Napa Vintners Provide Climate Change Update

Complex Topic Requires Ongoing Thoughtful Review

Amidst another cool summer, Napa Valley again finds itself featured in various media outlets as the poster child for the potential results of climate change as it relates to, not just wine, but agriculture in general. Culturally, people are drawn to the romance of vineyards and since wine grapes, among all crops, are sensitive to vintage conditions and climate, there is more interest than say soy or oats or other crops.

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) acknowledges the climate research published this summer by an associate professor from Stanford, as well as all of the work done in this area over the recent decades, believing that the more attention and study given to this important global topic, the better off we will all be in developing ideas and tools for dealing with the potential impacts. Clearly, this is an issue of paramount importance to everyone, especially those of us in agriculture.

It was almost exactly five years ago that the Napa Valley Vintners Board of Directors established the Climate Study Task Force, comprised of a small group of vintners that had an awareness of, interest in, and passion for climate science and its possible effects on growing premium wine grapes, as well as wine production. The focus was to look specifically at Napa Valley, with its unique geographic position and resulting climate. It was this group of dedicated vintners that recommended the NVV work with Dr. Dan Cayan and his renowned team of climate scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. That officially launched the NVV's Climate Study Project, whereupon historical temperature and phenological data specific to the Napa Valley were gathered, analyzed and reported upon.

Over the next three years, the Climate Study Task Force collected data from 12,000 points in Napa Valley--from vintners, growers and weather stations. It was from this massive, grass-roots data collection that the Scripps science team assembled the "Climate and Phenology in Napa Valley: A Compilation and Analysis of Historical Data" report (Dan Cayan, Kimberly Nicholas, Mary Tyree and Michael Dettinger). This report, released in February 2011, indicated that Napa Valley has warmed slightly over recent decades, but not to the degree that has been previously reported. The warming we have experienced, 1-2° degrees Fahrenheit has taken place only in overnight temperatures between the months of January to August.

Not only did this study prove that we are not currently "tasting" climate change in a glass of Napa Valley wine, it also demonstrated what we all know to be true: the Napa Valley is indeed a unique place. Napa Valley is neither a coastal nor an interior climate, but shares traits of both: southern Napa Valley is more maritime-like, while central northeastern Napa Valley features some climate traits similar to California's coastal valleys. Daily and seasonal temperature changes in Napa Valley are higher than cool coastal climates, but less severe than warmer inland climates. Even though Napa Valley is not considered a coastal region, it is highly influenced by the marine layer, especially in the summer. Marine-influenced morning cloud cover mitigates daytime high temperatures, even though the clouds dissipate by early afternoon.

"Climate and Phenology in Napa Valley: A Compilation and Analysis of Historical Data" report's original media release and executive summary are linked below.

Climate change can and will affect all fine wine-growing regions worldwide, but the results will not necessarily be a blanket effect, as climate change is not a "once size fits all" phenomena. This is a very long-term issue which vintners and growers in Napa Valley need to continue to pay attention to and be directly involved with.

About the Napa Valley Vintners
The Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents 400 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more about our region and its legendary American wines, visit www.NapaVintners.com.

Read the executive summary of the Climate Report

Harvest Preparations - a bit different for all of us

Having just barely broken into August and only just now feeling like it is summertime, it is difficult to really start thinking about harvest (unless you're making bubbly), especially in this later than normal year. In any case, harvest preparations look fairly similar wherever you may be - lots of cleaning, purchasing supplies, stocking the beer fridge, etc. - but for us here at Chateau Montelena "preparing for harvest" this year means something else entirely.

Not long after I was promoted to winemaker in 2008 I was tasked with the (then theoretical) task of redesigning the fermentation cellar inside our historic Chateau (see photo above left). Over the intervening time that design was refined, tweaked, and eventually finalized. This past February construction began on a complete cellar retrofit and seismic upgrade. So while we are busy ordering in yeast and sanitation chemicals for harvest just like everyone else, we are also neck deep in construction. With no tanks in the cellar currently, it is hard to start thinking about fruit... Thankfully everything is on schedule with no major surprises (we hope). So stay tuned for more updates on the progress of our construction and on our first harvest in the new cellar (see current status photo below)! There are also more details and images on our blog if you're interested.

The Hunt is on at #WBC11!

This week we're packing our bags and heading to Charlottesville, Virginia for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (#WBC11). This annual event - a gathering of those that love wine, blogging and social media - is always a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with old friends and meet the new kids on the block.

