about the wins, but about having a great partnership with whichever equine or equines she has with her at a competition.

So, what does the next 10 years see for Quirico and MQ Training?

She’s not quite sure, but, “I hope to still be working with horses and helping horse owners understand and enjoy their equine buddy,” she said, “but if I’m not, I just want to be happy.”

Submitted photo

Creek crossing during an endurance race at Camp Far West on Arabian “Miss M,” owned by Laura Axelsen.

Submitted photo

Arabian Sihaya Bet Farwal in gymkhana in an event called hurry scurry. The horse is owned by Marie Rhoem.

“I don’t usually have a specific order I work my horses,” she says of her typical day. “Usually depends where I am on the property that decides who I grab to work first. I’ll usually ride a few, then switch those horses from the turnout with another batch. Lessons usually start in the afternoon, when students get out of school and owners get off work.”

Over the years, Quirico has trained many different types of horses. These horses usually suffer from mental and physical problems, come from a rescue

situation, or sometimes the relationship between the horse and owner needs to be adjusted.

During training, she teaches the horse what it needs to know to be a “usable” animal, as far as how to safely carry a rider, overcoming behavioral issues and improving performances, whether in the home or show arena. She said her biggest accomplishment as a trainer is seeing owners enjoy and progress with their horses.

Much like her approach to training, Quirico teaches her students to start from the beginning; learning the basics and then moving on from there. She teaches her students how to control the horse on the ground and under saddle, and how to handle situations good or bad. She teaches her students to always be aware of what is happening and what could happen.

Sometimes, she meets a special challenge.

“A client brought me her 9-year-old quarter horse/Arabian cross gelding to be started under saddle. Nine years old is pretty old to start a horse,” she recalls. “Why did she wait so long?”

Turns out the horse had a “conformational flaw” at birth, or a misalignment of muscles and bones. A vet told the owner that the horse would never be ridable,

41

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A MOTHER’S LOVE

From care-giver to adoptive mother, Napa woman steps in for boy in need VALERIE OWENS

T

he love of a child is infinite. Whether you are holding their hand to cross the street, kissing their boo-boos away or providing endless support and love, the role of a mother is paramount. American author Jodi Picoult once said, “Being a parent wasn’t just about bearing a child. It was about bearing witness to its life.” For one local mother, love for her patient would stretch far beyond the walls of a hospital room.

Specializing in pediatric liver and intestinal transplants, Melanie Merrill-Kennedy fortuitously met Pocholo Aglubat on the day he was admitted to the hospital for a liver transplant. Born with Biliary Atresia, Pocholo (known as “Pochie”) required a liver transplant when he was merely 8 months old. Though gifted with a new liver, complications from the surgery hospitalized the infant for nearly a month.

“I spent a lot of time with Pochie during his admissions,” Merrill-Kennedy said. “His smile was infectious and it was the highlight of my day being able to spend time with him. He had a way of locking a place in your heart.”

Though a move to the Napa Valley would cause her to leave her position, the connection established by the physician assistant and her young patient was eternal.

Already a devoted mother to son Nickolas, Melanie’s

maternal instincts prompted her to inquire about Pochie after her departure from the hospital.

“Because Pochie was in foster care, I casually expressed to our social worker that if he ever needed a home to let me know-in hindsight. I didn’t think it would actually happen and the moment passed,” she said.

Then, on one faithful day in November of 2012, Merrill-Kennedy was contacted by her social worker and informed that Pochie was in need of a foster home.

“When I received the email at the end of October, my heart just about leapt out of my chest. I understood that this was a foster placement but I couldn’t resist the feelings of wanting to be his forever home if that’s what the courts decided,” she said.

As a newlywed, the decision to include Pochie into her family was fully supported by her husband, Aaron.

“My husband is adopted and had expressed a desire to Please see Mother, Page 44

43

Melanie Merrill-Kennedy with Pochie, left, and his brother Nickolas.

MOTHER From Page 43

expand our family with adoption.

When I called him to tell him about the email and how I felt we were destined to care for this child, however short or long term that may be, he was very open to the idea,” Merrill-Kennedy said.

“It seemed like perfect timing.

Here I was leaving my position to spend more time with our family, and who better to take care of a liver transplant patient.

He was concerned about his long term health and what that could mean for us, but agreed that this child was placed in front of us for a reason.”

Now, a family of four, the Kennedy’s have given Pochie a brother, a best friend and a place to call home.

44

“If I didn’t have Pochie for a brother I wouldn’t have him to play with. I love him 100 percent,” said Nickolas Kennedy.

Together, the family participates in Relay For Life, spreads awareness of organ donation and Merrill-Kennedy has since become an advocate for foster care reform as well as volunteered as a court appointed special advocate (CASA). Most importantly, the Kennedys focus their time on what matters most, each other.

On Dec. 4, 2015, the boy who first captured the heart of his care provider officially became a Kennedy. “I was happy and then I started freaking out because I was so happy,” said Pochie Kennedy.

The desire to be a forever home to Pochie became a reality, and the two who seemed to be destined for one another will forever be mother and son.

Aurora Heitman‌

Submitted photo‌

Pochie celebrates with his new family on the day of his adoption.

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AN EXAMPLE to live by

Four Napa dads show what it means to be a father VA L E R I E OW E N S

‌A

uthor Kent Nerburn once wrote, “It is much easier to become a father than to be one.” We’ve written a lot about moms over the years, including a lovely story in this issue, but for this edition, Inside Napa Valley asked our readers to nominate the best dads around. Here are four of our favorites, men who demonstrate endless dedication and responsibility and show that fatherhood is an expression of character and devotion.

Alex Myers Alexander J. Myers, a local real estate attorney, has built his career on integrity and advocacy. From the moment his son Ford was born, Alex’s devotion to family has been admirable and inspirational according to his wife, Leslie Myers.

“He’s so great. I can’t say enough wonderful things about him. I think everyone is scared to become a parent because you have no idea how it’s going to change your life or how you’re going to adapt to raising another human,” said Myers. “But Alex slid into the role much better and quicker than I did. When we got home from the hospital, Alex did at least 10 loads of laundry, made dinners, got up with Ford every time I did throughout the nights, set alarms for my medications and let me nap.”

Alex’s dedication to his wife and son is unmeasurable. Moments of pure dedication can be captured within a glimpse.

Weather he is taking out the trash, loading laundry or taking his son for hikes from his youth, Alex has developed a bond that will last a lifetime.

“I really think Ford is the luckiest kid alive,” said Leslie. “He has a dad who will always be his best friend, always Please see Dads, Page 48

Alex Myers with newborn son Ford.

Contributed‌

47

DADS From Page 47

support him, always buy him the new, fancy gadgets/electronics, and always protect him in a real, but also hilarious ways.”

Through his humorous antics and lovable spirit, Alex’s commitment to the community and his family is impressive. Alex plays an extremely active role in his community. He is involved with the Napa Sunrise Rotary Club, he coaches the Vintage High School Mock Trial team, participates in the Napa Chamber of Commerce, is an active member of the Napa Business Network, a board member of the Napa County Wine Library Association, and was appointed to serve on the city’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Citizens’ Advisory Committee.

A role model for the community and a true professional, Alex always makes time for his son Ford.

“He works from home on Thursdays to be with him. He’ll set up a makeshift office in our dining room, put Ford in his bouncy chair, and put him on the table next to his computer,” his wife said. “He also has a packn-play in his office (permanently set up), in case he brings him in.

He calls him his legal assistant, and it’s so cute.”

Love can be expressed within a smile, a gesture or a sound from a young child and for Alex Myers, love is all around him.

“Ford loves him. His eyes widen and he kicks his limbs like a crazy man when he hears Alex’s voice. Even when he was a newborn. Alex can calm him when others find him to be inconsolable. Daddy is certainly his favorite, and I’m okay with that, because he’s my favorite too,” said Leslie Myers.

Michael Garibaldi For Michael Garibaldi, fatherhood was an honor.

“Becoming a father has meant responsibility, encouragement, love, dedication, patience, and

48

Michael Garibaldi with daughter Elexis Garibaldi

pride,” said Garibaldi. “Being a father is so rewarding from the simplest things like seeing them smile to the love they show in return. It’s an indescribable feeling. You do things you never thought you would do, like let her paint your nails or do your makeup or go on fair rides that make you sick.”

As a heating and air conditioning professional for the Napa Valley Unified School District, Garibaldi has always been a role model for his children. Whether educating his daughter how to change the oil in her car, or teaching her how to do yardwork , fish and BBQ, the guidance that he provides on a daily basis is deeply treasured.

“My dad has shown me what having a father is like; the love and protection that every child should feel,” said Elexis Garibaldi. “He has been an amazing example to my little sisters Ava and Emmalin and myself, showing us how a true man treats a women and how a father should treat their children. My dad inspires me to want to be a better person and does this all by

Contributed photo‌

example.”

A role model to his children, Garibaldi’s love and commitment toward his family is inspiring.

“My life has changed dramatically,” he said. “I went from a single man at 36, to a husband and a father, to a beautiful wife and three girls.”

Garibaldi’s endless devotion and capacity to love his children unconditionally has made a tremendous impact.

“He is so special to me because even when he didn’t have to, he chose to love me. He chose to be my dad,” said Elexis.

“He proudly took responsibility for me without hesitation. The very day after my biological father chose to give me up, my dad spent his lunch break at the Napa courts getting everything in order he would need to adopt me. He never wanted me to feel unwanted. My dad always wanted me to feel like I fit into our family. He even went as far as both of us spitting in our hand, shaking hands with each other then licking our hands. So gross.”

A father figure to admire,

Michael Phelps with wife Bobbi.

Michael Garibaldi’s love holds no bounds.

“My dad has never made me feel like I didn’t fit into our family. He includes me in everything.

He makes a point to go to all my school meetings and pushes me to be the best me I can be,” his daughter said. “He has sacrificed so much for his family. He has given up his hunting days many times to be able to attend school functions. He is extremely dedicated to being a great father.”

Michael Phelps With a devotion to his children, faith and dreams, Michael Phelps proved to be an inspirational parent.

“My dad is now retired, but everything he has touched over the years has proven to be a success. He owned and operated his own dental laboratory here in Napa for over 42 years which was his main profession. He also cultivated a vineyard on our Silverado Trail property in the ‘80s

Jesus Solis

Submitted photo‌

and won several medals for his Verdian Cellars Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc,” said Jenny Phelps.

A father and friend, Phelps’ ability to engage his children from youth to adulthood is admirable. From a memorable trip to Italy, to family camping and fishing expeditions, special time with his children has always been a priority.

“Dad gives us quality time in so many ways. He is our best friend. He is a laid-back guy and loves to goof around. Most of the time we just hang out and crack stupid jokes that leave us in stitches and sometimes gasping for air,” his children wrote of him. “We always work on projects together such as building a new deck, or pouring a slab of concrete (which also proves for good laughs)! Our dad is also a great dancer, east coast swing mostly, and putting on old records and cutting a rug is

always a good time. Since us kids have grown up and have children of our own, it’s incredibly special to watch him with his grandchildren. It’s nostalgic.”

Parenthood can have its challenges, but ultimately, the experience of raising children and watching them grow into adults that you can be proud of and inspired by is the greatest reward of all.

“Being a parent is the most challenging and rewarding experience I can think of,” Phelps said. “Now is the time for grandkids. They are a gift.”

His journey as a father has been one of strength, compassion and love.

“Being a father, it is wonderful to see how my children have made a life for themselves, given me grandchildren and show me every day that God must really like me to give me such a wonderful family,” said Phelps.

Today, with the adoration of his children and a supportive wife by his side, Phelps’ legacy will be filled with love and memories that will last a lifetime.

“My dad is the dad that

Submitted photo‌

everyone wishes they could have.

And I say that in all sincerity. He is a proud father and worked so hard to provide for us. He is the most generous, understanding, patient, loving, and supportive man that I have ever met. He is a follower of Jesus and has a deep faith,” Jenny Phelps said.

Jesus Solis For Jesus Solis, working two jobs, supporting his family and providing unconditional love has set an example for his children.

“My father is a winemaker for Beringer during the day, and in the afternoon he works for his own company called A1 Yard Service — a landscaping company,” said Solis’ daughter, Maria Fuimaono. “My father is the type of person that will always lend a helping hand even if he is tired and has no energy to do it. He always believes in the good in people and is compassionate of others. He has always made sure that my sisters and I have always had what we needed to succeed.

