Is it over? Or is Napa Valley simply helping to sell publications?

In the recent issue of Wine Business Insider, (April 21) there were a lot of charts and graphs and some sensational headlines that looked to tell a story of the challenges to Napa Valley from competing wine markets here in the US and from around the world.

“Wine Spectator 2010 Top 100 Wines Reflects Increased Competition for Napa” - The premise was to look at wine scores and wine pricing from Wine Spectator comparing the year 1988 to 2010 in the “Top 100 Wines of the Year.” For example the Napa Valley appellation had 14 wines in Spectator’s Top 100 in 1988 and only 11 in 2010—down by three. All other California appellations which include Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, Mendocino among others, had 19 in the flight in 1988 and now 13 in 2010—off by a third.

Additionally, Bordeaux had 18 wines in the Top 100 in 1988 and only 1 in 2010, yes one—yikes, apparently not so good for Bordeaux. Burgundy had 17 in 1988 and 5 in 2010. Italy took a hit from ’88 as well. Take a look at the chart to see what wine regions of the world placed in the Top 100 in 1988—many had no placement where today they have one or more.

Additionally have a look at the point scores and pricing and one will see that Napa Valley is the only region to have its point scores actually increase over the past 22 years, again, poor France. Also have a look at the value of Napa Valley wine and again, note the high value of the region’s wines—a direct correlation to demand in the market…and not to beat the horse, but poor France.

So what does all of this mean to the reader, the consumer and to those of us in Napa Valley who scratch our heads and wonder why the story looks to be about poor Napa being cut off at the knees by world-wide competition. Not much really, since the numbers are anecdotal, one list of wines from one year and another list of wines from another. It may give us some trends to follow and that’s helpful, but the idea that this is a cloud over the Napa Valley is simply titillating journalism. If the reader really wanted to look for the wam-bam of the story, the numbers don’t serve France, Italy or the other appellations of California well at all. Given the point and placement spreads for these regions, the headline would more appropriately read, “OMG--What happened to France.”

The real story is that we live in a global market and wine drinkers have a lot more choice. The Napa Valley is just 4% of California’s wine grape harvest and just 4/1000th of the world’s wine production—a small player with a large reputation for quality and innovation and obvious consumer demand. Perhaps the reason for the 2010 list’s wines might have something to do with the depressed economy and Wine Spectator looking to review value wines from around the world in response to that. Dunno.

Ultimately, two pages of discussion on the demise of Napa Valley that has no basis in fact and the reader is left wondering what it all means—I agree, pull a cork on a great Napa Valley wine and enjoy the afternoon.

Cheers,
Terry Hall
Napa Valley Vintners

Wine, Guns & The Mythbusters Converge at Martin Estate

This Spring, Mythbusters’ Grant Imahara, Kari Byron and Tory Belleci joined renowned antique arms expert Greg Martin to see how centuries old firearms fared against the crew’s replication of ancient Chinese paper armor. We turned the winery lawn into a battlefield, cracked open a few bottles of Martin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, and let the sword-wielding robot "take a whack" at the replication armor. Despite pouring rain, it was a fascinating day…and, we anticipate, an equally enthralling episode featuring wine and guns.

“Earliest references to paper armor date back to the Tang Dynasty, about 600 years BCE,” Martin says. Made from the bark of a mulberry tree, this paper, he adds, provided several tactical advantages to metal armors, including a resistance to rust and increased mobility. “In addition, it was extremely flexible as well as cheap to produce.”

But could a fragile material like paper be as effective as steel against spears, arrows and guns? According to Martin, the armor’s flexible, layered lamellar construction actually gave paper armor a leg up on the competition. “Armor with a single sheet of material is compromised by a single crack. But with layers and pieces, any damage on one layer doesn’t compromise the other. Plus, the softer materials yield and neutralize much of the impact energy before they damage.” According to Martin, armor of this type would not be pierced by arrows or spear thrusts and could withstand a musket shot from 100 yards away.

The Discovery Channel team decided to test these claims. After constructing their own armor by cutting paper into strips and folding them back and forth into multiple layers to create protective scales, Imahara, Byron and Belleci packed up their new suit and traveled to Martin’s Napa Valley winery, which also houses extensive antique arms and medieval armor.

Martin pulled some of his ancient flintlock firearms from their cases, and the Mythbusters team went into town to arm themselves with bow and arrow. Then, the quartet set up the “battlefield” outside on the estate lawn. Two dummies, one outfitted with a steel suit and the second with the Mythbusters’ paper armor, served as sacrificial lambs.