This year we're trying something new - throughout the conference, Napa Valley Vintners will be on SCVNGR, a social media scavenger hunt in which participants do challenges, earn points and collect rewards.


At #WBC11, let SCVNGR be your guide to learning more about what makes the Napa Valley a premier wine growing region. Complete challenges on your iPhone or Android to take home an exclusive gift. It's a free download and fun to play!

1. Download SCVNGR via your app store or at www.scvngr.com
2. While at the Omni hotel in Charlottesville, click on ‘Treks’ in the main menu and select ‘Napa Loves Wine Bloggers ’
3. On the next screen, click on ‘Napa Loves Wine Bloggers’ above the map to complete challenges and earn points
4. When you've earned 10 points, unlock your reward under the ‘Info’ tab
5. Find Julie at #WBC11 (@NapaVintners) to collect your reward

Happy hunting!

NASCAR's Kurt Busch Takes Martin Estate into the Winner's Circle

When Kurt Busch invited the Martin Estate team to join him in the pit during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on Sunday, it not only included true front row exposure to the NASCAR action, but also the sweet taste of victory inside the Winner’s Circle, where Busch and his girlfriend Patricia Driscoll raised a Jeroboam of Martin Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon to celebrate his first place triumph.

Petra, Greta and Greg Martin greeted Busch with a three liter bottle of Martin Estate Reserve at Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway as a thank you for the amazing day ahead of them, and for sending a helicopter to pick them up. It was an action packed and thrilling day on the race course, as Busch walked Greg Martin through the pre-race check list and confided his plan of only making two pit stops in the 219 mile race. Later, during the race, the Martins watched the crew in awe as they changed the tires and refueled the car in less than 30 seconds. “We just knew that Kurt was going to win this year”, Petra Martin said, “ but we did not want to say anything in order not to jinx it. But when he took the lead in the beginning of the race, we had no doubt and kept our eyes glued to the leader board. We believe in excellence, and Kurt is a master of the race course.”

It's been a thrilling summer for Martin Estate off the race track, too. The Martin Estate team toasted a decade of growing and making wine on June 18, with a poolside release party. Petra and Greg pulled out all the stops for Martin Estate's 10th anniversary celebration. Renowned New York designer Erin Fetherston and bespoke Italian leather shoe designer Michael Toschi joined the Martins for the occasion, along with a host of the winery's friends and family and one of San Francisco's favorite food trucks, RoliRoti. The porchetta was mouthwatering, especially with a glass of 2009 Martin Estate Rose of Cabernet.

Au Natural: Going Wild at Martin Estate Vineyard

At first glance, Martin Estate's eight acre Puerta Dorada Vineyard appears to be lacking good house keeping this summer. The truth is, while we’ve taken our weed eaters to the perimeter of our 12-acre property, the vineyard itself still has a wild and unruly cover crop of what only looks like weeds growing vigorously between every other row. What appears to be neglect, however, is our natural approach to managing the unseasonably late rainfall this year. These grasses and grains are working hard to wick excess moisture out of the ground.

“This semi-permanent cover crop also creates competition with the vines, which reduces the vigor, keeping our quantity down but our quality high,” Martin Estate Winemaker Frederic Delivert says.

“Once we feel the soil has dried out to just the perfect point,” Martin Estate Proprietor Petra Martin says, “our Carraro tractor will finally make its way through the rows to make everything look tickety-boo.”

In the meantime, we welcome the weeds as a working cog in the Martin Estate Vineyard Management Team.

Shafer Vineyards: Napa Busts Loose for Auction Napa Valley

Shafer Vineyards: Our Vineyards are in Bloom

History-Making $100 Million Milestone Surpassed as Napa Vintners Bring in $7.3 Million at Charity Event

For the first time in its 31 year history, rain--and lots of it--fell on the main event of Napa Valley's renowned charity wine auction held on the lawn of Meadowood Napa Valley in St Helena, Saturday, June 4. While Mother Nature opened up the skies and let it pour, the bidders rallied together opening their wallets and pouring $7.3 million into auction revenue that will provide for the region's charities.

Perennial bidders John and Sandra Thompson of Woodside, CA were caught up in the excitement of the rainy Auction Napa Valley. Mr. Thompson said, "What was most interesting about this year's Auction was that, in light of the weather, people turned out and really, really opened up and had a good time. The weather didn't seem to deter the bidding at all."