He has made sure to give us the dreams that we needed in order to go to school and now be successful young women and good

examples for our younger sisters and community.”

Working two jobs and carrying the weight of a family can be challenging, yet Solis does so with pride. Coming to the United States to succeed and build a legacy for his children, the tenacious father started his own company, became a winemaker and captured every moment he could with his family.

“I work two jobs but I try to spend time with my family,” he said. “Time is precious when I am with my wife and daughters.

Work to me is only the means to provide for my family, my ultimate goal is my family.”

With a passion for family and a strong work ethic, he is a role model for his children.

“My dad has always been an inspiration since I was younger.

The journey has been hard, but I know it has been all worthwhile,” said Fuimaono. “Now I follow his example and myself work two jobs and have always been a hard worker. I know that all the years of seeing him leave at 6:30 a.m. to go to Beringer and return for dinner at 4:30 p.m. and later leave again to A1 Yard Service all had an impact on me and my sisters and that is something that we will always remember about my dad, but most importantly that he did it for us.”

Following a dream is an admirable quality, but for Jesus Solis, his dreams became a reality and the job that he holds dearest to his heart is the role of a father.

“Being a father has allowed me to fulfill the plan of God. Being a father is a joyful satisfaction of life; where responsibility for other human beings is one of the main ingredients in the recipe for successful children,” he said.

Fatherhood is a privilege and for Alex Myers, Michael Garibaldi, Michael Phelps and Jesus Solis, the role is an honor.

Without hesitation or complaint, these four amazing men of Napa County have dedicated their lives to their family and are a beautiful example of what it means to be a father.

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YOUR FAVORI ‌E

very issue, we have a feature called “Getting to Know You,” where we pose unusual questions to a well-known person.

But we wanted to know a little more about the rest of us — the regular residents of Napa County who aren’t so well-known. So we started with a simple question: What’s your favorite thing about living in the Napa Valley?

Jacqueline Hilger-Rolfe St. Helena “My favorite thing is the happy people visiting; everybody is so excited to be in Napa. I also appreciate the sense of community and respect to all the farm workers and their families. Then there is the Wine Train that always puts a smile on my face when I see it on Highway 29. I loved it so much I bought a house where it runs directly behind my backyard daily. I get to see all the happy people enjoying this amazing place I call home.”

Jacqueline Hilger-Rolfe, left, and friend Marlena Kane-Medeiros

52

Submitted photo‌

RITE THINGS Marcus Marquez St: Helena “My favorite thing about Napa Valley is the passion the community has with the quality life. Each community offers something great that is unique to their town.

It allows us, as locals, to visit and appreciate other towns and enjoy what they have to offer. I enjoy the hospitality of our people. Everyone is so generous in many different ways. So many contribute monetary or with their time.

It is what makes our towns special. St. Helena is a special place. You hear it’s where the legends began. The combination of the culinary influence and the ag influence is a perfect pairing. I cannot say enough about this small town. To be able to raise a family here and run a business is very special for me. To be around your people is priceless. So, to answer your question, what is my favorite

Katie O’Quinn

Submitted photo‌

Katie O’Quinn Napa “My favorite thing about living in Napa Valley is the great sense of community. Whether you are in the wine business, healthcare, or volunteering in some capacity, people really come together for a cause. I may not have been born here, but I consider myself a local. “ Marcus Marquez

53

Remembering

PIERCE CARSON 1940-2017

‌W

hen L. Pierce Carson died in late May, Napa County lost one the most powerful boosters of the wine and food culture of

the valley.

Pierce, 76, was just a few weeks shy of his 50th anniversary as a reporter for the Napa Valley Register. He started with the paper in June of 1967, at first covering government and courts. But he quickly established himself as a lover of the good life and he would cover the growing number of galas and parties that were popping up in the fledgling wine industry.

Over the years, Pierce gravitated toward covering food, wine and culture and became a familiar face at events of all kinds, from high school drama productions to glitzy auctions and festivals. He was a friend of many key figures in the wine and food industries and became a frequent companion of Margrit Mondavi in her later years.

His chronicles of the Napa Valley lifestyle represent a priceless historical resource on the development of Napa County from a rural backwater to a powerhouse cultural destination. His stories became a staple of this magazine over the years as well.

Pierce’s keen eye, refined palate, and light touch with prose made him a pleasure to read. His sense of fun and endless well of amusing stories made him a pleasure to work with. We will all miss him.

L. Pierce Carson

Pierce Carson, right, in his first week on the job with the Register, from a 1967 special section marking the opening of the new building on Second Street.

54

Pavol Mincak photo‌

On one of his many visits to his second home in Prague, Pierce Carson paused by a popular tourist spot to which hundreds of locks have been affixed.

Pierce Carson in formal-wear in this undated photo, possibly from the late ‘60s. Coworkers say he used to attend evening events then come straight back to the newsroom to type out his stories, usually still clad in his event finery.

Pierce Carson’s desk was infamously messy, as any of his coworkers would testify.

Carson always said he didn’t need a better organizational system since he knew exactly where everything was in his piles.

Jennifer Huffman, Register‌

SUMMERTIME IS AT VALLERGAS IN THE VINEYARDS OR AT THE BEACH, KEEP COOL WITH THE PERFECT WHITE WINE FROM OUR PEERLESS COLLECTION For 70 years, Vallergas Market has been the local grocery store in the Napa Valley. It only makes sense that our wine buyers really know their stuff. Whether planning a picnic, a party, or just chillin’ at home, Vallergas has everything you need: massive wine selection, local and artisanal deli goods, farmstead meats, and the freshest organic produce.

PICNIC PERFECTION WITH OUR DELI APP Why not skip the lines and order those sandwiches and sides before you leave? Just go to vallergas.com/deli and use our online app to order everything you want*, right from your home or hotel room! It’ll be ready when you get here—Just grab and go! *Hot foods, sushi, green salads, and some sides/desserts are not available for viewing and ordering online.

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J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Napa Tire Owner Jay Perry Sr., right, has been doing business in Napa since 1983 and now runs the shop with his son, Jay Perry Jr. who is an owner/manager.

Where the rubber

MEETS THE ROAD K I R K K I R K PAT R I C K

A long time love affair with customers keeps Napa Tire rolling ‌Every time you drive a car, you trust your life to your tires. But how much do you really know about them?

Not as much as most people think they do, says longtime Napa Tire owner Jay Perry.

“Many people come in and ask

for the cheapest tires we have,” he said, but that’s not always the best idea. He tries to educate them about getting the right tire for the vehicle and style of driving.

“We will never give you less tire than you need for the vehicle you are driving,” he said.

Perry was a veteran Goodyear tire guy in the Midwest before he came to California in 1983 and bought Napa Tire. He later built the store on the corner of Lincoln and Silverado Trail in 1997.

Today, the business has become a family affair, with son Jay Perry, Jr. helping run the business. He’s also tried to cultivate a stable workforce to keep customers coming back.

“We keep our people even when times are hard,” he said.

“You have to take care of your people because then when you need them, they will be there for you.”

Despite the business name, two-thirds of Perry’s business is

doing service and mechanical repairs, with tire sales representing the other third.

Perry has built his business the old fashioned way, one customer at a time with the result being a majority of repeat customers and referrals.

His secret? Midwestern values and hospitality. “The customer’s always right,” Perry said, “give them a fair shake, give them Please see Tires, Page 58

57

TIRES From Page 57

honest, hard-working service, and if they have a concern, take care of it.

“One thing that’s always worked for me,” Perry said, “is to give something away free every day. A light bulb, a tire rotation, a flat repair, and we’ll stay late if someone really needs something badly. You have to give people what they want and in a timely manner.”

He went on, “We love customers and customers love us. We’re proud that we hear the words honesty and trust over and over from their testimonials. We strive for that personal connection, do extras for people, pick up and deliver, do loaner cars.”

Most people, Perry said, don’t know that much about the tires that carry them around safely

Napa Tire Service Advisor John Salinas organizes stock at the business.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

58

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Despite the name, the majority of Napa Tire’s business is maintenance and service.

every day.

There are plenty of details to consider. For example, what is the speed rating of the tire? Will the tire you put on a high performance sports car be up to the handling that the vehicle was designed for?

Maybe you want tires to last a long time. He’ll give you a range of tread wear ratings — the higher the rating the more miles you’ll get.

“But there’s a lot more to choosing the right tire than that,”

he said. “Tires have different capabilities for traction and noise level, and there are specific tires that automobile companies really like on their cars.”

Tire pressure is another area where there are a lot of misconceptions. “The proper pressure for your tires is on your car door,” Perry pointed out, “and it’s usually not the same for every tire. A high-quality vehicle could be 38 in front and 48 in back. Or the other way around. If you have the

same sized tires, you can rotate them and just adjust the pressure accordingly. For every 10 percent of pressure you are low, you’ve lost 25 percent of your tire’s life.

Rough roads also tear up tires and can mess up your alignment.”

Despite Perry’s encyclopedic knowledge of tires, Napa Tire is primarily a service and repair shop. “We do everything but smog checks, stereos, or build engines and transmissions. We do everything else,” he said.

What’s the key to a good customer service experience?

“It’s not always about the money,” Perry said, “it’s about how you’re treated. If we’ve never seen someone’s vehicle before, we’re going to honestly tell them everything we see wrong with no high pressure, even if it exceeds their budget.”

The bottom line is education, he said: “People need to know what it is they are driving around on.”

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Making a difference for BRAIN HEALTH

The Cave Tasting at the 2015 Music Festival for Brain Health at Staglin family Vineyards.

Rafael L G Motta‌

Staglin family turns personal experience into a quest to help others PATRICIA CORRIGAN

‌A

fter Brandon Staglin was diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1990, his parents, Shari and Garen Staglin, got him the help he needed to recover.

Then they made a choice to help others by supporting brain health research.

About one in five adults in the U.S. — almost 44 million people — experiences mental illness each year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

In 1995, the Staglins started a music festival to raise funds for research. “I’m so proud of my parents,” Brandon Staglin said. “They

had wanted to put on an event to support a cause, and because I’d had a difficult recovery, it made sense to hold an event to help improve treatments for brain health.”

Today, the annual festival is said to be the most successful and important mental health event in the country — and it’s coming right up.

The 23rd Annual Music Festival for Brain Health will take place Sept. 16 at the Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford.

The event will include a scientific symposium, a wine tasting, music

by Lyle Lovett and his Acoustic Group and a VIP dinner.

The festival benefits One Mind and One Mind Institute (formerly IMHRO), nonprofit mental health organizations founded by the Staglin family. The organizations support research, education and treatment for depression, schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury and bi-polar illness and also fight the stigma surrounding brain disorders. To date, almost $260 million in direct and leveraged funds has been raised.

Staglin, 45, is director of marketing and communications

for Staglin Family Vineyard and board director for One Mind Institute and One Mind. He also serves as host for the symposium at the music festival.

“The scientific symposium is my favorite part,” Staglin said.

“This year we will hear from the director for the National Institute of Mental Health about what they are doing to foster better understanding of brain diseases and also about how important it is to have public and private partnerships to move research forward.”

Please see Staglin, Page 62

61

STAGLIN From Page 61

The free scientific symposium on brain health starts at noon. The wine tasting reception begins at 2 p.m. and the musical portion of the day starts at 3:30 p.m. The dinner, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., will feature Chef Cindy Pawlcyn, owner of Mustards’ Grill in Napa and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena.

Dr. Joshua A. Gordon and Dr. Samuel McLean will speak at the symposium. Gordon is the director for the National Institute of Mental Health. His work has direct relevance to schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and depression.

McLean is an emergency medicine physician and directs the Institute for Trauma Recovery at the University of North Carolina. He also has developed and leads several national research networks dedicated to improving the lives of trauma survivors.

About 80 wineries will be represented at the wine tasting, which will feature hors d’oeuvres

by Chef Nash Cognetti of Tre Posti in St. Helena. Past participants at the wine tasting have included Araujo Estate Wines, Bryant Family Vineyard, Colgin Cellars, Dalle Valle, Gargiulo Vineyards, Kosta Browne, Peter Paul Wines, Scarecrow, Screaming Eagle, Skipstone, Vineyard 29 and Williams Selyem.

