Inside Napa Valley - Winter 2017

inside

napa valley

Love warms your heart

WINTER 2017

IGNITE LOVE 2

3341 Solano Ave (Redwood Plaza) Napa, CA 94558 (707) 252-8131 • www.creationsfinejewelers.com

inside

napa valley

In this Issue

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32 33 44 46 48 53 57 59 51 63 64 68 71 76 86 91 93

A second chance at love Plan your Valley wedding A commitment to customer service A dream come true Getting to know you: Allison Haley New old-school winemakers A lifetime bond Where in the Valley?

The Zen of running Highlights of the running season Great Estates: Cup-and-Saucer house Building a perfect back yard Great Estates: Notre Jardin Napa in poetry Homes from a box?

Rethinking restaurant pottery Fashion truck Yoga energy Down the Rabbit Hole Finding Napa in France At one with the vines Dining in the Napa Valley BottleRock food lineup A kitchen Collective Eisele Vineyards endure Habits of healthy eating Loving the old vines A lightning tour of the Valley

A season of love N O R M A KO S T E C K A Ad ve r ti s i ng Di re ctor

February may be cold, but Valentine’s Day warms our hearts. For this edition of Inside Napa Valley magazine, we’ll look at love from many different angles.

We’ll tell the story of a Napa Valley wine couple who has found happiness in their second marriage – the second marriage to each other, that is. And while we’re at it, we’ll offer some tips for planning your perfect Napa Valley wedding.

Kostecka We’ll look at the indelible bond of love between police officers and the dogs that help them keep us safe — a love that lasts a lifetime,

often long after officer and canine are retired.

We’ll talk about the love of business, service and community that is behind the latest addition to the jewelry scene in Napa County.

And one of our staff members will tell about a very special act of love made possible by these jewelers.

We’ll talk to a Napa business owner who is spreading her love of running, and we’ll share a tale of how an unpromising start to a relationship led one couple to marriage and the winemaker’s life among the vines in wine country.

But there’s more to this issue than Valentine’s Day. We’ll look into the possibility that a well-known home in Napa was one of the nearly forgotten Sears catalog kit homes.

We’ll get some advice from the pros on how to spruce up your backyard.

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 grab your loved one and join us for this heart-warming winter edition of Inside Napa Valley magazine.

On the cover: A valley scene by Napa County photographer Dennis Hogan, whose store is located on the second floor at the V-Marketplace in the Town of Yountville. (707) 944-2044. www.HoganNV.com.

To advertise in Inside Napa Valley, please call us at 707-256-2228 | A publication of the Napa Valley Publishing Company 3

A labor of love

An unlikely second chance leads to a new life

By Layne Randolph 4

Alan Bartl Photo

L

aura and Michael hadn’t seen each other in 15 years and hadn’t spoken in 10.

Then one day, while searching the Web for Napa Valley wines, Michael came across a photo of his ex-wife sipping her wine (at that time known as “Sawyer Cellars”). Michael Swanton, a New Jersey native, had married Laura when they were both very young and working in Silicon Valley.

After their marriage ended, they had fallen out of touch.

But now, after seeing the surprising picture on the Web, what started as a catch-up phone call ended in a remote friendship, a subsequent invitation to a wedding, and the beginning of their second chance at love.

Submitted photo

When Michael learned that Laura was struggling to keep her boutique winery afloat, he offered to invest in the business and become a partner. That was 10 years ago. Now, the two are married (again), the business is profitable, and from our perch at their Calistoga winery as we all clink glasses of Michael’s Muse dry rosé of zinfandel, it certainly seems that they are a couple in love.

While dating long-distance, they had many serious talks about the future of the winery and eventually made the decision for Michael to quit his job and move to Calistoga to work full-time as vice president and vineyard manager. With Michael on board, they could cut staff and refocus the business. They decided to cease retail distribution of the wines.

After years of trying to build retail distribution, they realized that it just wasn’t working for the small vineyard.

It didn’t hurt that they also married that same year, shortly after Michael arrived in Calistoga.

Michael points out that in addition to solving their long-distance

relationship issues, he felt determined to help Laura succeed and to a lesser extent to protect his own investment. That was 2010, and after 11 years in business, that was the first year that the winery turned a profit.

Now, it’s just the two of them with a consulting winemaker. The winery specializes in zinfandel, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon. They hire extra help as needed, usually during harvest and crush, but they maintain no other full-time staff.

Besides his duties as vice president and vineyard manager, Michael has worked in the vineyard, as a cellar rat, as a general handyman, equipment repairman, and anything else that was needed.

Laura continues to run the rest of the business as she has from the beginning. They focus sales on their existing wine club members,

Laura Michael Wines 2250 Lake County Highway Calistoga, California 94515 (707) 942-9251

10 percent of whom have been with Laura Michael Winery for more than 10 years, and on their direct-to-consumer business. Their next steps include an updated tasting room and a continued focus on DTC and the Laura Michael Wine Club.

But really, it’s about lifestyle.

Laura and Michael don’t aspire to be the most prolific wine producers in Napa Valley. More than anything, they want to keep making high-quality wine on a scale that allows them to be profitable, and to live the good life in their little corner of the world, on a vineyard, living happily ever after.

From top left: Laura and Michael during their first marriage, in 1982 and in 1983 Submitted photos

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Wine Country

weddings Tips for planning your dream nuptials

BY JESS LANDER

N

ow that engagement season is past, many of you newly engaged are likely coming out of

the fog and down to the reality of planning a wedding. If you feel a panic attack coming on, don’t worry, it’s normal.

I was in your shoes this time last year, after getting engaged a week before Christmas. The idea of planning (and paying for) a wedding was so overwhelming for me, that I actually gave myself 17 months to

Knowlesgallery, Dreamstime.com

do it, and will finally be tying the knot this May. To help you ease into it, here’s some advice on the initial steps to planning a wedding in Napa Valley.

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Joshuaraineyphotography, Dreamstime.com

Determine your budget The first order of business is setting a budget. Elizabeth Harris, Weddings Manager at Meadowood Napa Valley (and formerly of Carneros Resort & Spa and Farmstead), says the average cost of a Napa Valley wedding ranges between $5060,000.

“I know there’s a bit of sticker shock, but it’s the average cost for a destination wedding,” she said.

“Napa is one of the most sought after destinations for wedding celebrations in the country.”

Don’t forget to account for all of the little things like tipping your vendors, wedding insurance, bridal party gifts, favors, cake cutting fees, etc.—all of which add up quickly.

Save the date It’s very difficult to make any plans without first setting a date and choosing a venue, decisions which go hand-in-hand. You might have a time of year in mind, especially if you want an outdoor wedding, but there are a few other things you should consider when choosing a date.  Harris recommends giving yourself 9-12 months to secure 8

your date and venue. Anything less limits your choices, plus, planning a wedding is a lot of work.  Take a look at the Napa Valley calendar and avoid dates during big festivals, like BottleRock and Auction Napa Valley. Any event that brings thousands of people into town will absurdly inflate travel costs for your guests, and lodging availability will be scarce.  Save money by getting married on a Friday or Sunday, or in the offseason (November through April), as many venues offer discounted rates.

Picking your venue This is one of the most difficult decisions you’ll make. With half of our gue st list coming in from out of state, I wanted to give them a true wine country wedding. Yet while I knew venues would be expensive, I wasn’t prepared for the $10,000-and-up site fees that I was encountering.

Due to the Winery Definition Ordinance, only a few wineries in Napa Valley are grandfathered in to hold weddings, like V. Sattui and Charles Krug. Luckily, there are plenty of other venues that

Kileman, Dreamstime.com

still have vineyards and that Wine Country vibe.

Look into the resorts, like Meadowood and Calistoga Ranch, local restaurants with outdoor event space, like Brix and Farmstead, hotels and private estates. The local golf courses are popular and significantly more affordable options, and if you’re really trying to save, public parks are free.

Harris suggests utilizing online resources such as WeddingWire, The Knot and Borrowed and Blue during your venue search. Have

an estimate of how many guests you’re expecting, as most venues have caps.

Once you’ve got your budget, date and venue settled, the planning truly does get easier. Next on your list to tackle should be booking a caterer, photographer and entertainment. My one big splurge was for a band.

Harris does have one piece of advice that will make the entire process significantly less stressful.

“Hire a wedding planner, and set and manage your expectations,” she said.

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art The

of restoration L AY N E R A N D O L P H

“W

hen someone buys a piece of jewelry and gives it [as a gift], they are giving a piece of their heart in one way, shape, or form,” says Doug Van Dyke, co-owner of ER Sawyer Jewelers in Santa Rosa and St. Helena.

Like most women, I’ve got several pieces of inherited jewelry that sit in a box because although they are beautiful and sentimental, they aren’t necessarily my style. But after meeting with Ame and Doug Van Dyke of ER Sawyer Jewelers, I’ll be schlepping my little box of inherited jewelry to them, either to their shop in Santa Rosa or their newly opened location in St. Helena.

ER Sawyer Jewelers is the oldest retail Familybusiness in Sonoma County, and one of the 10 oldest jewelers in the U.S. owned They have a thriving business selljeweler brings ing luxury fine jewelry, but jewelry restoration, redesign, and repair 137-year now make up about 35 percent of their sales. The customers arrive tradition to the mainly through existing customers so pleased with the work that they have Napa Valley brought in multiple pieces or referred ER Sawyer Jewelers to friends.

Because so many of their customers were coming across the mountain to Santa Rosa, the couple opened a new Napa Valley location in December, taking over the former David’s Jewelry space in St. Helena.

According to Ame, Doug’s wife and co-owner, they chose St. Helena because it has the “Mayberry” feel that they both grew up with in old Santa Rosa. That’s important to the Van Dykes since they plan to be as involved in the community in St. Helena as they are in Santa Rosa.

The Van Dykes are active in Sonoma philanthropy and are already looking for worthy causes to support in their new Napa Valley home. Doug told The Press Democrat in 2015 that the family donates at least $200,000worth of jewelry per year for local non-profits to use in Jesse Duarte, Star fundraisers. Ame frequently helps organize fundraisers, Doug and Ame Van Dyke are the owners of E.R. Sawyer Jewelers, which and the couple enlists their four kids in every aspect of opened a store in St. Helena on Dec. 3.

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the business – from running the stores to helping out in their philanthropic endeavors.

The business has been a fixture in Sonoma County since 1879 and has been through a variety of owners over the years, including Doug’s grandparents, who bought the business from the founding Sawyer family in 1949. Doug joined his parents in running the business in the 1980s and became president when his father retired in 2002.

The Van Dykes like to say that the jewelry that comes in for redesign and restoration is “previously loved.” When a customer brings in a piece of previously loved jewelry, a team of salespeople sits down with them and goes over each item in detail. Their focus is to honor the sentimentality of the original jewelry while remaking a piece into something to wear every day.

They have a large computer screen in the showroom that enlarges a piece of jewelry to show every nick and unpolished spot up close. The screen and related high-tech computer program allow them to show options for modifying and updating the customers’ pieces. A screen saver continually streaming through examples of their before/after work is so incredible that I found myself getting lost in the show.

But what sets them apart from other jewelers is that they have the largest on-site staff of goldsmiths and jewelry technicians in the North Bay. They have four fulltime technical staff, and they do all the work in-house.

What also sets them apart is their dedication to customer service and to the idea that jewelry is made to be worn, not to languish in a vault. “So many

Submitted photo

The Van Dyke family.

David Stoneberg, Star

St. Helena’s E.R. Sawyer Jewelers, owned by Doug and Ame Van Dyke

jewelry stores are focused on ‘I’m here to sell jewelry.’ We’re here to sell experiences. The jewelry is just a method to get there,” Doug explains.

With restoration and redesign, instead of buying a new piece of jewelry you can take an existing sentimental piece and remake it for modern times. You might call it eco-friendly fine jewelry. Estate

jewelry remade in a current style is a luxurious way of recycling which also keeps the history alive so that every time you look at a piece you remember who wore it before you.

“Jewelry is something that you care for, for the next generation, but the next generation should be given the latitude to do what they want with it to make it part of their world,” Doug says.

Layne Randolph

Doug Van Dyke in the workshop area of the Santa Rosa location.

ER Sawyer Jewelers 638 4th Street Santa Rosa, California (707) 546-0372 1343 Main St. St. Helena, California (707) 963-0239

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Making a

dream come true

S E A N S C U L LY It started with a dream.

Shortly after my mother died in 2015, my wife awoke from a deep sleep, quite agitated.

There’s a piece of jewelry, she said, your mother wants me to have it.

She described it – a pendant, a big, rounded stone, gold highlights, hanging from a long chain.

It sounded like something my mother would have liked, but it didn’t sound like anything I had seen.

I handed her a piece of paper and, still in a halfasleep frenzy, she sketched it out so I could ask my brother back East, who had my mother’s jewelry in a box.

Nothing like that here, he reported after combing through my mother’s things.

Disappointing.

Several weeks later, I found myself alone in Santa Rosa with some time to kill, so I stopped by ER Sawyer Jewelers to see if there was anything like my wife’s dream out there on the market. We had taken some old jewelry to Sawyer months before for repairs and liked their service, so I figured I’d start my search there.

But there wasn’t anything remotely like it in the store.

My disappointment grew.

A staff member saw me looking and approached me.

I wasn’t much in the mood to chat, but she introduced herself – Starla – and drew me out. I finally confessed what I was after and expressed my doubts that any such thing was out there.

She thought a bit and said, “Well, we could make it.”

It took me a minute to absorb the idea, and then I realized just how perfect it was.

She helped me sort through the options. My wife had been very specific about the stone – bluish-green, like jade perhaps.

Starla went to a vault and pulled out some jade samples, but nothing had the kind of bluish character my wife had

described so vividly.

“How about malachite,” she suggested.

Again, perfect. My mother loved malachite.

I gave Starla the sketch my wife had made and we were off. The production took about two weeks.

I didn’t tell my wife about my visit to the jewelry store – I wanted it to be a surprise. So Starla and I worked out a plan (with the connivance of my two sons). We’d trick my wife into going over to Santa Rosa on a pretext and stop into ER Sawyer (one of my sons even dug out a broken watch so he could claim he needed to go to the store for a repair).

Starla would set up the pendant on a display like it was a regular piece of merchandise. When we stopped in, the staff (who were in on the game) stalled a little bit on our repair job, giving me and my wife a moment to browse.

“Hey, that looks just like my pendant,” my wife said, recognizing it instantly.

“Try it on,” I suggested.

She refused, laughing off the coincidence.

“You’d better,” I said, as Starla pulled the piece off the display and offered it to my astonished wife, “because it’s yours.”

That was more than a year ago. In December, when Sawyer opened a new location in St. Helena, we stopped by the grand opening. Several staff members remembered us as “the people with the dream pendant.”

We’re glad Sawyer has joined our Napa County community. It’s not often you can say that someone quite literally helped you make a dream come true.

Sean Scully is editor of the Napa Valley Register and Director of News Content for Napa Valley Publishing.

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GETTING TO KNOW YOU

District Attorney Allison Haley Last vacation: Washington D.C. in October with my four year old daughter. I cried when I saw the Constitution and the Bill of Rights at the National Archives. “It’s because Mommy is a lawyer.”

Guilty pleasure: Video games. I’ve played more hours of World of Warcraft than any adult woman should.

Favorite Supreme Court justice: Justice David Souter (ret.) I could answer 10 questions focused solely on “Why I Love Justice Souter.”

House pet? 12-year-old black lab named Levi. And four hives of fat, furry, docile honeybees.

Pet peeve: Unnecessary and unproductive meetings.

Favorite place in Napa County: Under a blanket fort in my daughter’s bedroom. Preferably with flashlights, crayons and good snacks.

Most recent earworm: The theme song to the podcast “My Favorite Murder” Your best recipe: Cheesecake. It’s a show stopper.

Last time you handwrote a letter: In December. Earnest and tearful thank you letters to the Alameda County Sheriff ’s Department first responders to the Ghost Ship fire.

Least favorite part of law school: Contracts. Contracts. Contracts.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: An airline stewardess. Was there anything more glamorous?

Allison Haley is the district attorney of Napa County. She was appointed by the board of supervisors in 2016 to fill out the remaining two years of the term of retiring DA Gary Lieberstein. Previously, she was chief deputy in the prosecutor’s office.

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16

After an unlikely start in love, Napa couple explores the Valley’s winemaking roots

Jonah and Sara Beer take a selfie at Bishop Creek.

Courtesy Pilcrow Wines

New winery goes old school TO N Y P O E R Courtesy Pilcrow Wines

The “pilcrow” is the typesetters name for the symbol indicating the end of a paragraph.

There are lots of ways to create a partnership in the wine business. A feather-ruffling misunderstanding that leads to marriage isn’t normally one of them. But then Sara and Jonah Beer aren’t your normal couple.

Depending on whom you ask, the winery dinner in southern California where the Beers met either was or was not supposed to take place. In 2002, Jonah Beer was working for Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. He thought the dinner planned by a wine sales representative in Los Angeles named “Sara” had been cancelled—and was less than gracious to her on the phone about having to fly down to L.A. last-minute to attend it. When he met this Sara person face-to-face, however, Jonah

wisely decided that a smoothing of the feathers was in order.

Love and marriage soon followed.

Thirteen years later, the wine industry veterans are a happily married Napa couple. Their long relationship to wine, cabernet sauvignon in particular, recently prompted them to take things in a new direction by making their own.

The Beers’ fledgling brand, Pilcrow Wines, will debut this spring with an elegant Mt. Veeder cabernet that is equal parts high-elevation viticulture and oldschool winemaking—with some 18th century typeface history inked into the project for good measure. From 17

The view from the upper block of the Pym Rae vineyard.

Courtesy Pilcrow Wines

a creative standpoint, this thoughtful, aesthetically pleasing wine manages to say a lot about the Beers’ relationship to wine and each other.

“I think for Jonah and me, we’ve always been fascinated by the history in Napa Valley and what the pioneers in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s were doing in terms of cabernet,” Sara Beer said, seated on a couch in their comfortable, art-adorned home. “We really wanted to explore that ourselves. Our focus in wine has always been about site, about working with wines that communicate site, and also wines that are maybe a little bit ‘quieter’ and more age-worthy—and then really putting that into practice.”