Mrs. Thompson: "Actually I think it brought people together and they had fun with it."

Mr. Thompson: "So it was an amazing experience--absolutely amazing."

The fairway at Meadowood, which has served as the Live Auction's venue since its inception in 1981, has seen typically beautiful weather with daytime highs in the low 80s most often--and even a few notable warmer years--but never rain and temperatures in the mid-50s in June, which is typically one of the three driest months of the entire year in Napa Valley.

The member vintners offered up forty lots at the Live Auction on Saturday for bidding that followed the ultimate Napa Valley picnic prepared by Napa Valley star chef Cindy Pawlcyn with inspiration from her three iconic restaurants: Go Fish, Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen and Mustards Grill. Originally planning to offer open-air seating, the event organizers quickly rallied to find additional tents to create complete coverage from arrival to the main tent. So while heads were dry, the lawn turned in spots to mud and the well-planned auction fashion included rubber boots of every style and color. All of the planned 800 attendees joined the festivities.

The Live Auction opened with a flair as professional dancers took to the stage to entice bidders to raise their paddles on a collection of wine in magnum from dozens of Napa Valley producers that were packaged with professional ballroom dance lessons and a trip to the next season's finale of "Dancing with the Stars" in Hollywood. The lot sold for $70,000 to a bidder from Menlo Park, CA.

Hands-down the most heartfelt lot of the day was the one with no prize to be won other than the goodwill of helping provide for programs for children's health and wellness: the Fund a Need Lot 24. Carrying balloons and cupcakes for a high stakes bake sale were 25 children who have benefitted from the wellness funding. Taking the stage with the youngsters was the Rombauer Family, 2011 Auction Napa Valley honorary chairs, led by patriarch Koerner Rombauer. A total of 132 bidders brought in a total of $1.1 million including five $100,000 bids.

Read the full press release
View Auction Napa Valley photos

Live Auction Napa Valley Coverage

Happy Auction Week!

As Auction Napa Valley kicks into high gear, check out our website for videos, photos and tweets that capture the weekend's festivities.

Auction Napa Valley 2011 Honorary Chair - Koerner Rombauer

Boxers or Briefs?

Napa in your pajamas.

Sounds like some fun! Barrel tasting with a group of Victoria’s Secret Models! But wait, it’s only fifty five degrees in the barrel room. I guess they’re all wearing flannel. Bummer, dude!

Perhaps I’m being too literal. What I’m actually trying to get across is that it's easy to participate in Auction Napa Valley! This year our E-Auction features over 150 lots. Even better than the convenience of browsing, bidding, and even winning these lots from home is knowing that all the money goes to support health, youth, and affordable housing non-profits in the Napa Valley.

…and oh, how technology has changed since we started…

When the E-Auction was introduced in 2005, there were no iPhones, iPads, Androids, and what Blackberrys were around were clunky monstrosities. DSL in your home was a luxury. If you asked someone about “WiFi”, the response would probably be “WTF”.

Today, we are so connected, you can reach out and connect to the 2011 E-Auction with so much ease…it’s all around you. You can bid from any number of places:

• While sitting on the beach
• From the gym
• Join the Mile High Club! Many airlines now offer WiFi on board.
• During a dental cleaning
• Inside a confessional booth

While I hope you all share my unbridled passion for the E-Auction, there are certain places I highly recommend you please do not check on the status of your bid, including:

• During a job interview
• While breaking up with someone
• A public restroom at the airport…that double click may be mistaken for a foot tap.
• From a funeral

…and, in all seriousness, please do not bid while driving.

The quality, diversity, and sheer fun creativity behind all the lots this year are unparalleled. Have fun browsing! Bid early, bid often, and have a great time with us online as we strive to pass the $100 million mark in funds raised for our community!

Andy Schweiger
Schweiger Family Vineyards
E-Auction Chair

Auction Napa Valley 3.0

This year marks the 31st anniversary of Auction Napa Valley and as with most things, the auction keeps improving with age. While we've dabbled in technology and social media in past years, in 2011 we decided to jump in - feet first. So whether you're joining us next weekend for the wine charity event of the year or following all the action from home, read on for all the new tech-friendly ways you can plug into Auction Napa Valley.