An American country singer-songwriter and actor, Lyle Lovett has recorded 13 albums and released 25 singles. He has won four Grammy Awards, including Best Male Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Album. “Release Me,” Lovett’s most recent studio album, was released in 2012.

Tickets for the 23rd Annual Music Festival, billed as “a memorable day of science, sizzle and song,” range from $750 for a half day to $5,000 for all day. For tickets or to make a donation, see music-festival.org.

“The festival is an amazing celebration of life, a safe place

62

The Staglin Family welcomes their guests at the 2015 Music Festival for Brain Health.

Rafael L G Motta‌

Melissa Etheridge performs at the 2015 Music Festival for Brain Health.

to share experiences with brain health and meet people with similar experiences with a unique perspective,” Staglin said. “The concert is always a climax of energy at the event, with dancing and a spirit of excitement and fun that brings people together.”

In June, Staglin received the Clifford W. Beers Award from Mental Health America at MHA’s annual three-day conference in Washington, D.C. The award is presented annually to

mental health consumers who best reflect the example set by MHA founder Clifford W. Beers, who worked “to improve conditions for and attitudes toward people living with mental health conditions.”

Staglin recalled that it was a wonderful event. “It’s a privilege to serve the brain health community and the award means a lot to me,” he said. “That same day, I also received a congressional citation sponsored by

Rafael L G Motta‌

Rep. Joe Kennedy from Massachusetts, presented by former Rep. Patrick Kennedy. It was a valuable opportunity for me to give thanks for everyone’s support and also promote the idea of unity within the brain health community.”

Staglin continued, “If we speak with a common voice in the community, the message can resonate further. Brain health doesn’t get enough attention and support and we don’t have the financial power to get research done fast enough to help patients get what they need. That could be achieved with a greater sense of collaboration.”

Dr. Eric J. Nestler, director of the Friedman Brain Institute and dean for academic and scientific affairs at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in Chicago, was at the MHA conference when Staglin was honored.

“Brandon embodies the notion of recovery and offers people who suffer with mental illnesses today incredible hope,” he said.

“I have seen this first hand each year when he hosts One Mind’s music festival. His role as a national advocate is further reinforced by his appearance in public service announcements that promote awareness of mental illness.”

Holy Assumption Monastery Lance Burris‌

The cupola and

THE BELL TOWER Discovering Calistoga’s Orthodox church and monastery

‌E

very Sunday morning I drive from Napa to the small town of Calistoga where I attend church.

While traveling up the Napa Valley, I pass by seasonally changing vineyards flanked by darkly-forested mountains and oak-studded hills. During this peaceful early morning interlude, I am always struck by how the Valley’s blend of nature and nurture contributes to its romantic sense of place.

Calistoga lies at the north end of the Napa Valley near Mount St. Helena. The mountain is said to have been named by Russian explorers after St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, who was the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. St. Constantine made Christianity a legal religion within the Empire. He also convened the First Ecumenical Council, which compiled the books of the New Testament and codified the Orthodox Church’s fundamental tenets of faith. Others have suggested that Mount St. Helena was named after Princess

LANCE BURRIS Helena de Gagarin, the wife of the commanding officer of Fort Ross, a fur-trading post built by the Russians on the Sonoma coast in 1812.

Few visitors to the Napa Valley realize that an Orthodox church and monastery are located within blocks of each other along two of Calistoga’s tree-shaded backstreets.

For a number of years I attended Sunday services at St. Simeon Verkhotursky Orthodox Church and the small chapel at nearby Holy Assumption Monastery. The proximity of the church and chapel is reminiscent of the a joke told to me by a fellow parishioner: “In Russia, we Orthodox find it necessary to build two churches in each village — one to attend and the other not to attend,” parish politics being what they are. While the church and monastery are distinct entities, they have found it necessary to share a priest because of the economics of their small size.

Today, all services are temporarily held at the Holy Assumption Monastery chapel while St. Simeon

is undergoing major repairs.

The Cupola St. Simeon was originally constructed by Russian immigrants seeking refuge from religious persecution in China. In the 1960s, the immigrant community settled in Calistoga where they built what is now called the parish house. In 1974, the church proper was constructed immediately adjacent to the house and dedicated to Russia’s much beloved St. Simeon, who was a native of Verkhoturye in Siberia.

The church, like the monastery chapel, accommodates fewer than 40 people. Its most prominent feature is a gold cupola, which is topped with the distinctive Russian Orthodox cross.

The Bell Tower Today, after years of effort, the Holy Assumption Monastery is a mix of buildings of different architectural styles and finishes which have been cobbled together Please see Church, Page 64

LEFT: St. Simeon Church in Calistoga Lance Burris‌

63

CHURCH From Page 63

to form an organic whole. It is set within a beautiful garden bordering the Napa River. Holy Assumption Monastery is the oldest women’s monastery in the United States.

By design, its small chapel resembles that at Fort Ross. In fact, it incorporates a timber salvaged from the fort’s original chapel, which was rebuilt by the State of California as part of the Fort Ross Historic Park. The chapel is both intimate and inviting. Built of California redwood, its interior walls are adorned with icons, framed in gold and silver, which glow in the soft candlelight, while the smell of burning beeswax and incense fills the air with “spiritual fragrance.”

During Divine Liturgy (which is similar to the Roman Catholic Mass), one enters a spiritual realm which engages all of the physical senses. Services are conducted in a mixture of English, Russian, and Greek in recognition of the Orthodox Church’s diversity and unbroken history, which dates back to the Apostles. The monastery’s luxuriant garden, which is an eclectic mix of citrus, palms, redwood trees, trumpet vines, geraniums, roses, and wisteria, extends the chapel’s sense of sanctuary into the natural world.

Holy Assumption Monastery is home to approximately a dozen American nuns whose activities are overseen by an Abbess. During the service, the nuns sing threepart (no bass being present) liturgical music or assist the priest as needed. These ladies in black are among the wisest people I know, perhaps because they do not read the newspaper or watch television.

What is so marvelous about parish life is the fact that, following Divine Liturgy, the parishioners and visitors enjoy lunch with the nuns and the priest in the monastery’s airy dining room. While the parishioners may have different ethnic backgrounds and political opinions, all are united in a shared belief in something greater than themselves which creates a sense of

64

Lance Burris‌

A painting of the garden and courtyard of the Holy Assumption Monastery.

harmony sadly lacking in the modern world. During one such gathering, I asked Mother T., how I should respond to friends who express economic and political opinions with which I do not agree — adding “If I say nothing, it would be tacit acceptance of their opinions, and if I object, I would make enemies of my friends.”

Putting her reassuring hand on my shoulder, Mother T. responded: “Now, Lance, you need to take the longer term view. As Christians, we know how it is all going to turn out; besides, the devil rules the world and you are not going to throw him out. So why don’t you just try to be a better person?” To which I responded, “Oh, Mother T., it is so much easier to argue with my friends.” That, in a nutshell, is the world’s problem and our personal challenge.

The monastery garden includes a low, wooden tower in which I often observed the choir director playing the bells with joyful enthusiasm. When the Church sent her back to New York to pursue a seminary degree leading to a Ph.D, I wanted to give the young woman a going-away present in recognition of her many positive contributions to parish and monastery life. This is not easily done, since the nuns take a vow of poverty. I therefore wrote the following poem which I framed and gave to the Abbess to dispose of as she saw fit, which I assume she did.

A slender figure, clad in black, emerges from the chapel door.

It is Sister M.!

She dashes down the garden path

communion and for sale to other religious institutions and commercial ventures. The more expensive of the two wines, called Kagor by the Russians, is made from 100 percent Malbec grapes. Only 300 cases of this premium wine are still available. I am told the wine is of such high quality that it is the only California wine served in the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

The second and less expensive wine, which is a California red labeled Alicante blend, has been completely sold out. The more recent 2014 vintage will become the new standard wine, which will be bottled and offered for sale in September of 2017, and a 2015 vintage of the premium Kagor will be bottled for sale in 2018.

These church wines, both past and present, are sweet and resemble an aged port. While a few dessert wines are produced by Napa Valley vintners, one does not generally associate sweet wines with the Valley, which is primarily known for its dry varietal wines. This makes the church wines special.

While sweet and velvety, they are not cloying and have great warmth and clarity. Normally served at room temperature, the wines may be mulled, with the gentle warming increasing their sense of depth and richness.

I have written this article in order to share my deep affection for St. Simeon and the Holy Assumption Monastery, which I encourage others to visit. St. Simeon is located at 1421 Cedar Street and Holy Assumption Monastery at 1519 Washington Street. The monastery currently welcomes visitors, as will the church upon its repair. Divine Liturgy begins at 10 a.m. each Sunday. Information about the monastery, including its calendar of services, may be found on the web at holyassumptionmonastery.com. Information about the wines may also be found on line at calistogaorthodoxwine. com. Wines may be ordered via email at orders@calistogaorthodoxwine.com or by calling 9424658.

to the wooden tower.

Sister, Sister, with pale countenance sweet, strike the fluted metal, make the chapel bells ring.

Ding-a, ding-a, ding-a, ding!

Ding-a, ding-a, ding-a, ding!

Sister, Sister, with white hands a-flutter, pull the cords down hard, make the old bronze sing.

Ding-a, ding-a, ding-a, ding!

Ding-a, ding-a, ding-a, ding!

Clang, clang, clang!

Thus, the chapel bells rang, singing songs “bell” canto in the morning call to faith.

Economic self-sufficiency The church and monastery, like many of today’s religious institutions, struggle to maintain economic self-sufficiency. The monastery is funded by private donations and a variety of programs run by the nuns under the direction of the Abbess. These programs include the sale of religious items (e.g., icons, crosses, and books), simple wooden coffins, and baked goods.

In this regard, a small, storefront bookstore is being built, which, when complete, will sell the aforementioned items, including a number of children’s books written by the Abbess which use animals to demonstrate simple moral principles, much like Aesop’s Fables.

St. Simeon, on the other hand, lacks the manpower (or, should I say, nunpower) to engage is such fundraising activities.

Therefore, as a matter of economic survival, the church partnered with the monastery to Lance Burris is a member of the produce two different kinds of St. Simeon parish and a Napasacramental wines for use during based writer and painter.

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Wine&Dine in the Napa Valley Fall 2017

LAS ALCOBAS ups the ante TIM CARL

New restaurant and boutique hotel opens in historic location

T

he Acacia House, the new St. Helena restaurant from chef Chris Cosentino (Cockscomb, Jackrabbit) and partner Oliver Wharton, is now open to the public, and breathing new life into wine country cuisine.

The restaurant opened to the public on May 11, within the new 68-room boutique luxury hotel, Las Alcobas, which replaced the Grandview Apartments on a three-plus-acre property just north of downtown. The restaurant sits atop a small hill in a restored century-old Victorian with six upstairs rooms, the dining

room and bar downstairs.

“We believe that Las Alcobas is gorgeous and something the town will be proud of,” said Sushil Patel, founder and managing principal of Presidio Companies. “The design is in keeping with St. Helena’a history — rustic but sophisticated.”

The new hotel is situated on the site that was first a private home built in 1907. The home was converted to a hotel called St. Gothard’s Rest in 1911. In 1921 the hotel became a hospital and then transitioned back into a hotel called St. Gothard Inn in 1938.

Rumor had it that the hotel may have included a brothel. Eventually the inn became a Christian Science home for the aged and then morphed into low-rent apartments called the Grandview in 1963.

Now Las Alcobas, a

restaurant and boutique hotel, has rooms that cost from around $700 to more than $3,000 per night.

The entire site has been completely renovated through a collaboration with the hotel group’s CEO, Samuel Leizorek (Las Alcobas, Mexico City), and partners Guneet Bajwa and Sushil Patel of Presidio Companies (The White House Inn, Napa, and others).

“Our whole approach toward hospitality and food is directed toward our guests’ enjoyment,” Leizorek said. “If they walk away feeling taken care of and happy and smiling, then we’ve done our job. We interviewed many chefs, and Chris Cosentino is something special. He cooks from the heart and reflects our shared commitment toward providing our guests something exceptional.”