Just how well did the armor fare against the arrow deluge and ancient Chinese firearms, not to mention the robot swordsman? Stay tuned for the episode air date to find out.

For more information, please contact Brooke Gadke, brooke@MartinEstate.com or 479.414.3951.

Forty Napa Valley Vintners Head to China for Trade Mission

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), the 67-year-old non-profit trade association charged with promoting and protecting America's most renowned wine growing region will once again lead a multi-faceted, week-long trade mission to the Republic of China beginning April 25 with stops in both Shanghai and Beijing.

"This will be our eighth official visit to China and Hong Kong since 1998 and this year we have vintners from 40 Napa Valley wineries, the most robust participation in this market to date," said NVV Executive Director Linda Reiff.

"China is an incredibly strategic market from a number of perspectives, including its steadily growing economy that finds more and more of its people with income to purchase fine wines from around the world. For this reason, it's important for Napa Valley wineries to be in the market and on the world stage representing the best from the United States."

Some 40 vintners will meet with wine trade, media, targeted consumers and political leaders at a variety of tasting venues in both cities throughout the week. Exposing these key audiences to the innovative, quality-driven wines of Napa Valley, educating on the unique attributes of the appellation and meeting the people behind these iconic brands will be top of the agenda as vintners look to open trade or enhance their shares in the import market.

Creating and reinforcing positive relations with key importers is critical to the success of the market. Ensuring a proper "route to market," whereby product is shipped, warehoused and transported in-market with appropriate handling at proper temperature that is vital, and integral to expanding the export of wine from Napa Valley to China.

Reiff continued, "We use these market visits as an opportunity to work on important industry issues as well. In China we have been working diligently with the Chinese government to protect the Napa name in wine branding. As we do around the world, in China we have had issues with some of their domestic wine brands using the name Napa on wine labels. As consumers become more savvy, more aware of world wines, their demand for truth in wine labeling is coming to light--just as it has in the U.S., as consumers understand the distinction of wine place names of origin."

"It is critical from our perspective that wine brands, no matter where they originate, if not from Napa Valley, should never lead a consumer to believe the wine in that bottle is from this unique California wine region. As we build our appellation's presence in China, we must work on trademark protection of our region and its wines. Through trade and consumer education and awareness and working with government leaders and influencers we hope to set a solid foundation for Napa Valley wines as the market expands going forward," said Reiff.

Working the market will be vintners from, Amuse Bouche Winery; Cakebread Cellars; Coup De Foudre Winery; Cuvaison Estate Wines; Dalle Valle Vineyards; Duckhorn Vineyards; Franciscan Estate; Grgich Hills Estate; HALL; Heitz Wine Cellars; Helena View Johnston Vineyards; Hestan Vineyards; Honig Vineyard and Winery; Howell at the Moon; John Anthony Vineyards; Jones Family Vineyards; Larkin Wines; Long Meadow Ranch; Luna Vineyards; Miner Family Wines; Moone-Tsai Vineyards; Peju, Realm Cellars; Robert Mondavi Winery; Rocca Family Vineyards, Rubicon Estate; Saintsbury; Salvestrin; Schramsberg Vineyards; Signorello Estate; Silver Oak Cellars; Silverado Vineyards; St Supery Vineyards and Winery; Somerston; Stag's Leap Wine Cellars; Viader Vineyards and Winery; and Waterstone.

Bud Break at Shafer Vineyards

Knock, knock. Hoo's there?

Mr. Owl joined us a few years ago, and has a hoot in his little box. We invited him to watch over the vineyards throughout the evening and keep the vermin population down. Occasionally we catch him in flight, and spot his massive wing span against the backdrop of the twilight sky. He feasts on those pesky ground squirrels, gophers and moles - the same pests that ruin your home garden. A vineyard is just a massive garden after all.

My brother Alan has been carefully tending to the vines, which are just starting to wake up from their deep winter hibernation. We've got fuzzy little bumps on the vine canes, which were pruned down to a few inches at the end of January. Budbreak is coming very very soon. Right now they're just soaking up the delicious composting material we applied, and enjoying the warm Spring weather that has graced us this past week, with summer-like temperatures.

All the excitement is really happening inside the cellar, with Alan and Delia finalizing the blends for our 2009 DARE by Viader Cabernet Franc, which can't be bottled soon enough to meet the demand! We also racked the 2009 VIADER Proprietary Red Blend (Cab/Cab Franc) to clean out any sediment from the barrels. Our mother-son winemaking team is closely watching the development of our 2009 vintage, and are super pleased with the results. Bottling may occur sometime in the summer, if not post-harvest. TBD!

