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2014

Local Wine, Local Food Community Roots

Best In Bottle Cultivating Excellence

NAPA VALLEY INSIDER A LOCAL’S GUIDE

terroirW I N E , F O O D , A N D C O N V E R S A T I O N

napa valley vintners

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FIND US: napavintners.com

LIKE US: Facebook.com/NapaVintners

FOLLOW US: @NapaVintners

SEE US: YouTube.com/NapaVintners

PIN US: Pinterest.com/NapaVintners

P.O. Box 141 St. Helena, CA 94574

Tel: 707.963.3388

A passion for quality winemaking, combined with the drive to protect the land and community is what sets Napa Valley apart.

The valley’s combination of diverse soils, ideal climate and varied terrain are perfectly suited for growing a wide variety of fine wine grapes. Vineyards are intentionally farmed to produce low yields of the highest quality. Throughout the growing season, vines are carefully managed to ensure optimal fruit development. In the fall, grapes are harvested mostly by hand and often at night to preserve fresh fruit flavors.

Napa Valley is the most renowned winegrowing region in the United States and also one of the smallest, producing a mere 4% of California’s annual wine grape harvest. The wineries are small, too, with 78% producing fewer than 10,000 cases of wine annually and 95% are family owned. Although small in size, the Napa Valley wine industry has a big impact, creating more than 300,000 U.S. jobs and providing a $50 billion annual impact on the American economy.

It’s not just the land that makes Napa Valley special. A history of leadership has also shaped this winegrowing region. From America’s first Agricultural Preserve to development of the Napa Green Certified Land and Winery programs to the more than $120 million given to area nonprofit organizations, Napa Valley’s vintners and growers are committed to cultivating excellence.

Enjoy,

Napa Valley Vintners

07 Community Roots

13 Cultivating Excellence

17 Best in Bottle

23 Local Wine, Local Food

30 Napa by the Numbers

33 Napa Valley Insider

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Publisher MICHAEL GOLDMAN

Editor-in-Chief PAMELA JOUAN

Design Director JANA POTASHNIK BAIRDesign, Inc.

Managing Editor CHRISTIAN KAPPNER

Assistant Editor STEPHANE HENRION

Senior Copy Editor KELLY SUZAN WAGGONER

Contributing Writers PAMELA JOUAN

Photography SAM ASLANIAN JASON TINACCI COURTESY OF NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS

Advertising Inquiries 718.288.8688

HauteLife Press a division of C-BON MEDIA, LLC. 321 Dean Street Suite 1 Brooklyn, NY 11217www.hautelifepress.com [email protected]

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HauteLife Press makes every effort to ensure that the information it publishes is correct but cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions.

Printed and bound in the U.S.A.

© 2014 All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

2011

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A Bouley and Tsuji

Collaboration

TWO VISIONARIES, ONE CONCEPT

Super Potato

THE ESSENCE OF DESIGN

Rising Star

CHEF ISAO YAMADA

Healthy Japanese Ingredients

FROM TOFU TO KELP

Fundamentally Pure Recipes: DASHI, TOFU MISO SOUP, AND CLEAR SOUP WITH DUMPLINGS

G O T H A M j o u r n a lA M A g A z i n e o f M o d e r n A M e r i c A n f o o d c u lt u r e

The heirloom issue

2013

GOT F13.indd 1 12/16/13 11:37 AM

FROM RUSTIC TO ELEGANT GRAvITATING TOwARd ITALIAN

LIFESTYLE SURROUNdEd bY ITALIAN dESIGN

IN THE PAN COOkING FROM SCOTT CONANT’S ITALIAN PANTRY

AROUNd TOwN FAvORITE FINdS FROM THE STAFF

LIVE ITALIAN ISSUE

2013

SCR F13.indd 1 12/12/13 4:34 PM

Ultimate Wine Destinations

Grand Crus at Corton

Grand Award-Winning List at Tribeca Grill

Myriad F10.indd 1 12/17/10 1:33:29 PM

2013

A NEW EpicurEAN ExpEriENcE

chef david bouley SpriNg chlorophyll Soup With SWEEt pEAS,

ASpArAguS, FAvA BEANS, AromAtic hErBS, ANd goldEN oSEtrA cAviAr

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the good lifeL DV H o s p i ta L i t y R e stau Ra n ts at R e V e L2013

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2012

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C E L E B R A T I N G C R A F T A N D F L A V O R W I T H M I C H A E L C H I A R E L L O

Attention to Detail CHIARELLO STyLE

Team Bottega ExpERIENCE AND ENERGy

The Wine Whisperer AMIGO BOB

With a Twist BALANCING THE CLASSICS

Home Room A pRIVATE DINING ExpERIENCE

BOT S12 1 7/31/12 10:18 AM

2014 full

circlechef

C E L E B R A T I N G C R A F T A N D F L A V O R

T H E V A L U E O F E X P E R I E N C E S E E I N G , TA ST I N G , A N D TO U C H I N G G I V E C R E D I B I LT Y

M U S S E L S W H AT A LO N G , ST RA N G E T R I P I T ’ S B E E N

R E C I P E S C H E F R O B E RT W I E D M A I E R ’ S FAVO R I T E D I S H E S

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2012

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Neue LiviNga r t , c u i s i n e , a n d c u l t u r e t h r o u g h t h e e y e s o f c h e f K u r t g u t e n b r u n n e r

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i n s p i r i n g c u l i n a r y e x c e l l e n c e

Bocuse d’Or usa

issue 2 • vol. 1

Destination: new York CitY

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i n s p i r i n g c u l i n a r y e x c e l l e n c e

Bocuse d’Or usa

issue 1 • vol.1

Destination: Yountville, Ca

BDO S10.indd 1 7/29/10 12:01:49

2009

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Fall/Winter 2009–2010

Bouley Gastronomique

A WORK OF ART

An Artist’s Passion

ILLUMINATING THE WALLS

The Light of Provence

LANDSCAPES COME TO LIFE

The World Champion of Cheese

A MASTER AFFINEUR

Recipes : Cheese Fon du e A nd V eG eTA BLes

Bouley F09.indd 1 12/8/09 1:11:30 PM

2012

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The Journeyi s s u e 1

shaun Hergattf o o d • d e t a i l s • t r a v e l

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2011

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at our tableC O N V E R S A T I O N S O N F O O D , W I N E , A N D C U LT U R E