Each in their early 40s, the couple has built impressive Napa Valley résumés: Jonah through 13 years and counting as the general manager of Frog’s Leap Winery in Rutherford, and as Stag’s Leap Cellars’ sales and marketing director before that; and Sara for launching her own import-distribution company, True North Wine Merchants, along with a lengthy former tenure at St. Helena’s Duckhorn Vineyards, where she ran all California wholesale.

Both Beers are Midwesterners, 18

albeit with different upbringings where wine appreciation was concerned.

For Sara, growing up in Chicago with European parents meant exposure to wine at the dinner table.

After graduating from Georgetown University, she came to California in the late ‘90s for a sales position with a popular Los Angeles catering company and, as she described it, “fell in love with the wine business through visits to Santa Barbara County.”

She found her way to a respected wine and spirits distributor in Los Angeles, where she excelled as a fine wine sales rep and was named salesperson of the year in her first year on the job, something that had never happened at the prestigious company.

That experience would set the stage for her successful run at Duckhorn.

Jonah comes from what he calls a “tee totaling” Mennonite family in northern Indiana. Working his way through Purdue University, he was hired by a cigar store that happened to receive copies of Wine Spectator magazine. He became intrigued by the crossover cultures of wine and cigars and made educational trips to fine wine shops in Indianapolis to learn more.

When the magazine featured Cask 23 cabernet sauvignon on its cover in 1996, he resolved to track down this legendary Stag’s Leap wine.

It took a road trip to Chicago, where a retailer could only offer him the winery’s 1992 “SLV” bottling—for a college student’s small fortune of $54.

But it did the trick, epiphany-wise.

“I opened that bottle of wine,” he recalled, “and that was it, man. It was like, ‘Alright, there’s something way different about this. This is not like anything I’ve ever had.”

After Purdue, he cancelled his plan for law school and headed west to Napa Valley. In the spring of 1998, he knocked on Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ door and soon had a job washing glasses in the tasting room. A mere three years later, he had ascended to the director level at Warren Winiarski’s acclaimed winery. “That ’92 SLV changed the trajectory of my life,” he said. “It changed everything.”

For both Beers, the beginnings of their careers in the late ‘90s and early 2000s coincided with the end of an era for Napa Valley cabernet as they had come to know it.

“You’ve got to remember,” Jonah pointed out, “when we came into

this business, we got in at the last slot before the really big shift began to happen in size and weight and profile of Napa Valley cabernet in the early to mid-90s.”

He referred to the Stag’s Leap wines of that time, along with Heitz Cellars, Chateau Montelena, and Mayacamas Vineyards. These estates still thrive today, but he and Sara believe their profile was somewhat eclipsed two decades ago by the wineries making a “bigger and rounder and riper and richer” style of cabernet to appease a newly-empowered, scores-loving press. He noted wistfully that it was “sort of that last moment” of classic Napa Valley red wines made with a certain elegance and longevity in mind.

“It was kind of our genesis with Pilcrow. Not to suggest that there was anything wrong with that new style of winemaking,” he said. “It just wasn’t what drew us here.”

Searching for something both original and fitting to name their wine brand, the Beers landed upon the ¶ symbol, called a “pilcrow” in typesetting, the history of which is a combination of hobby and obsession for the couple. In its current usage,

Sara in the Pym Rae vineyard.

Courtesy Pilcrow Wines

the pilcrow simply denotes a new paragraph, but over much of the 600-year history of typeface design the symbol “indicated to the reader that the author was about to change perspective or offer a new point of view on the same topic,” as Jonah wrote in an email. “Or it meant that the author was about to start a new chapter of the same story.”

On their inaugural label, with the pilcrow logo prominently featured, the Beers chose the typeface created by the 18th century English type founder William Caslon. They plan to use different typefaces for future Pilcrow vintages. “The more I spent time reading books about typeface design and the designers behind them,” Jonah explained, “the more I realized that there’s actually a lot in common with what we’re trying to say about wine and winemaking versus typeface design.”

For the Be ers, then, a pilcrow got some Caslon styling and became Pilcrow, the wine they hope will contribute a chapter to the Napa Valley cabernet story of the last half-century.

Just to arrive at this humble starting point, with exactly 203 cases of Mt. Veeder cabernet sauvignon in

bottle, they relied on a number of friends in their network. The Mayacamas template of low-pH, highacid red wine produced since the late 1960s by Bob Travers was a stylistic goal for the Beers, but it took some doing to locate the right source of grapes.

“We talked to a lot of people,” Jonah said, “and so many of them kept pointing to Mt. Veeder as a great place for this style of wine that it zeroed us in on that spot.”

Enter Elton Slone, the President and CEO of Robert Craig Winery in Napa. Over drinks one evening in the spring of 2014, Slone offered his old friends some surplus cabernet from Pym Rae, a pristine vineyard at the very top of the Mt. Veeder AVA. “That vineyard has nerve,” he told them.

The property was owned by the family of actor-comedian Robin Williams and farmed by Robert Craig’s team (it has since been sold). Craig specializes in wines from Howell Mountain, where, according to Jonah, “they’re getting what they want, which is bigger, denser mountain fruit.”

He and Sara already had their eyes on Mt. Veeder cabernet that was “a bit more violet and leaned out—perfect for what we were shooting for.”

Gladly accepting Slone’s offer, the Beers made the first two Pilcrow vintages, 2014 and ’15, from Pym Rae. In a separate conversation about Mt. Veeder, Sander Scheer, Director of Vineyard Operations for The Hess Collection Winery, shared his view that viticultural success at elevated locations like Pym Rae, as well as some of the higher-elevation Hess Collection sites he’s managed for the last 10 years, can and does translate to a more restrained style. With longer, cooler growing seasons, he

believes that “the wines are going to change, and the fruit composition is going to be different.”

Taking temporary refuge from the January rains, Scheer pointed to a Mt. Veeder AVA map outside his office at the picturesque winery on Redwood Road. “We’re one of the cooler AVAs in the Valley,” he said. “We’re perched right up above San Pablo Bay, so we’re able to have that extended season.

We’re hanging cabernet out there until the end of October. Flavors benefit from that, for sure.”

At an elevation of about 1,800 feet, Pym Rae’s fruit matures at the slow, beneficial pace noted by Scheer.

For the Beers’ purposes, it made for a different type of cabernet sauvignon, a high-toned, lower-alcohol, throwback version of the grape. Connoisseurs of 1970s Mayacamas and 1980s Chateau Montelena should take note.

For all of Jonah’s input—not to mention the hours he spent reading and studying the history of typeface design to animate the Pilcrow brand—Sara is the vintner in the family. As a first-time winemaker, she relied on her friend and winemaking mentor Marco DiGiulio at Bin to Bottle, the custom crush facility in south Napa where she makes Pilcrow.

DiGiulio’s assistant, Toshi Wakayama, took the lead in guiding her through the first couple of vintages.

Sara explained that when she and Jonah decided to make their own wine, “the point was definitely to surround ourselves with really great winemaking advisors. With Marco and his team, we had decades of experience around us, and Bin to Bottle has been an incredible support, from soup to nuts.”

Her husband observed that “Toshi’s been the guy who’s

probably most enjoyed this process.” He watched as Sara charmed Wakayama with her old-soul approach to cabernet, though the winemaker sometimes scratched his head because “he’s not from the ‘old school.’ He hadn’t seen wine ever made that way.”

In addition to wearing the vintner hat, Sara, the former whiz kid of L.A. wholesale, is an experienced distributor and wine marketer. Come the cabernet’s release in April, it will be her job to sell a good portion of the 203 cases to her wholesale contacts in California. It’s not an enormous amount of wine, but, as she pointed out, “it’s not zero.”

She’ll execute the plan through her distribution company, True North. Pilcrow is one of only seven brands in her portfolio, which will allow her to focus on landing it in the right accounts. Sara thinks of certain key retailers and restaurant sommeliers as “brand ambassadors for us, in that they are a really important part of the messaging for something new like this.”

One of the first buyers to have a look at the 2014 Pilcrow was Eduardo Dingler. Originally from Torreón, a city in north-central Mexico’s wine country, Dingler is the sommelier at Morimoto in Napa and also the corporate beverage director for the restaurant’s parent company.

Back in their Napa living room, Sara summed up that she and Jonah plan to offer buyers like Dingler “a fully fleshed-out wine brand with a lot of soul and story to it.”

“I think that through the thoughtful way Pilcrow is made, and also the packaging, the story, and talking about the art of typesetting, it’s almost more than wine that we’re bringing up. This craving that people have for hand-crafted wine and handcrafted things, people are craving products with a point of view.”

“When you go out there and tell those authentic stories,” she added, “people just light up, you know?

They really want to be connected to something in wine. And I think that this wine has a great foundation to it.”

From Jonah and Sara Beer’s point of view, Pilcrow has thus far been a personal labor of love. Until April, at least, when they begin to share it with everyone else.

19

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20

Partners for life K-9 officers and their dogs forge a bond deeper than work

Submitted photos courtesy of Napa Police Historical Society.

Debbie Peecook, a retired police lieutenant with the Napa Police Department, with her K-9 partner, Max. Peecook was involved with the K-9 unit for 25 of her 30 years of service, handling two dogs during her tenure.

Napa’s Patrol K-9 Division Officers Brett Muratori and Micheal Moore with their K-9 partners, Rocky and Bes.

Napa’s first female dog handler, retired officer Betsy McCorkhill Bueno (below), with her K-9 partner Smoke.

Tim Carl

TIM CARL

W

hen a police officer becomes a member of the elite Napa Patrol K-9 Division it is often a decision that lasts a lifetime. It might also require learning a different language.

Bes is an 8-year-old German Shepherd and one of two dogs active in Napa’s K-9 unit.

“Bes and I have been working and living together for the last six years,” said Officer Michael Moore. “She is originally from the Czech Republic, so many of her commands are in the Czech language, which I had to learn. One of the benefits of the language difference is that her commands are unlikely to be confused with other English words when she is deployed. We often get our dogs from Europe because of their exceptional bloodlines, but great police dogs really can come from anywhere. It all depends on their natural demeanor and training.”

Police K-9s are highly trained and highly skilled locators.

“Police dogs are excellent location expert tools, including finding people of interest — subjects and lost individuals — much quicker than a human could,” said Dan Moore, a retired officer, Napa’s police-dog trainer and owner of Moore K9 services. “Beyond finding people, dogs can also locate narcotics, explosives and even discarded weapons. Dogs save lives and money. For example, if a suspect is 21

Bes, one of two dogs in Napa’s Patrol K-9 Division, during a training session with decoy suspect, Napa Officer, Andy Oros, seen here in a “bite suit.”

Tim Carl

in a building it might take hours for humans to clear the space, whereas it might take only a few minutes for a dog. Beyond that, putting a dog at risk is not an easy decision, but they are highly trained and doing so might sometimes be saving the life of a human officer or civilian.”

Saving lives “The United States lost 34 police dogs in the line of duty in 2016,” said Dr. David “Lou” Ferland, executive director of the United States Police Canine Association. “Sadly, the U.S. also lost 140 officers in 2016, but that number may have been much higher if it were not for the courage and service of our canines. Our dogs work hard but receive the best medical care, get plenty of exercise and have a terrific life. Dogs cost departments about an eighth of the cost of a human, and there are many other benefits, too: They don’t sue, have relatively lower healthcare costs, are dedicated, have no bias and don’t care about your color or background. They go to work every day and work hard.”

22

“About one in 25 dogs is cut out for law enforcement,” said retired officer Betsy McCorkhill Bueno, who was Napa’s first female dog handler, joining the force in 1981. Since leaving the force, Bueno has created the Lost Hearts and Souls Horse Rescue center in Sonoma County that helps care for distressed animals.

“The best dogs can come from anywhere in my experience. My first was a rescue from San Francisco, but it takes a special animal and excellent training to make a great police dog, and Napa has had its share of them, including Vem, whose service is honored by a bronze statue at UC Davis for his valor.”

Vem, Napa’s first police dog, was fatally stabbed while helping subdue a suspect in 1979.

“There is a bronze statue near the UC Davis Veterinarian School that honors all fallen K-9s called the Faithful Partner Memorial,” said Napa Sgt. Todd Shulman. “At the statue’s base there is a plaque for each K-9 that has been killed in the line of duty while serving the state of California, including Vem.”

Shulman is also the founder of the Napa Police Historical Society.

“By all accounts Vem was a special dog made even more so by working with the now-deceased John O’Donnell, who was the officer who paved the way to the K-9 program back in 1978,” said Shulman. “Vem’s death resulted in an outpouring of support, and he was laid to rest at Bubbling Well.

Since the fatal stabbing of Vem in the summer of 1979 there have been no other Napa Police dogs killed in the line of duty.”

Bubbling Well Pet Memorial Park in the eastern hills of Napa donated Vem’s burial site.

“Vem is buried in our Garden of Honor,” said Dan Harberts, owner of Bubbling Well. “I can remember the ceremony: Vem was treated like any other fallen officer, and police and their dogs from all over the state attended what was a heartwarming full service, with all the officers in uniform. There are many service dogs buried here, but we haven’t had many recent police canine burials because lately most officers prefer

to have their dogs cremated so that they might keep their ashes or scatter them in a private ceremony.”

Many officers keep their dogs after they retire.

“I had two dogs during my service and they came home with me for their retirement,” said Debbie Peecook, retired police lieutenant with the Napa Police Department.

Peecook was involved with the K-9 unit for 25 of her 30 years of service.

“Police canines are amazing. Their sense of smell, their courage and their loyalty make these animals an exceptional resource for the community and law enforcement in general.

They also make the most amazing partners. Unfortunately, my two working dogs are now deceased and I had them cremated, but I still have their ashes.”

When asked where Peecook plans to put the ashes of her deceased K-9 partners she paused a long while before answering.

“It really will depend on where I end up myself,” she said. “When I get cremated I plan on having my animals with me — that’s my plan.”

Wine Valley CycleForSight Returns Saturday, APRIL 22, 2017 To Help Support Our Returning Veterans

www.cycle4sight.com

A Benefit Bike Ride and Wine Festival 50, 25 and 15 Mile Scenic Routes

10

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

Return to the Bay Area’s Best Post-Ride Festival

• Wine Tasting • Micro Breweries

• Local Restaurants • Silent Auction

Entertainment By:

10

YEAR ANNIVERSARY

“Pride and Joy” All Rides Start/Finish at Justin-Siena High School 8:00 - 9:30 am Wine Festival 11:00 - 3:00 at Justin-Siena High School Cyclists: $60 (Youth $25) Festival Only: $30 To Benefit:

• “The Pathway Home Program” – A treatment center for returning Veterans • “Enchanted Hills Camp for the Blind and Visually Impaired”

Honor a Veteran or Soldier by becoming a“Memorial Mile Sponsor” Purchase a sponsor sign to be displayed along the entry to the Veteran’s Home - $100

Event brochures can be obtained at the following sponsor locations: Bicycle Works • Rabobank • Bank of Marin • Napa Ford • Bank of Napa • Heritage-Sothebys Realty • Synergy • Healthquest • Exertec

REGISTER ONLINE: www.cycle4sight.com Event Director: Gary Rose (707) 256-2147

Sponsors

The Rotary Club Of Napa

Where in the Valley?

How keen is your eye for Napa landmarks?

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 74.

24

Running with a purpose

J.L. Sousa/Register

Dame’ Rahal in the new location of Athletic Feat, which opened in 2016,

Napa-based store is as much about Zen as business K I R K K I R K PAT R I C K

Anyone who’s met Napa’s Dame Rahal knows she is a running zealot. But it’s a lot more than fitness and the Zen of running that drives this local businesswoman.

Not only is Rahal a running guru (and yes, she is a relative of former Indy 500 champion Bobby Rahal), she’s also the owner and operator of four-year-old Athletic Feat in the Redwood Plaza shopping center. But this is no ordinary athletic shoe store. Rahal also offers a training regimen along with fitting you with the perfect shoes and running gear.

“When we opened this shop,” says Rahal, “the purpose of it was to reach out to runners of all levels,

so, I wanted to make sure that regardless of your abilities when you walked through that door you were comfortable and you weren’t intimidated.”

“When I began my first 5k-style training classes, I got some unbelievable people involved with it,” Rahal says with a smile. “Some of my more incredible stories, from my perspective as a coach, have nothing to do with lowering personal bests. These people came to understood that there is something special about running, there is a Zen, and they found that Zen. To me, that was a big success.”

“Even when we first opened, we started connecting with lots 25

of different people in the community,” Rahal recalls. “And it wasn’t long before many of these runners said ‘let’s do a Thanksgiving Day run’. I thought, ‘wow, put on a run!’ Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time that first year to plan for Thanksgiving so I suggested we do a New Year’s Day run instead.”

Known today as the Napa Valley Resolution Run 5k/10k, the race takes place every New Year’s Day in Yountville. Rahal, a big supporter of the ever-growing Vine Trail, decided that proceeds from this race would be donated to trail expansion efforts.

“The Vine Trail will help people run safely ultimately 47 miles from Calistoga all the way to the ferry in Vallejo,” she said. “It started from a grass roots organization, so we are doing this with a significant number of volunteers. Only 1.5 full time paid staff run the office because the vast majority of money is put into trail expansion.”

Some four or five weeks out from the race, Rahal declared “let’s put this race on.” Another idea she had was to provide participants with a hot, homemade chili lunch —“after the race,” she chuckled. To her, hot chili seemed the perfect accompaniment to a brisk run on a cold January day.

“I felt maybe 50 people would show up,” a manageable number she thought. In fact the race drew over 200 participants, amazing since the race was promoted strictly through word of mouth.

“My kitchen counter was covered with crock pots,” she laughs, “and then, of course, we had to transport the chili. “ But the charitable giving does not end with the Vine Trail.

“In addition to the Resolution Run, we put on the Turkey Chase the morning of Thanksgiving day, by far our biggest race with some 1,500 runners.” Rahal says that that after the race, you can then eat a guilt-free Thanksgiving dinner. She spreads money raised in the race over several local charities representing a variety of worthy causes.