“This isn’t about

getting stars or building our own egos, this is about providing our guest with a wonderful experience,” Cosentino said. “No tweezers, no foams, this is about making food that people want to eat in an environment that makes them feel welcomed and happy.”

When asked how Cosentino intends to approach his food offerings, he does not hesitate to answer.

“Our approach is about celebrating the origin of the grapes that have made the wines of this valley — they are all immigrants,” he said. “Let’s celebrate that and focus on those original locations: Please see Restaurant, Page 68 BELOW: An aerial view of the new 68-room boutique luxury hotel, Las Alcobas, at 1915 Main St., St. Helena.

Tim Carl photo

67

RESTAURANT From Page 67

France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany. I am not here to reinvent the wheel. I am here to make beautiful food that is approachable and makes people smile.”

And the menu certainly does that. Known for his inventive use of a variety of meats, Cosentino is well known for his “snout to tail” approach to using as much of an animal as possible, having made “noodles” from pigskin. At the Acacia House nearly half the menu items focus on vegetables.

“We have access to some of the best food and wine found in the world, so there’s really no excuse to not make excellent food,” Cosentino said. “Some people think of me as the guy who cooks pig tails, but what I think is important is to respect the food that will enter into people’s bodies, not just taking one small piece and saying ‘Ta-da!’ but instead going from leaf to root and tail to snout. It’s about honoring life.”

The 50-seat restaurant (more seating is available outside) features a working fireplace and is open for breakfast (for guest of the hotels only, for the time being), lunch and dinner with a menu featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Breakfast offerings will include freshly baked breads, signature juices that include a turmeric shot ($9) and richer options such as croissant milk toast, a bread pudding with whipped mascarpone ($19).

Lunch also features house-made juices like the El Pastore, a concoction of pineapple, jalapeño, cilantro and line ($9), and sandwiches such as the chicken mole torta, made with cabbage, avocado, queso fresco, black bean aioli and torta bread ($20).

The dinner menu begins with starters that include local radishes with sea urchin, butter and local sea vegetables ($20) and Napa Valley lamb tartare with green harissa, mint and chickpea crackers ($16). Entree offerings star sweet pea rigatoni with morels ($26), Klingman farms pork schnitzel ($49) and a decadent-vegan dish of asparagus a la plancha with a crunchy almond-serrano streusel and creamy white gazpacho ($26).

The bar is bright and airy with a drink menu that includes a host of intriguing concoctions, such as the St. Helena Chill made with red wine, brandy and ginger. My favorite is the house margarita, which comes in an etched glass and tastes like it’s straight from Mexico City. It’s made with lemon juice instead of lime and topped with a luscious sea-salt foam that fills each sip with salty sweetness.

Guests at the bar are served complimentary

68

Tim Carl photo‌‌

The kitchen crew at the Acacia House, located in the new 68-room boutique hotel, Las Alcobas, in St. Helena.

house-made chips and onion dip, both of which are decadent and made me long to watch a football game on the nonexistent televisions.

Locally made beers, such as Mad Fritz and Las Alcobas’ soon-to-be house brews can be enjoyed outside on the sunny deck. The wine program, overseen by local sommelier Zoe Hankins, who is coming from La Toque in Napa, is limited, with most offerings coming from local vintners, but it also includes wines from Sonoma and even a few from France.

“We are focused on local vintners,” Hankins said, “but we also want some options for the area’s winemakers that come in and want to try something different.”

The locals who attended the first night gave positive reviews.

“Everything has been prepared and executed perfectly,” said Trish Stephens, co-owner of D. R. Stephens Estate winery and Hunnicutt Wine Co. “Even the car-parking attendants were professional. And the food. The food is wonderful.”

“The Cornish game hen was tender, succulent and delicious,” Tommy Skouras said.

“Damn good job, especially considering this was the first night open. That said, I would have preferred to have seen the beak and feet of my meal. The way it was presented, it was rolled up like a sausage.”

“I am completely impressed by the entire staff and kitchen’s execution tonight,” said St. Helena chef and co-owner of Terra, Hiro Sone.

“To pull this off on the first night is exceptional and speaks well for their future success. They not only provided exceptional service, somehow they’ve also made every dish luxurious but simple, which is not easy. Besides that, they incorporated real depth into each dish, such as including pureed pea pods into the pasta, utilizing and extracting different flavors and textures from each element. Also, the seasoning was perfect. This is exciting.”

Most food on the menu is available on the

in-room dining menu.

Beyond the restaurant, Cosentino will spearhead the Las Alcobas’ on-site artisan bread program that will focus on sprouted grains sourced from organic growers, breakfast, pool, lounge and room service, and banquets and catering as well as picnic baskets with alfresco favorites such as a signature cold fried chicken and house-made energy bars for cyclists on the go.

Although many locals are excited by Cosentino’s food and many city officials welcome the revenue generated by the hotel, there are some who worry about the impact of increased traffic.

“The city is well aware of the issues of traffic and the challenges of the intersection at Las Alcobas,” said St. Helena Planning Director Noah Housh. “The developers met all the legal requirements. However, we understand the concerns and will continue to look for ways to improve traffic, both now and in the future. We have learned a lot through this process and will incorporate these findings moving forward.”

“We have had so much goodwill and encouragement from the community,” Leizorek said, “but we also understand there are some concerns, so we have worked — and will continue to work — diligently on the issue of traffic. We have secured some additional 40 parking spaces at the Seventh Day Adventist church, and valet parking is complimentary.

We believe things will continue to improve as things settle down after construction. We are grateful for the patience and support of the community and look forward to serving them for years to come.”

The hotel property, at 1915 Main St., is open seven days a week from 7-10 a.m. for breakfast (for hotel guests only for the time being), 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner. The bar and lounge is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

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Navajo blankets, ancient headdresses are a surprise plus

‌W

ith its locally quarried stone exterior, the twostory building looks as if it’s always been there, but the Grayson Building, the tasting room in St. Helena that serves both the J. Davies red wines and Schramsberg sparkling wines, is brand, spanking new, and comes with a few ancient surprises sprinkled throughout inside.

Guests of Davies Vineyards’ wine tastings will get not only an introduction to the Davies’ family wines – both their J. Davies Estate red wines and Schramsberg sparkling wines – they will also get to tour the building that could double as an art museum thanks to the display of some of the family’s treasures that include Navajo blankets and headdresses from Peru and Chile, some that date to 500-800 A.D. They are part of the collection of vintner Hugh Davies’ parents, Jack and Jamie Davies.

The reception desk greets visitors with a soaring entry that draws the eyes up to the first museum-glass cased Navajo blanket, circa 1865, that is woven with a serrated zigzag and diamond pattern in shades of red, green, slate blue, white, black and gold. Giant light fixtures made from metal barrel hoops, here and in the main tasting room, juxtapose the artistry of the blanket and the headdresses, three of which are displayed above the bar in the main room.

The smallest headdress, the “Wari Pile Hat with Tufts,” dates to 500-800 A.D. and is about 5 inches high. It has tufted corners with iconography of bird-like

ANNE WARD ERNST PHOTOS, WEEKLY CALISTOGAN

The patio seating at Davies Vineyard tasting room is surrounded by crated trees, tables and chairs, and comfortable cushioned sofas and chairs.

If you go The Grayson Building tasting room is located at 1210 Grayson Ave., St. Helena.

Tastings, which are by appointment, may include a 2011 Schrasmberg Brut, 2014 Davies Vineyards Pinot Noir from Carneros, 2014 Davies Vineyards Pinot Noir Goorgian Vineyards from Anderson Valley, 2013 Davies Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, and a 2013 J. Davies Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Diamond Mountain District.

Seated tastings ($50) are held at various times throughout the day.

Wine and cheese pairings ($105) are held at 11 a.m. daily.

Davies Vineyards’ new tasting room, the Grayson Building, is newly built with locally quarried stone exterior to give it an old-world feel.

figures and feline profile heads in opposing squares. Next to it is a fez-style headdress from the Incan period (1470-1534 A.D.) worked with alpaca fibers in white, blue, yellow, green, and red, topped by parrot feathers, and red and white feathers. Human hair pigtails that date to 900-200 B.C. are incorporated into the pre-Columbian

Chilean headdress made of wool skeins in red, blue, brown and white wrapped in a turban form.

There are two more rugs and another headdress in other areas of the building that has a little of the Schramsberg property incorporated in it with reclaimed wood decorating walls, and photos of the estate and

vineyards throughout.

An outdoor patio with comfortable shaded seating is surrounded by crated trees — some of which came from the Schramsberg property — and a fountain create a true winery experience, which is actually steps away from Main Street in St. Helena, and in what was once the parking lot of a car dealership.

71

REDEFINING

NAPA VALLEY DINING

Tim Carl photo

The Charter Oak in St. Helena opened to the public on June 5 after a series of recent “workshops” testing the food and concepts on friends and family.

A ‘new cuisine’ at Charter Oak focuses on simplicity -- and perfection

T

he Charter Oak restaurant in St. Helena is a collaboration between two of the Napa Valley’s most celebrated restaurant minds — Chef Christopher Kostow, best known for his Michelin three-star-rated The Restaurant at Meadowood, and Meadowood’s front-of-the-house director, Nathaniel Dorn. Kostow and Dorn have once again redefined dining in wine country, having launched a new concept for simple, approachable and seasonal food in St. Helena.

The restaurant, housed in the completely renovated old brick, wood and steel building that was the beloved Tra Vigne for nearly 30 years, opened in June.

For a week in late May, a few lucky soulswere invited

72

TIM CARL to experience a “workshop” of pre-opening dinners where they might sample what Kostow and Dorn have created, which seems to have sprung directly from the ideas expressed so eloquently in Kostow’s, “A New Napa Cuisine” cookbook published in 2014: “I wondered if it would be possible to harness the physical, emotional, and historical power of this place [the Napa Valley] in a new and persuasive way to create a cuisine that is rooted here rather than just happening here. Could I not endeavor to understand this place, its past and its present, and in doing so help write its future?”

One answer has been Kostow’s expression of cuisine at the Meadowood Restaurant, where he obtained a three-star Michelin rating before the age of 30, becoming

only the second American-born chef and third-youngest chef to receive three Michelin stars.

In this new expression of an answer The Charter Oak, Kostow, Dorn and their exceptional team have taken on what might be a greater challenge: to create a casual dining experience that whittles away everything extraneous to reveal the simple and beautiful core.

“We are striving to create an authentic expression of wine country that is not forced or overly conceptual, highlighting one or two ingredients at a time,” Kostow said. “We are using local produce, much of it grown in our own garden, and have engaged with local artisans to help us express this place. The team that has come together is young,

dynamic and bright, with Kat as the chef.”

Katianna (Kat) Hong has been with Kostow for more than six years at Meadowood and has worked her way up through the kitchen, two years ago earning the coveted title of chef de cuisine, making her the only female to hold such a title at the time at any of the 12 Michelin three-star restaurants in America. Now, she is the chef at The Charter Oak. “I am excited to be at this stage and be able to share what we’ve created, which is different compared to Meadowood,” Hong said.

“In some ways it is much harder to prepare simple food than more complex dishes. Here we are trying to simplify and highlight the source rather than the process.

It can be a challenge, but it is

important and the effects can be wonderful.”

“There is a lot of love in the place, you can just feel it when you enter the space,” said Massimo Falsini, the new executive chef at Solage Calistoga’s Solbar, who was at one pre-opening workshop. “The grand doors open into a wide-open room where there’s the hearth and fire, almost as an altar. The food is simple, and it takes real courage and skill to pull off something like this. I don’t think that it is possible to do it any better.”

Before entering the restaurant, guests cross through an iron gate and enter into a brickwalled courtyard with steep steps flanked by two old lions that frequenters of the old Tra Vigne restaurant will remember.

Outdoor seating will eventually become available, but for now diners pass through floorto-ceiling doors and into an enormous Zen-like room full of openness and what Dorn refers to as a core of elements.

On the left is a long wooden bar, and on the far wall is the blackened-steel hearth and a roaring fire fronted by a cook’s station and surrounded by various food items — roasts, heads of cauliflower, cabbage, grapes and bouquets of herbs — all hanging, roasting or being lightly smoked. A wonderful aroma of burning wood and roasting meats and vegetables fills the space and adds to the sense of hospitality and warmth.