M A R K E T S T R A T E G I E S Two chefs craft different delectable

dishes with the same ingredients

S H O W A N D T E L L :

Behind the scenes of the Bacchus Group with Tim Stannard

Seeking theP E R F E C T C A S K

Team Bacchus unearths hidden treasures in Scotland

When a sommelier and a master roaster form a coffee company

b R E W I N GG R E A T N E S S I S

AOT S11.indd 1 7/12/11 11:49 AM

meethautelife.com


For all its natural beauty, Napa Valley is a land of basic geometry: rows of vineyards that blur to the eye as you ride along Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail; coplanar, sometimes wide enough to drive a tractor through, other times more densely spaced with tangles of tressed vines that reach up to the heavens. But other lines too intersect in Napa Valley, and in extraordinary ways—family lineages that crisscross to make up the tight-knit community for which Napa is known. Stories of the family farmers who live here infuse the very soil in which the grapes are grown and the landscape we have come to cherish over the years. Ultimately,

it is their passion, tenacity, foresight, and collaborative nature that place the true value on each bottle, distilled in a rich history built by those who dared to follow a dream to make this the best wine country destination in the country, if not the world.

It’s a small community with people from all walks of life. Immigrants with a dream, professionals with a desire to branch out, often stumbling on the property itself before realizing the vision. But the common denominator remains a commitment to making wines that speak to the unique quality produced from the Napa Valley terroir.

Community Roots

BY PAMELA JOUAN

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For those who grew up in Napa Valley, grapes stain every page of their photo albums.

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IN NAPA VALLEY


PRIDE

ZD Wines President Brett deLeuze’s parents came to the valley in the 1960s and Brett grew up around the winery, which was an all-consuming hobby for the first decade of its existence. “My father’s engineering job had to pay the bills in those days,” recalls deLeuze, who today can boast about the winery’s medal-winning Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Cabernet Sauvignons. From purchasing used barrels that he re-coopered himself to constantly updating and rewiring their equipment, Norman’s engineering background was a great match for all of this work and innovation. In 1978, he left engineering to become ZD’s first and full-time employee. Later, his son Robert joined as a cellarman and Brett finally joined after high school. “We all learned the wine business from the ground up.” Today, a third-generation family member, Brandon deLeuze, has joined as assistant winemaker.

“Family businesses have unique characteristics, and I believe that the wine industry ties very nicely into many of them,” says Brett deLeuze. “There is a special level of excitement behind creating and continuing a successful, generational business.”

TRADITION

Everyone in the valley knows Jim Regusci, owner of Regusci Winery. He’s the third generation of winemakers on this estate in the heart of the Stags Leap District—an estate that was originally purchased in 1932, at a time when growing grapes didn’t pay the bills. “My grandfather wrestled a living from the land, growing corn, hay, walnuts, plums, and raising cattle as well as running a dairy farm and slaughterhouse.” It wasn’t until the 1960s that his father, Angelo, started planting grapes. “My father was able to hold on to the home ranch during the hard times,” Regusci explains. Now he farms more than 2,230 acres and considers it a privilege to work and live on the same piece of ground that has sustained so many generations. “My grandfather, father, myself, and my kids are very blessed to have this way of life.”

Blood may be thicker than wine, but many of those family ties are driven by bonds created in the vineyards, Regusci explains. “The Perez family—two brothers—started with me in 1985, when I opened my vineyard management company. Now all six of their sons run different divisions of it. It’s more than just making wine for me. It is truly about family—and not just my own.”

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COMMUNITY

After retiring from the military as a lieutenant colonel, Bud Robinson headed to Napa Valley in 1967 and purchased 78 acres, half of the Stags Leap Palisades. He wasn’t a wine drinker and he didn’t know anything about planting vines, but his neighbors—legendary growers Nathan Fay and Father Tom Turnbull—did. While his daughter, Susan, rode her horses all over the hills (she used to show hunters and jumpers), Bud and his neighbors experimented in the fields, eventually planting and growing grapes for home wines and to sell to other wineries. If it wasn’t for the friendships he cultivated along with those vines, Robinson Family Vineyards would never have been born. “There were many parties to celebrate their home wines,” remembers Susan Robinson, who took the winery commercial in 1998. The neighborhood rallied back then to see Bud’s eventual success, and the momentum continues to this day. “We all support each other—everyone wants everyone else to do well, and we all feel that can happen. We all socialize together and refer our guests to each other’s wineries. Besides, it’s a nice community to raise a family in,” says Susan, citing community as the big reason her three daughters and their families have moved to their hometown. Today, Susan and her husband, along with her girls and eight grandchildren, carry on the family business with a hands-on approach. “It’s a lot of work and a labor of love, but my family enjoys it. And we hope that will continue on.”

NEXT GENERATION

Fourth-generation Taylor Bartolucci didn’t always recognize her family’s passion for grapes as her own. Since 1922, her family has been making wine, first at the Madonna Winery and then at the Madonna Estate, after the original winery was sold. The Bartoluccis are the third-oldest winemaking family in Napa Valley, a legacy Taylor did not take lightly. “I always followed my father around the cellars when I was a kid—it was his passion. My family never pressured me to stay in the business, but I fell back into it very naturally after attending college.” Ultimately Taylor channeled her skills into sales and marketing at the company. “When I did decide to come back, my parents insisted I learn all aspects of the business first—from the office, to the tasting room, working the harvest and being in the lab as well.” Taylor is also part of Next Generation Vintners, an organization for second generationsto promote family legacy wineries. “Because this is more than just a job to me,” she adds, “it’s a lifestyle.”