Rahal also puts on the Napa Half Marathon that raises money for college scholarships benefitting local high school students. The schools provide Rahal with a list of

Dame Rahal in her original Athletic Feat location in the Redwood Shopping Center in 2012.

worthy recipients based on criteria she provides, and she ultimately picks the winners from those nominees. This year $500 scholarships were awarded to the following students at area high schools: Vintage High—Manuel Vassos, Ariyn Carvalho and Yovanni DeAnda. Napa High—Olivia Simmons, Alejandro Soto and Owen Weber. American Canyon High School—Jordan Jackson, Maicah Shaina Dela Cruz and Andres Rivas. St. Helena High School—Sophie Anneke Bunge.

“There’s a very personal aspect of this to me, someone came into my life when I was very young and helped me to go to college,” reflects Rahal, “and in all honesty, if it had not been for that person, I wouldn’t be here and able to do the things I am doing today. This is my way of saying thank you and paying it back, by paying it forward.”

Rahal sees other important benefits to community members from her races. “Our races are designed for families, especially the Turkey Chase,” she points out. “We see parents and grandparents running hand in hand with their younger family members sporting huge smiles, and afterwards they go over the race together. It’s a great way to start a family tradition for the future that you can reminisce about later.”

“The community has been very

Athletic Feat runners in the annual Napa Half Marathon.

supportive and I would like to thank Napans for making a choice to help me. We can’t do these events without volunteers. It’s astonishing how many people show up and I am so grateful for their help. Come out and volunteer even if you aren’t interesting in running and see the smiling faces going by and cheer them on,” she says.

“We usually need about 20-30 volunteers for our races, says Rahal.

“People who are interested can just email me (dame@athleticfeat.com) or just come in the store and tell me they want to volunteer. And if

J.L. Sousa, Register

Submitted photo

they are part of an organization that wants to help raise money, and they want to bring a group, they are very welcome to do so.” The same goes for potential sponsors who want to be associated with these community events, Rahal says, all they need to do is contact her.

“We welcome everyone,” Rahal says with a smile, “even if you’ve never had anything to do with running before.”

She’s proving to the community that you, too, can help out local causes while doing yourself and your body a favor.

26

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Ready for running season?

Upcoming events to get you on your feet in Napa County and beyond

JESS LANDER

Before you let your new fitness resolutions fall away this year, hold yourself accountable by registering for an upcoming race.

No matter the distance—5k, 10k, half marathon or full marathon— these local favorites will give you a running start to your goals.

Kaiser Permanente Napa Valley Marathon Sunday, March 5, Napa Valley napavalleymarathon.org One of the premier running events in the West happens right in our own backyard. For the 39th year, runners from all over the world will come to hoof it down Silverado Trail from Calistoga to Napa—and you can participate sans travel expenses. This event always sells out, so register now.

For non-marathoners experiencing FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), sign up for the 5k put on by the Greater Kiwanis Club of Napa. The course starts at Vintage High and actually lets you cross the same finish line as the marathoners before they arrive. This is a great way to support any friends or family that are running the full marathon and you can stick around to cheer them through.

Proceeds benefit local schools and community charities.

Napa Valley Trail Marathon, Half Marathon and 10k Saturday, March 18, BotheNapa Valley State Park r a c e r o s t e r . c o m / events/2017/8793/2017-napa-valley-trail-marathon-half-marathon10k If you prefer the path less traveled, and a challenge, sign up for this nature-fueled trail run through Bothe-Napa Valley State Park.

Choose from marathon, half marathon or 10k distances and trek through the woods over streams, rocky terrain and up some pretty 28

steep hills. This race is limited to a few hundred participants and sells out every year, so don’t hesitate.

TIP: Schedule some training runs through the park before race day to get yourself off-road ready.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon Sunday, March 26, San Francisco runrocknroll.com/san-francisco If you’re a first-time half-marathoner, the fun Rock ‘N’ Roll series is a great choice, for you’ll be pushed the whole way by cheer squads and live music from bands set up along the course. These courses are notorious for being mostly flat and fast, plus this San Francisco race is one of the few that will take you over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Annadel Half Marathon & 5k Saturday, April 8, Santa Rosa annadelhalf.com Experienced trail runners can challenge themselves on this scenic-yet-grueling course, which winds through Spring Lake Park and up into Annadel State Park.

Half-marathon runners will climb more than 1,500 ft. in elevation over rocky, hilly terrain. The race, limited to 400 participants, is also a non-profit fundraising event that helps build and maintain the trails.

Proceeds from the 5k will help build new trails at Taylor Mountain Regional Park.

Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon, 10k, 5k Sunday, April 23, Calistoga r a c e r o s t e r . c o m / events/2016/5241/2016-napa-valley-silverado-half-marathon-10k-5k If you’re not quite up for the full 26.2, register for a mini, lesscrowded version of the Napa Valley Marathon. The two events are not affiliated, but like the March race, this out-and-back course starts in Calistoga and runs along Silverado Trail. Mostly flat with just two minor hills, April 23 could be a great day to set a new PR. Registration is limited to 1,000 participants. Book yourself a mud bath or massage at one of the local spas afterwards as a reward.

Calistoga Trail Rumble Sunday April 23, Bothe-Napa Valley State Park scenaperformance.com/events/calistoga-trail-ramble If you prefer to run on the soft, forest floor, opt for the Calistoga Trail Rumble on April 23 instead.

This 10k or 10-miler takes you through the historic paths of Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, running through the redwoods and passing sites like the historic Hitchcock Homestead, the Bale Grist Mill and Pioneer Cemetery.

Pony Express Marathon Sunday, April 30, Sacramento ponyexpressmarathon.com If you have big dreams of one day running in the Boston Marathon, the Pony Express is your ticket. This flat and fast Boston qualifier starts and ends at Capitol Mall, with several historic, Sacramento landmarks in between, like the Sacramento River, the Tower Bridge and Raley Field. There is also a half marathon, relay and 5k race option.

GREAT ESTATES

Natural Light Photography

Napa landmark up for sale “Cup-and-Saucer� house can be seen for miles around M I C H A E L WAT E R S O N

Natural Light Photography

More than three million years ago in Napa Valley, lava was flowing, not wine. Volcanic eruptions were common, geologists say. One of those fiery explosions from Mount St. Helena buried a nearby grove of redwood trees in tons of ash, creating what would become a petrified forest after a few thousand years.

Perhaps that eruption, or another like it, launched tons of material a few miles to the southeast where one chunk of magma the size of a limousine landed on the crest of newly up-thrust hills and slowly cooled.

Leap forward a geologic blink of an eye, and a community of homo sapiens, johnny-come-latelies to the planet, has grown up along the river below. The shape 29

e

d

of the magma chunk, long since cooled and hardened to a boulder, reminds these newcomers of a type of dishware, a cup and saucer.

Visible from the valley floor, the noted landmark is known for the amorous activities of teenagers that go on around it after dark.

Some of the smitten kids have even chiseled initials in its hard surface as a lasting monument to their affections.

In the year 1968 people decided to build a house beside the rock. A spectacular view stretching from Mt. St. Helena to the City of San Francisco put the price of the 2,400 square-foot residence on one acre of land at the then astronomical sum of $50,000.

While they loved their new abode, the first owners soon realized they couldn‘t afford it and worked out a deal to swap houses with another couple down the hill. That other lucky couple was a woman named Teddilu Neu and her husband, who were living on South Terrace Drive at the time.

In 1972, the cup-and-saucer rock became their neighbor.

Today, Tedilu, age 82 and a widow, is saying farewell to the rock and her house, both beloved, and moving into an apartment at The Meadows. In December she put her home of 44 years up for sale. The asking price has gone up since the dawn of the Nixon Presidency to just under $2 million.

In addition to its jewel of a view, the interior of the threebedroom-two-and-a-half-bath house is gem-like as well, with a gleaming, elegant timelessness, due mostly to Teddilu’s meticulous care. In the laundry room a Maytag washer-dryer vintage 1960s is fully functional and looks showroom new, even inside the clothes basket. A framed newspaper ad from a long-gone Napa grocery store hangs on the kitchen wall advertising produce and meats for pennies a pound.

“Of course, everybody made a lot less then, too” said Teddilu while showing this reporter around. Median household income in 1968 was about $7,700 according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Natural Light Photography

But when it comes to history, the rock has the house easily beat. On this sunny winter’s day, Tedilu points out where Napa’s first humans, the Native American Wappo, ground grain on the rock’s flat, “saucer” portion. Next to that spot a pair of initials was etched years later by some youthful wooer. The protruding “handle” at the bottom of the mug-shaped monolith offers a step up for the nimble to a tempting, top-of-theworld lookout.

“I knew Napa was a beautiful place. I never knew how beautiful until I came up here,” says Teddilu, savoring the panorama one more time before starting a new chapter of her life. No doubt this view has already inspired utterances of awe from its future owners.

And what of the rock? If the cup and saucer rock could talk, what would it say? That it misses its role as a trysting place? And before that as a tool for human sustenance?

Still visible from the valley floor, the rock’s presence speaks to Teddilu Neu and other longtime Napans of days gone by. People move and change, building and tearing down, but the cup-andsaucer rock, with its weighty fastness, endures.

Natural Light Photography

Natural Light Photography

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artistry The

of backyard makeovers

Many options for livable space, beauty and sustainability VA L E R I E OW E N S

Whether designing for beauty or with the intent to sell, backyard makeovers can be an intimidating undertaking. However, local experts agree that it does not always have to be.

With over 25 years of experience, Jake Mikolajik from Mid City Nursery recommends that, “Before doing a backyard makeover, you first need to decide how you want to use your backyard. Having an idea of how you want to use your yard will help you make decisions on the types of hardscape and types of plants you will want in your backyard.”

Once the scope of the project is firm, simple additions can make a tremendous impact.

“The easiest makeover for a homeowner is ground cover, such as a sod or lawn,” says Terry G. Brown from Great Scapes Landscaping. “The owner has instant gratification with a smooth green, dust-free surface. It sets up all kinds of various shrub and flower schemes, which can be planted around the lawn’s perimeter. Drip systems to support plants with primary root systems, walk-on bark in between, are quick and effective. ” Makeovers can be intricate or simplistic based on the direction of the renovation. Plant selection is an important component to any landscape design. Whether you enjoy French, Xeriscape, English or Japanese, just to name a few, landscape styles can give a face-lift to a home and create a stunning space for personal enjoyment or provide a footprint of design for a perspective buyer.

“Selling a house brings the importance of curb appeal. For sales, the basics are a clean, neat landscape,” says Brown.” The yard must be well groomed, with healthy greenery and tasteful annual flowers for color. It should be cheerful.”

Mikolajik adds, “I would add potted plants that are flowering if getting ready to sell. It gives a welcoming feel. All bark or rock, a mixture of plant softens the house. Having an entertaining space, fruit trees, an edible garden adds appeal as well.”

Trends within the industry can also dictate the direction of a makeover project. From customized living spaces to lighting, naturescaping and edible gardens, there are a multitude of directions that a homeowner can go to 32

create the perfect retreat.

“The latest trend in the past couple of years is lawn removal,” says Brown. “Lawns are being replaced with low-water, low-maintenance plants for a Mediterranean-style landscape on drip systems.” He adds, “I have noticed more minimalist landscapes popping up, using corrugated aluminum roofing panels in frames for architectural reliefs. The panels can divide and compartmentalize areas with horizontal linear fence board patterns. This can look pretty modern, but with the right vases plants and stones the landscape can make a stunning statement.”

Furthermore, the notion of the “perfect” entertaining space is always an alluring component to any backyard project.

“A popular trend is permanent ovens, such as a pizza oven, a baking oven, It motivates people congregating outdoors for small parties and a lot of fun,” Brown said. “Vertical arbors are really great, bringing color upwards when there is not a lot of backyard space. Patios and decking are always welcome structures in a backyard.”

In addition, gardening has also become a hot trend within the industry. “Lots of people are looking into edibles and doing their own garden,” says Mikolajik. “They don’t have to worry about chemicals and know where their food comes from.”

Deepfrog17, Dreamstime.com

The artistry of landscape design can transform a home, create an oasis or lay a foundation for perspective buyers. Renovations can be easy or more complicated based on the direction of the project. No matter which path you choose to go, backyard makeovers should be fun and an expression of the home and family.

“The most important backyard additions add some privacy, shade, attract birds, and beautify in colorful shapes and textures,” Brown said. “For families, trees, and yes, lawns! are so important for a balanced backyard, to be enjoyed by all members of the family.”

Scaliger, Dreamstime.com

Frank Deras

Frank Deras

GREAT ESTATES

A vacation EVERY DAY In 1997, college sweethearts Janet and Alan Stanford purchased their dream property. They were heavily involved and hands-on throughout the entire design and building process, even making several trips to Europe, mainly France, to collect materials for the house.

Everything from the antique boiserie paneling to the doors, windows, roof tiles and many of

JESS LANDER

the furnishings, were all carefully curated and brought back from overseas.

But before even hiring an architect, the Stanfords brought in local Jonathan Plant, renowned landscape architect and diplomate to the Royal Botanical Gardens, to design the property. He chose five acres, terracing gardens and what he called “rooms” into the landscape,

Frank Deras

Spectacular estate offers a unique Wine County living experience

which flow seamlessly around the structures.

“Some people talk about building their dream home; we say that a lot,” said Cyd Greer, real estate broker for Notre Jardin, the spectacular, French Normandy-inspired, country manor at 1799 Oakville Grade. “But this truly was their collective vision.”

In 2001, it was finally finished. The 54-acre estate Notre Jardin, translating to “Our Garden” and best known locally as The Stanford Estate and Gardens, features a three-bedroom, seven-bath main residence, a two-bedroom guest house and a one-bedroom caretaker’s cottage. It’s currently listed on the market at $18 million.

“Building a home in the Napa Valley was one of my parent’s dreams for many, many years, and they scouted a lot of locations and landed on this one,” said Laurie Turner, the Stanford’s daughter. “It offered the opportunity to build everything they wanted and have the most amazing view.”

Far from the hums of traffic, that amazing view is a far-reaching panoramic of Oakville, its vineyards, the Vaca Mountains and the valley floor. It’s visible from nearly every room in the house, and greets you right away as you walk in, just beyond French doors.

Early birds can enjoy the view with as many as a dozen hot air balloons floating below the property and over the Oakville vineyards every morning.

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The 9,686 sq. ft. main house interior consists of large spaces with open-beamed ceilings. A wood burning fireplace graces nearly every room, including the kitchen and dining room. The grand, yet cozy library is especially perfect for a rainy, winter day, and the house also has a 350-case wine cellar with an adjoining tasting room that can seat a dozen people.

“You don’t feel isolated, even though it’s very private,” said Turner. “The interior lives very comfortably, even though it’s a very large home.”

“It really is a home. It has a lot of warmth, it’s very inviting” echoed Greer. “It’s not just a statement piece.”

Yet some of the estate’s best features live outdoors, including a large terrace that spans most of the house, a pool, tennis court, bocce court, one-third-mile walking trail and an ultra-premium, 1.5-acre cabernet sauvignon vineyard.

If you still need help envisioning what life at Notre Jardin could be like, simply picture yourself in

Frank Deras

the following scene, which stems from some of Turner’s fondest memories at the estate.

“We’ll grab a glass of wine in the late afternoon or early evening

in the summer, play a round of bocce, and then go back to make dinner and sit on the terrace, listening to the concerts at Mondavi,” she said. “Even though

you’re surrounded by spectacular restaurants, it’s a wonderful place to go on vacation, if you will.”

A vacation, that feels straight out of the French countryside.

Frank Deras

34

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Saying

goodbye to old Napa

Author turns to poetry to express love for her home town TIM CARL

Recently, a small publisher, Fithian Press in McKinleyville, California, sent a book of poems for me to review. The author, Paula Amen Judah, grew up in Napa in the 1950s but now lives in Shasta County. Her book, “Añoranza” (Spanish for yearning or longing), mostly tells of childhood experiences with her father, a toughskinned local police officer, and her stoic mother and the other women in her life.

Her poems read more like short stories and create lyrical, moving and intimate portraits of growing up in what was the dusty and much slower world of the Napa Valley.

Once I’d read the poems, I was eager to meet the poet. So I invited her to coffee.

“When I come back to Napa it is like there’s been a snowstorm and nearly all the familiar landmarks are missing — I don’t know where I am,” Judah said on a cold and rainy day in St. Helena. “When I feel like this, I go back to Hoffman Avenue in Napa to center myself — not much has changed on that country lane.”

What I find most intriguing about Judah’s work is her eye for detail and how she uses plot and character to drive the poems (stories) to a place full of emotion.

We are drawn in with her familiar, comforting and expert use of language only to end up in a place that is often uncomfortably memorable.

Like in the poem “Bus Stop: Coombsville Road,” where Judah quickly grabs her readers’ attention by including hyper-local references, twisting us somewhere else by the end of the first stanza.

44

“My mother walks me up Hoffman Avenue to the corner of the road by the stand of eucalyptus trees my father said would secretly rot from the inside and fall on people without warning.” Another element of Judah’s poetry is that she brings her readers smack into a place, as in “Brown Street,” where we “catch the breath of/clothy steam from/ Money’s Cleaners” or smell bourbon “trailing over from/Novelli’s bar” and hear “the echo of footsteps/on marble floors,” in the old “Court House.”

Readers must be prepared, however, for the heartfelt twists at the end of many of her pieces, as in “Visitation I: Red’s Pizza,” where we learn of her daughter’s death, not through heavy-handed sentimentality but instead by showing us what it must be like to look through the eyes of a parent who has lost a beloved child. The line, “I wanted to surprise you, Mommy,” still echoes in my head.

Judah spoke about her daughter’s untimely death, which occurred in Napa on the Fourth of July weekend, 1981.

“My daughter and her high school best friend died when they were hit by a local Napa boy who was racing his car going 89 mph,” Judah said. “For years I could not even drive near where they died. I still miss her so much.”

Judah’s work has inspired many Napans, including recently retired Napa County Superior Court Judge Ronald Young, whose father, Tom, owned the local KVON radio station. Young presided over Judah’s second marriage 20 years ago.

“I’ve read Paula’s collection of wonderful poems and find them

Paula Amen Judah has published “Añoranza,” a collection of poems about Napa in the 1950s.

inspiring,” Young said. “Her poems reflect on family and her memory of growing up in the Napa Valley with a local perspective tempered and refined with time.”

“Paula’s work holds universal truths shared with a language and familiarity that will resonate with anyone who has lived in the Napa Valley,” said Rhonda Slota, recently retired principal of Napa Valley Adult School and accomplished poet. “She has a special gift and deep understanding of this place.”