SCVNGR

SCVNGR is a cool new iPhone and Android application in which participants do challenges, earn points and collect rewards. To up the 'technie ante,' we decided to jump on the bandwagon and develop a fun SCVNGR game for our guests at the Friday Barrel Auction & Marketplace event. So get your camera phones ready and brush up on your texting skills - SCVNGR will be your guide to a new Auction Napa Valley experience!

1. Download SCVNGR via your app store or at http://www.blogger.com/www.scvngr.com
2. Click on ‘Treks’ in the main menu and select ‘Auction Napa Valley’
3. Click on ‘Auction Napa Valley’ above the map to complete challenges and earn points
4. View point progress and unlock your reward under the ‘Info’ tab

#ANV11

Auction Napa Valley is on Twitter! Whether you're tweeting at the event or keeping up with the latest news from home, be sure to use the hashtag #ANV11 to share your experiences with other Auction Napa Valley followers.

Unless you have a penchant for mentally blocking big screen TVs from view, you won't be able to miss the #ANV11 tweets at the Friday event - three Twitterwalls placed throughout the event will follow the #ANV11 conversation.

QR Codes & the mobile E-Auction

Don't want to type a long web address into your mobile phone to bid at the e-Auction (which, by the way, is open to bidders across the globe)? No problem! Simply scan the E-Auction QR code at the right to be brought to the e-Auction bidding page. And oh, did we mention that the E-Auction site is mobile phone friendly? Check!

Online 3-D Catalog

Left your Auction Napa Valley catalog at home or simply looking to browse (and drool) over the Live Auction lots? It's all online - no really, the whole thing! Check out the 3D version of the catalog here.

So the moral of the story is...if you love technology, social media and Auction Napa Valley, don't forget your cell phone charger next weekend!

Meet the Winemaker: A Q&A with Martin Estate's Frederic Delivert

Martin Estate's eight acre Rutherford vineyard and the winery nestled among the vines have never looked better, and large amounts of credit are due to Martin Estate Winemaker Frederic Delivert (pictured at right, with Meadowood Resort's Master Sommelier Gilles de Chambure). The French born and trained enologist with a Masters in agricultural sciences has been slowly transforming the property since his arrival several years ago. It always amazes us that Frederic managed to improve upon wines that were already excellent to begin with. Of course, he credits Petra and Greg Martin with much of that success, saying "they have spared no expense in order to give me the tools to achieve such prestigious levels."

Frederic took some time away from the vines - where he and vineyard manager Josh Clark have been t-budding a few blocks with new Cabernet clones along with some Petit Verdot - in order to answer a few questions about his winemaking genesis and what makes the vineyard at Martin Estate so extraordinary. We invite you to pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of wine, and get comfortable.

1. First, tell us about your winemaking background, both here and abroad.

I took extensive courses on winemaking and viticulture during my college years while completing my Masters in Agricultural Sciences. Each school year included an internship requirement, and I used them to immerse myself in the wine industry. I worked my first harvest in 1991; this year will be my 18^th. In France, I worked predominantly in the southwest regions and the Languedoc. When I relocated to Northern California, I knew that when it came to the best soils, climate and what we Frenchmen call terroir, the Napa Valley was the preeminent AVA (American Viticultural Area). Over the last two decades, I have worked for five different wineries in this valley.

2. Were you raised in a winemaking family? What was the genesis for your love of wine, and when did you decide to enter into the winemaking profession, which is not as luxurious as it is often portrayed.

I was not raised in a winegrowing or winemaking family. I grew up mostly in the countryside, where wine was always a part of our culture. My friends were from farming families; their parents had a block of vines from which they made their own wine. It is essential to realize that wine is an everyday drink in France. It is always around. Don’t ask me what is the legal age to drink over there…

Growing up surrounded by farmers, I fell in love with agriculture. And, the more I studied the wine industry, the more I realized it mixed a variety of intriguing aspects – farming, science, marketing, art; even the barrel programs and elements of packaging from the corks to the labels and glass. Of course, I always enjoyed drinking the final result, too.

3. How did you meet the Martin family? What drew you to them and to Martin Estate? Why did you decide to leave a more corporate winery atmosphere for a small estate winery?

I met the Martins through a common friend. A small estate affords you the opportunity to concentrate on the entire process, from vineyard to bottle. It was important for me to be able to put my feet back into the vineyard. The roots of a good wine are good grapes. In fact, 75% of winemaking happens in the vineyard, yet so many positions offered to me did not include any real vineyard work. In order to make world-class wine, the vineyard needs to be spectacular, and the perfect example is Martin Estate.