Warm regards,

Janet Viader, sales & marketing at VIADER

HR 1161 introduced in Congress: Wholesalers continue to try to protect their monopoly at the expense of wineries and consumers

The intra-industry battle between producers of wine, beer and spirits and wholesalers that distribute many of those products was reignited yesterday with the introduction of HR 1161 in the US House of Representatives. The bill is once again dubbed the “CARE act.”

Similar to legislation put forth by the wholesalers last year (HR 5034), the new bill, sponsored by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R- UT), addresses state-based alcohol regulation and strengthens states’ control of alcohol sales, almost certainly jeopardizing consumers’ rights to directly purchase and receive wine. HR 1161 would open the door for states to enact anti-competitive laws that may discriminate against wine consumers and their right to purchase wine products.

Congressman Mike Thompson strongly condemned the new bill today.

“The federal government has no business picking winners and losers in the wine, beer, and distilled spirits industry,” Thompson said. “Yet the Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness Act would do just that by banning the direct shipment of wine and other forms of alcohol in the US. The impact of this bill would be devastating for brewers, vintners, distillers, importers, and consumers across our country.

“Specifically, this bill would allow states to replace federal standards with their own, making it harder for out-of-state producers in California and elsewhere to comply with other states’ laws. Wholesaler interest groups, the CARE Act’s biggest supporters, are lobbying aggressively to unravel the existing regulatory structure. If successful, they stand to monopolize the alcohol market at the expense of other industry members and American consumers.

“I will not allow this discriminatory bill to go unchallenged. Existing state and federal regulations have created a fair and competitive marketplace for wine and other alcoholic beverages. Nothing has changed. That’s why I am prepared to fight to protect our wineries, our businesses, our local economy, and our consumers’ right to purchase these beverages.”

In a collective statement released yesterday, associations representing wine, beer and spirits producers, including Wine Institute, concurred: “We urge Congress not to unravel a successful regulatory structure to the detriment of consumers, the industry and the federal interest in a fair, competitive and orderly marketplace for alcohol beverages."

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) believes that consumers in all 50 states should have the ability to directly purchase and receive fine wine. Many medium to small wineries have very limited distribution and garner little attention from the large distributors, especially now as distributor consolidation is severely impacting the three-tier system. These wineries survive by selling wine through mailing lists, wine clubs, and over the internet.

NVV agrees that the existing three-tier system should be augmented, not eliminated, and should provide controls and regulations necessary to respect local laws, avoid underage access and provide provisions to make tax payments.

What the NVV is doing:

The NVV has been deeply engaged in the Direct Shipping issue for more than a dozen years. After several years of championing the cause through its own programs, the NVV formed Free the Grapes! and spun it off as a separate organization in 1998. Free the Grapes! was created so that there would be a complementary consumer advocacy side to direct shipping legislative and legal efforts. Since the creation of Free the Grapes! the NVV has donated $400,000 in direct cash contributions to the organization.

Additionally, starting in 2008, NVV has been a main financial sponsor of the Direct to Consumer Symposium, the wine industry's premier summit on direct marketing and sales. Funds generated by the symposium benefit Free the Grapes! as well as the Coalition for Free Trade, the organization responsible for the legal aspects of Direct Shipping.

How you can help:

Contact Your Customers!

Congressman Thompson is already fighting on our behalf. However, it is important that Members of Congress from all across the country hear from your customers (their constituents) as to why HR 1161 is bad for them. Use your consumer e-mail database and Facebook page to encourage them to visit www.freethegrapes.org where they may personalize a letter to their congressional representatives.

Follow the Law

The NVV encourages all members to follow the letter of the law at all times. For a state by state update on direct shipping, visit www.wineinstitute.org. More information may also be obtained at www.freethegrapes.org.

European Grapevine Moth - Steps toward eradication in 2011

In September of 2009, the European Grapevine Moth (EGVM) was discovered in Napa County. Native to Italy, the pest is one of the most disruptive to grapevines, multiplying three times within a single growing season and producing larvae that feed on grape clusters. The first year it was discovered in Napa the moth destroyed an entire vineyard in Oakville, leading to widespread concern about future crop damage in the Napa Valley.