Unlike most of the work in this lovely book, a few poems veer toward the sentimental, such as “Visitation II: Castella,” and when they do I felt a little disorientated, I was reassured by the rhythm and cadence of Judah’s familiar language but felt an over-controlled element that is common in many

poets. However, this is rare, and mostly we are in the skillful hands of a local who brings us to a place that no longer exists except in the haunting rhythm of memories of what was the Napa Valley.

“I consider this book of poems a sketch biography of the old Napa, sort of a resurrection,” Judah said.

She paused and sipped her coffee slowly as she turned to look out the window. The storm’s ferocity had increased, and drips of rain streaked and blurred the outside view. When she turned back her eyes were glassy but resolute, “It was also a chance to say goodbye.”

“Añoranza—Poems” by Paula Amen Judah can be found at many local bookstores, including Napa Bookmine, 964 Pearl St. in Napa, and Main Street Books, 1315 Main St. in St. Helena.

Photos by Bart Edson

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45

Home in a box?

At least one Napa home appears to be a famed Sears “kit” house

K I R K K I R K PAT R I C K

Imagine an order through the Sears catalog that looked something like this: Washer, dryer, refrigerator, couch, chair, bed, linens and…a kit to build your house.

Say what? Order your home through a Sears catalog? You read right, from 1910 through the late 1940s, the Sears Modern Homes Catalog offered close to 400 home “kits” for you to choose from with houses of all shapes and sizes. And some 70,000 people nationwide did just that, including, at least one family in Napa around 1942. Maybe more.

With the expert sleuthing of the venerable John Tuteur, Napa County Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk, we were able to cut through the mists of time and determine the owner of the property facing Fuller Park prior to the house being built was the well-known Napan, A.G. Streblow, renowned president of Basalt and the driving force behind the construction of Napa’s Stonecrest subdivision.

Kirk Kirkpatrick

46

Streblow sold the property in 1940 to Dorothy Lewis and Mary Hoyt, who appear to be the property owners with the home was built. It’s unclear what year the home was built, although it was around 1940.

The home, called “The Ridgeland,” was described by the Sears catalog as a one and a half story English-style home. Some people called these “Tudor” style homes, and in fact Sears said this was part of its “Tudor Revival” line of homes. The materials, a 10,000-30,000piece “kit” shipped by boxcar, were accompanied by a 75-page instruction booklet. The booklet stated that a man of “average abilities” could assemble in 90 days or less.

A somber warning from Sears that you should not take anyone else’s advice on how this home should be constructed came along with the instructions.

Christmas morning would be a different experience if today’s toys came with such a confident booklet of assembly instructions.

Sadly, Sears destroyed all its records during a corporate housecleaning in the 1940s, so any research is do-it-yourself as well. My research took me to the planning office, the assessor’s office, the Napa Valley Historical Society and, finally, to a visit with the current homeowner of a cute little “gingerbread” house on Seminary Street, facing Fuller Park. Many of you may recognize the home as one of the more charming in the area.

The current owner said that she and her husband had only been in the home for five years, but neighbors had told them their home might indeed have been built from a Sears Kit, but they did not know how to confirm it.

By sifting through microfilm records at the Napa County Assessor’s Office, I saw one of the previous owners was a William Conatser, was this the same Conatser who coached my youth baseball teams in the 1960s? I called his son and longtime friend, Greg Conatser, and he confirmed his family

did indeed live in this same home for many years. He had no knowledge of the history of the home other than his dad telling him at one point he thought it was constructed by a custom builder. Who that person was I have no idea, but, it’s not beyond imagination that this builder saved himself a lot of time and trouble, and likely some money, by ordering this kit through Sears.

I accessed the Sears Honor-Bilt Catalog online, one of three lines of home offered by Sears according to price, and began search for a match with the designs that were offered and Bingo! Fortunately for me, I found the exact match after only looking at about 10 homes; no need to go through the close to 400 options.

The current owner agreed that the design I located sure did look her home, no question about it. She thought it was “kind of neat” that her home was indeed special in a way that few homes nationwide are. She said she and her husband loved the design features like rounded doorways and arches throughout the home, and “tongue and groove” construction in certain rooms.

How much was paid back in the day for this Ridgeland home kit you ask? From $1,293 to $1,496 according to the Sears Archives. Considering this home is appraised at over $500,000 and over $600,000 on some real estate websites, that is a pretty good return on investment by anyone’s standards.

Are there more of these homes in Napa? Are you living in one? On a drive around some of the older neighborhoods here, I saw a house on Laurel, also facing the park, and two on Brown Street that had very similar rooflines and external architectural details. It’s clear to me there are a few, possibly many, Napa homes that were built around the same time and likely from a Sears kit.

If you think your home fits the criteria, let us know. We’d like to hear about it.

Sears & Roebuck

A promotional page from a Sears kit home catalog from the 1920s.

47

TIM CARL

Tim Carl photos

Will Callnan, co-owner of NBC Pottery in Angwin, displays the bowl that has helped inspire world-class chefs, such as Christopher Kostow, to incorporate locally sourced ceramics into their food presentation.

Inspiring culinary arts Stepping beyond the plain white plate to liven up the dining table

The Callnan family, Nikki Ballere, Will and their children, Gavin Macey and Evelyn (Evie) Ray gather in their Angwin studio, NBC Pottery.

48

Up until recently white porcelain plates have been the standard in most higher-end eating establishments. Chefs used these white spaces as open canvases for presenting their artistry across a blank page.

Over the last few years, however, there has been a distinct shift toward more ceramic creations, handformed dinnerware made in various shapes and colors. Part of this trend comes from innovative Napa Valley restaurants, such as Meadowood, that utilize a few select local artisan pottery-makers, including NBC Pottery in Angwin.

“Ceramists Nikki and William Callnan [owners of NBC Pottery] came to visit us at the restaurant one day, having heard about our interest in collaborating with artisans in the valley,” wrote three-star-Michelin Chef Christopher Kostow in his “A New Napa Cuisine” cookbook.

“On that first visit they carried boxes dirtied with dried clay and overflowing with newspaper packing material. Seeing their brown earth bowl on our dining table, a compelling juxtaposition between linen and stone, completely upended my conception of elegance. We have been a different restaurant ever since.”

That a bowl could influence the direction of one of the top-rated restaurants in the world is certainly a statement about the culinary ecosystem of place and the importance of not only the eating establishment itself but also all those other elements that go into making the meal: the wine, food and its farmers, the many hands that prepare, plate and present the food.

“We are thrilled to have been working with the team at Meadowood for a while now,” said Nikki Ballere Callnan, ceramic artist, art educator and co-owner of NBC Pottery. “I have been making ceramics for over 23 years, and my motto has always been to keep one hand in the dirt.”

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Although they met at Sierra Nevada College, studying ceramic and art, the Callnans had moved to Massachusetts to continue school and for work, eventually returning to the Napa Valley in part to work with local master ceramic artist Richard Carter, whose work adorns many collections around the world, including the di Rosa in Carneros.

But in 2011, the year NBC started working with Meadowood, the Callnans were struggling to balance their passion for making ceramics with the economic realities of starting a family. Nikki had gone back to graduate school and Will was helping keep things afloat. But then their situation changed.

“We got an email from Meadowood,” Nikki said. “They said they liked our work and wanted to check it out.”

“We really believed that our work would fit in so well with what they were doing up there,” Will said. “We had a ceramist friend that had been working with them for years, and sometimes he called us up and asked if he could use our kiln, saying, ‘The chef needs this right now,’ and the work was similar to the kind of stuff we were doing, too.”

When they finally met Kostow at Meadowood they felt even more synergy, so they got right to work.

Nikki Ballere Callnan, a ceramic artist, art educator and co-owner of NBC Pottery, has been making ceramics for more than 23 years.

Tim Carl

52

“

Seeing their brown earth bowl on our dining table, a compelling juxtaposition between linen and stone, completely upended my conception of elegance.

We have been a different restaurant ever since.”

Christopher Kostow, “A New Napa Cuisine”

“We heard Christopher’s vision, and what he wanted was a perfect fit with our work,” Nikki said.

“He’d say, ‘I want to do a dish like this,’ and then we’d say, ‘Sure, we can do that.’”

“It was exciting, fun and collaborative to work with them,” Will said. “And then we started working with Nathaniel a lot, too, which is how we came up with the coffee service. So we were in the back of the house (plates and bowls) and in the front of the house (coffee service), which was amazing.”

“I have been working with Will and Nikki on our coffee service, which is unique to anything else people have seen in the Napa Valley,” said Meadowood’s front-ofthe-house director, Nathaniel Dorn.

“We’re also excited for people to see what we have planned for the Charter Oak when it opens early next year.”

Dorn was referring to his and Kostow’s yet-to-open new restaurant, the Charter Oak, a

less-formal dining establishment than Meadowood that will open sometime in 2017 in what was the old Tra Vigna in downtown St. Helena.

“NBC Pottery has been one of the local artisans we have collaborated with in bringing our concepts and designs to fruition,” Dorn said. “Not only do they produce great work, but it’s been meaningful to have a partnership with two individuals who are invested in our community, specifically with their involvement in Nimbus.”

Nimbus Arts is a community-owned nonprofit organization founded in 2005 with the mission of giving the Napa Valley community access to art. In addition to their on-site classes and camps, open studios and lectures they offer free public events, community service programs, classes in public and private schools, and collaborative art projects throughout Napa County. Both Nikki and Will have been involved as instructors and

contributors to Nimbus since its inception.

“Nikki was one of the first artists I hired to teach at Nimbus, with Will coming on shortly after,” said Jamie Graff, executive director and co-founder of Nimbus Arts. “Their passion and dedication, growing their vision as artists, their beautifully designed ceramics and the love they pour into it all over the years has been so inspiring to watch.

When you have the opportunity to work with the same group of artists for over 10 years it’s so exciting to see their ideas, artistry and lives grow and touch so many people.”

“It is gratifying to see our work having an impact,” Will said. “We have been working hard for decades, sometimes not knowing we were on the right track. But we just kept going, believing that someday we might find our place. Now I think we’ve found it.”

NBC will be holding its annual Holiday Studio sale on Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at their studio in Angwin, where they’ll have all their inventory on sale, along with food and drinks. The event will also include live music by flamenco guitarist Chris Vorland.

More information can be found on the NBC Pottery website at www.nbcpottery.com.

Fashion on wheels

J.L. Sousa photos, Register

Carrie Gehrke opened Libby Simone Mobile Boutique in 2016. She says her mobile business is the only one of its kind in Napa County and that she provides unique, stylish and affordable clothing to the women of Napa Valley.

Upvalley woman brings fashion truck to town JESS LANDER

While Napa has the outlets, chain stores like Target and Marshalls and then a handful of downtown boutiques for local women to shop at, those living Upvalley have fewer options for affordable fashion.

But Napa Valley’s first fashion truck is looking to change that, providing unique clothing that’s both convenient and accessible for mainly the women of St. Helena, Calistoga, Deer Park and Angwin.

Deer Park resident Carrie Gehrke owns the teal boutique on wheels called Libby Simone.

The truck, which even has a small fitting room, carries both regular and plus sized clothing, ranging from XS to 3X, in addition to jewelry and accessories. She’s currently carrying a holiday section, and has “wish list” cards, which women can fill out and bring home to their significant others.

The best part: everything is less than $100. Some of the accessories available at Libby Simone Mobile Boutique, which Carrie Gehrke opened “I read an article almost a year ago about these about six months ago. Everything in the mobile store costs less than $100.

53

two women in Los Angeles who opened up the first fashion truck six years ago,” said Gehrke.

“It just started snowballing, there’s like three to four hundred of them across the country now, and I said, ‘I think that’s what I want to do, I’ve got to go for it. I’m 41-years-old. I’ve got to go for it.’”

So, she bought the 1984 GMC truck off of Craigslist and then she and her husband made it over in a matter of three months.

Gehrke purchases her inventory at trade shows, which she attends a couple times a year. In February, for instance, she was buying styles for fall. Her official launch was in the first week of May. Gehrke named her truck after her daughter.

“I tried for so long to think of a perfect name, and I finally realized that I spent so long picking her name, that it was just perfect,” she said.

“And if it was good enough for my daughter, it’s good enough for my business.”

Plus, the name even fits the clothes.

“Libby is kind of a sweet, cute name, and Simone has a little more of a va-va-voom, and that’s what I try to bring. I try to bring simple, classic, wearable styles, but with that punch; something a little bit different, like fun colors and fun patterns, so that everything is wearable, but also unique,” she said.

Born and raised Upvalley,

To learn more: Libby Simone Carrie Gehrke libbysimone.com

Gehrke even ended up marrying the boy from across the street. The fashion truck was an opportunity to offer her neighbors something that was missing in her home town her entire life.

“I created this mainly for locals, and I wanted people to have an option. I’ve lived here my whole life and I’ve always said, ‘Why don’t we have something in St. Helena?

Why do I have to go to Napa?’ I love Napa, but it’s not always convenient, especially now that I’m a mom,” she said.

“I know that other moms and other people feel that way too, so it’s the convenience factor and keeping it affordable, and bringing something to the valley that is not here otherwise.”

Gehrke has a degree in Fashion Merchandising from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco and ran her own style consulting business in Napa Valley until she had her twins, a boy and a girl now 6 years old.

Her background gives her business an extra edge and the opportunity to once again flex her styling muscles, she said.

“I look at all my clothes from a stylist eye and I try to choose the clothes that are going to fit best on

J.L. Sousa photos, Register

Carrie Gehrke stands with some of the clothes for sale in her Libby Simone Mobile Boutique.

the majority of people’s bodies,” she said.

“With this, I can give advice, help people who want it, but then I can offer the clothes right here.”

The plus-size section was very important for Gehrke, as she loves styling for the average woman.

“I’ve always wanted to do this for the average woman who hates shopping, or just doesn’t know what to wear to make themselves feel beautiful. It’s exciting, the stylists who work in L.A. and New York, and I like watching those shows and things like that, but I’ve never really wanted to do that,” she said.

The truck was at some of the local Farmers Markets that have since closed for the season, so for now, it can be found twice a month at the

College Market in Angwin and in the parking lot of Lolo’s Consignment on Main Street in St. Helena.

Gehrke keeps an updated schedule on her website, which has an online store with free local delivery and pickup, and offers private appointments for those who can’t make it out.

Libby Simone is also available for free, no-obligation private parties. The hostess receives a 30 percent discount on any purchases she makes.

“I’m not the party,” Gehrke said.

“I just come to your party and you get to shop, and then I leave, and then you carry on with your party and your friends.”

She also works part time at the St. Helena Hospital, but she hopes to eventually turn her truck into a full-time gig.

One of the ways she believes she can do that is by partnering with other local businesses, like wineries, salons and spas, to put on “Sip and Shop” events or ladies nights. She’ll be doing an upcoming event with Clif Family Winery, who is already mobile-friendly with their Bruschetteria Food Truck.

“I think it would be a really great opportunity for both businesses coming together and collaborating,” she said.

Carrie Gehrke uses a made-over truck for her mobile business, which she says provides unique, stylish and affordable clothing to the women of Napa Valley.

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i z i g r e En Zen Lot studio brings new approach to wellness

Megan Reeves

JESS LANDER

There’s a new yoga and wellness center in town that’s operating in a fresh, community-oriented manner as a wellness collective.

The purpose of Zen Lot is to bring together like-minded professionals in the community to work together — not for or under anyone.

This means that owner Jennifer Heminger isn’t the boss. She has no employees.

“Energy of relationships really matters to me, the way I treat people really matters to me and the way I’ve been treated by people I work with matters. It doesn’t feel good to be taken advantage of,” she said.

So instead of hiring practitioners and instructors to work for her at Zen Lot, Heminger offers them the use of her space. They take their own money and simply pay her rent. This also frees her up to enjoy doing the parts of the business she truly enjoys: yoga and massage.

“I’m looking to empower wellness practitioners and instructors so that they can grow their businesses, and learn to support each other as a community,” she said.

“It’s about helping each other so that our businesses can all thrive. I built the space, I’ll be holding the space, and they can come and have autonomy and community.”

A Napa native, Heminger participates in a “sangha,” a yoga and wellness community she was introduced to by her teacher and renowned yoga instructor Janet Stone.

Heminger drives to San Francisco as often as twice a week just to be with the sangha because she hadn’t found anything like it in Napa. Now she’s trying to build

one.

“Part of what I’m hoping to bring to Zen Lot, I took from there.

There’s a really big community and it’s changed my life,” she said. “A big part of being a yoga student is being part of a community and having a practice in the presence of your teacher.”

Heminger became a yoga student when she was 19, discovering it for the first time in college.

“I knew I loved it, it was immediate. I never really found anything like that that clicked for me. But like a lot of people, I had a hard time maintaining a practice with life,” she said.

But in 2004 when Heminger was 25, she survived a terrible car accident and was told she wasn’t going to be able to walk for a year.

She was doing a lot of physical therapy, but yoga filled in the gaps.

“Yoga really helped me get in touch with my whole body,” she said.

It was also during her recovery that Heminger, working as a writer at the time, started to further explore the healing arts.

“I wasn’t going to just sit there and wait for a year to pass. So I started researching mediation, alternative healing, nutrition, massage, and I cut my healing time in half and started rehabilitating at six months. After that, there was no going back to life as usual,” she said.

More than 1,000 hours of training and multiple certifications in bodywork and yoga followed.

Heminger is now a state-certified massage therapist, experienced yoga instructor, SUP yoga instructor and herbalist.

Heminger is the previous owner of Integrative Healing, a similar

Jennifer Heminger is pictured here in her new Yoga and wellness studio, Zen Lot in front of a new piece of art at her studio done by Angela Tirrell.

wellness studio that she opened on Walnut Street in Napa in 2011.

Zen Lot is the 2.0 version it.

“I grew a lot in that space, but I was never able to manifest the vision of what I really wanted to bring to Napa,” she said. “But this new space is going to allow for that.

Nothing has changed, but I have a bigger space, I’m more qualified and competent, and I have more training and experience under my belt.”

The opportunity for the transition came serendipitously. She had previously looked at this Old Sonoma Road location three years ago, but didn’t feel like it was the right time. When she got the news from the owner of the Southside Cafe — who was unaware of her previous interest—that the neighboring space was opening back up, she knew the time was right.