“We want people to feel perfectly comfortable and at home,” Dorn said. “We hope guests come and feel immersed in a space that is intentional, purposeful and elemental, full of wood, brick, water, fire and steel, all in a way that complements the food and wine.

Sometimes people are afraid of a blank wall and they want to fill it up,” he said, pointing up to the empty expanse of the black-plastered hearth wall.

“But open space provides an important element to the experience, too.”

Each comfortable leather seat at the thick oak tables has

The hearth made of blackened steel houses a roaring wood fire fronted by a cook’s station and surrounded by various food items hanging, roasting or being lightly smoked, including roasts, heads of cabbage, grapes and bouquets of herbs.

its own pitcher of water and is equipped with personal utensil drawers so that guests can resupply themselves as needed.

According to Dorn, this is for the comfort and convenience of the guests, but it is also a way to manage staff-table interactions.

A FAMILY-STYLE MENU‌‌ The menu during the workshop dinners was pared down but certainly diverse and varied enough to highlight the approach, skill and exceptional ingredients to be offered. Guests have options to order portions from a sushi-like menu, all of which is served family style. The menu contains three sections: starters ($8 per portion), mids ($16 per portion) and mains ($24 per portion). Then they can choose desserts from a cart to be prepared table-side by a chef.

Starters include offerings such as creamy steamed potatoes with sorrel vinegar, honey and salt or simply prepared boiled eggs with local olive oil and salt.

Mids feature items such as grilled avocados brushed with smoky ember oil and garlicky mayo and little gem lettuces with bagna cauda of dried albacore and lovage cream.

Main dishes include succulent hearth-grilled chicken

Tim Carl photo‌‌

The former chef de cuisine at The Restaurant at Meadowood, Katianna Hong, and her team of chefs at The Charter Oak tested and prepared hearth-grilled items for Monday’s opening.

with preserved grape leaves and roasted fresh grapes or beef ribs grilled over oak staves from cabernet barrels and served with beets dressed in the rendered fat.

Dessert offerings included a date cake that had been grilled over the fire and was served with nocino cream (a dark brown liqueur made from unripe walnuts) or chocolate pudding with fresh milk and roasted white chocolate and butter cookies.

Bar food items feature “The burger,” ($16) a crispy friedchicken sandwich ($16) and potato skins with Marin brie and trout roe ($6).

‘ N O T H I N G TO H I D E BEHIND’‌‌ “To make three ingredients — eggs, salt, olive oil — work, everything must be perfect because there is nothing to hide behind,” Kostow said. “We are attempting to make something honest, and that means every ingredient, every technique must be perfectly executed and embody a sense of place and purpose.”

“People might not understand how difficult it is to make such a perfect egg,” Falsini said.

Please see Dining, Page 74

73

original Charter Oak in 1902,” Dorn said. “We liked the idea of going back to something original From Page 74 — planting a new oak where the former was rooted for so long — “But they are achieving it here. and building something that was This is the kind of place that you at once timeless and new.” come to have dinner with your family and friends. This experi- ONLY NAPA VALLEY WINES‌‌ ence is more like coming home “Our cocktails are classic-inthen going out, in a way.” spired drinks and our extensive Referring to the tartin of green list of sought-after local wines garlic, peas and lardo, Califor- and beers is focused on the Napa nia-based artist and St. Helena Valley,” Dorn said. “We want resident Matt Rogers reported, people to come in and experience “This is the most incredible, fat- this place, learn about our differdraped garlic crostini with basil ent regions and how they work that I could imagine. Everything with the food. If you bring in has been beyond expectations, your own bottle of Napa Valley and expectations were sky-high.” wine we’ll bring you over a cork“I love that they make their screw and a couple of glasses at bread and butter in-house, each no charge.” of which is spectacular,” said Amy Dorn explained that he was Rogers, owner of La Herradura also inspired by his mother-inVineyards. “The bread is chewy law, a former bar owner, to create with a crunchy crust and the but- small gold-doubloon-like coins ter is light and creamy. Everything imprinted with “The Charter on the menu is like that. It seems Oak” on one side and an acorn that each thing — the room, the on the other. Patrons can purfood, the wine, even the minimal chase these coins to buy a drink artwork — was perfectly thought- for someone or use them at a out.” later date, a tradition that may “I love that the only picture have begun in the 18th century they have on the wall is of a train in small, family-owned bars and wreck,” Rogers said, laughing. “I public houses where guests knew mean that really shows how much each other. confidence this team has. I love it.

A train wreck. So great. They are CREATION OF A CULINARY doing something special here, you ECOSYSTEM ‌‌ can just feel it.”

Beyond the space and the “The photo on the wall is food, wine and cocktails, Kostow of the train that took out the and Dorn have embarked on

DINING

creating an ecosystem that fosters creativity and local involvement, from the local-made tables or coffee service ceramics to their own garden at the St. Helena Montessori School. Even the staff seems community-focused, connected and engaged with what it means to be a member of The Charter Oak team.

“It is not enough to just understand food and service, we each also need to understand this place at a deeper level,” Kostow said. “All my chefs have been given a reading list, not just to learn about the history of the Napa Valley, but also to better understand what it is that we are trying to do here. As a part of the reading list we’ve included such local historical authors as James Conaway’s ‘The Far Side of Eden’ and exceptional cooks like Francis Mallmann’s ‘On Fire,’ but we’ve also added in the poet William E. Stafford, whose work illustrates the power of eliminating the non-essential, only leaving behind what is elemental, what is critical.”

According to Kostow’s wife, Martina, who is actively involved with both restaurants, Stafford’s poem “A Ritual to Read to Each Other” is Kostow’s favorite.

“Although since we’ve had children the frequency of his readings has decreased, Christopher has recited this poem to me often,” she said. “It’s his favorite.”

The first stanza of the poem

goes like this: “If you don’t know the kind of person I am/and I don’t know the kind of person you are/a pattern that others made may prevail in the/world/and following the wrong god home we may miss/our star.”

In many ways, Chef Kostow and company appear more like modern-day prophets come to usher in a new approach to the preparation and consumption of food and wine in the Napa Valley, each following his or her own star.

I suspect many diners will come and barely notice where they are and what they are consuming, laughing and talking with family and friends as they use their hands to enjoy perfectly prepared potatoes with salt and a dash of local honey. And that seems to be the point. Not a place to aggrandize a single person or idea but instead to honor each core element, be it a wall, a table or an egg.

Beyond a wonderfully considered space one can almost feel a sense of mission course through the air, manifesting in an honest expression of simply executed whole ingredients, served with a large dash of humility, courage and conviction.

As Kostow wrote in his cookbook, “I believe that … I found a place that my cooking could give voice to, a thread that connected me to the people of its past and present and to the land and its history.”

Tim Carl photo

Tim Carl photo‌‌

Creamy steamed potatoes with sorrel vinegar, honey and salt, simply prepared boiled eggs with local olive oil and salt, and house-made bread and butter.

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From left are Nathaniel Dorn, director at The Restaurant at Meadowood and co-owner and operating partner of The Charter Oak restaurant; his business partner and three-star Michelin Chef Christopher Kostow, and Katianna Hong, the former chef de cuisine at The Restaurant at Meadowood.

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Chris Blanchard of Blanchard’s Fried Chicken checks a fryer basket of chicken to see how done it is.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Blanchard’s A pop-up

at

TO N Y P O E R

Sommelier-turned-chef perfects his fried chicken

‌I

f the pop-up restaurant concept seems spontaneous these days, Napa Valley wine veteran Chris Blanchard takes a different view. By way of his own pop-up events and side business, the

76

master sommelier and fried chicken enthusiast is working hard to master the art of southern cooking, a bucket and biscuit at a time.

Earlier this year, Blanchard and his wife, Lauren, were searching for a commercial kitchen space in downtown Napa. The couple became sold on a facility tucked away at the back of the Tannery Row complex on South Coombs Street. Breezes blowing off of the Napa River and views across the water were

an added bonus.

Several weeks later, Blanchard’s Fried Chicken was born, a combination of gourmet destination and gritty determination—with cheese grits on the side.

“I want to make food that’s fun, that’s soulful, that’s a little bit different,” the sommelier-turned-fry cook said recently while mixing gallons of cole slaw. It was a couple of days before Blanchard’s latest Friday take out night,

“

“I want to make food that’s fun, that’s soulful, that’s a little bit different.”

which evolved from the popular fried chicken pop-ups he pulled off last year at local restaurants like Angèle, Torc and Oenotri.

“I’m a white guy making soul food. I like stuff that has some soul to it, that isn’t the same old thing, and that’s what we’re doing here. It’s a great time, and the food is awesome.”

A couple of Fridays a month, Blanchard preps his ingredients— dozens of birds, of course, but also the slaw, mac and cheese, biscuits, and collard greens that complement his New Orleans-style fried chicken—and his wife opens the kitchen doors to customers who have placed orders online. A few close friends help execute the menu to a rocking blues soundtrack of John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy. Buckets and sides leave with happy customers who, through social media and word-of-mouth, find their way to the Blanchard’s Fried Chicken website. It’s like a wine club, but for fried chicken.

“It’s a different concept than the pop-ups in that I have this club called The Bucket List,” Blanchard explained. “People sign up to get notifications of when the next take out night is going to be.”

So far, all of the menu items have been selling out in advance, but he confessed it isn’t exactly a money-maker. “It’s a labor of love.

I know customer service pretty well, so we try to make everybody happy. We have a good time, there’s music playing, and like I said, we’re just doing it because it’s fun.”

“It pays the rent,” he added, “but above that, I’m not making a bunch of money. It might be better to go talk about wine at a seminar somewhere.”

Blanchard earned his master sommelier degree in 2008 and has worked for the last few years as national sales manager for Vine Hill Ranch in Oakville. Wine is

Chris Blanchard

his passion, but his obsession with southern cooking goes back much further, through the family legend of his grandmother, Opal, who died shortly before he was born.

“She was the first school teacher for an all-black school in Wichita, Kansas,” he said, describing the woman who would end up a respected educator in South Carolina during the tumultuous late 1950s. “Just like a lot of people’s grandmothers in the South, she was a nice grandma who made food to make her family happy.”

“So this is grandma food, you know, which is fantastic. I feel like I’m a grandma cooking for all these strangers I don’t even know, welcoming them into my house, coming in to get some chicken and some greens.”

Please see Blanchard, Page 78

J.L. Sousa photos, Register

Chris Blanchard holds two pieces of his fried chicken.

A bucket of chicken from Blanchard’s Fried Chicken.

J.L. Sousa photos, Register

77

Matt Simpson, preparing mac and cheese, is in charge of the side dishes at Blanchard’s Fried Chicken.

J.L. Sousa, Register

BLANCHARD From Page 77

Last Friday, the scene at their kitchen reflected what the Blanchards have worked hard to create. Lauren, whose own day job is general manager at Savage and Cook distillers on Mare Island, looked over her printed list of customer orders for that evening. Pick-up times scheduled between four and seven o’clock afforded her some control over the fast pace. Her husband and friends moved quickly around the kitchen, from hot stove tops to pressure fryer to convection oven, while Canned Heat played in the background.

“We have a general idea of what time people are coming, and as long as about 50 percent of the people show up at the time they say, then we’re in very good shape from the kitchen’s standpoint,” Lauren explained. Then she laughed that “the first evening was quite a rude awakening!”

“But we’ve got our system down now.

Everybody is just really excited to get some great fried chicken.”

As people lined up outside, the reporter was invited to sample a plump, spicy chicken

78

J.L. Sousa, Register

This is a sample of Chris Blanchard’s fried chicken, before frying and after.

thigh, collard greens, and fairly decadent mac and cheese. Blanchard, who greets almost every customer at the door as they’re picking up their food, nodded with appreciation at the Louisiana-style array of dishes.

“The great thing about New Orleans is that the ladies who come bring you food— or the men—they’re full of love. You know, they give you a bucket of chicken, and you smile, and they say, ‘That’s for you, baby.’ And then you take it, and you eat it, and you’re so happy.”

Around 5 p.m., Nash Cognetti, the executive chef at Tra Vigne Pizzeria in St. Helena,

wandered in for a taste of the signature dish and called it “undoubtedly the greatest fried chicken in the state of California.”