Managing a small single vineyard estate allows us to have complete control of our fruit. Because the vineyard is literally steps from the winery, we can intensely observe all facets of the growing season. We don’t have to rely upon someone else’s farming standards, which means we are never surprised by the condition of our fruit. The viticultural practices we perform – when and how we prune our vines, our irrigation methods, the decision to green harvest each year – in order to raise the quality of the grapes are crucial to the end result. Martin Estate’s size is ideal for this intensive style of winemaking; in many ways it is an extended garden. I can go from vineyard to winery in a couple of minutes.

Last but not least, Petra and Greg Martin are as committed as I am to making the highest quality wine, and have spared no expense in order to give me the tools to achieve such prestigious levels.

4. What is it that makes the Martin Estate vineyard so special?

First: the fact that we have only the first generation of vines on the property. I know of no other Napa Valley property that can make that claim. Second: the size, which makes it a true boutique winery. Third: the rich history of the property, that inspires me every day I drive through the gate. How many people can say they work in a 19^th century chateau where Georges de Latour made his first wine, on grounds that in the 1850s belonged to Captain George Yount.

5. What are the greatest joys in working for a small, family winery?

Human size, flexibility, tight relationships. The peace that comes with knowing I have everything under control.

6. What are the greatest challenges?

When something unexpected happens, things can get hectic very fast; we are a small team. That is when the tightly knit relationships and flexibility prove invaluable, as everyone is committed to staying after hours and helping each other, even if it is not in his or her official “field.”

7. What is your winemaking philosophy?

Getting the healthiest grapes to perfect maturity, and then using the tools that have proven their value to get the best expression possible from these grapes.

8. The French word “terroir” is so difficult for the layman wine drinker to define. How would you best explain “terroir?”

Let’s keep it simple and say that I consider it to be the combination of your site and its unique soils with the weather you get – but I would also like to add myself, as the human factor, to the package. Without the winemaker, terroir is just terroir. But what you taste in a Martin Estate wine is the terroir I bottled. Am I making sense or have I left you confused?

9. Just a little but I see your point. Since your arrival four years ago, Martin Estate has made some major changes in the way wine is produced – barrel fermentation, concrete tanks, state of the art sorting equipment for harvest. Can you tell us how these new pieces have affected the winemaking process?

While it is true that the only thing you really need to make a great wine is great fruit, I believe certain pieces of equipment and techniques can further enhance its quality. My main thought behind any change on the production end is that it has to benefit the wine’s quality. I also take into consideration the fact that we are a small company, so if it makes some tasks more efficient, that is a definite plus. Finally, the pieces have to be visually appealing, as preserving the aesthetic of this 19^th century property has always been essential to the Martin family.

Let’s look at some changes I made and how they affected the winemaking :

- We now use clippers for our hand harvest, instead of the usual picking knife. We pick the grapes into small bins (30 lbs each versus half a ton in the past). This means the grapes don’t get damaged by hasty pickers, or crushed by being piled on top of each other. They arrive on the crush pad in pristine shape, and we don’t have oxidation problems or juice running off and getting lost.

- The advantage of our new state-of-the-art sorting system is tha it allows us to only put berries in the fermentation vats; any piece of leaf, stem or raisin has been thoroughly removed. The table allows us to process the fruit faster, too, so we don’t have grapes sitting in the sun for hours. Because our equipment doesn’t require light to properly sort the fruit, we are able to start picking our grapes at night, so the grapes come into the winery cool and fresh.

- We custom designed French concrete tanks, and the insulation and micro-oxygenation they provide, gives us a softer and fruitier wine. Because they were custom made in France to my specifications, it gives me the tool I need to accomplish my goal of making Martin Estate the best new world wine, using old world techniques.

And these are just a few examples. Since my arrival, we have improved our barrel program, which is now 100% French oak, as well as the wine chilling capacity, which allows us to perform cold soaks. But you better stop me right here, before I become too technical. May I suggest we have a glass or our wine, and let it speak for itself?

Auction Napa Valley Beneficiary Story: Welcome Every Baby

Welcome Every Baby is a is a free service available to all newborns and their families in Napa County that focuses on the very important relationship between parents and their babies.

Welcome Every Baby Story

This client was in her twenties and was considered significantly high-risk by the providers caring for her during her pregnancy and delivery. This was her first pregnancy and child. She had used drugs before she found out she was pregnant, had been the victim of domestic violence and the father of her baby was incarcerated. She had a history of difficulties in school and depression.