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Robinson Family Baldacci Family

Photo: Kristin Maher


Photographer Sam Aslanian made his home here eight years ago, after feeling the tug of the Valley from time spent at his family’s vacation home in St. Helena growing up. It’s easy to understand why he fell so hard for a place that even on a bad day, if there is one, is a photographer’s paradise. When he decided to capture the story of Napa Valley in pictures, he knew he had to make it as unique as the place itself.

Using expired film to create unexpected color saturation, textures, and grain, Aslanian’s photography book, Perspective Napa Valley, is a hauntingly beautiful look at the randomization of life, which is fitting for a place that is often at the mercy of Mother Nature from one moment to the next. “Each photograph is a one-of-a-kind moment, much like how we look at wine,” he explains. “Wine is handmade. It is not digital. It is very, very analog, and so is my style. And that seemed to marry well together.”

It also captures a nostalgia for which Napa is known. Aslanian pushes the film to its limits and beyond. “That’s why you get the overemphasis of colors. A photo where the clouds are purple has nothing to do with Photoshop and everything to do with the spectrum of colors old film produces.” Interspersed with chapter essays on everything from culture to climate, the book speaks to the beauty of place in an unexpected way. Real people, buildings, vineyards, and situations, hardly manipulated to expose the unintentional. A unique perspective that points to the kind of randomization for which Napa Valley is famous.

To purchase go to: napavintners.com

A COMMON GOAL

Perhaps in no other business do competitors come together like they do in Napa Valley. “People don’t often realize it, but Robert Mondavi brought this industry to the world stage by aggressively promoting Napa Valley first and individual brands second,” explains Jim Regusci. “That is the key to marketing Napa Valley. Here, you can take people on a journey—breaking down the districts, then the AVAs, and finally the individual producers. The bottom line is, we all make good wines due to the geographics. If a consumer comes in and likes wine, regardless if it’s mine or not, that is good for the entire community.”

It’s a shared vision. A common goal to promote the Napa Valley and share in the same brand ideology, which is rarely seen in businesses today, especially in a relative small place like this. It is what makes Napa Valley unique and their wines so good. There is a lot of cooperation and camaraderie and above all, a united desire to produce the best in the world. w

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NAPA VALLEY PERSPECTIVE

Reynolds Family

Bartolucci Family

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Cultivating Excellence

BEFORE GRAPES PUT DOWN DEEP ROOTS, NAPA VALLEY WAS A FARMING COMMUNITY, DEPENDENT ON THE LAND IN MYRIAD WAYS TO MAKE A LIVING. BUT THAT WAS A LONG TIME AGO, WHEN MANY AREAS AROUND THE

COUNTRY WERE PATCHWORKS OF FARMLAND. TIMES CHANGE, PLACES DEVELOP, THE LANDSCAPE EVOLVES. AND THOUGH IT’S TRUE IN NAPA VALLEY, IT HAS NOT BEEN A PHYSICAL EXPANSION AS MUCH A WAVE OF SCIENTIFIC

AND ECOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT HAVE MADE THEIR WAY ACROSS THE VALLEY FLOOR. YOU WON’T FIND STRIP MALLS AND SUPERSTORES. YOU WON’T SEE TALL HOTEL BUILDINGS AND SUBDIVISIONS. IN FACT, THERE IS ONLY

ONE TRAFFIC LIGHT IN ALL OF CALISTOGA. YOU MIGHT EVEN FEEL AS IF YOU HAVE STEPPED BACK IN TIME.

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Napa Valley’s wineries are working in big and small ways to reduce their carbon footprint. They encourage carpooling among their employees and use hybrid company cars. They run their farming vehicles with biodiesel fuels and compost their pomace. They focus on encouraging biodiversity and preventing pollution. And they install compressors that do double duty, capturing hot air and preheating facility water, harnessing water energy as well as the sun.

It’s not by accident that Napa Valley looks and feels nostalgic. And this visionary, well-thought-out plan was initiated in the late 1960s.

A HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

In 1967, Jack Davies, then owner of Schramsberg Vineyards, served as chairman of a citizens committee formed to support the creation of a greenbelt to preserve the fertile valley’s land—the first of its kind in the nation. To call the proposal revolutionary is an understatement, but it was conceived out of genuine concern for unchecked development.

“My dad’s family moved to L.A. in the 1930s. At the time, it was the number-one agricultural county in California. But how many oranges can you find in Orange County today?” asks Hugh Davies, president and CEO of the sparkling-wine property in Napa Valley. “When he went to Stanford, the Santa Clara Valley was a much different place too, and that changed dramatically in a short period of time. And so when he came up to Napa, sharing this dream to make high-quality wines with a relatively small group of people who were all moving in the same direction, they all

quickly realized that they needed zoning to be established before Napa Valley ended up like those other areas.”

In 1968, the Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve was established, protecting the area from development by designating agriculture as the highest and best use of the land. It was followed by a series of new legislation over the subsequent years to offer further protections in the form of conservation easements, zoning laws, and growth-management ordinances. In 1990, the Winery Definition Ordinance was adopted. By establishing that the unique purpose of a winery is to make wine, the ordinance curtailed wineries creating side businesses: no weddings on-site, no bed-and-breakfasts, and no restaurants on the property. It also established a minimum parcel size for wineries and set local grape-sourcing requirements. And in an effort to control traffic in the area and the flow of people, the ordinance mandated tastings by appointment only. All this in an effort to protect the integrity of the Agricultural Preserve.

While the 1968 ordinance is currently extended to 2058 and requires a two-thirds vote by the people of Napa Valley before it can be overturned, Davies points out that the battle is never over. “The initiatives are only as good as the voters, and the people who will be voting 20 years from now are very different from those today. It’s an ongoing education that isn’t always comfortable, and so we try to strike a balance—because if it changes, it can happen very quickly.”

NAPA GREEN

In the early 2000s, the Napa Valley Vintners, along with more than 20 other local industry and environmental groups, developed Napa Green, a rigorous voluntary program with independent third-party certification that focuses on environmentally sound and sustainable practices. Starting as a land-use-only certification, the program added a winery component in 2008. To date, there are 61,000 acres of land enrolled in Napa Green and more than 25,000 acres of vineyards are certified.