Another chef, Napa’s now-retired Greg Cole, has been a customer since the “BFC” debut. Reached on the phone, he was a little more judicious. “As a kitchen person and as a chef, I really enjoy watching front-of-thehouse people struggle in the kitchen,” he laughed, echoing Lauren. “The first time was disaster, although the food was fantastic.”

“Chris’s apron was very dirty, but there was a big box of corn flakes right there, which is always a good sign when you’re taking home fried chicken.”

Cole recalled enjoying a rosé Champagne during Blanchard’s pop-up dinner at Angèle last year, which he described as the perfect wine for fried chicken. Ever the sommelier, Blanchard mentioned that in the near future he hopes to acquire a type 85 wine license so he and Lauren can sell Champagne to go. At the very least, they’ll have something in their glass to toast their endeavor.

“You know, I love wine; wine’s great. But the cooking is really fun. I love that, too, and fried chicken’s something a little bit different that we can bring to Napa. It’s something with soul that has its own personality.”

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TAKE-OUT: fried chicken, plus the fixings, in Napa PAT R I C I A C O R R I G A N “Fried chicken is booming,” according to restaurant industry analyst Darren Tristano, and Napa County is in on the trend.

Why fried chicken? Fried chicken is “comfort food, convenience food, immigrant food, and a cutting-edge trendsetter all at the same time,” says Adrian Miller, author of “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.” Miller adds, “We’re deeply immersed in a fried chicken moment these days.”

Locally, esteemed chefs have elevated the humble picnic food to new heights, and this summer they are selling their fried chicken at pop-ups.

In Napa, Southside offers Fried Chicken Friday on the first Friday of every month.

“Fried chicken has long been a signature item at Smoke, the catering company we opened 10 years ago, and now we can showcase the dish once a month through our restaurant,” said Irma Robinson, co-owner of the coffee house and café with Morgan, her husband.

Morgan, previously a chef at Franciscan Estate Winery, said he started making fried chicken about 15 years ago, using a recipe from Cooks Illustrated magazine. Today, he starts by brining the birds for 24 hours in a mixture of saltwater, kosher salt, sliced lemons, fresh thyme and garlic cloves.

“You can try different things with fried chicken, but the secret is not cutting any corners,” he said. Next, the chicken soaks in buttermilk for 24 hours. A bucket with 10 pieces of chicken costs $25. Sides, which include cabbage slaw with a chili lime vinaigrette and Yukon potato salad with a mustard vinaigrette, range from $6-$8 a pint. Biscuits cost $3 each or $10 for four.

Orders for Friday Chicken Friday must be placed at least 72 hours in advance, and

pick-up times are between 4 and 7 p.m. Diners may opt to carry out or eat on the patio at Southside, at 2770 Old Sonoma Road. See southsidenapa.com for details.

Although fried chicken is not on the menu at Southside, the Robinsons offer it in a boxed lunch through their catering company. They also are planning a second Friday evening pop-up at Southside, featuring Cuban sandwiches and mushroom torta. “Ultimately, we’d love to do something every Friday,” Irma said.

Chris Blanchard, a master sommelier and chef who works at Vine Hill Ranch Winery in Oakville, schedules Fried Chicken Friday Nights as he has time. “Fried chicken is a Please see Chicken, Page 82

White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits and butter from Southside cafe in Napa.

J.L. Sousa, Register

81

CHICKEN From Page 81

passion for me. You want to separate the normal from the spectacular, and I’m trying to bring something different to Napa,” Blanchard said. Inspiration for his recipe came from a cook in New Orleans and his grandmother.

(See related article.)

A bucket with eight pieces of chicken costs $22. Cole slaw, mashed potatoes, collard greens, macaroni and cheese are the sides, at $5 each for a 12-ounce container. Biscuits cost $5 for two. Pick up for the take-out food is from 4 to 7 p.m. at Melissa Teaff Catering, 101 S. Coombs in Napa. Sign up for Blanchard’s “Bucket List” (blanchardsfriedchicken.com) to find out when the chicken will next be available and to place an advance order.

Legend has it that Thomas Keller was the first in the county to offer fried chicken carryout, starting at Ad Hoc, his family-style restaurant at 6476 Washington St. in Yountville.

Today the fried chicken is available at Keller’s Addendum, a seasonal picnic spot in back of Ad Hoc, complete with picnic tables.

Addendum is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday. A large bucket of chicken goes for $48 and a small bucket costs $28. Single servings of two sides and a piece of cornbread costs $9. Or, you can get a boxed lunch for $16.50, with your choice of fried chicken, barbecued pork ribs or a pulled pork sandwich. Two sides are included, and beer and wine are available. To order in advance, see thomaskeller.com/addendum If you like music with your fried chicken, Evangeline in Calistoga offers chicken dinners to go every Thursday now through Aug. 17 so you won’t go hungry at Calistoga Concerts in

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Southside General Manager Evan Dodge makes a batch of White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits.

the Park, held in Pioneer Park.

“We started this last summer, because fried chicken is perfect for picnics,” said Gustavo Rios, chef at Evangeline, located at 1226 Washington St. in Calistoga. “I grew up on the East Coast, and I’ve been doing fried chicken for a while. I’m not reinventing anything, but I am most proud of the quality and the consistency.

It’s all about perfecting the dish as you mature.”

A fried chicken dinner costs $45 and includes 10 pieces of chicken and three sides.

The side dishes vary from week to week. Rios said side dishes may include macaroni and cheese, corn on the cob, three-bean salad, locally grown tomatoes, a watermelon and cucumber salad or baked beans with Andouille sausage and bacon. Sometimes, one side is a dessert, such as lemon cake, crème brulee or cookies.

Pick-up time at the restaurant for the

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Southside General Manager Evan Dodge rolls out a batch of White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits.

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dinners is 6 p.m. each Thursday. The free concerts start at 6:30. To order in advance, see evangelinenapa.com. Each order comes with utensils and napkins.

Some trend spotters say fried chicken is surpassing burgers as America’s favorite food.

Some sources reports that the Scots were the first Europeans to deep-fry their chicken in fat, but they neglected to season the birds.

People in West African countries get credit for experimenting with seasonings for the poultry, but not for the batter. The enslaved Africans and African-Americans in the southern states combined and perfected previous cooking methods and developed the dish we all know and love today.

Fried chicken: Just the words jolt the senses, summoning the unique aroma and the sound of that satisfying crunch with the first bite.

Better get some, soon.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

White Lily Buttermilk Biscuits from Southside cafe in Napa.

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Albino Pestoni and his wife, Maria Madonna, with sons, from left, Angelo, Henry, Jack and Frank, in St. Helena 1898.

Submitted photo‌

125 Years of

WINEMAKING TIM CARL

From Rutherford Grove to Pestoni Family winery ‌I heard the rattlesnake before I saw it. Bob Pestoni and his two sons, Greg and Andy, had taken me to their ancestor’s abandoned homestead and stone winery that had been built in 1892 on the slopes of Howell Mountain, just

above Bell Canyon Reservoir.

We were there to talk about the Pestonis’ 125 years — five generations — of winemaking in the Napa Valley and their recent name change from Rutherford Grove Winery to Pestoni Family Estate Winery. But all I was thinking at that moment was how to avoid being bitten.

“Bad year for rattlers,” Bob said. “All these stone structures make for some pretty good cover.”

I nodded and stepped gingerly out of what I hoped was the snake’s strike zone.

We stood within a rectangle of hand-hewn stones that had been the ancient house’s foundation, which directly linked to the adjacent winery walls — still standing, albeit crumbling.

“Our great-great-grandfather, Albino Pestoni, had come from the Ticino area of Switzerland in 1883,” said Greg, Bob’s youngest

son, general manager at the winery and keeper of the family’s history. “He worked their vineyard until he and his wife, Maria Madonna, had enough money to build his own winery in 1892.”

By the early 1900s, the winery was beginning to get noticed.

Albino and Maria’s wines had become popular, especially with other Swiss Italians.

Please see Wine, Page 86

85

Andy, Bob and Greg Pestoni in front of their ancestors’ winery in Bell Canyon, St Helena.

WINE From Page 85

“The wines were probably real family-style back then,” Greg said. “And people loved them, traveling from San Francisco to buy bottles or filling their own jugs directly from barrels at the winery. Those wines were grown and made right on the property, just like many single-vineyard estate wines of today. They really marked the beginning of artisanal winemaking in the Napa Valley.”

Their business prospered until 1920.

“When Prohibition went into effect, they were forced to sell,” Greg said. “My grandfather Henry was one of four sons, and he eventually married Lena Domingos from a Portuguese

86

“

For us, winemaking is not a business — it’s our heritage.”

Greg Pestoni

family that had immigrated to the Napa Valley from the Azores and had a property on Howell Mountain, too.”

Times were tough, and Henry and Lena, joined by her brothers, Alfred and Manuel, worked in the vineyards planting and helping manage vineyards throughout the upper Napa Valley.

“This experience taught them all about soil, sunlight and rootstock,” Greg said, “But the most valuable lesson they learned was to make sure to plant the right grape in the right place.”

In 1923, Lena and Henry purchased what is known today

as the Pestoni Ranch on Whitehall Lane. There Henry and Lena farmed and made a little brandy and sherry on the side.

“Lena’s brothers bought the dormant Ehlers Estate and bootlegged out of it during Prohibition,” Greg said. “Then it went legit in 1933, when Prohibition ended. They named it the Bale Mill Winery. They eventually sold the building in 1979 when Alfred died.”

By that time, Henry and Lena’s sons, Bob and his brother Marvin, briefly parted from their family’s farming and winemaking heritage and instead, in

Tim Carl photo

1963, started the Upper Valley Disposal Service, becoming the refuse hauler for the upper Napa Valley. By the early ‘70s, the brothers had become pioneers of recycling winery byproducts, separating the material for recycling.

But they were eventually drawn back to winemaking and farming, planting grapes and raising livestock, including pigs.

“The first time I bought pigs, I was sold some wild ones,” Bob said. “So when we got them home and put them in their pens they just jumped the fence and ran into the woods. We never saw those pigs again, but I sure learned my lesson — never buy pigs from that guy again, and always check to see if the pigs are wild.”

“We have some pretty special pigs that go into our family’s secret sausage recipe,” said Andy,

who is winemaker at the winery.

“Those were the sausages that Mike Thompson was cooking up at the recent 125th celebration.”

Andy was referring to an event that was held at their winery in Rutherford, not too many miles from where we stood. At that event local congressman, Rep. Mike Thompson, was behind a large grill frying up juicy sausages.

“When I was young I used to help feed the pigs at this ranch,” Thompson said. “Now Bob’s got me cooking up pork sausages — looks like I’ve come full circle.”

Thompson and other local dignitaries, including Napa County Supervisor Diane Dillon and St. Helena Mayor Alan Galbraith had come to the winery to help celebrate the family’s 125th anniversary of winemaking and their recent name change.

After cooking up sausages, Thompson addressed the crowd and presented the family with a plaque.

“I am honored to have submitted a statement in the Congressional Record recognizing the Pestoni family’s 125 years of winemaking in the Napa Valley,” he said. “Bob Pestoni is an extremely hardworking man, and he and his family do so much for our community.”

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Publishing Office and issued when Congress is in session.

A section of the official record now reads: “After many years of growing wine grapes for other wine producers, Mr. Pestoni and his wife, Sylvia, opened the doors of Rutherford Grove Winery in 1994. This year, in celebration of their family’s 125th anniversary of Napa Valley winemaking, the winery was renamed Pestoni Family Estate Winery.

“Bob Pestoni and his family before him have made single-vineyard handcrafted wines for 125 years. They are my friends. I am proud that this hardworking man and family do

so much for our community. It is fitting and proper that we honor them here today.”

According to Andy, they changed their name to Pestoni Family Estate Winery to better reflect their deep roots within the region.

“When we opened Rutherford Grove 25 years ago the name Rutherford was not nearly as diluted as it is today,” Andy said. “Not that it’s bad — but other wineries and entities with the name Rutherford in them have grown a lot since then, and it’s confusing to our customers. I answered the winery phone not long ago and a woman asked me if we were still serving ostrich burgers. ‘Oh,’ I said. ‘We’re Rutherford Grove, not Rutherford Grill.’ By using our family name we tell our family story — a tale of ‘hands-on’ Napa Valley estate winemaking. And this, we think, expresses our Rutherfordness more clearly.”