“I’m a big believer in listening to your intuition. It was definitely a yes [the first time], but there was something holding me back. I got a really clear intuition of yes, but now is not the time. I didn’t want to acknowledge that, it wasn’t what I wanted to hear and I said if it’s meant to be, it’ll come back around,” said Heminger.

“I walked into the Southside Cafe one day and the owner said, ‘Our neighbor is moving and I thought of you.’ That to me was a very clear sign.”

Zen Lot replaced Dave’s E-Cig’s.

Heminger moved in and started construction in October, which she’s mostly done herself, with some help from her dad and a couple of friends. The space is 1,000 square feet and features a yoga room and massage/treatment room.

She’s incorporated several local

art pieces, including a mural, and is working on getting it certified green, as everything down to the paints and yoga props is organic, recycled and repurposed.

The center, which officially opened at the first of the year, even has its own therapy dog, Beedi, a border collie, Labrador and Australian shepherd mix.

“Everyone who meets her says she has a healing energy. Some clients request she’s under the table while they get a massage,” said Heminger.

Because each practitioner and instructor handles their own money, there are no memberships at Zen Lot. Yoga classes will be offered on a sliding scale structure ranging from $10-$20 per class. Participants are encouraged to pay what they can.

“I’m looking to create a sustainable living for teachers, and also keep it accessible for students,” said Heminger, who even plans to host yoga classes in Spanish. Chanting and music will also be an important part of Zen Lot’s creative offerings.

Private yoga sessions and corporate yoga are available by appointment. Clients can make appointments for massages as long as two hours, and the center will also put on workshops and classes, like a monthly workshop about essential oils.

Heminger plans to offer continuing education and training for yoga instructors and massage therapists.

“I want have this place full of energy, see people inspired and see a constant flow of good vibes,” she said.

“I’d really love to see that community in the city blossom here. I’ll know it when I feel it.”

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“Down the Rabbit Hole”

J.L. Sousa, Register

Julie Cooksey, right, is the owner of Down the Rabbit Hole Creations, which she started about eight months ago. Blair Giambastiani, left, is creative assistant and “right-hand gal” in the business, which repurposes and restores furniture.

Custom painted furniture adds splash to every decor JESS LANDER

Social media is often bogged down with baby photos, food photos and political rants, but Napa native Julie Cooksey found the inspiration for her new custom furniture painting business Down the Rabbit Hole Creations from none other than Facebook.

“I always kind of wanted to do something with interior design, but school was just not my thing. So, I ended up doing all kinds of jobs,” said Cooksey, 36, who was most recently working at Tra Vigne.

At about the same time that the St. Helena restaurant closed last winter, Cooksey was added to a Facebook group called “At Home,” which has upwards of 180,000 members and features home and decor items, many of which are handcrafted and for sale.

“I just was totally inspired by this, and I started buying little things and painting them.

Then a dresser popped up that someone was

selling on a Facebook sale page, so I grabbed it, painted it, posted it for sale back on the page, and I had a line of like 10 people within an hour,” she said. “It just kind of clicked.”

Cooksey realized that there was both a need and demand for custom-painted furniture, and most importantly, she loved doing it.

With the remains of her final Tra Vigne check, she took the leap and launched a business out of her Napa home.

“A couple weeks in, I decided to do a big run. My friend has a trailer, so we drove all over the Bay Area and picked up like 10 different dressers, armoires—all different pieces.

That’s when the full inventory got started,” she said.

On the drive back home from that run, the big “Alice in Wonderland” fan (whose family has even adopted three white rabbits), came up with the name for her business.

To learn more: Down the Rabbit Hole creations facebook.com/Downtherabbitholecreations/

“When I was like thinking about it, I really want something Wonderland related. I love doing creative colors and a different style than just like, farmhouse,” said Cooksey. “I remembered Alice falling down the rabbit hole in the beginning and she goes by some furniture and I was like, ‘That’s it, that’s perfect.’”

Last April 10, she set up her Facebook page and was officially in business.

Cooksey sells most of her pieces on her Facebook business page, which has quickly grown to nearly 1,500 followers.

She posts a picture of each new piece she acquires, in order to see if anyone would like to request a custom paint job.

59

If she doesn’t have any takers, she’ll often paint it however she’s inspired too, and will then post the finished product up for sale.

“It’s literally just been word of mouth. When I post a new piece, I always end up with new people following, because a lot of times the client will share the post on their page,” she said.

“Napa has been very supportive, which is great and I so appreciate. It helps a lot.”

She also sells a handful of rotating items at Tews Treasures in Napa, and had a successful showing at the Rebel Junk Vintage Market that came to the Napa Expo in October.

On the rare occasion that no one bites on her Facebook or Instagram page, she’ll post the item to other sale sites and apps, like Craigslist and letgo. Potential clients can even reach out with a custom request, and she’ll go out to find the right piece to fit their vision.

Without a garage, Cooksey’s backyard is a chaotic, Alice-esque wonderland of furniture at all times.

“My goal is to get a little shop or a little space where I can paint, and have my pieces finished and unfinished. That would be really nice,” she said, before admitting that for now, she’s focusing on the day-to-day, working paycheck-to-paycheck, or as she likes to call it, dresserto-dresser.

But business has been busy enough that she’s brought on two talented friends, who she pays to help her paint.

“I just paint all the time. Even if I’m not painting, I’m responding to messages or picking something up. It’s pretty much seven days a week, 12 hours a day,” said Cooksey, who also has three children at home.

“I have an amazing family that helps me out.”

Searching for inventory is half of the job, and she is constantly browsing as many as 20 different websites for something that catches her eye.

She seeks quality, solid wood pieces that have no major damage, but also needs to grab them 60

J.L. Sousa, Register

Courtney Hunt sands a dresser while working at Down the Rabbit Hole Creations, which is owned by Julie Cooksey.

J.L. Sousa, Register

Furniture in various stages at Julie Cooksey’s Down the Rabbit Hole Creations. The eight-month-old business repurposes and restores furniture.

at fairly low prices, so that she can keep her prices reasonable.

Travel, time required and paint costs also receive consideration when choosing a piece.

Her prices range, based off factors like the size of the piece and the color of paint, because

white takes twice as many coats.

Cooksey is still in her first year of business, which many dub the hardest, but she’s proud of what she’s built—or painted— in just eight months.

“I pretty much started with $40, bought one piece and

flipped it,” she said.

“To be able to build a business without getting a loan, without a bunch of money saved, I feel like that’s a pretty big accomplishment. It took me to 36 to figure out what I want to do with my life.”

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Learning something A Napa County pioneer reflects on life in the vineyards I love the deep fall in the Napa Valley—the gathering clouds and first freshening rains; the first sprouts of the winter cover crops pushing up through the carpet of brilliantly colored fallen leaves.

There’s a stillness in the air, and yet, you can smell your neighbor’s wood fire trying to heat up the gathering chill a mile away. It is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the year and think about a little nap before

Napa Valley grapevines at rest on a winter’s day.

Photos courtesy of FROG’S Leap Winery

64

JOHN WILLIAMS

thoughts inevitably turn back to the year ahead.

No one is better at taking a long winter’s nap than the grapevine. With its year’s work done with the harvest of its fruit, the vine spends the early fall hardening its wood and accumulating carbohydrates for future growth.

But as temperatures fall, the vine slowly converts its sugars into starch for the winter, its leaves color, dry and fall and the vine slowly

but surely prepares itself for a well-deserved rest.

Perhaps we could all learn something from the grapevine — besides gathering carbohydrates. We once were much more an agrarian society, distinctly more in touch with the changing seasons. Absolutely more attuned to nature’s need for a time of rest and reflection.

In 1968, in a moment of reflection, visionary leaders in this valley established that

from the grapevine agriculture is the highest and best use of our lands. With much controversy and effort, the valley was established as an Agricultural Preserve.

At Frog’s Leap, we believe that these protections, which have contributed in making Napa the world renowned wine region it is today, go hand-inhand with the preservation of the soil, the continual restoration of the watershed, and the promotion and support of all the people whose hard work

make it all possible, our agricultural workers.

For us, this genesis began with the understanding of the Agricultural Preserve as not only a viticultural preserve or a winemaking preserve. Having farmed in the Napa Valley since 1980, we have experienced firsthand the benefits that diversifying our agricultural base can have on the whole of our farming operations.

In addition to growing grapes, we farm and commercially harvest over 20 different orchard fruits and a vast array of vegetable crops, all produced on site. This allows us to supply about nine local restaurants with our seasonal crops, participate in farmers markets and continue growing business in producing small qualities of various food products we make available in our visitor center and to our wine club members.

The success of organic farming is also greatly enhanced when there is a variety of crops grown in a farming system, because mono-culture makes farming without inputs much more difficult. For more than 25 years, all of the farming at Frog’s Leap has been certified as organically grown—and we are proud to be considered amongst the pioneers of organic grape growing here.

Growing organically has led us over the years to consider and implement other sustainable farming and business practices. We, for example, are also proud that we produce almost all of our own electricity using solar power, that we built the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified buildings in the California wine industry, and that we dry farm all 200 acres we farm.

Two of our four properties are preserved in perpetuity by conservation easements under the Napa Valley Land Trust, and our other two properties are being prepared for the same. We treat and recycle all of our waste and storm water and also helped initiate the Rutherford River Restoration that has now

Photo courtesy of Frogs Leap Winery

John Williams is the winemaker and owner of Frogs Leap Winery.

“

Why don’t we all make it our New Year’s resolution to be more like the grapevine?”

John Williams

become a national model. There are many other examples for which we are proud, but none more so than that all our agricultural workers are full-time, benefited employees who receive a living wage 12 months a year. This, to us, is what it means to farm in Napa Valley’s Agricultural Preserve.

Grapes are a seasonal crop that require a lot of manual labor at certain times of the year, but very little at other times. In the fall, there are two, and sometimes three, months where there is very little grape work at all. Without other crops, it would be very hard to find enough productive work to justify keeping full-time vineyard and garden employees. Our vineyard staff long ago finished the grape harvest — but they have just finished olives

and are now busily pruning peaches and harvesting citrus. This, along with our forthcoming agricultural processing center, helps us tremendously to retain highly skilled employees.

But even the most industrious of us need some time to stop, refresh and renew, so why don’t we all make it our New Year’s resolution to be more like the grapevine? Ambitious and perhaps a bit reckless in spring, purposeful and hard-working during summer, fruitful and giving in the fall, mindful of our future as we prepare for winter and absolutely ready to take a good nap as winter arrives.

John Williams is the owner and winemaker for Frog’s Leap Winery.

65

Dining in the Napa Valley Winter 2017

66

Veteran chef named for Archer Hotel restaurant

Submitted photo

Jeffery Russell has been named executive chef of Charlie Palmer Steak opening in the Archer Hotel Napa this year.

F RO M R E G I S T E R S TA F F

A feature of the new Archer Hotel in downtown Napa, Charlie Palmer Steak will open with veteran Charlie Palmer Group chef Jeffery Russell at the helm.

Russell, an upstate New York native and Culinary Institute of America graduate, brings a decade of experience working with chef Charlie Palmer, as well as a lifelong love for the nation’s growing regions and homegrown produce. Moving to Napa from his leadership at Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, D.C., Russell’s steakhouse expertise and refined classic techniques come to the fore with the restaurant’s opening in 2017.

Charlie Palmer Steak, located at 1260 First St., will be a 150seat restaurant positioned on the ground floor of Archer Hotel Napa with a shared central lobby bar. In addition to Charlie Palmer Steak, chef Russell will oversee all food offerings at the hotel, including the bar, chef ’s show kitchen and pool deck on the hotel’s destination rooftop; in-room dining; and all things culinary for those who choose to meet or celebrate in Archer’s 17,000-plus square feet of indoor and outdoor event space. No stranger to high volume, chef Russell previously served as executive chef at the 300-seat Charlie Palmer Steak in Washington, D.C., for four years, which also does a significant private event and catering business at the foot of the U.S. Capitol Building.

While in D.C., Russell earned local praise when he planted his own produce garden within Alexandria, Virginia’s public garden project, which he cultivated for his aptly named Jeffto-Table menus during the region’s growing months. In Napa Valley, he’ll have ample opportunity to continue his agricultural pursuits, managing Archer’s rooftop green garden to grow a variety of herbs and vegetables, which he will showcase in locavore tasting menus.

At Charlie Palmer Steak Napa, chef Russell draws on his vast experience with sustainable whole animal butchery and inventive charcuterie production to create a robust menu of prime steaks and chops. He will bring a selection of his signature dishes from Washington, D.C., including a Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, Classic Tuna Tartare and Lobster Corn Dogs.

Following his passion for local ingredients and exceptional produce, Russell will look to area farms and ranchers for inspiration and menu development with visits to Devil’s Gulch Ranch, Hidden Pond Farm, Oak Hill Farms, and Bernier Farms, with more to come during pre-opening and beyond. Thanks to the prolific regional producers, his menu will feature American classics, with a distinctive Napa approach.

On Russell’s move to Napa, renowned chef Charlie Palmer says, “Jeff ’s been a big and integral part of our family for quite some time. He brings with him serious dedication, incredible creativity and a true respect to raw ingredients, and I’m proud to have him overseeing things at Archer Hotel.”

More details on Charlie Palmer Steak, Archer’s rooftop bar and event offerings will be made available as the hotel opening approaches.

Palmer also owns and operates Harvest Table in St. Helena’s Harvest Inn. Archer Hotel Napa, a luxury, boutique, new-build hotel in the heart of downtown Napa, is well underway with plans for a late spring 2017 opening. The new 183-room hotel with 40 balcony-clad suites spanning five stories will offer sweeping 360-degree views of Napa Valley from its expansive rooftop.

Sure to be a destination in and of itself, the rooftop will feature a spa, fitness studio and ledge pool with cabanas and fireplaces.

LodgeWorks Partners is the owner and developer of the hotel and Archer collection.

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Culinary line-up taking shape for BottleRock BottleRock Napa Valley has announced its 2017 culinary lineup of chefs, vintners and brewers to complement the musical lineup during the three-day festival, May 26-28 in Napa.

“The Napa Valley is the x-factor, helping to shape a culinary experience that is unmatched in the music festival world,” stated Dave Graham, CEO of BottleRock Napa Valley and Latitude 38 Entertainment.

This year, culinary offerings will provide a global tour with Japanese, Indian, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, American, Mediterranean and Vietnamese cuisines, including vegetarian and vegan options.

The 2017 festival lineup includes Morimoto, Estate Events

by Meadowood, Bouchon Bakery, La Toque, Mustards Grill, La Taberna, Oenotri, Redd, Ca’Momi, Cole’s Chop House, Miminashi, Hurley’s, The Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ, Tarla Grill, Bistro Don Giovanni, The Q Restaurant and Bar, Goose & Gander, Norman Rose, Angéle, Napa Palisades Saloon, Eiko’s, 1313 Main, Fumé Bistro, Ristorante Allegria, Eight Noodle Shop, Bui Bistro, Jax White Mule Diner, Il Posto Trattoria, Gerard’s Paella, Smoke Open Fire, Taqueria Rosita, The Farmer’s Wife, The Chairman, Me So Hungry Too, Dabba, Drewski’s, Curry Up Now, Kara’s Cupcakes, The Pop Nation, Sweetie Pies Bakery, KRAVE Jerky, Pinup Girl Coffee Co., Homeslice Pizza, and Ben & Jerry’s.

“BottleRock is the ultimate sensory experience,” said John Truchard, founder and CEO of JaM Cellars, a presenting sponsor for the second year running.

“Nowhere else on earth will you find this level of musical talent combined with food and wine from the Napa Valley’s best chefs 68

and winemakers all in one place for three days.”

Wine cabanas and beverage bars will be located throughout the festival grounds.

Other participating wineries, so far, include Miner Family Winery, Silver Oak Cellars, Del Dotto Vineyards, Rombauer Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Chappellet, Blackbird Vineyards, Chandon, Etude, Brown Estate, Clos Du Val, The Prisoner, Rutherford Hill, Sofia, Virginia Dare Winery, Piazza Del Dotto, Meiomi, Black Stallion Estate Winery, Starmont

Winery, Ménage a Trois, and Smith Devereux Wines, with more to be announced soon.

Brews will feature Coors Light, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Heineken, Golden State Cider, Napa Palisades, Green Flash Brewing Company, Heretic Brewing Company, Ninkasi Brewing Company, 21st Amendment Brewery, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Tannery Bend Beerworks, Berryessa Brewing Company, Stone Brewing, North Coast Brewing Company, Ruhstaller, Sonoma Springs Brewing Company, Fort

Point Beer Company, Almanac Beer Company, Drakes Brewing Company, 101 North Brewing Company, New Belgium Brewing Company, Knee Deep Brewing Company, Saint Archer Brewery, and Henhouse Brewing Company.

In addition, the Williams-Sonoma culinary stage will present chef and celebrity mashups. The Williams-Sonoma Culinary Stage lineup will be announced at a later date.

The complete festival lineup can be found at www.bottlerocknapavalley.com.

J.L. Sousa/Register

Crowds of people find a bit of shade underneath umbrellas in the food court area at BottleRock 2016.

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The new Kitchen Collective is in the space that was formerly Cuvee restaurant in Napa.

Submitted photo

Kitchen Collective A cooking club opens in Napa Valley JESS LANDER

Napa Valley has its many country clubs for golf, tennis and socialites, but much more fitting for a renowned food and wine destination is a cooking club. The country’s first, Kitchen Collective, has opened in Napa, providing a gathering spot for foodies. Club members can host an elegant dinner party, serving a meal they cooked themselves with the help of a professional chef.

“This is the first of its kind, the first private cooking club.

It’s like a country club for

cooking enthusiasts, which is very unusual,” said founder and visionary Garret Murphy.

“When we tried to look for partners originally, they were like, ‘What are you talking about?’”

Murphy recognizes that some might be skeptical about the new concept, and compares the cooking experience to adrenaline-charged activities, like skydiving or riding a rollercoaster.

“You’re strapping the instructor to your back and you’re jumping out of the airplane.