She was referred to the Welcome Every Baby program after delivery. The hospital staff was concerned that she had a very difficult labor and did not want anything to do with the baby. She had attempted to breastfeed but sent the baby to the nursery and did not want to spend time with her. Everyone was concerned about poor bonding and attachment.

A Public Health-Welcome Every Baby nurse began visiting her at her parent’s home soon after delivery. The PHN formed a supportive and empathic relationship with the client and helped her understand her baby’s cues, temperament and development. The nurse assisted and supported the new mom in becoming a good parent and “falling in love” with her baby which is a critical task for the baby’s future social, emotional, and cognitive well being, ability to learn in school and be successful in life. The nurse also assisted mom in getting the care she needed for herself and her baby including getting treatment and counseling for postpartum depression, and needed referrals to resources in the community.

The baby is now nine months old and is a healthy, happy girl who is developmentally on task and thriving. Mom has developed excellent parenting skills and is nurturing, tender, and affectionate with her daughter. They share a strong attachment and mom is appropriately worried about her child and also very proud of her accomplishments. The client was able to get an apartment on her own. The PHN stated that this client has come so far and done such a good job when most people did not think it was possible. The PHN also stated that this is the only client she has ever had that filled out every single Ages and Stages Developmental Questionnaire and has been so excited about her child’s development. The PHN feels like this is the first time the client has ever felt so successful and proud, and that she now truly understands what a good parent she is and what a wonderful relationship she has developed with her daughter.

How to bid at the Auction Napa Valley Barrel Auction

At the Barrel Auction at the Taste Napa Valley event on June 3rd, there will be 100 barrel lots for guests to taste and bid up. How does one evaluate a barrel lot? How many cases are available? How does one place a bid? Demystify the Barrel Auction by watching this short video!

Not able to attend this year's Auction Napa Valley? There are more than 150 amazing e-lots that you can bid on as part of our e-Auction! Learn more here.

Auction Napa Valley Beneficiary Story: Rianda House

Rianda House provides seniors in our community with an environment for social, educational and recreational activities in order to enhance dignity, encourage community involvement, support independence and promote healthy, active living.

Rianda House Story

A Rianda House regular invited an older woman (mid 80’s) who lives alone to join her for a game of dominoes that is offered weekly at the Center. Cautiously the woman showed up to play and realized she was having a lot of fun.

As time went on however, the woman clearly showed signs of ill health, frustration, dementia and her friends from “dominoes day” began to worry. When the woman didn’t show up one day, they were told by another group member that the woman wound up in the hospital after taking a bad fall.

Her friends wanted to take action and were able to made contact with a relative and learned that she was indeed in mental decline and as a result, was not eating well or taking care of herself. Knowing the resources available at Rianda House, her friends encouraged her to get more involved. Motivated by this outpouring of support and feeling comfortable with the familiar surroundings at Rianda house, she signed up for brain fitness and exercise classes, attended a Falls Prevention workshop and began to join in on the thrice weekly congregate meals.

Five months later, she now comes to the center almost daily, has greatly improved health and is laughing with her friends.

Auction Napa Valley Beneficiary Story: ParentsCAN

ParentsCAN (Parents-Child Advocacy Network), a beneficiary of Auction Napa Valley funding, is an organization that provides hope, peer-to-peer support, resources and educational opportunities for families in Napa County who have children with learning, mental, emotional, developmental or physical disabilities. This is a story about a family who found the support they needed through the ParentsCAN network.

ParentsCAN Story

Guadalupe and Jose have two children. Their oldest son Mario is 9 years old and was diagnosed with Autism at the age of 2. Mario’s school referred Guadalupe and her family to ParentsCAN because they felt Guadalupe needed to find a support group.

During our initial assessment we quickly learned that indeed Guadalupe and her family were very isolated. They had no family in the area, nor did they know anyone else that had a child like theirs. But as we continued talking, Guadalupe began to express that she was very overwhelmed with the challenging behavior her son exhibited and many times she would stay behind with her son while her husband and daughter went out. The simplest outings, such as going to the grocery store, were filled with so much chaos and turmoil due to her son’s behavior that she would just rather stay home. She was also very fearful to leave Mario with anyone other than her husband. She was frustrated with her son’s school - Mario did not seem to be making any progress. Even after attending numerous meetings with his teachers, nothing seemed to be helping her son.