Overseen by the Department of Public Works, the tailor-made Napa Green Winery program evaluates each winery and how to best sustain natural features. The program partners with various groups to conduct energy assessments and work to reduce solid waste, prevent pollution, and conserve water as well as energy. And while many Napa Valley farmers will tell you they were “green” before Napa Green, they are grateful to have a sounding board and verifying agent to keep themselves in check.

GOOD STEWARDS WITH A HEALTHY FRAMEWORK

Michael Honig, owner of Honig Vineyard and Winery, enrolled his vineyards in the Napa Green Land program. “I have become the caretaker for my generation, and so my motivation is to keep this legacy of my grandfather’s in the family.” He sees the value of the program not only in saving the land and creating a healthy environment but also in emulating that message around the world. “Green farming offers a daily benefit to consumers. Take two tomatoes: one grown by the farmer down the road, the other from Argentina that was picked a week ago and gassed to turn it red. The one grown with a little more love and care and nurturing will have a better flavor profile.”

Jon Priest, winemaker at Etude Wines, agrees. Etude’s vineyards have long been a model for sustainable viticulture, protecting the wetlands, restoring the creeks, and encouraging the native flora and wildlife to thrive. “Sure, it makes us feel good about ourselves, but that’s because it’s really who we are. It’s our ethos. And the fact that there is a certification to help define and recognize that is great.” With the Napa Green Land and Winery programs as a validation of what Etude believes in, Priest takes comfort in knowing it gives his customers the confidence to also feel good about themselves for enjoying wine made in a responsible way. “We know we are growing grapes in a manner that isn’t taking anything away from the environment or our ecosystem, and now they do too.”

Honig admits that it’s not always easy for a society as far removed from agriculture as ours to visualize what he can firsthand in the fields each day. “Whether consumers see that benefit directly or not, through third-party endorsements we know they think our wines are better because of our practices. A lot of the things we do under the Napa Green program ultimately allow our wines to be better, because we’ve grown better grapes.”

“If you look at the history of agriculture, a true steward of the land takes care of it for the next generation,” explains Priest. “We want to be a model of sustainability and by taking the elements of programs like this, we have a framework to show how we do it.”


PREMIERE NAPA VALLEYWhere the Label Is Code for One-of-a-Kind Wines

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FULL CIRCLE

St. Supéry Estate Vineyard & Winery CEO Emma Swain points to a bluebird box, one of 150 that were put up around the vineyards two years ago. The birds feed on bugs that have an affinity for vines; don’t they deserve a home for all their hard work? Building bird boxes, raising bees to encourage floral diversity, and growing 1,000 heirloom fruit trees—fruit that makes its way into the kitchens of lauded local chefs—on its properties so that it’s not wall-to-wall grapes are just a few of the ways St. Supéry keeps its vines, and ultimately its wines, healthy. “Choosing sustainable practices in both our vineyards and at our winery is simply the right thing to do,” Swain says. “We are family-owned and want to preserve the land for generations to come. In doing so, we are also better neighbors and a better employer.”

St. Supéry has the benefit of vast acreage. Their Dollarhide Ranch includes more than 1,500 acres, but only a third of those are planted with vines. Josh Anstey, VP of vineyard operations, has carefully maintained and encouraged the natural diversity. Under his watchful eye, the wildlife has flourished along with the grapes. In fact, the Dollarhide Ranch has so many native birds that the National Audubon Society makes an

annual visit as part of their bird census. “By keeping the entire ecosystem healthy and in balance, we aren’t overstressing the vineyard in one year to suffer in quality in a future year, allowing this property to continue this way into perpetuity,” adds Swain.

But it’s not all about what happens in the vineyards. “On the winery side, we were using many sustainable practices when it came to large-impact items, but as we went through the Napa Green Winery certification we found a number of areas we could improve upon.” From lightbulbs to how tanks are warmed, Swain looks at each improvement as a chance to “create a culture at our winery where we think about the long-range effects of our business decisions, rather than short-term cost and benefit.” Involving everyone is a positive team-building exercise, and today St. Supéry has an environmental engineer on board to monitor and manage their water and power usage. “From installing solar-power systems to new energy aerators in our waste ponds, there is always room to improve.” w


A BACKSTAGE PASS TO NAPA

Attracting more than 1,000 restaurateurs, wine merchants, distributors and importers, and wine media, all eager to taste and bid on these one-of-a-kind barrel lots as well as mingle with the winemakers, Premiere Napa Valley offers a unique social advantage. “It’s a chance to connect with our vintner friends and remind ourselves why this is such a great business,” explains Mark Pope, founder and CEO of Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ, located in downtown Napa Valley. Glenn Knight, a senior buyer at the Wine House in Los Angeles, concurs: “What first drew me to this event was the ability to meet and greet with all the winemakers and owners from some of the finest wineries in Napa.

A STORY IN EVERY BOTTLE

The family of Andrew Hoxsey, a fourth-generation grape grower and managing partner of the Napa Wine Company, started harvesting grapes back in 1903. His family, the Pelissas, moved to Napa Valley in the late 1890s around the same time as the Del Bondios. Today, Hoxsey and the Del Bondios’ son, Bryan Del Bondio, president of Markham Vineyards, collaborate yearly for their Premiere Napa Valley auction lot. The Meritage crafted from Ghost Block and Markham Vinyards demonstrates a rich tapestry of family history that spans more than a century, intertwining the vines from both vineyards indisputably. “We come to this relationship from a number of different sides, but it’s all still family,” says Hoxsey. “The uniqueness of our collaboration for the auction is our guarantee that you will never see this wine anywhere else on the face of the earth, because it is from two different producers who ‘never the twain shall meet,’ except for this event.”

Premiere Napa Valley gives us all yet another reason to love Napa Valley. For the past 17 years, Napa Valley Vintners have held a special, trade-only event to raise money to benefit the Napa Valley community in terms of promoting, protecting, and enhancing its appellation and wines. About 220 vineyards participate, offering incredibly small lots of between 60 to 240 bottles of wine specially crafted for the occasion—a solid guarantee that the auction is the only place in the world where you can acquire these exclusive wines.