That’s how it feels in the kitchen,” The Kitchen he said. “I don’t love those roller Collective coasters, but that’s kind of what this is. First, you’re like, “Oh my God, The Kitchen Collective is at 1650 Soscol this is so intense,’ and then you go Ave., Napa. For more information, visit www. down and you’re like, ‘Oh my God, kitchencollective.club, call (707) 690-9381 or email info@kitchencollective.club. this is fun!’ Then you stop and you have that big smile on your face and you want to go do it all over again.” in 1997, spending several years with VGS Chateau Potelle Winery.

10 YEARS IN THE MAKING If the name Kitchen Collective The 49-year-old, energetic Bos- sounds slightly familiar, it’s because tonian with a French accent is a Murphy is also the founder of the former pastry chef, who worked in downtown tasting room Vintner’s Paris and Boston before moving to Collective, which gives small vintNapa Valley in 1994. Here he con- ners a voice in the crowded valley, sulted for Auberge du Soleil and by bringing them together in one opened up a bake shop, Napa Val- prime location. ley Ovens, in Calistoga before tranLocated on Soscol Avenue in sitioning over to the wine business the ivy-covered building formerly 71

inhabited by Restaurant Cuvee, Kitchen Collective has been in hibernation mode for a decade.

Murphy first came up with the idea following a trip to Basque, Spain, but didn’t feel the United States was quite ready for it.

“I brought my kids to Spain and I wanted them to really get immersed in it. We met this banker who was a member of a private cooking club,” said Murphy. “I was thinking, this is awesome, the Americans don’t have this. There was no staff, it was just a beautiful space with a great kitchen and that was it. Members cooked and somebody at night would clean. So I kind of took that concept and Americanized it.”

Cooking clubs are popular throughout Europe and have been around for centuries, but Murphy sat on his idea for years until he noticed the big shift toward a sharing economy in the U.S., which goes far beyond renting out rides and homes. Communal

tables are now staples at restaurants, meal subscription services are all the rage and food startups like EatWith and Grubwithus are bringing foodies and chefs together for meals all over the world.

“There was a moment when I knew we had tipped the scale, and I think it was mostly when they came up with EatWith,” said Murphy. “When I heard that I thought, ‘This is it. We’re ready.

We’re ready for this. We’re ready to expand the way we think and share our traditions.’”

While the biggest trends often grow out of large cities like New York, Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, Murphy felt Napa was the ideal spot for starting a foodie revolution.

“It’s the perfect incubator for new concepts related to food and wine. We’re forward-thinking and this concept here is about life.

We’ve all moved to Napa Valley because we want quality of life,” he said. “We all have the same

goal: to be with others and to dream of a better life.”

FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD There are two levels of individual membership available at Kitchen Collective. The social membership ($1,500 initiation fee, $150 monthly dues) is targeted to those more interested in the social aspect of the club. They can come and engage with friends, order drinks and appetizers and attend events and workshops, but they don’t have access to the kitchen.

The full membership ($2,500 initiation fee, $250 monthly dues) is for those that want to get their hands dirty and includes everything from the social membership, in addition to daily access to the kitchen. Business memberships are also available.

Of the 200 available memberships for each level, Murphy has so far signed on more than 30 in a month’s time. He said about 60 percent are locals, while another

25 percent are from the Bay Area and the rest out of state. If it takes off, he hopes to expand to Marin, San Francisco and beyond.

“With Vintage Collective, I didn’t feel like that was something that would translate out there, but Kitchen Collective, 100 percent. I want to get this going as soon as possible,” he said.

Murphy’s biggest priority is keeping the club accessible, and he isn’t necessarily targeting the typical country club market.

Instead, it’s millennials that he believes are most likely to jump on board.

“I want to live in the future and millennials will embrace this.

The concept is about the love of food. It’s not pretentious, it’s not about, ‘Oh, we belong to this private club and it’s expensive and no one else can be there.’ That’s not who I am,” he said, noting that while it is an extra expense, people are often willing to pay to do things they love.

“If you love boating or you love bikes, you’ll spend the money. It’s like the cost of one dinner for four people in this town. Inclusiveness is really important to me.”

ROLLING UP YOUR SLEEVES Kitchen Collective is open Thursday through Sunday and features four rooms, two for lounging and two for dining.

There’s also a center courtyard with a fire pit, and a couple of outdoor nooks, which will be utilized next summer. The layout of the large dining room can be moved around to adapt to different events and the bar is fully stocked, with the wine list exclusively featuring the wines of member vintners, including Philippe Melka.

Submitted photo

Kitchen Collective, a private dining club, offers several options to cook and entertain at the new “clubhouse.”

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Members get to diversify and expand their skill set in the stateof-the-art gourmet kitchen, which provides access to tools and equipment they wouldn’t normally have at home. They can select recipes off an exclusive section of the Kitchen Collective website, or suggest their own ideas. Murphy hires his chefs from the local Culinary Institute of America, because as millennials, he finds that they’re more open to the startup culture, which includes cooking a daily “family meal” for the entire staff at lunch.

The chefs and members alike are eager to explore different cuisines, including Korean, Russian, North African and Israeli, and in the future, Murphy hopes to hire on some chefs that specialize in particular types of cooking.

They’re also always on hand to teach culinary techniques, everything from carving a turkey and filleting a fish, to making stocks

and brioche.

All ingredients are available in house and the only thing members need to bring in at an additional cost is the “protein.” Almost everything is made by hand, including pasta, and the club has just been given exclusive access to vegetables and herbs from the French Laundry, via master gardener and new Kitchen Collective member Peter Jacobsen. Dietary restrictions aren’t viewed as a problem, but instead an opportunity to get creative.

Everything is prepped, measured and ready to go when members arrive—unless they want to do it themselves—and they never have to worry about the most dreaded part of cooking: clean up.

“Many of our members are very independent. They’re really foodies, so they already know what they want,” said Murphy.

“Foodies want to do everything, even prep. That’s the part that

really makes you whole, that relaxes you.”

A member’s guests can rotate into the kitchen to help, usually no more than two at a time, per chef. The rest of the party can lounge, converse and drink, while watching what’s going on in the kitchen via a live video feed. This link can even be sent to family members watching far away from home, who want to cook the recipes along with them.

Additional culinary programs include restaurant pop-ups, interactive vintner dinners, cooking classes and cheesemongers. Most recently, the people from Hudson Valley Foie Gras came in to cook a nine-course meal, entirely of Foie Gras. Murphy said they’ve hosted at least 100 events since soft opening in May and the possibilities are endless.

“We’ll do everything; everything you see on TV, we’ll do it here,” he said. “I don’t want to

watch it on TV, I want to do it.

And we’ll find out what the members want to do too.”

While Kitchen Collective is currently accepting and open for members, their official opening will be after the first of the year.

The biggest thing Murphy wants to stress is that cooking at Kitchen Collective won’t be work, just pure fun.

“I want so much to tell people not to be worried about the idea that as soon as you walk in the door, you’ll have an apron on and start cooking. That’s not what this is about. It’s about sharing your love and passion about food,” said Murphy. “There’s no more respect for food than when you’ve actually cooked it yourself.”

The Kitchen Collective is at 1650 Soscol Ave., Napa. For more information, visit www. kitchencollective.club, call (707) 690-9381 or email info@kitchencollective.club.

Kitchen Collective features four rooms, two for lounging and two for dining in a addition to a courtyard with a fire pit.

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The answers

Here are the answers to our Where in the Valley quiz from Page 24.

Mentis on Franklin Street in downtown Napa.

J.L. Sousa photos, Register

Ad Hoc Restaurant in Yountville.

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A lasting

Tim Carl photo

Alexander Eisele checks on the cabernet sauvignon grapes prior to the 2016 harvest at the Volker Eisele Family Estate vineyard in Chiles Valley in the eastern hills of the Napa Valley.

Alexander Eisele continues the legacy of a steward of the land TIM CARL

Volker Eisele died in 2015. He and his wife, Liesel, had founded their 60 acres of vines in 1974.

The vineyard, nestled in the rugged hills east of the Napa Valley, was originally part of the Rancho Catacula land grant given in the early 1840s to Joseph Ballinger Chiles, who farmed the land until the 1870s when he sold it to a German pioneer, Francis Sievers, who planted the original vineyard 76

and built the winery that still stands on the property today.

Outspoken and gregarious, beyond being a grape-grower and winery owner Volker was a past president of the Napa County Farm Bureau and the Napa Valley Grape Growers and in 2015 was posthumously awarded the Leader of the Year award from the California Association of Wine Grape Growers. For his work in organic

farming, he was presented with the Earl Thollander Environmental Award in 2007 and in 2008 the Napa Valley’s Agriculturalist of the Year award.

A strong advocate of protecting land from development, Volker was the prime architect of local Measure J, which prevents any agricultural land in Napa County outside the city limits from being converted to other uses without voter approval. The measure passed in 1990 and has survived challenges all the way to the California Supreme Court.

In 2008, local voters extended it through 2058.

Today, the winery continues

the tradition through leadership

by Volker’s son, Alexander, and his wife, Catherine, along with continued guidance from Liesel and Alexander’s sister, Christiane.

“We will carry the work forward from our father,” Alexander said. “We have over 400 acres here, but our parents only planted where the original vineyard was back in the 1800s. We’ll continue our organic farming, maintain and restore native vegetation, and grow the finest grapes that we can. We want to make a wine that represents not only this place, but also our beliefs, too, making wines that are classic, elegant and restrained.”

impression

Tim Carl photo

Alexander Eisele and his wife, Catherine, stand in the original winery that still sits at the Volker Eisele Family Estate winery in Chiles Valley.

According to Alexander, a quote that always reminds him of his father comes from Lyndon Johnson upon signing the Wilderness Act in 1964. “If future generations are to remember us with gratitude rather than contempt, we must leave them something more than the miracles of technology. We must leave them a glimpse of the world as it was in the beginning, not just after we got through with it.”

Guests who brave the twisting back roads to get to the Volker Eisele Family Estate will be rewarded and find themselves traveling back in time to a place full of history and stories.

The original wooden winery that still stands on the property is a rarity since most of the wine facilities of that time were made from fieldstone. Once inside the airy structure, visitors will see the ancient wine press and wine tanks that Sievers used back in the 1800s at what was then called the Lomita’s Vineyard and Winery.

“Before Volker, the land was owned by ‘old man Sievers,’” said Douglas Patterson, president of the Anton Nichelini Family that owns a winery located a few miles away. “An interesting story Volker told me was that Sievers, being German, had kept meticulous notes on everything — weather

reports every day, what he planted and what he did each day and what he learned about farming there.

“After Sievers died, Alma ‘Toots’ Priest (who owned the land by then) put the property up for sale. She looked at the old record books that Sievers had so carefully kept, but because they were all written in German she figured they were of no use — who would ever translate them?

So she burned them and then who should come along and buy the place but Volker Eisele — another German!”

Beyond learning about the history of the vineyard and property,

visitors might also run across one of the three generations of the Nevarez family who have worked on the land since Jose Nevarez arrived at the ranch on horseback in 1974 looking for work. Since then, the year-round crew of up to six has worked alongside the Eiseles, farming and maintaining the land.

Up until 2014 the wines were made by John McKay, a Napa Valley fixture and pioneer of the practice of “sur lie” aging of white wines, where wines are allowed to maintain contact with yeast and grape lees (particles) that settle during aging in barrel. Today, this is a fairly common practice, but 77

back in the 1980s when McKay began using the technique it was novel in the Napa Valley. Today, Molly Lyman now runs the winemaking program. Lyman has worked alongside Heidi Barrett and Philipe Melka, among others, and has a special touch with wine, according to Alexander.

“Molly really seems to have a deep appreciation for these grapes,” he said. “John’s brought us to where we are and we are grateful for his insights, helping make our wines into what they’ve become. Molly is another great winemaker, and we are excited to see how the wines evolve, keeping their roots intact. I am especially happy that my father was involved in the decision-making process to

hire Molly — I feel that was very important.”

Three wines stood out during my tasting with Alexander: the 2014 Gemini ($28 per bottle), the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon ($52 per bottle) and the 2012 Terzetto, a red-Bordeaux blend ($75 per bottle). All wines are made from grapes grown onsite.

The Gemini is a blend of Semillon with an additional (24 percent) sauvignon blanc. This wine is golden in the glass with aromas of ripe peach, honeycomb and mint. In the mouth, the wine is crisp and acidic, with flavors of dehydrated pineapple, wet-slate stone and vanilla bean.

The cabernet sauvignon has rustic aromas of dusty cherry and

Chinese five-spice blending with sweet pipe smoke and mountain herbs. On the palate, this rustic-styled wine is full of mouth-filling tannin and flavors of brambly cherry jam, cola and a smoky meatiness that is reminiscent of duck confit.

The Terzetto (three equal voices) is an equal mixture of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot. The wine is brick-red, with aromas of dark chocolate, toasted cedar and espresso. Once in the mouth this wine shows a musical quality that is appropriate for its name, with the three varietals coming together to form something wonderful — flavors of plum, fig, leather, clove and cassis merging to become something

timeless.

After the tasting, Alexander and I walked to a huge oak tree that was one of his father’s favorites.

“My dad loved this tree,” he said to me and then paused. “He went so fast, we just were not expecting it.”

He looked back at the massive trunk and branches, the vineyard spreading into the valley behind it.

“He taught us to take care of the land and the people that farm it — to farm for the well-being of the land and not the pocketbook,” Alexander said. “We’ll continue to grow grapes cleanly and make wine honestly.” Then he looked back at me, his eyes resolute but glassy. “That will be our shared legacy.”

Tim Carl photo

The original winery at the Volker Eisele Family Estate vineyard , seen in the background, was built in the 1870s by a German pioneer, Francis Sievers.

Alexander Eisele is committed to carrying on his father’s dedication to the environment.

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Bay Area welcomes two new MASTERS of Wine S H E L L E Y C A RT L A N D

There are only 40 people in the entire U.S. who can claim the title Master of Wine (MW).

Rare though the credential may be, the MW is the most respected title in the world of wine, requiring those who seek it to pass a rigorous four-day exam that includes a blind tasting of 36 wines, 13 closed-book essays, and ultimately, a research paper. It takes years of preparation, experience, and study. Today, only 354 people in the world hold the MW credential.

Mary Margaret McCamic and Matt Deller are the two newest U.S. Masters of Wine, earning their titles in September, 2016 through the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine.

Both currently work with wines from the Napa Valley. Matt Deller is the director of Fine Wine Development at Constellation Brands, where he develops sales strategy for luxury marques such as Robert Mondavi Winery, The Prisoner Wine Company, and Mount Veeder Winery.

Mary Margaret McCamic is the sales manager at Screaming Eagle, and is one of 14 women who hold the title of Master of Wine in the U.S. Both Deller and McCamic are also instructors at Napa Valley Wine Academy along with fellow Masters of Wine, Peter Marks, Tim Hanni, and Christy Canterbury.

The Master of Wine credential was originally restricted to those working in the U.K. wine trade, and the first exams were given in 1953 in London. Wine luminary Jancis Robinson was the first outside of the trade to pass in 1984, and it wasn’t until 1988 that an Australian, Michael Hill-Smith, became the first Master of Wine outside of the UK. In 1990, Hanni and Joel Butler passed the prestigious exams, making them the first American Masters of Wine.

The more popularized Master Sommelier diploma has nearly 150 members in the U.S. Its examination focuses on fine wine and beverage service while the Master of Wine focuses exclusively on wine with a more academic, in-depth approach.

Both Deller and McCamic wanted to pursue the Master of Wine credential because of its global reputation, rigorous standards, and comprehensive view of the world of wine.

“The blind-tasting portion alone requires that candidates master all categories of wine, including fortified, sweet, rose, and sparkling wines,” said McCamic, who was awarded the 80

Mary Margaret McCamic

Submitted photo

Bollinger Medal for her outstanding tasting performance as well as the Outstanding Achievement Award for her best overall score on all portions of the MW exam.

Deller said, “For me, once I knew that there was an exam that represented the pinnacle of wine trade education, it was like a red flag to a bull. Fewer people have passed the MW exams than have climbed Mt. Everest or been into space. It’s a defining achievement.”

The Bay Area is home to onefourth of the Masters of Wine living in the United States.

California native and longtime Bay Area resident, Peter Marks says, “While New York or other cities around the country have a significant wine consuming culture, the Bay Area is the hub for wine production in America.

As such, it’s a magnet for wine professionals in all aspects of the industry, from production to supply chain to sales/marketing to retail and restaurants. The MW title is relevant because to successfully pass the exam, one must have ‘mastered’ all of these disciplines of the wine business.”

The range of occupations that MWs hold within the wine industry, both in the Bay Area and across the world, is a testament to the comprehensive nature of the Master of Wine.

The positions held by Masters of Wine in the Bay Area include wine critic Lisa Perrotti-Brown, editor in chief at Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate; Liz Thach, professor of wine and management at Sonoma State University; Tim Marson, senior buyer at Wine. com; Geoff Labitzke, director of sales and marketing at Kistler Vineyards); and Jean-Michel Valette, chairman of Vinfolio and former CEO of Franciscan Estates). The Constellation Academy of Wine can claim two Masters of Wine, Peter Marks, vice president of education, and Mark de Vere, director of education).

Deller and McCamic said they plan to give back to the community that helped them pass the exams. One of the driving forces behind their success is, what became known as “the Napa Valley Tasting Group,” which met

Matt Deller is one of the two newest U.S. Masters of Wine.

every weekend for mock exams.

The group now meets regularly at The Napa Valley Wine Academy and is led by others in the Bay Area pursuing the Master of Wine, including Vanessa Conlin, director of sales and marketing at Realm Cellars.

“The Napa tasting group encourages the focus and discipline required to pass the Master of Wine exam, and allows

candidates to lean on each other for moral support,” said Conlin, who will sit the exam for the first time in 2017. Deller and McCamic frequently put together mock-exams for the group or lead focused wine tastings in hopes of helping other students.

“Matt and I would not be here today were it not for the generosity of MWs like Peter Marks who was willing to share his knowledge

Submitted photo

and time,” McCamic said.

According to Deller, “I look forward to contributing to the community of MWs living in the area, carrying out the key goals of the Institute, and in my own way, promoting excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community.”

For more information on the Master of Wine program, visit www.mastersofwine.org.

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CIA at Copia restaurant now open Christophe Gerard named executive chef F O R I N S I D E N A PA VA L L E Y

The Restaurant at CIA Copia in Napa is now officially open under the direction of executive chef Christophe Gerard, chef de cuisine Chris Kennedy Aken, and Waldy Malouf, CIA senior director of food and beverage operations.