The three Pestonis talked as we toured the old winery site.

When we returned to where the rattlesnake had been, it had gone,

slipped into some crevice within the nearby rocks, I supposed. I wondered to myself how dangerous and hard it must have been to have lived in what remains a remote place more than 100 years ago.

“We are hoping to disassemble and then reconstruct this old stone winery at our Rutherford property,” Greg said. “It’s only 1,000 square feet, so it would

largely be symbolic, but we don’t want this piece of history to just fade away. To us, the building not only marks the beginning of our family’s history here in the Napa Valley, but it also represents the kind of DIY ethos that we value.

My great-grandfather arrived here with nothing but the will to make wine. For us, winemaking is not a business — it’s our heritage.”

Tim Carl photo‌

From left: Andy Pestoni, Father Gordon Kalil, pastor at St. Helena Catholic Church, Christy Pestoni Abreu, Rep. Mike Thompson, Sylvia and Bob Pestoni and their second son, Greg, celebrate 125 years of Napa Valley winemaking and being included in the official Congressional Record.

Bob Pestoni, left, and Rep. Mike Thompson prepare homemade pork sausages for guests to celebrate the family’s 125th anniversary of Napa Valley winemaking.

87

THE ANSWERS

‌ ere are the answers to our Where in H the Valley quiz from Page 39.

The Mustang mascot at Mt. George Elementary School for Where in Napa Valley.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

The Future of the World is in Our Hands by Napa artist Don Moore in Yountville Park.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

The Paint Works Benjamin Moore Paint Store, located at 3213 Jefferson Street, for Where in Napa Valley.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

Tannya’s Taqueria, located at 1601 Jefferson Street, for Where in Napa Valley.

J.L. Sousa, Register‌

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10

best Napa Valley

WINERIES

A winemaker looks at the Valley’s best-rated destinations

What are the best Napa Valley wineries to visit? This isn’t an easy question to answer because there are so many truly amazing Napa wineries. Some people prefer the small boutique “micro” wineries, some want a winery that focuses on their favorite wine style or varietal, while others want a lively venue with many amenities like restaurants, shops and art galleries. This list is meant as a starting

to visit

IGOR SILL point on your exploration of this globally revered wine region.

No other wine region on the planet draws as much attention as Napa Valley. It’s incomparable beauty pairs seamlessly with generations of winemaker passion to craft some of the world’s truly exquisite wines, as a result, it’s visited by well over three million people every year; making it one of California’s top tourist destinations (Disneyland ranks #1). Perfect for a day or weekend trip from San Francisco, Napa Valley awards one with beautiful scenery, exceptional wineries, world-renowned wines and, of course, an unforgettably memorable experience.

Napa Valley contains well over 500 wineries, with most welcoming guests with winery tours, wine education and tasting rooms.

While enticing, the sheer number of winery options can be overwhelming. Building on a list I first compiled in 2016, I researched both yelp.com and TripAdvisor.com to uncover those wineries that recent visitors felt offered excellent wines, a substantial, service-oriented winery experience, rich

history, as well as an informative and entertaining adventure. Seems a lot has changed since my first list, both from visitor reviews and the winery programs themselves.

Both of these websites are free and provide consumers an open platform to voice their experiences about the quality of products, services and experiences. Anyone can instantly acquire information from countless other consumers about their personal experiences ranging from restaurants to movies to physicians and, wineries. After compiling the most positive ratings, I visited these top 10 wineries unannounced to confirm the reviews.

The recommendations listed are supported by analyzing well over 3,000 yelp. com and TripAdvisor.com shared reviews, for the best, a few hidden gems, as well as my own first-hand experience of their hospitality, quality of wines, ambiance, history, the overall wine tasting experience and the memories that linger long after the visit is over. Yelp has always been a dependable Please see Wineries, Page 90

A 10th anniversary banner flies on one of the towers at Calistoga’s Castello di Amorosa, which opened May 7, 2007. It took 15 years to build.

David Stoneberg, Star

89

WINERIES From Page 89

community review site with full user profiles helping others determine if they might agree with a particular reviewer’s taste. Yelp encourages users to post real photos and their real first name and last initial. I believe both yelp and TripAdvisor reviews are reliable, trustworthy and fairly representative by visitors.

Excellent wines are certainly treasured; however, the experience a winery and its staff provide determines its guest’s assessment and the desire to return. Wineries achieve first class status when their staff enjoys greeting people, are extraordinary experts in their fields and capable of conveying their knowledge in a friendly, fun and understandable fashion. Life is way too short for lousy wine and a mediocre time. And so, with the help of these online reviews, here are 10 of my favorite wineries with tastings and tours that are open to the public.

Of course, this list only scratches the surface. Napa has dozens of other fine wineries worth noting, such as Beaulieu, Beringer, Cakebread, Chateau Montelena, Ehlers, Far Niente, Mondavi, Pine Ridge, Shafer, Silver Oak and many more.

The smaller wineries will often receive guests on an appointment only basis, so always call ahead, or visit their website for availability.

Also, note that Napa zoning restrictions preclude picnic eating at all but a couple of Napa estates, so hold off on that picnic basket.

Virtually all wineries will charge a fee for the tour or tasting, but given the amount of information garnered and the quality of wines poured, along with the beautiful and stylish settings; these visits are an incredible bargain.

My list of the best Napa Valley wineries to visit:

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A group of picnickers are seen on the grounds of V. Sattui Winery on Highway 29 in St. Helena.

J.L. Sousa/Register

noted Winemaker, Brooks Painter who joined V.Sattui in 2005 from Robert Mondavi Winery. The main tasting room is as close to a party as you’ll get in the often seriously elitist Napa. For those who want to learn and talk about the terroir while indulging in aficionado conversations about serious wines, should visit their Vittorio tasting room (Tower) where wine expert, Marc Golic, can be found.

There’s always a party going on at this winery because it’s always packed with visitors, frequent summer BBQs, special events, entertainment and weddings year round. This winery has a full time wedding and special events Michelin Star Chef, Stefano Masanti, insuring exceptional cuisine matches glamorous events.

Culinary Director, Joe Schneider, combines award winning wines with weekly food pairing tasting events. It’s also a great spot to relax with their wines while enjoying a family lunch on their picnic grounds. The terrace grounds behind Vittorio Tower is like walking through olive tree lined lavender fields in Italy. V. Sattui is a family and dog-friendly winery where you’ll see children having a great time as well. This is truly a wonderful and gorgeous place to spend your day.

V.Sattui believes in doing very little advertising, relying mostly on word-of-mouth from loyal Wine Club members, which seems to be working very well for them. Highly recommended for fun-loving novice wine buffs as well as the accomplished wine aficionado.

1111 White Lane, St Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-7774.

V.Sattui Winery, St Helena (www.vsattui.com): This is the most popular and most visited winery in all of Napa. Hours are 9-5 in the winter and 9-6 in the summer months with no appointment required, open 7 days a week. V.Sattui continues to evolve and upgrade their guest experiences, recently adding a Concierge Service designed to custom tailor visits based on guest preferences.

It’s a top favorite because they offer old world Italian charm, more than 60 different wines, champagne and ports, vast picnic grounds, personalized winery and barrel tasting tours, food pairings, a legendary deli with fresh Darioush Winery (www.darioush.com): foods, cheeses and a friendly, knowledgeable, I made reservations for four at Darioush well trained staff.

Winery for a flight of five wines hosted It’s one of the few wineries that consistently tasting on a busy Saturday afternoon at $150 achieves top awards for their wines crafted by per person. We arrived a bit early and drove

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up that beautiful long driveway at the base of Atlas Peak off of Silverado Trail.

We were graciously greeted as we approached the entry by Mark, a very friendly concierge who checked us in with a smile and served us a wonderful Russian River Chardonnay. Mark quickly guided us inside to a waiting living room setting in front of a massive fireplace graced by Persian columns. Mark then introduced us to our host, Derek, who engaged us with a bit of history behind Darioush’s founder, Darioush Khaledi, who achieved the American dream by immigrating to the U.S. from Iran following the Islamic revolution and started what turned out to become the largest family-owned grocery business in Los Angeles.

He then founded Darioush in 1997 to bring the opulent architecture, rich culture, arts and wines of the famed royal city of Persepolis to Napa.

And, that he has done. The winery is amazingly impressive, with Persepolis columns framing the entrance with a royal palace setting inside. Our five wines were served paired perfectly with artisan cheeses and nuts. We tasted two Syrahs, a Merlot, a 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and lastly, the Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. All were luscious and superbly outstanding.

Darioush himself walked over, introduced himself and welcomed us to his winery with a genuine and gracious hospitality, making us feel like royalty. Derek then invited us downstairs where we toured Darioush’s personal wine collection cellar, filled with first growth Bordeaux wines, in the style of Haut-Brion, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux (one of my personal favorites), Chateau Lafite and Mouton Rothschild, including a bottle of 1942 Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Zhukovsky, Dreamstime

The entryway of Darioush Winery.

5 — reportedly one of only two left in the world.

Derek then pulled out a wine thief and proceeded to extract tastings for each of us from a cellar French oak barrel of 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, yet to be bottled or released.

It was truly outstanding and, though a bit young, will clearly be brilliant in a few years.

Overall, we tasted some seven lovely wines and were graced with an unforgettable wine J.L. Sousa, Register tasting experience in one of Napa’s absolutely Guests gather in the caves at Inglenook Winery finest wineries. Without question, an excep- for the 2017 Napa Valley Barrel Auction. tional and unforgettably memorable experience, worthy of six yelp stars (five is the Spottswoode (www.spottswoode.com): max). Appointments required. 4240 SilverSpottswoode is a true family owned hisado Trail, Napa, CA 94558 (707) 257-2345. toric winery on the west side of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. Established in 1882 by Castello di Amorosa (www.castel- George Schonewald, the estate is distinguished lodiamorosa.com): Castello di Amo- by the historic Victorian home portrayed on rosa knows how to make a huge first their wine labels. Founder Mary Novak was a impression. Set on a Calistoga knoll, this vital part of the fabric of Napa Valley and its authentically styled, 13th Century Tuscan wine community since 1972. Her intelligence, castle winery is unlike any other you’ll visit. sense of humor, humility, and vivacious perIt took some 15 years for owner Dario Sattui sonality continues to inspire all at Spottswoode. (founder of V.Sattui Winery) to construct it Today, the winery is managed by her and has all the elements you’d expect from daughters Beth Novak Milliken, its President an authentic Italian castle, such as a moat & CEO and Lindy Novak, who runs the winwith drawbridge, high stone walls, gargoyles, ery’s wholesale marketing program. The family a church and fully equipped torture chamber. produces a small portfolio of four delicious The castle winery produces hand-crafted varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet SauviItalian-styled wines including Cabernet Sau- gnon and a miniscule amount of Syrah and vignon, Merlot, Primitivo and Sangiovese. A Albarino. Their hospitality and tasting room number of guided tours and tastings are avail- is in a quaint Victorian farmhouse nestled able. The castle hits all the marks: delicious amongst the vines. Tours are available on Monwines that you can only get from here, unfor- day through Fridays at 10 a.m. with no more gettably gorgeous grounds, delectable foods than 10 people allowed, so call in advance as and cheeses, and a friendly, knowledgeable this is a popular site. Spottswoode is consisstaff. Busy and crowded. $25 gets you into tently rated one of the very best (five stars) at the castle along with five tastings. 4045 St. Yelp. Phone (707) 963-0134 or email tours@ Helena Highway (Hwy 29), Calistoga, (707) spottswoode.com to make a reservation. 1902 967-6272.

Madrona Ave., St. Helena.

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Inglenook Winery (www.inglenook. com): As one of the original Napa wineries, the elegant, ivy-covered Inglenook was founded by Finnish sea captain and wine connoisseur Gustave Niebaum in 1879. Gustave was passionate about making fine wines in small quantities. Many Hollywood legends were drawn to this Napa treasure in the 1930s and ‘40s including Carole Lombard, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow to name just a few.

In 1975, Francis Ford Coppola acquired the notorious winery from the Niebaum family and spent considerable time, money and energy restoring it back to its magnificent original splendor.