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ALL IN THE APPROACH

Winemaker Denis Malbec, who crafted three lots for this year’s auction—including one from his own wine, Notre Vin—adds a personal touch, likening his efforts to a piece of art. “I always associate two different brains with winemakers: one is scientific, technical, and logical; the other is more artistic, inventive, and creative. For Premiere Napa Valley, we can let our imagination and creativity go as far as we want. I sincerely let my ‘artsy’ brain work alone. The more extreme the blend is, the more excitement we warrant during the tasting and auction, and the more money we can raise for our local community.”


OUTSTANDING WINES

“I still remember when we purchased a Chateau Montelena lot one year,” muses Knight, “that was 100 percent cabernet franc. They had never produced a cabernet franc before, and we sold out of this wine very quickly because of its uniqueness and the pedigree of the winery.” Single-varietal wines from vineyards acknowledged for blends, and blends from those better known for their varietal wines. “Another favorite I bid on was the Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon Sunspot Vineyard,” adds Knight. “This is the main vineyard that the winery uses for their famous Hillside Select. This was an easy sell because the winery never produces a single-vineyard cabernet.” Whatever the angle, the results are the same: artisan wines, handcrafted with equal parts skill and passion. And the proof can be found on the auction floor, where “every year the average lot price rises,” observes Knight, who placed the highest bid of the event to purchase the Scarecrow Wine lot for an astounding $260,000. Seventy-year old vines from the J.J. Cohn vineyard prompted him to exclaim: “We were willing to pay what we did for this wine because of the beautiful expression of its lineage.” This year, the average auction price per bottle was $283.

Vintners and purchasers alike agree that the quality of the wines continue to get better. “Premiere Napa Valley certainly challenges the participating wineries to bring their A-game,” says Pope. In the name of a good cause, Napa Valley Vintners rise to the occasion, case after case. w

AND NOW A STORY TO ADD TO YOUR OWN CELLAR

“I like the creativity. I like the fact that different winemakers work together.”

—Ken Fredrickson, MS Tenzing Wine and Spirits

THE TOP TRADE ACCOUNTS TO ACQUIRE PREMIERE NAPA VALLEY WINES INCLUDE:

Total Wine & More in Potomac, Maryland; Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ in Napa, California; Cliffewood Wine Syndicate in Little Rock, Arkansas; Wine Library in Springfield, New Jersey; The Wine House in Los Angeles, California; Gary’s Wine & Marketplace in Madison, New Jersey; Nakagawa Wine Company in Tokyo, Japan; Beverage Warehouse in Los Angeles, California; Yakiniku Hiroshi in Honolulu, Hawaii; Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas, California; Zoës Restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia; and H-E-B in San Antonio, Texas.

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE YOU CAN PURCHASE 2014 PREMIERE NAPA VALLEY WINES AT PREMIERENAPAWINES.COM.


LOCAL FOOD, LOCAL WINE

OVER RECENT YEARS, THE MOVEMENT BY CHEFS TO USE LOCAL BOUNTY HAS TAKEN ON NEW MOMENTUM. FOR PLENTY OF KITCHENS IN NAPA VALLEY THIS HAS BEEN BUSINESS AS USUAL—AS IS THE CASE OF MUSTARDS GRILL,

WHERE CHEF CINDY PAWLCYN HAS BEEN FORAGING FOR PRODUCE IN HER OWN BACKYARD FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS.

Northern California is blessed with a bounty of fresh produce and a growing season that spans most of the year. And while Napa Valley’s small-town network of purveyors might seem similar to a lot of those being cultivated all over the country, they have access to one more neighborhood link that keeps them unique: local wine.


has a specificity you can’t get in New York, and yet has the proximity to an urban center, San Francisco, that most rural areas don’t have. There aren’t a whole lot of places in the world like this for someone like me.”

Chef Kostow takes full advantage of what Napa Valley has to offer, not just in the way of food and wine but also with the artisans, craftsmen, and small producers out there. “We have tried to create a sphere of inspiration that encompasses more than just the growers and the vintners. It includes all those who might be a little more out of sight—from the people who make our plates and olive oils to the various foragers in the valley. There is a very vibrant community here. There is a lot more depth than many people realize. And we have taken it on as our job to showcase some of that.”

Wine is a partnership in many ways at Meadowood. “The owners are vintners, and so the role of local food and local wine has a more emotional than gustatorial intensity to it,” explains Kostow. “Community is a word you hear a lot in the valley, and that is owed to the fact that agriculture as a pursuit tends to involve most of those who live here. We are so closely involved with agriculture and grapes that we have this sort of ‘best and brightest’ vibe in the valley.”

she carefully picks on her property, unable to bear the thought of them going to waste. All the flavors of the neighborhood, and what better to pair them with than neighborhood wines.

“Food should be as good and local as the wine”—It’s been Pawlcyn’s mantra since she started cooking in Napa Valley. “The flavors of local wines go so well with the flavors of the food grown or raised right here. A locally raised beef roast with a Napa cabernet is just magical. It’s one of those perfect pairings they talk about. You need that flavor of the terroir, the earth, the neighborhood, as I like to call it. I work very closely with the vintners, and it’s fun to see what they want paired with their wines, too,” she explains.

Chef Christopher Kostow on A LOCAL SPHERE OF INSPIRATION

When he’s not in his kitchen, you might find Chef Christopher Kostow tending the gardens at the Montessori school, where he grows vegetables that eventually find their way onto the plates at The Restaurant at Meadowood. Incidentally, the plates are made locally, too.

Three Michelin stars and a host of other accolades might give Chef Kostow carte blanche the world over, but his feet are firmly planted in Napa soil. “As a chef I get to work in a rural setting—which is what I want, because I can grow my own vegetables and cook from a place that

Chef Brandon Sharp on GLOBAL FLAVOR, LOCAL VARIETALS

Executive Chef Brandon Sharp at Michelin-starred Solbar restaurant follows the seasons in his kitchen with an intense commitment to local produce. “We try to use as many ingredients grown in Napa Valley as possible.” The excellent peaches used in signature summer dishes are grown right up the road on St. Supéry’s Dollarhide Ranch, and Forni-Brown Organic Gardens supplies the bulk of his greens.