The restaurant joins other offerings at the CIA at Copia including such as daily cooking and beverage classes, wine tastings, and a lifestyle store specializing in home goods.

At the restaurant, front-of-house and back-of-house roles are blended to create a new approach to service.

A rotating array of sharable dishes is offered tableside to guests and displayed on carts and trays by the cooks who created them.

Guests are encouraged to take the dishes that appeal to them, and the cook marks their selection on their menu. Patrons have a chance to see all of the menu items, plus frequent specials, and meet every cook in the kitchen in the process. The number of dishes they select is tabulated at the conclusion of their dining experience.

In addition to a variety of savory and sweet carts, the Restaurant at CIA Copia circulates a one-of-a-kind, cow-shaped cheese cart named “Bessie.”

Savory menu items include Chickpea “Truffles” and Housemade Burrata ($7); Roasted Chelsea Gem Oysters with Verjus ($12); Rainbow Trout, Pistachio, Sage Butter ($17); Charred Carrots, Cumin Yogurt ($4); Rack of Lamb, Parsley-Mint Salad ($19); and Porcini-Crusted Hangar Steak, Bone Marrow ($21).

Desserts include Roasted Pineapple, Crème Fraîche Sorbet ($7); Pumpkin Cheesecake, Graham Cracker ($7); and Apple-Persimmon Pie for Two, Calvados Ice Cream ($16).

Calling it “a brilliant new concept,” chef Gerard said the new restaurant is ‘elegant and reflective of California’s adventurous spirit.”

Gerard, a native of Chartres, France, is a graduate of the Centre de Formation d’Apprentis “Les Chaises.”

He moved to the Napa Valley in 2002, after working at renowned dining establishments in New York City, Miami Beach and Orlando. In Napa he opened Angéle restaurant, which rapidly earned a spot on Food & Wine magazine’s list of top new bistros in North America.

He has also worked at Silverado Resort & Spa, Calistoga Ranch, The Farm at the Carneros Inn, and Rubicon Estate. “Napa Valley has a special place in my heart,” he said.

The restaurant offers a variety of beverages, including beers, sakes, ciders, cocktails, and non-alcoholic options., on trolleys that move through the dining room.

Subbmitted photo

Christophe Gerard is the new executive chef at the Restaurant at CIA COPIA.

The bar team, led by beverage manager Shannon Latting, barrel-ages their own bitters and make their own infusions.

Specialty cocktails for $12 include Barnum Was Right (Ransom Old Tom Gin, Luxardo Apricot Liqueur, and lemon); and non-alcoholic cocktails including the Pom Balaustine (pomegranate, lemon, and soda) for $6.

Wines by the glass feature selections from Napa Valley and around the world, such as NV Gérard Bertrand Thomas Jefferson Crémant De Limoux Brut Rosé

($10); 2015 Charles Krug Sauvignon Blanc ($10); and 2015 Gunderloch ‘Fritz’ Rheinhessen Riesling ($12).

The Restaurant at CIA Copia is at 500 First St., Napa, and is open six days a week for dinner: Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday from 5:30 to 9 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. The bar is open Friday through Sunday, noon until closing. For reservations and additional information, call 707-967-2555 or visit www.therestaurantatciacopia.com.

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R E G I S T E R S TA F F

A new underground tasting alcove is the latest addition to the Stags Leap District wine scene, offering an experience that is at once rustic and luxurious.

Named for the 47 acres of estate vineyards that Pine Ridge Vineyards owns in Stags Leap District, Cellar 47 has been designed with “rustic elegance” for VIP tastings and special events by architect Michael Guthrie, who has also designed famed San Francisco eateries such as Coqueta and Fog City Diner.

“This new alcove is warm and intimate and provides a great place to showcase our Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon along with our other best-of-class Napa Valley wines,” said Michael Beaulac, winemaker and general manager of Pine Ridge Vineyards, at the December grand opening.

Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography After winding their way through Guests celebrate the opening of Cellar 47 at Pine Ridge Vineyards in Napa on Nov. 13. the caves past the wines aging in barrel guests enter a “cave” furnished with plush leather furnishings, redwood tables and Persian-style carpets and lit by distinctive chandeliers, crafted in the Netherlands, and inspired by the roots of grape vines.

Pine Ridge Vineyards winery will offer visitors two options for tasting Elegantly rustic cave to in Cellar 47 daily: Savor Pine Ridge, host tastings, parties taking place daily at 11 a.m., is a guided tasting of five estate cabernet sauvignons served with small bites.

The Appellation Tasting, daily at 2 p.m., features a vertical tasting from one of four Napa Valley appellations, also complemented by a food sampling.

Cellar 47 can host up to 30 people for parties for gatherings such as rehearsal dinners, milestone birthdays and corporate functions. Cellar 47 can be booked by calling 800-575-9777 or by emailing Concierge@PineRidgeWine.com.

Established in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley in 1978, Pine Ridge Vineyards produces wines from estate vineyards across five appellations: Stags Leap District, Rutherford, Oakville, Howell Mountain and Carneros.

For more information, visit www. pineridgevineyards.com.

Pine Ridge opens Cellar 47 7

Cellar 47 at Pine Ridge Vineyards can host up to 30 people for special events.

Susana Bates for Drew Altizer Photography

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Lessons in healthy eating ‘Don Jesus’ uses his classes to fight bad food habits

J.L. Sousa, Register

Jose Aguilera is a community health volunteer who works with a number of different organizations in Napa County to present Spanish-language demonstrations of healthy cooking.

H OWA R D Y U N E h yune @nap ane w s . com A dozen years ago, a midlife bout of diabetes led a Napa chef to rethink his diet. Ever since, Jose Jesus Aguilera has volunteered his time to spread those lessons of healthier eating and living to his fellow Latinos in the valley.

A series of Spanish-language classes have given Aguilera – known to hundreds of his students as Don Jesus – a friendly pulpit, and a kitchen, to help residents overhaul their eating habits and better ward off heart disease, diabetes and other ailments tied to diet.

Six to eight times a month, the longtime 86

cook at North Bay restaurants shares his lessons in classes where familiar recipes take new forms, lower in fat and carbohydrates, richer in vegetables, fruit and produce. Slimmer and more vital at age 61, Aguilera holds out hope that others like himself also can lead healthier lives, and do so within the fabric of their everyday living.

“Any place people ask me to go, I’ll be there,” Aguilera, speaking through an interpreter, said earlier this month of his volunteer mission that began shortly after he was diagnosed as a Type 2 diabetic in 2004, when

he was 49.

Doctors soon recommended a makeover in his diet – more produce and water, cutbacks in fat and carbohydrates, and an end to sodas, juices and excessive sugar.

A diabetes management class at the OLE Health clinic followed, where the new patient’s progress surprised even his teachers.

“I started to lose weight; back then I was a little fat …” Aguilera, who now cooks at the Aventine restaurant in Sonoma County, remembered before laughing and admitting: “… actually, I was very fat! But the person

Spicy Chicken Fajitas 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 green bell pepper 1 red bell pepper 1 medium onion 2 Tbsp. of ground chili powder 2 Tbsp. of olive oil Salt and pepper for seasoning Cut the chicken into strips. In a plastic bag add two tablespoons of chili powder, a teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of ground pepper. Add the chicken strips and shake them in the bag so

they are well seasoned.

Cut the bell peppers and onions into strips.

In a medium pan, heat well one tablespoon of olive oil and cook the seasoned chicken three to five minutes. Put the chicken aside. Heat well the other tablespoon of olive oil and cook the bell peppers and onion for three minutes. Add the chicken to the vegetables and cook them together for five more minutes.

Serve hot with tortillas (corn or whole wheat).

— Jose Jesus Aguilera

Quinoa Salad with Lemon Dressing FOR THE DRESSING 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. ground pepper ½ cup vinegar, apple cider or rice wine ½ cup fresh lemon juice 1 cup oil, olive or vegetable FOR THE SALAD 2 cups of quinoa 4 cups of water ½ tsp. salt 1 medium onion 2 cups of cucumbers, chopped without seeds 2 Tbsp. of red chili flakes (optional) 6 green onions, finely chopped ½ cup of carrot strips ½ pound smoked boneless pork chops, cooked and cubed 1 can of beans, rinsed and drained

More information For information about the cooking class “Me Veo Bien, Me Siento Bien,” contact Aguilera at 707-337-2849 or josejam55@yahoo.com To inquire about future Cooking Matters Spanish-language courses, contact Berta Delgado at 707-251-2050 or berta. delgado@stjoe.org

who recommended the changes was very surprised at how quickly I was able to do so.”

Aguilera received training from OLE Health to lead food classes in his own right, and ever since has shared lessons and recipes at cooking demonstrations around the county, both with Queen of the Valley Medical Center’s Cooking Matters series and

½ cup chopped cilantro Making the dressing Mix all the dressing ingredients well in a bowl and serve or keep in the refrigerator in a closed container up to one week Making the salad In a medium pot, heat the quinoa with the water and salt until boiling. When it begins to boil, cover the pot with a tight lid and lower the heat until the water reduces, about 10 or 15 minutes. Put the quinoa aside so it cools.

In another bowl, prepare and mix all the ingredients, including the quinoa once cooled.

Finally, add the lemon dressing, mixing everything gently. Let the salad rest for a moment and then serve.

— Jose Jesus Aguilera

through his own program Me Veo Bien, Me Siento Bien (I Look Good, I Feel Good).

In cycles of six weekly classes of eight to 12 students each, Aguilera leads students through a program encouraging physical activity, regular doctor’s visits – and the cooking and tasting of dishes meant to make healthy living easier.

“He really is doing this out of the goodness of his heart,” said Cara Mae Wooledge, a health education specialist for Napa County Health and Human Services. “He made changes in his own life and now he wants to empower others to make those changes too.”

“I’ll see people in the community, and they’re excited and they want to know about the last class so they can learn more recipes,”

said Aguilera. “On the evaluation forms (after each program) I ask, ‘Would you come to another class?’ and everyone says yes.’”

Soon, those seeking a change of diet and lifestyle may not even have to personally meet Aguilera. He said he is partnering with Vision y Compromiso, a network of health workers and community liaisons in the West Coast states, to include about 100 of his recipes in a healthy-eating cookbook for Latino households.

“The other day, I saw a little girl and her mom at the Wal-Mart, and the mom went to me and said, ‘This is the man who taught me how to cook!’ I didn’t recognize her, but she recognized me. That’s what really satisfies me.”

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Sky’s

the limit

New Napa business soars with drones

This is the DJI Phantom drone that Jim Barner uses in his business, JB Drone Services.

Jim Barner feels like the sky’s the limit for his new business, JB Drone Services.

Drones, aka UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), have gone from a top-secret military weapon a few years back to a kid’s Christmas present today. Those little – and not so little – whirlybirds are taking over the skies.

A longtime Napa resident, Barner has been swept up in the craze like lots of other people.

“I’m a technology guy,” the 51-year old former Navy electronics technician says. Born in Alabama, Barnes was stationed at the former Mare Island base where he met his future wife, Angela, and wound up staying in the area.

M I C H A E L WAT E R S O N

For the past 14 years the pair have owned and operated Doc’s Trophy Shoppe on Jefferson Street.

“It started like a hobby,” Barnes said of his UAV business. He got his first small, palmsized drone about a year ago. “I kept upgrading,” he said.

The technology has been upgrading rapidly, too, Barnes said. “It’s blowing up. Drones are now helping so many industries,” he said.

Unmanned aerial vehicles were conceived at the dawn of human flight, first as a weapon.

In 1849, Austria attacked the Italian city of Venice with unmanned balloons loaded with

J.L. Sousa, Register

explosives. Some were successful in damaging the city, however when the wind changed direction some were blown back over Austrian lines.

Both World Wars saw attempts to create remote-controlled drone weapons. Joseph Kennedy Jr. was killed when one such drone, a B-24 loaded with explosives exploded ahead of schedule. The cruise missile is a remote-controlled “flying bomb,” a kind of proto-drone that was effective but could not linger over a battlefield for surveillance or return to base to reuse.

It was not until advances in computer and 89

Info facebook.com/jbdroneservices/ (707) 271-6161

other electronic technology late in the last century that the modern drone was born.

Equipped with cameras with ultra-high-resolution 4K video – horizontal resolution of 4,000 pixels – drones have found uses in construction, real estate, search and rescue and more.

Napa-based Healthy Buildings Companies is one of Barner’s first customers. The green development company is currently building a 48-unit condominium on First Street.

“Jim provides a visual record of progress on the project that we use for our investors to keep them informed,” said Lisa Batto, managing principle for the company. Also, drones offer a quick assessment of overall conditions, such as the amount of standing water after the recent rain events, she said.

Currently, Barner provides photos and 10-20 minutes of video every two weeks, Batto said. As the project gets nearer to completion, she said she expects that time to increase. After the project’s conclusion, the company will have a complete video archive.

Barner demonstrated another construction use: In seconds, a laptop computer displaying a still photo from a drone video used a software program to quickly calculate the volume of dirt needed to fill the pictured excavation.

The website dronesatwork.com bills itself as a news source for commercial drones and UAVs. Among potential uses toted by the site are emergency response drones equipped with defibrillators, drone monitoring of endangered species, and even entertainment drones: Disney World recently announced a holiday lightshow to be staged by a computer-controlled 300-drone fleet.

At a time when the nation’s aging infrastructure is of increasing concern, drones offer a cost-saving alternative to on-site inspection by engineers. UAVs can surveille hundreds of miles of roads, bridges, pipelines and other infrastructure much faster and cheaper than a land-based inspector.

In agriculture, too, drones offer greater efficiency, watching acres of vineyards, say, for potential problems, thus aiding in quicker response to pests and diseases.

And UAVs maybe the perfect delivery option for Internet- based retailers. Amazon. com is experimenting with a drone delivery option called Amazon Prime Air. UAVs present potential safety hazards as well. With a flight radius of 4-5 miles – well out of sight of an operator – drones have built-in obstacle avoidance sensors, a GPS locator and a return home fail-safe program.

90

Jim Barner, flying a DJI Phantom drone, is the owner of JB Drone Services.

The FAA has rules and restrictions for all drone operators, including height and speed, and commercial operators like himself are required to pass FAA certification, Barner said.

“I would need a special waiver to fly over BottleRock,” Barner said. Naturally, airports

J.L. Sousa, Register

are also off-limits.

Barner expects more and tougher regulation in the future. But the untapped potential for UAVs is huge, he says.

“It blows me away,” Barner said of his new business. “I love this.”

Disappearing varietals Napa old-vine zinfandel, chenin blanc are worth seeking out

Katie Hayne Simpson, vintner and co-owner of the Hayne Vineyard in St. Helena, stands among some of their 112-yearold heritage Zinfandel vines.

Tim Carl photo

T

TIM CARL

he percentage of cabernet sauvignon grown in the Napa Valley continues to be on the rise. This is primarily due to economic considerations: When a vineyard owner can get two to 10 times more for cabernet grapes than any other alternative varietal, then there really is often no other choice.

In the 1960s and ‘70s, it was not uncommon for Napa Valley vineyards to grow pinot noir, Napa gamay, zinfandel, petite sirah, gray or white riesling, chenin blanc and

gewürztraminer, but because of consumer preferences and the economic realities of modern-day wine grape-growing and -making, these have been mostly replaced.

For those vintners interested in gaining high scores from their Napa Valley wines, there is only one varietal to consider — cabernet sauvignon. For those producers looking to maximize their bottle price there is also only one option — cabernet sauvignon. So from growers, to winemakers and owners, 91

each is almost forced into growing and making cabernet sauvignon.

And that’s fine for the most part because Napa cabs can be spectacular, full of jammy black fruit and silky tannins.

For those rare Napa vintners who venture beyond cabernet and chardonnay, however, the world can be a cold and lonely place.

But it is often within this dark wilderness that the Napa Valley seems to express its raw and wild roots, where history and potential merge and create something wonderfully different and delicious.

One of my personal favorite trends is a newfound interest in chenin blanc. A few producers are making a few cases of the wonderfully expressive white wine: Casa Nuestra, Chappellet and John Skupny, the proprietor of Lang & Reed Wine Co. “When my wife, Tracey, and I arrived in Napa in the early 1980s, there were about 2,000 acres of chenin blanc and 1,600 of chardonnay,” Skupny said.

“Now there’s probably over 7,000 of chardonnay and only 14 acres left of chenin blanc. I feel lucky to have access to some of it.”

Tasting the 2015 Lang & Reed Chenin Blanc ($27 per bottle) makes it clear why this varietal was so widely planted even up to a generation ago. The bright, light-straw-colored wine is full of aromas of dried white peach and mango and waxy honeycomb, with flavors of red apple and quince that culminate in a refreshing tartness.

Another of what used to be a common varietal, but is now pushed near extinction, are the old-head-trained zinfandel vineyards that used to dot the valley, their vines often propped up, as if leaning on canes, with sinewy redwood stakes.

A few of these vineyards survive, including two of the most spectacular: the Hayne Vineyard in St. Helena (Chase Cellars) and the Aldo’s Vineyard (owned by the Robert Biale Winery) in Napa.

The pressure on these decadesold vineyards is staggering. Often surrounded by encroaching cabernet sauvignon vineyards, or in the case of the Aldo’s Vineyard, 92

Submitted image

Aerial view of the AldoAldo’s Vineyard in Napa, which was once surrounded by other vineyards but is now boxed in by tract homes.

completely surrounded by a subdivision, these stalwart vineyards stand as fortresses against the trend toward homogenization, each vineyard producing some of the finest wines in the valley.

“The Biale family is totally committed to keeping these wonderful vineyards intact,” said Tres Goetting, winemaker at Robert Biale Vineyards. “I love these oldvine zins because there is really nothing else like them. Zinfandel in general, and old vines in particular, can produce wines that never cease to amaze me in their complexity and depth. Every single old vine, be it this varietal or any others, is like a sacred old soul that has so much to say if we’d just take some time and listen.

When they’re gone, they cannot be replaced.”

If you don’t know Chase Cellars or the wines from Biale, I suggest you take time and go taste some of these stunning examples of what zinfandel and other varietals can aspire to.

If you do go to Biale winery, you’ll learn about the story of the “black chicken,” which was a secret code during Prohibition.