Although Guadalupe was referred to ParentsCAN to find a support group, after our initial assessment, she decided that a more immediate need for her was to find help for her son to be able to manage his behavior, without this there was just no way for her to even think about going to a support group. In turn, Guadalupe was assigned to a ParentsCAN advocate who is also a mother of a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. For the first time Guadalupe talked to someone who she felt could really understand her situation and an instant connection was made. Guadalupe and her advocate developed a plan to help her find services and support for her son. Guadalupe was given information regarding Mario’s disability, she was able to understand why it was that he was having trouble in certain situations. She was registered for a workshop on special education that taught Guadalupe her rights and responsibilities so she could be more effective in her conversations with the school. Additionally, her advocate made several referrals to local agencies that could provide Guadalupe with in-home behavioral therapy.

Several months later, a smiling Guadalupe attended her first support group. Although things were not perfect and her son was still having behavior problems, the school and her home program were now working together, her son’s behavior was slowly improving. As a result of a referral from ParentsCAN she had also qualified for respite care, with both of these services in place Guadalupe was able to leave Mario with a trained care provider giving her confidence to leave her home and attend the support group.

Recently Guadalupe has started volunteering for ParentsCAN; she makes phone calls to parents to invite them to the monthly support group, she arrives early to help the group facilitator set up and is always the first to volunteer to help with other projects. Mario is also doing much better at school and at home, on occasion he has tantrums but now Guadalupe knows what to do to manage his behavior. Guadalupe has been able to be at every support group meeting and shares her story with every new parent that attends the group.

Guadalupe found support that is much more than just a monthly meeting she can attend, she has found a place that gives her confidence, hope and a sense of empowerment to accept her son’s disability, be able to cope with her situation and has equipped her to advocate for the needs of her son and her family.

Auction Napa Valley - Beneficiary Stories

Since it's inception in 1981, Auction Napa Valley has given nearly $100 million to scores of non-profit programs throughout the Napa Valley. That's a pretty big number to digest - what exactly does $100 million mean to our community?

To help answer that question, we've collected stories from the organizations that receive funding through Auction Napa Valley grants. In the weeks leading up to this year's auction, June 2-5, we want to share these stories with you.

Our first story comes from Napa CASA - a voice for children. Napa CASA provides court appointed advocates for abused and neglected children who, through no fault of their own, have become dependents of the court. This story from Mary, a CASA volunteer, demonstrates how essential these services are to the children in our community.

A story from Mary, a CASA volunteer

I had heard about CASA and after I saw an ad in the paper, I called to learn more about the program. I did not realize that there was such a need until I was told of the number of children waiting for a CASA volunteer. I took the training after I retired from teaching school for 25 years. I had seen some of these children in my classroom so I had some understanding of their needs.

Being a CASA volunteer is a lot like being a detective. You have to talk to everyone involved. To help a child you have to really know what is going on and gather all the information you can. First I read the child’s complete case file. Then I meet with the foster parents and find out how the child was doing in the foster home. Then I meet with the child. The child thinks they are at fault. They worry about what is going to happen to them. They can’t understand why their mom can’t take care of them. They ask “Why does my daddy treat me like he does”?

Next, I meet with the parents. I tell the parents, “I’m here to help your child; I hope we can cooperate with each other." I tell them, “The goal is for you to parent your child. I want to see you be successful but my job is to focus on your child’s needs. I’m going to do what I think is right and I’m going to write a report to the court with my recommendations."

In my case the mother was not able to safely parent her child. She had alcohol and mental health issues. There also were allegations that the young boy was being abused by his father. They didn’t have enough information about that and were getting ready to send him back to his father. I talked to the boy’s foster mother and she said “you know they’re letting him visit on the weekends with his daddy. And after every visit, when he comes back to our house, he can’t sleep.” So I spoke to his counselor and told him that I was concerned about the visits. The young boy was asked, “When you go home to be with your daddy, why can’t you sleep when you go back to your foster home?” And he told us what had been happening. A lot happened after that, but today that child is doing well. He’s happy and he’s safe, and now he is going to be adopted.

As a CASA volunteer you show the child there is someone that cares about what happens to them - that there are good people in this world, that maybe they are not getting what they need at home but that somebody knows they are special. They grow up knowing that they are good people. By showing them something different, by making sure they are cared for, we can put these children on the right track.

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