Sharp’s dedication to local ingredients does not stop him from pulling in global inspiration in his cuisine. “Some of my dishes do have Thai and Japanese flavors, but most of it comes from places around the world where there is a strong food and wine culture,” Sharp explains. “A dish inspired from the South of France will pair well with a red or white Rhône, and here you can find great versions of those same varieties and blends. When it comes right down to it, I am very cognizant that the guests are coming here to eat local food and drink local wine. That is always a part of the experience.”

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn on FLAVOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn has run out of fingers. She is counting the different varieties of fruit trees that dot her gardens, both at home in her two-acre plot and at the six-and-a-half acres adjacent to Mustards in Yountville. “Seven kinds of pomegranates, three persimmons, eight types of plum trees. At home, I have two different varieties of quince trees that yielded 475 pounds of fruit last year. My staff were begging me not to bring any more in!”

Pawlcyn’s Mustards garden has evolved tremendously over the years, starting as a three-quarter acre plot in 1983. Today they need a tractor to work the grounds. “We keep adding whole rows of produce, 20 feet of blackberry and raspberry bushes at a time.”

At a certain point of the year, 55 percent of Pawlcyn’s kitchen ingredients come from the gardens. “We have a plethora of produce from June to November. We grow our own microgreens in greenhouses. Our lettuces and salads come from the gardens all year-round, and this year the brassicas, the onions, the green garlic, the scallions, and the asparagus are all starting early.” And she has an equal enthusiasm for the vendors who have found their way into her kitchens over the years—like the 90-something seed saver who brought her truckloads of heirloom tomatoes when she first started cooking in Napa, and the lady who drives up in her Cadillac with wine boxes full of Meyer lemons that


Chef Christopher Kostow

Guinea Hen Baked in Salt and Herbs serves 4

Guinea Hen Jus

3 tbs (40g) extra-virgin olive oil

10 lbs (4 1/2 kg) guinea hen carcasses, from roasting

1 lb (480g) carrots, diced

1 lb (480g) celery, diced

1 1/3 lbs (600g) onions, diced

4 1/2 gallons (about 18L) chicken stock

lemon juice

Twin Sisters Olive Oil

Guinea Hen Preparation

one 2–3 lb guinea hen

1 lemon, cut in quarters

3 1/2 lbs (1600g) kosher salt

1/3 cup (20g) parsley leaves

2 2/3 tbs (10g) tarragon

3 1/3 cups (800g) egg whites

about 4 (20g) garlic cloves

extra-virgin olive oil

Maitakes à la Grecque

1/2 lb (225g) maitake mushrooms

1 cup (236g) white wine

1/2 cup (118g) water

1/4 cup (60g) white wine vinegar

1 tsp (4g) coriander seeds

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp (1g) black peppercorns

1/2 tsp (1g) fennel seeds

2 tsp (5g) thyme leaves

1/3 cup (70g) Twin Sisters Olive Oil

1/3 cup (100g) lemon juice

Maldon sea salt

Potato Puree

1 2/3 lbs (750g) katadin potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

kosher salt

2 cups (490g) cream

2/3 cups (150g) unsalted butter

3/4 cup (200g) crème fraîche

greenhouse salad, for garnish

preserved lemons, sliced

For the Guinea Hen Jus

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Roast the guinea bones on all sides then remove from the pan. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and continue to roast on high heat to caramelize the vegetables, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and simmer the broth for 6 hours. Strain through a chinois and return to the heat. Reduce the liquid by 80 percent, or until it is dark and slightly thick. Strain once more through a chinois and cool in the refrigerator. To serve, heat about 1 cup of the jus in a pot and season with lemon juice and Twin Sisters Olive Oil.

For the Guinea Hen Preparation

Prepare the guinea hen by removing the wing tip portion as well as the offal. Stuff the lemon into the cavity of the guinea hen and truss tightly so that the skin is taut around the bird. Allow to air-dry in the refrigerator for at least 1 day. Place the kosher salt in a food processor and turn the machine on. Add the parsley and tarragon and pulverize with the salt. Slowly add the egg whites to aerate and stiffen them. Remove the salt meringue from the food processor and place into a bowl. Mix thoroughly. Place the guinea hen on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Using small amounts at a time, mold the salt crust around the guinea hen, ensuring there are no gaps in the crust. Once a smooth surface has been achieved, place into a convection oven set at a temperature of 500°F (260°C). Bake for 35 minutes then remove from the oven. Rest the guinea hen for 25 minutes then crack the crust and allow to air-dry. Remove the breasts and the leg quarters from the carcass and bones, reserving the carcass for making the jus. Pour the olive oil into a cast iron pan and place on high heat. Roast the breast and the leg quarters skin-side down for about 4 to 5 minutes. Once crispy and golden brown, remove from the pan and slice the pieces into halves.

For the Maitakes à la Grecque

Break the maitakes from the clusters into individual pieces. Place the white wine in a sauce pot over high heat. Reduce the liquid by half and then add the water, white wine vinegar, coriander seeds, bay leaves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, and thyme leaves. Remove from heat and steep warm for 1 hour. Add the olive oil, then season with lemon juice and Maldon sea salt. Cool the liquid to room temperature and place in a shallow container. Add the maitakes and place the entire vessel into the chamber of a vacuum-sealing machine. Compress twice and store the marinating mushrooms in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

For the Potato Puree

Season the potatoes with salt and place into vacuum-sealing bags. Cook at 200°F (93°C) for 40 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cream and butter in a small pot and heat to a simmer. Once the potatoes are cooked, pass them through a tamis then place in a medium pot. Add the cream and melted butter to the potatoes, mixing with a spatula just to combine. Season with the crème fraîche and kosher salt. Hold in a warm place.