Customers placing their order for eggs, zucchini and milk from the Biale farm might also include a request for one or more black chickens, which actually meant a gallon of wine. Today, you can still order one of these delicious black chicken wines — and now without risk of imprisonment.

Any of the Biale wines are

Tim Carl photo

Tres Goetting, winemaker at Robert Biale Vineyards, stands in the AldoAldo’s Vineyard in Napa, which is surrounded by tract homes.

worth seeking out, but it is the Aldo’s zinfandel that reaches the absolute pinnacle of achievement for California zinfandel. The grapes come from a head-trained, non-irrigated vineyard planted in 1937.

Boxed in by tract houses, the Aldo’s Vineyard produces a wine that is as nuanced and mysterious as any in the world. You think I’m kidding? Go ahead, find yourself a bottle of the 2013 Aldo’s Vineyard Zinfandel (if you can, they are now sold out) and try it for yourself.

The Aldo’s Vineyard produces garnet wine that is full of aromas of dried figs, Worcestershire sauce and spiced rum. On the palate, this wine sings with baked cherry and blackberry cobbler,

clove-infused dark chocolate and sweet plum syrup. The finish of this wine is stunningly long with hints of black tea, pepper and redripe raspberries that urge you on to another sip.

The Napa Valley is full of amazing stories, and produces many spectacular wines, most made by passionate people who have their own special stories to tell. But few can speak through the voice of older vineyards or more diverse varietals. My hope is that we all find time to seek out and support the efforts of those vintners and winemakers who are fighting the good fight. If we don’t, these pieces of history will be lost forever, replaced instead by a tract house or another cabernet sauvignon vineyard.

Touring the Napa Valley

Five wineries to visit in a weekend, for visitors and natives alike

D AV I D S TO N E B E RG e d i tor @s the le nas tar. com Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident looking to taste the local vintages, the sheer number of wineries available to explore and sample in Napa County can be daunting. The list is so long, it’s hard to know where to start.

Here are some suggestions for a quick trip through the Valley, hitting some of the popular attractions and well-known names, to make your vacation—or staycation—memorable.

Just don’t try to visit all in the same day.

You want to make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy each of these special places. A good rule of thumb is to visit one winery in the morning, have lunch and then visit either one or two in the afternoon.

If you’re a new visitor, be sure to do your homework before you come to the Napa Valley, as most wineries require advance reservations and many offer more experiences than just a winery tour and tasting of their latest release wines.

Most of all, remember to bring your attitude of fun to make this an adventure and a trip to remember, for visitors and natives alike.

Robert Mondavi Winery The late Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in 1966 with a vision to create Napa Valley wines that would stand in the company of the world’s finest. He chose To Kalon Vineyard in the heart of the Napa Valley as the home for Robert Mondavi Winery.

This first-growth vineyard, located in Oakville, is renowned for producing some of the finest cabernet sauvignon wines in the world, as well as for its sauvignon blanc grapes, from which Mondavi crafted his signature wine, Fumé Blanc.

Director of Winemaking is Genevieve Janssens, whose relationship with the winery began in 1978. She was selected “Winemaker of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast in 2010.

According to the website, “The Robert Mondavi Winery was one of the first wineries to offer tours, tastings, culinary and art programs – our commitment to education continues with our world-renowned visitor programs. We offer three different types of wine tasting experience, for everyone from the novice to the most discriminating aficionado.”

Besides winery tours and wine tasting experiences, the winery staff also offers wine and

David Stoneberg, Star

Oakville’s Robert Mondavi Winery was the third new winery to open in the Napa Valley since Prohibition. The first was built by Louis M. Martini, also on St. Helena Highway; the second was Fred and Eleanor McCrea’s “Stony Hill” winery on Spring Mountain.

food programs and lunch and dinner experiences.

Its “Discovery Tour and Tasting,” a family-friendly walking tour with a taste of two wines is offered daily from May through October with no reservations required. The tour takes 30 minutes and costs $20 per person.

Children are welcome.

The winery is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., store is open until 6 p.m.

Louis M. Martini Winery The Martini family has been crafting world-class cabernet sauvignon from Napa and Sonoma’s finest vineyards since 1933. According to its website, “Our historic winery was among the first to open its doors in the Napa Valley after Prohibition. Our founder Louis M. Martini started with this simple premise: the best grapes make the best wines. Today, this tradition carries on at our historic winery in the Napa Valley with a range of unforgettable cabernet sauvignon wines. Located in the heart of the Napa Valley, our tasting room

If you go Robert Mondavi Winery

7801 St. Helena Highway, Oakville 888-766-6328, ext. 2 Robertmondaviwinery.com

Louis M. Martini Winery

254 St. Helena Highway South, St. Helena 707-968-9403 Louismartini.com

Merryvale Vineyards 1000 Main St., St. Helena (707) 963-7777 Merryvale.com

Beringer Vineyards

2000 Main St., St. Helena 866-708-9463 or 707-257-5771 beringer.com

Castello di Amorosa

4045 St. Helena Highway, Calistoga 707-967-6272 castellodiamorosa.com

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celebrates our storied history and acclaimed winemaking in every glass of wine we pour.”

Daily offerings at Louis M. Martini Winery include curated tasting flights of award-winning wines, many of which are exclusively available through the winery. Again from the website, “For first-time Napa visitors and collectors alike, our team will make every effort to make yours a memorable Napa Valley wine tasting experience.”

Two of the curated tasting flights include The Celebrated Reds Tasting Experience ($25) and Our Good Life flight ($50.)

The first celebrates the time-honored tradition of blending a selection of grape varieties to create a single harmonious wine. Explore the distinctions between a cabernet-driven Bordeaux-style blend — the Meritage — and a blend that builds on non-cabernet varieties — the Mountain Red. Included are two of the staff ’s other cabernet favorites.

The “Good Life” flight pairs some of Martini’s most sought-after wines with a curated selection of seasonal, local dishes that elevate and enhance the depth and flavor of the wines.

Please allow 30 minutes for either of these curated tasting experiences.

Merryvale Vineyards Nestled in the heart of the Napa Valley, St. Helena has long been established as the heart and soul of California winemaking. Ideally located at the southern entrance to town, Merryvale Vineyards, built in 1933, supports this rich history. As St. Helena’s hometown winery, Merryvale Vineyards offers guests the opportunity to walk to restaurants, shopping, lodging, and even other wine tasting locations.

In 2007, the Merryvale Vineyards winery building was renovated to become a luxury-class facility with small temperature controlled fermentors, intensive sorting equipment, a basket press, a cold room and other resources to produce great wine.

Merryvale Vineyards welcomes guests daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations are not required for its Merryvale Vineyards Tasting.

Seated tastings at the bar or in the tasting room are $30 per person.

For those interested in enjoying an elevated experience, winery staff also offers two unique experiences that are privately hosted by our wine education team: Merryvale’s Artisanal Wine & Cheese Tasting and its Profile Library Tasting. Both of those experiences require advance reservations and can be made online or by calling 707-963-7777.

If you are in St. Helena at lunch time, make reservations for the winery’s “Burger Butler Tasting Experience.” If you’ve ever ventured into St. Helena on a sunny day, no doubt you’ve noticed the line of folks waiting to order at what has become Napa Valley’s best burger joint – Gott’s Roadside Cafe. The

David Stoneberg, Star

In 2007, the Merryvale Vineyards winery building was renovated to become a luxury-class facility with small temperature controlled fermentors, intensive sorting equipment, a basket press, a cold room and other resources to produce great wine. It was first built in 1933.

David Stoneberg, Star

Beringer Vineyards is located at 2000 Main St., just north of downton St. Helena on St. Helena Highway, which is also called Highway 29.

“Burger Experience” will allow guests to skip the line and get right to the burger and fries – paired with Merryvale wines, of course! Cost is $95 per guest or $35 per winery club member.

To reserve Burger Butler, email the tasting room at tastingroom@merryvale.com.

Beringer Vineyards In 1876, brothers Jacob and Frederick Beringer established Beringer Vineyards with a dream of making wines that would rival

the finest in Europe. Today, Jacob’s great great-grandson, Chief Winemaker Mark Beringer, guides what is now California’s longest continually operating winery and one of Napa’s finest producers. With more than 1,600 acres farmed across Napa’s best appellations, as well as Sonoma County and Paso Robles, Beringer is recognized as one of the region’s preeminent producers with a rich portfolio of wines.

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David Stoneberg, Star

According to a plaque on the grounds of St. Helena’s Beringer Vineyards, this mighty oak tree was growing some 240 years ago, at the time of the American revolution. The historic Rhine House in at left.

St. Helena Star file photo

Castello di Amorosa south of Calistoga is styled after 13th-century Tuscan castles and took 14 years to build.

After spending years working at Benzinger, Duckhorn and Artesa, in 2015, Mark Beringer came “home” to Beringer Vineyards, joining as Chief Winemaker and following in the footsteps of acclaimed Winemaker Emeritus Laurie Hook. He said, “I’m absolutely thrilled to be making wines for the very winery that my ancestor built, and be part of the next chapter in this important story of Beringer and of the Napa Valley.”

Two tours are of interest, the “Taste of Beringer Tour,” $50 per person plus tax; and the “Legacy Cave Tour,” $30 per person plus tax. Tours are offered throughout the day, reservations are recommended.

In the one-hour “Taste of Beringer Tour,” guests will be introduced to Beringer Vineyard’s rich winemaking and culinary arts history. Following a brief walking tour of the property and demonstration vineyard, guests will be seated in the historic Rhine House family kitchen to explore the art of wine and food pairing and to enjoy a specially selected flight of Reserve wines paired with seasonal culinary treats prepared by Beringer’s own Hudson House chefs.

Guests of all ages are welcome for the 30-minute “Legacy Cave Tour” that guides you through the Old Winery and historic tunnels, while exploring Beringer’s long history and commitment to quality. For those 21 years and older, we’ll taste a selection of three wines during the tour.

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The winery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week.

Castello di Amorosa Visit Calistoga’s authentically-built, 13th century Tuscan castle and winery. You can visit for tasting only or take a guided tour.

By spending $25 for general admission, you may enjoy roaming access on two levels of the winery and a five-wine premium tasting in the winery’s main tasting room. No reservations are necessary for groups up to 14 guests. General admission pricing includes a map of the winery, wine tasting, and access to the upper levels of the Castello, including the Main Tasting Bar and Knight’s Hall.

Reserve a guided tour ($40 per person) and learn more about the Castello, including the lower levels which feature the torture chamber, armory, and Grand Barrel Room, followed by either a standard tasting of five premium wines in one of the winery’s private tasting bars or a reserve tasting with a private tasting of six wines, including low-production, elegant reserve wines. All tours feature a barrel tasting and a complimentary tasting of current releases. The walking tour takes an hour and the tasting takes 45 minutes.

Reservations are recommended.

In March 2011, owner Dario Sattui reflected on the history of Castello di Amorosa.

“Nearly 20 years ago, I purchased the spectacular property upon which I built

Castello di Amorosa. It sat on a 170-acres of forest and hills with a stream, a lake, one of the first houses built in Napa County and a great Victorian home where I chose to live. It was my dream property, culminating a search of many years. The purchase also came with a great building permit for a large winery building which had taken the previous owner 13 years to obtain.

“At first, I had no intention of starting another winery — I already had V.Sattui (in St. Helena.) My plan was only to replant historic vineyards there. However, throughout my adult life, I had been fascinated with Italian medieval architecture; and, because of my passion — some would say obsession — I had already bought a handful of ancient properties in Italy, including a small castle near Florence (now sold), a medieval monastery near Siena (now being refurbished) and a Medici palace in southern Tuscany, which we are remodeling into a period hotel.

“My ideas began to crystallize. I would specialize in making small lots of primarily Italian-style wines, showcase them in an authentic, medieval castle setting and sell them directly to the public, not in stores or restaurants. Since I have never had a television, I had a lot of time on my hands. In early 1994, I embarked on my project. Concurrently with replanting 30 acres of vineyard on the property to sangiovese, cabernet and merlot, I began drawing plans for the winery building.

“My initial intent was to build an 8,500 square-foot building without cellars. Gradually it morphed into 121,000 square feet with 107 rooms with four separate levels underground and four levels above!”

Calistoga’s Tuscan castle opened in April 2007.

The winery is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., March through October and from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., November through February.

The video wall at CRU has a strict art-only policy, rotating both still and video pieces from multiple artists.

Jess Lander photo

INSIDE CRU @ THE ANNEX A night out that feels like a night in JESS LANDER

From the owners of Vineyard 29, downtown Napa’s latest tasting room CRU @ the Annex has opened in the Oxbow District on McKinstry Street, a building over from The Model Bakery.

But when you first walk into CRU, one tasting room essential is notably missing: the bar.

That’s because the space was designed with a more comfortable and familiar experience in mind, like sipping vino on your couch at home.

“This is not a tasting room; it’s a living room,” said owner Chuck McMinn.

You’ll find everything you need for a fun, relaxing night in (but technically out) at CRU. There’s wine, the couch, blankets, a wall of high-definition video screens, and yes, even popcorn. The atmosphere is casual, but you still probably shouldn’t wear your

pajamas.

CRU is also the name of Vineyard 29’s more consumer-friendly label from winemaker Keith Emerson, which had its first vintage in 2004. This secondary location for Vineyard 29 came purely out of a necessity for more space as the Upvalley winery continued to grow, but it also opened up the door for exposure to a different kind of crowd. While Vineyard 29 is by appointment only and closes at 4 p.m., CRU is open to the public with a 7 p.m. curfew; 8 p.m. on Tuesdays for locals night.

“We basically ran out of room. So rather than going for an extension to our use permit in the county, and still only being open from 10-4, I thought, why don’t we come down to Napa?” McMinn said. “We’re seeing people we would have never seen at the winery.

“I firmly believe Napa is going to be like

Jess Lander photo

A taxidermy peacock is another of CRU’s decorative elements.

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Jess Lander photo

Jess Lander photo

The Essentials Tasting Flight ($29) features 2014 vintages of CRU sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon paired with flavored popcorn.

CRU offers free locks, which visitors can write a message on and attach to the love lock fence on the patio.

Bordeaux. The city of Bordeaux went through this huge transformation to become the heart of nightlife in Bordeaux, and I think Napa is on the same trajectory.”

Tasting rooms, restaurants and shops have been popping up at a rapid rate downtown, offering a slew of hip, new options for locals and tourists alike. And while CRU is at the center of the bustling Oxbow district, it’s a few steps off the main path—just far enough, and informal enough, for it to be the next best kept secret for locals. A future trivia night is even a possibility.

“We really want the locals to come and hang out,” said McMinn. “Come by after work, buy a bottle of wine with three to four friends, share, sit down, stay as long as you want, use the Wi-Fi, bring in food from any of the Oxbow businesses and just sit back and enjoy.”

All three Vineyard 29 labels, including CRU and Aida Estate, are available at the Annex, with by the glass and bottle options. The Essentials Tasting Flight ($29) features 2014 vintages of CRU sauvignon blanc, pinot noir and cabernet sauvignon, paired with three carefully-designed gourmet popcorn flavors: meyer lemon thyme, truffle parmesan and mocha caramel, respectively.

Other flights include “The Cabernets” ($50), a side-by-side comparison of CRU, Vineyard 29 and Aida Estate cabernet sauvignon, and then cabernet vertical tastings of Aida Estate and

outside structure, but painting it green, and then bringing it indoors as well. This gives CRU a loft-like feel, where warm, homey elements can brighten up a previously dark and raw warehouse space.

CRU features several comfortable seating and lounging areas, in addition to an outside patio that’s built for year-round use with a fire pit, heaters, misters and shades.

Grab one of the provided blankets and hats in the winter months to witness spectacular sunsets.

There’s also a white taxidermy peacock for which the name Tom CRU has been thrown around, and free locks, on which visitors can write a message and attach to the love lock fence on the patio.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously. We wanted fun things,” said McMinn.

The fact that Vineyard 29’s new tasting room opened on Sept.

29 was no accident and numbers are a subtle, but prominent theme throughout the space. Free dice inspire games of Liar’s Dice and Yahtzee. They’re a tribute to the six dots on the CRU label, which represent the six original vineyards from which the CRU cabernet was sourced.

Tear-off calendars hang outside the restroom. As for their purpose, McMinn prefers to let patron’s imaginations run wild before seeing it for themselves.

“You’ll have to take a look.

That’s all I’m going to say,” he said.

Don’t worry, it’s nothing gross.

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Jess Lander photo

Tear-off calendars hang outside the restrooms at CRU.

Vineyard 29 wines, each for $75.

Cheese and charcuterie pairings are available with those.

Before CRU, The Poor House furniture store occupied the building, which predates the Oxbow.

It originated as an auto repair shop in a Butler Building, with a cost-effective and pre-engineered metal, corrugated structure that resembles a cargo container.

McMinn brought in noted Napa Valley designer Erin Martin to transform CRU into his vision.

“I wanted something that was a lot like a fun and hip living room, not something that was a stuffy, dark bowling alley with a bar,” said McMinn. “We didn’t even talk to anyone else, I just called up Erin and said, ‘Can you do this?’”

Martin decided to embrace the Butler elements, leaving the

Considering McMinn’s Silicon Valley background and Vineyard 29’s high-tech facility, it’s not surprising that the Annex has its own tech elements, like a video wall composed of four large screens.

Collectively, they are 16 times the definition of your home HD television.

Just don’t expect to be able to watch the Monday Night Football game here anytime soon. The video wall has a strict art-only policy, rotating both still and video pieces from multiple artists, like a collection of surfing photos shot by David Damico, the executive director of achievement and innovation for the Napa Valley Unified School District.

McMinn is also developing a CRU mobile app, which will enable visitors to tune into the music that’s been paired with each piece of art, among other things.

But the tasting room’s main event is the one-of-a-kind, CNCmilled, LED-backlit map of Napa Valley. It features dots for CRU @ the Annex, Vineyard 29 and the Aida Estate vineyard, and then an extra-thick line through the middle prominently displays the Napa Valley Vine Trail, also by no accident.

As the founder and visionary of the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition, McMinn has made a point to make the Annex bike-friendly.

He installed bike racks and a air pump station, and mounted a bicycle on the inside back wall. It’s both creative and practical, acting as living room art and space saver.

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