It has since been known by several names, ala Niebaum-Coppola, Coppola and Rubicon until 2011, when Francis Ford Coppola acquired the Inglenook trademark, paying more, he said, than he had paid for the entire estate. He has since, restored the historic name Inglenook to the estate so that it remains a true crown jewel of Napa Valley. Tours are by appointment and definitely worthwhile so that you can appreciate these amazing grounds.

1991 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford, (800) 782-4266.

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Artesa Vineyards and Winery (www. artesawinery.com) Out of all these wineries, Artesa offers the very best overall Napa views. The family-owned winery is set into the highest hill of its 350-acre estate. A terrace offers beautifully expansive vistas of the surrounding countryside, and on clear days, a view of the San Francisco skyline.

Artesa’s architecture reflects a series of Spanish Mediterranean themes. Originally named Codorniu Napa, the name was changed to Artesa in 1997, which translates to “handcrafted” in Catalan. Today Artesa wines are crafted from the varietals for which Carneros and Napa Valley are best known: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Tastings Please see Wineries, Page 92

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The view from Artesa Vineyards and Winery.

Eric Risberg, Associated Press

WINERIES From Page 91

are $35, $45 and $55 per person dependent on exclusivity of the wines served. There are some truly amazing picturesque views to absorb as you enjoy some truly great wines.

1345 Henry Road, Napa (707) 224 1668.

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Domaine Carneros (domainecarneros. com) Founded by the noble French family behind Champagne Taittinger, this majestically grand château is a splendid way to enjoy the Carneros Appellation of Napa.

This stunning, fairy-tale château was modeled after an 18th-century French mansion owned

by Taittinger. Carved into the hillside below the winery are exceptional sparkling wines reminiscent of those crafted by Taittinger, using by to downtown Napa and a short distance estate grown Los Carneros grapes. from Silverado Resort. You can leave your car parked at your Napa B&B and easily get there via bike.

Luna, located on Silverado Trail is the largest producer of Pinot Grigio in Napa. They offer a sunny patio area with ample comfy chairs to relax in while tasting their wines.

Luna is more like a wine bar than a working winery, with music playing and a relaxed comfortable setting. You can also catch the beautiful scenic views of the historic Silverado Trail overlooking the vineyards from their rooftop tower. They specialize in Atlas Peak mountain varietals which include Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese. Reservations are recommended.

2921 Silverado Trail, Napa, (707) 255-5862.

Eric Risberg, Associated Press

The view from Domaine Carneros winery.

The estate is located in the southern part of Napa Valley near the cooler climate of San Pablo Bay. There are three terraces from which you can enjoy breathtaking views while sipping extraordinary Sparkling and Pinot Noir wines.

If you elect to take a tour, you’ll experience behind-the-scenes look at how sparkling wines are produced, from the vineyards through to the bottling process and culminates with a sampling of wines paired with an array of artisan cheeses, gourmet caviar, smoked salmon and charcuterie while seated in the Louis XV– inspired salon or on the terrace overlooking the vineyards. Reservations are required. 1240 Duhig Road. Napa, CA 94559. (707) 2570101, email: tours@domainecarneros.com.

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Luna Vineyards (lunavineyards.com): Co-founders Michael Moone and George Vare launched Luna Vineyards in 1995. Wonderful, magically modern and an absolutely amazing small estate vineyard close

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Opus One (www.opusonewinery.com) This winery originated as the joint venture between Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe Rothschild, who teamed up to create this magnificent winery focused on producing a single Bordeaux-style blend based on Napa Valley floor Cabernet Sauvignon. Opus One Winery delivers a luxurious, though somewhat formal wine experience. The estate is impressive, especially when driving down the center driveway to the winery entrance.

Looking out across Opus One’s vineyards from the upstairs terrace, you immediately sense the beauty of Napa Valley.

This is a winery to just sit back, relax and absorb a wonderful glass of wine with the company of good friends. It doesn’t get any more luxuriously sophisticated than this, so take plenty of pictures while there. Constellation Brands acquired Robert Mondavi winery in 2004 and entered into a management agreement with Baron Rothschild to manage Opus One. The Winery tours are by appointment only, so call in advance to secure

your reservation, and if possible, note that their very best and most knowledgeable tour docents are Sandy, Nancy, Vicki, Hank and Japanese-speaking, Kaede. Opus One produces only one wine, a Bordeaux-style Cabernet Sauvignon blend, so be prepared for tasting one lovely red wine in a bit pretentious and pricey setting. Opus One is worth the visit. 7900 St. Helena Highway (Highway 29) Oakville, (707) 944-9442.

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Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars (www. cask23.com): Founded in 1970

by Warren Winiarski, this winery brought international acclaim to Napa Valley winemaking when their 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon won the famous 1976 “Judgment of Paris” tasting. A bottle of 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon was inducted into the Smithsonian National Museum in 1996 as a result of being awarded first in this competition and to reflect the impact that the achievement had on Napa’s wine industry. The winery’s newly remodeled facility provides floor-to-ceiling views of its vineyards as its centerpiece.

The winery’s cave “is the moral center of the universe” according to founder Warren Winiarski. He installed an amazing floor-toceiling Foucault pendulum at the center of the vaulted caves. It’s an awesome sight to behold as it swings methodically. The winery was sold to a joint venture by Chateau Ste Michelle and Marchesi Antinori in the summer of 2007.

Reservations are accepted Monday through Friday at tours@cask23.com. 5766 Silverado Trail, Napa, (707) 261-6410.

Igor Sill, is a winemaker and farms a 24-acre mountain vineyard in Atlas Peak and a hillside Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in St Helena.

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Events of summer and fall in the Napa Valley

‌Shakespeare Napa Valley

Cochon555 Heritage Fire Napa

Aug. 24-Sept. 10 Napa and St. Helena shakespearenapavalley.org Enjoy free outdoor performances of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Playing in Veterans Memorial Park in Napa on Aug. 24-27 at 7 p.m., moving to St. Helena’s Napa Valley College campus Sept. 8-10 at 7 p.m.

Blues, Brews & BBQ

Aug. 27 Charles Krug Winery, St. Helena cochon555.com/2017-tour/napa A national touring outdoor showcase of all things meat returns to the Napa Valley, featuring over 50 notable chefs and butchers, each grilling heritage-breed animals.

Maria Sestito, Register‌

Louis Vermeil Classic

Sept. 1-3 Calistoga Speedway Aug. 26 Aug. 26 calistogaspeedway.org Oxbow Commons, Napa Round Pond Estate, Napa An end-of-summer racing celebration donapa.com napagrowers.org/events/harvest-stomp featuring the annual Hall of Fame dinner on An all-day party, featuring music, food The Napa Valley Grapegrowers mark 10 Friday, and racing by USAC/CRA non-wing, and craft brew in the new OxbowCom- years of hosting the annual Harvest Stomp, traditional “410” sprint cars on Saturday and mons. with music, food, and wines from more than 120 wineries in the valley.

Please see Events, Page 96

Harvest Stomp

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EVENTS From Page 95

Sunday, with teams from all over the West, and some local champions as well.

Calistoga Wine Experience

Sept. 9 Pioneer Park, Calistoga visitcalistoga.com Taste wines and meet the winemakers from more than 40 vintners in the Calistoga AVA while enjoying local food and the music of Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers.

Sasha Paulsen photo

If you go

Bale Grist Mill Harvest Dinner

Most of these events require tickets or reservations, and some sell out quickly every year. We recommend you check the website and contact the host before planning to attend.

Sept. 9 Bale Grist Mill, St. Helena napavalleystateparks.org/ourspecial-events Celebrate the harvest season with an open-air banquet on the grounds of the historic Bale Grist Mill, one of the oldest buildings in Napa County and the last functioning water-driven mill in the West.

Calistoga Harvest Table

Sept. 10 Downtown Calistoga visitcalistoga.com For the fourth year, Calistoga shuts down Lincoln Avenue for a night and restaurants from all over downtown serve an open-air banquet on a row of family-style tables lined up along the highway.

Wine Country Outlaw Showdown

Sept. 15-16 Calistoga Speedway calistogaspeedway.org A last blast of the summer racing season brings the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series to the half-mile dirt track for two nights of action.

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food and wine tent will feature some of the valley’s top chefs and wineries, while the music stage will feature standouts Weezer, the Goo Goo Dolls, and Gavin DeGraw.

Dave Mosher photo

Music Festival for Brain Health

Sept. 16 Staglin Family Vineyard music-festival.org For the 23rd year, the Staglin family continues its commitment to raising funds for treatment and prevention for mental illnesses, hosting a day of fun, music, wine, and food at their winery.

Headliner this year is Lyle Lovett and His Acoustic Group.

Aloha Festival

Sept. 16-17 Napa Valley Expo manaleohcf.org/aloha-festival In its 10th year, the Aloha festival brings the sounds and tastes of the Hawaiian and Polynesian communities to Napa. Bands perform reggae and traditional island music, while dancers demonstrate traditional hula,

joined by a variety of food and craft vendors.

Rebel Junk Vintage Market

October 20-21 Napa Valley Expo rebeljunk.com Open Studios Napa It’s not just a flea-market, it’s a travelling vintage fair, with Valley shows across the country bringSept. 16-24 ing together some 500 vendors Various locations artnv.org/open-studios-home united by their love of things Two weekends of tours of art- past. ists’ studios throughout the Napa St. Helena Fall Valley. Meet the artists, view and purchase their work and watch Festival and Pet live demonstrations of how their Parade art is created.

Oct. 21 Downtown St. Helena Safeway Open Oct. 2-8 cityofsthelena.org/parksrec Silverado Country Club The 33rd annual St. Helena safewayopen.com Fall Festival kicks off with a It’s more than just high- morning fun run, followed by level PGA golf. In its second the annual Pet Parade through year under the sponsorship of downtown, and finishing with Safeway, the golf tournament an afternoon of music, wine and has evolved into a celebration food, a kids carnival, and arts of food, wine and music. The and crafts.

accompanied by catered food and a silent auction.

Napa Valley Film Festival

Submitted photo‌‌

costume ball at this one-of-a-kind recreation of a Tuscan Castle, high on a hill near Calistoga, returns for the ninth year, with wine, fun, Oct. 28 and lots of spookiness, including Oxbow Commons, Napa donapa.com self-guided “Haunted Chamber” The new Oxbow Commons tour. is transformed into Oxboo Commons for a day of costumed fun Howell Mountain for revelers of all ages, accompanied by Trick-or-Treating at Harvest Celebration Nov. 4 downtown stores.

Lincoln Theater, Yountville howellmountain.org The Pagan Ball Join 30 vintners from the Oct. 27 fabled Howell Mountain AVA Castello di Amorosa to taste their wines, many of castellodiamorosa.com T h e a n n u a l H a l l o w e e n them difficult-to-find treasures,

Hometown Halloween Party

Christmas Tree Lighting

Nov. 22 Veterans Park, Napa donapa.com Nov. 8-12 Join Napa’s mayor for the Various locations annual tree-lighting ceremony nvff.org to kick off the Christmas season In its sixth year, the Napa Val- downtown. ley Film Festival is making a name for itself on the festival circuit, fea- Napa Christmas turing more than 100 films, from those destined for major release to Parade Nov. 25 quirky and touching shorts and Downtown Napa documentaries. Venues range up donapa.com and down the valley and events A line of seasonal floats and fun feature offerings from more than winds through downtown.

50 chefs and 150 wineries.

Gifts n Tyme Holiday Lighted Tractor Parade Craft Fair Dec. 2 Nov. 17-19 Napa Valley Expo A holiday tradition in Napa for more than four decades. More than 85 vendors assemble to sell arts, crafts, and goodies, perfect for your early holiday shopping.

Downtown Calistoga visitcalistoga.com One of the nation’s quirkiest Christmas traditions continues with vehicles of all sorts festooned with Christmas lights parading through downtown.

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Carmelite House of Prayer, Oakville 39th Annual Benefit Dinner Sunday, September 10, 2017

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Dinner and auction Benefit schedule

2:00 pm social Hour and silent auction entertainment 4:00 pm Buffet style Dinner BBQ tri-tip and Chicken and side Dishes and Dessert Fine napa valley Wines live auction adult ticket: $50 ($60 if paid at the door), Free Hot Dog Dinner (Children 12 & under) rsvP by august 31, 2017 Call: 707-944-2454 ext. 103, WeekDays 10:00 am - 4:00 pm