To Serve

Spoon a small amount of the potato puree in the center of a bowl. Place one slice of the guinea breast, thigh, and leg around the potatoes. Arrange a few of the maitakes on and off of the guinea hen, and garnish with the greenhouse salad and preserved lemon slices. Pour a small amount of the sauce lightly over the top of the dish and serve.

Chef Brandon Sharp

Here is a simple, bright, delicious, different—and very healthy—treatment of delta asparagus.

Green Asparagus All’arrabbiata (Angry Asparagus) serves 2

1 bunch green asparagus, woody ends cut off and stalks peeled halfway up

1 tbs minced shallot

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 each tomato, seeds and pulp removed, medium dice

2 each piquillo peppers, seeded, medium dice

1 tsp capers

1 tbs Niçoise olives, rough chop

pinch red chili flakes

1 tbs sherry vinegar

6 large basil leaves, rough chop

crusty bread

Blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water until just tender. Shock in ice water and pat dry.

In a small saute pan, sweat the shallot in the oil over a medium-low flame. Once tender, add the tomato and cook until it starts to sweat. Then pour contents of pan into a metal or glass mixing bowl. Stir in peppers, capers, olives, chili flakes, and vinegar. Allow sauce to cool to room temperature.

Arrange asparagus spears on two plates in a single layer. Sauce liberally and sprinkle with the chopped basil. You’ll have extra sauce—that’s where the crusty bread comes in.

Wine Pairing Napa Valley Pinot Grigio

Wine Pairing Napa Valley Chardonnay

3 cups water2/3 cup good-quality extra-virgin olive oiljuice of 2 lemons, plus thick strips of lemon peel4 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed2 tsp coriander seeds2 tsp fennel seeds2 to 3 branches thyme2 bay leaves1 tsp sea salt2 lbs fennel, preferably baby fennelchopped parsley for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine the water, olive oil, lemon juice and peel, garlic, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, thyme, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high, add the fennel, and cook about 15 to 20 minutes, until fork-tender.

Remove the fennel and set aside. Strain the braising liquid to separate the solids. Return the liquid to the saucepan and, over medium-high heat, reduce the liquid to about 1/2 a cup of sauce. Divide the fennel onto plates, top with a portion of the sauce, garnish with parsley, and serve warm. Or reserve and chill to serve later.

Wine Pairing Napa Valley Pinot Noir

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn

This easy fennel recipe is wonderful served with grilled rustic bread and a smear of whipped goat cheese, or as a complement to grilled tuna, swordfish, or halibut. The fennel is delicious either warm or chilled.

Braised Spring Fennel serves 6

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MeadowoodCenter Stage in Napa Valley

Meadowood embodies the soul of Napa Valley in its entirety—a veritable perfect storm of wine, food, and hospitality gathered on 250 acres in a beautiful natural setting.

You can feel it as you enter the driveway—that same magical sensation that compelled H. William Harlan and his partners to purchase the property just 48 hours after setting eyes on it in 1979. Back then it was a rustic country club, albeit set on breathtaking land—not the impressive destination resort of today.

Harlan would become one of the most admired vintners in the valley, but it was his original vision for Meadowood—to make a community gathering ground for Napa’s vintners and growers—that would set the stage to transform the property into the perfect destination to entice visitors to taste the fruits of the Valley’s labors. There is perhaps no other place that has become as fitting a symbol for what Napa Valley represents today.

A key element to the vision of making Napa Valley the premiere wine region of the world was that winemaking and hospitality are inseparable. Meadowood added a collection of guest rooms and cottages and, in 1987, became one of California’s first Relais & Châteaux members. Its vintner members and their families have full access to tennis courts, swimming, hiking, an award-winning golf course, and even a croquet lawn. The resort also features a Michelin three-star restaurant under the guidance of Chef Christopher Kostow where his commitment to local food and local wine is showcased. Produce comes directly from Meadowood Garden and the wine list highlights the finest wines from Meadowood’s Napa Valley neighbors.

The understated, unpretentious style of Meadowood was designed to blend seamlessly into the natural setting. The guest rooms reflect a Californian style of living—guests can take advantage of the natural beauty of the surroundings with ample outdoor space, and the natural beauty is reflected in the colors and tones of the inside decor.

Napa Valley Vintners’ first office was at Meadowood, and the inaugural Auction Napa Valley took place there in 1981. The auction was originally conceived as the perfect way to bring the vintners together to raise funds for the community and awareness of Napa Valley wines. Thirty-three years later, Meadowood continues to be the location for what has become one of the most important wine auctions in the world, raising more than $120 million to directly benefit and support local charities in the community.

Although Napa Valley Vintners now has a new home, the strong connection continues. For the past 10 years, Meadowood, Napa Valley Vintners, and the Culinary Institute of America have collaborated to bring together the most important wine writers in the country for The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. The four-day conference explores contemporary wine writing, and this year’s keynote speaker was none other than Robert M. Parker Jr.

As a gathering place for vintners, Meadowood has grown and thrived with the families of the local community and is certainly part of the culture of the valley. As a resort, Meadowood represents the essence of Napa Valley on a world stage.


ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP

The Napa Valley Ag Preserve, established in 1968, was the first of its kind in the United States to set land aside specifically for agriculture and today protects roughly 38,000 acres (15,400 hectares) of valley floor land.

More than 61,000 acres (24,600 hectares) of land are certified or pending certification in Napa Green Certified Land, a signature land and environmental certification program; nearly 35,000 acres (14,000 hectares) have been certified; more than 1/3 of all vineyard land has been certified.

More than 53,000 acres (21,400 hectares) are in permanent conservation easements, or about 10% of Napa County.

THE NAPA VALLEY APPELLATION

Only 4% of California’s wine grapes come from Napa Valley.

The Napa Valley has a dry Mediterranean climate, which covers only 2% of the Earth’s surface, and is ideal for growing wine grapes.

Only 9% of Napa County’s 504,450 acres (204,000 hectares) are planted to grapes or about 45,000 acres (18,200 hectares) under cultivation.

WINERIES/GROWERS/NVV MEMBERS

There are approximately 700 grape growers in Napa County.

There are approximately 430 physical wineries in Napa County producing 815 different wine brands.

The NVV has more than 480 winery members. Of NVV members, 78% produce fewer than 10,000 cases annually; and 67% produce fewer than 5,000 cases annually.

95% of Napa Valley’s wineries are family owned.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The local wine industry and related businesses create an economic impact of more than $13 billion annually to the Napa County economy and represent a mighty $50 billion economic impact on the U.S. economy.

The local wine industry generates 46,000 jobs in Napa County and 303,000 nationwide.

CHARITABLE GIVING

Through its annual community fundraiser, Auction Napa Valley, the Napa Valley Vintners has invested more than $120 million in local nonprofits since the auction’s inception in 1981. To make the most meaningful difference, the NVV awards grants to organizations emphasizing prevention and early intervention in the areas of community health and children’s education. The goal of the auction is to strengthen the Napa County community, from American Canyon to Calistoga.

Napa Valley at a GlanceALTHOUGH THE MOST RENOWNED IN THE UNITED STATES, THE NAPA VALLEY AVA IS ALSO ONE OF THE SMALLEST YET MOST DIVERSE WINEGROWING REGIONS IN THE WORLD.

Napa Valley contains 33 soil series with more than 100 soil variations and half of the soil orders that exist within the world can be found in the Napa Valley.

Vineyards range in elevations from sea level to 2,600 feet (800 meters) above sea level.

Its varying topography includes flat valley floor; low, sloping alluvial fans; narrow, linear valleys; steep mountain slopes and ridges; and high plateaus.

There are 16 approved AVAs within the Napa Valley AVA.

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TAKE A HIKE

“There are great trails at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park that go along the Richie Creek Canyon, or you can head up Mount Saint Helena. Take Highway 29 toward Lake County and just at the county line, there are hikes that go in both directions with extraordinary vistas up at the north end of the valley. You can go to the top of Saint Helena but you don’t have to go all the way to get beautiful views and a feel for the volcanic activity that would have occurred all these years ago. Headingsouth from the parking lot at the shoulder, you go to Table Rock and the Palisades, and again you can walk 10 miles.”

MARKET FRESH

“The quality of the produce at the St. Helena farmers’ market held at Crane Park is unbelievable and one of the many reasons we love living here.”

ON THE FLY (FISH)

“Napa Valley Fly Guides by Richard Loft. He knows all the fishing hot spots in Napa!”

PHOTO TIPSLight: There is a truism in photography—early in the day and late in the day. Close to sunset and sunrise. The sun is at the right angle for long shadows. It’s not as harsh, a softer light, and it’s very beautiful. And at that time of day, on a good day, anywhere you turn is a beautiful picture. In the wintertime, as the sun is already at an angle, you can get beautiful pics all day long.

Places: Anywhere off Highway 29 or the Silverado Trail onto the other lanes—there is vista after vista and beautiful setting after beautiful setting. A great place for a photographer.

RUN WITH IT

“Napa County has a new Vine Trail that will eventually run the length of the county. For the moment, if you want a nice easy route, you can run the trail from Downtown Napa through Kennedy Park and back. It’s a long, flat run along the river. In the summer, a great place to run is Carneros, as it is always so much cooler due to the influence of the bay. There is also a nice trail at Stanly Lane that takes you around the vineyards.”

TAKE TO THE SKIES

“Napa is one of the more beautiful places to fly over. And in some respects, the real action is up in the hills that you can only see by plane. All those hillside vineyards are so unique with estates tucked up in them. Take an aerial tour with the Napa Jet Center located at the Napa Airport.”

PERFORMING ARTS

“Napa Valley has really evolved over the years in terms of performing arts. Check out the Uptown Theatre and the Opera House, which has now been taken over by City Winery. Their new program is live music and comedy acts. Lincoln Theater is also a great venue—this is where they hold CabFest each year. Also the Napa Valley Chamber Music season runs from November to the end of April.”

COOKING CLASSES

“The CIA (Culinary Institute of America) is amazing. The building alone is a sight to see! Head inside for a bite, take a one-day cooking class, or just check out the scenery. It’s pretty unique to see all of the students learning about cooking with the same attention our winemakers give their work!”

NAPA VALLEY INSIDER

As a destination, you might come for the wine, but you’ll stay for everything else Napa Valley has to offer. Don’t just take our word for

it—hear from the people who work and live here every day.

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LOCAL FOOD, LOCAL WINE

A complete list of places to enjoy Napa Valley wines at the table can be found at napavintners.com. After all, if your food can come from a stone’s throw away, shouldn’t your wine as well?

DATE NIGHT

“Head to Yountville and your choice of fine-dining establishment and styles of cooking are endless, plus they are all top-notch, Michelin-starred places like Bistro Jeanty, Bistro Don Giovanni, Bouchon, and so much more. Pretty spectacular for farm country.”

LOCAL EATS

“The counter at Soscol Café (632 soscol avenue) for a huge, greasy breakfast!”

“Gott’s for classic burgers you can eat picnic-style at benches.”

“Oysters on the deck at Hog Island at the Oxbow.”

“Fume Bistro is definitely a locals’ hangout.”

“A great margarita and chips-and-guac combo at La Condesa in St. Helena.”

“Cook is a local gem, and you’ll find supernice Chef Jude Wilmoth working there almost every day.”

“Cole’s Chop House for fantastic steaks.”

“Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. Cindy is an iconic chef in Napa Valley, and we love to support her.”

OLIVE OIL

“The Napa Valley Olive Oil Manufacturing Company in St. Helena is a long-standing family business. Run by and pick up their oils, or stay and have lunch on the patio!”

RIDE LIKE THE WIND

“Napa Valley is a great place to ride horses. There are trails at the Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, and up in Angwin there is a open space by Pacific Union College with lots of trails too. The most advanced equestrian center in the valley is Diamond Mountain stables in Calistoga. They have hunters and jumpers as well as offer family riding lessons.”

BOCCE BALL

“Head over to Crane Park in St. Helena, where the lighted bocce courts are full every night in the summer! the Napa community is heavily involved in this league sport, and it’s a lot of fun to play”

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