Harnessing the urgency of the situation, Dave Whitmer, Napa County’s Agricultural Commissioner, and Monica Cooper, Napa County’s Farm Advisor, along with Napa Valley Vintners, Napa Valley Grapegrowers, Napa County’s Farm Bureau and local environmental groups, coordinated a county-wide effort to control the moth during the 2010 growing season that included over 5,000 traps, a quarantine during harvest, spray applications of ovicide and larvicide, and pheromone mating disruption. As a result of these efforts, vineyard crop damage was greatly reduced in 2010, turning what was largely seen as a potentially catastrophic threat to Napa vineyards into a success story in pest and environmental management.

While significant progress was made in 2010 in quarantining and reducing EGVM populations, experts agree that continued vigilance in combating the moth in 2011 is key to completely eradicating the moth in the Napa Valley.

For the 2011 growing season, it is recommended that all grape growers within 500 meters of a moth trapped in 2010 treat the first two generations with ovicide and/or larvicide and put up Isomate pheromone mating disruption twist-ties in their vineyards. The county will again set traps throughout the Napa Valley to asses the location and volume of the moths throughout the season and quarantines during harvest are recommended.

Home winemakers also play an important role in eradicating the moth and complying with EGVM standards. For example, as EGVM can be spread via green waste, any residue from home winemaking should be double bagged and placed in a trash can and should not be added to compost piles. To comply with the quarantine, home winemakers who use custom grape facilities for their wines should use facilities within their quarantine area. More information for Napa homeowners can be found here.

Questions or want to be on the County’s mailing list for further updates? Contact Napa County EGVM Grower Liaison Martin Mochizuki.

Follow updates on Kick the Moth Out! on Facebook

Additional Resources

EGVM Management – County of Napa
EGVM Management – UC Davis Cooperative Extension
Presentation on 2010 EGVM Management efforts

(Photo Credit: Kick The Moth Out! Facebook Page)

Shafer Vineyards at Premiere Napa Valley

Get a look at Shafer's participation in this year's Premiere Napa Valley mid-winter barrel auction for the wine trade.

The 2011 Vintage Begins: Pruning at Fantesca

Pruning is one of those milestone events in the year. It is a low stress event since the vines are dormant and there is a large window of opportunity to get the work done. I am amazed at the skill and speed of the workers who know how to make the precise cuts that will yield just the right number of shoots all pointed in the correct manner. This is critical to the health of the vineyard and the quality of the wine.

Welcome to 2011! We will keep you posted on the vintage's progress, but you won't be able to taste it until September of 2014!

Duane Hoff

15th Annual Premiere Napa Valley Auction for the Trade Breaks Records, Bringing Nearly $2.4 Million

The Napa Valley Vintners' (NVV) annual wine futures auction to the trade held February 26 in the Napa Valley, broke records finishing at nearly $2.4 million in sales. At 1,000-strong, the crowd of vintners along with retailers, restaurateurs, distributors, brokers and media from across the country and around the world, assembled at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St Helena topped last year's take by more than 23% during the three-hour live auction.

"Premiere Napa Valley (PNV) is often viewed as a barometer of confidence in current, as well as future sales of Napa Valley wines. Saturday's auction totals reflect a continuing trend of improved sales in the market for fine wine from the renowned American appellation, as well as optimism for the coming months and years," said NVV Board President Kathleen Heitz Myers of Heitz Wine Cellars.

By the Numbers
The statistics show a continual trending up. Last year's PNV auction brought nearly 30% more than 2009's take, and this year closed at 6% more than 2008's record-setting $2.2 million, clear indicators that confidence in investing in Napa Valley wines is strong. Overall this year there were 68 successful bidders, a third of whom were first-time bidders, who purchased 1530 cases at an average case price of $1546, an increase of 37% over the recession-stressed take of 2009 and 20% more than 2010's average case price.

The barrel futures auction capped a day where the 500 trade attendees representing 85 retailers, 66 restaurants, and 81 distributors/brokers began early in the morning with a tasting of the 200 offerings, followed by lunch in the school's teaching kitchen. Along with bidding, the day is the "must attend" networking event for these influential trade people.

"You could feel the buzz from the time the doors opened--the weather report called for snow in the Napa Valley--seriously--and thankfully it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day. The energy was upbeat," continued Heitz Myers.

"I am thrilled that our fundraising has been such a great success this year," said 2011 PNV Steering Committee Chair Michael Honig of Honig Vineyards and Winery. "The soul of Premiere is the opportunity to network, peer to peer for the trade and for the vintners in making new and reinforcing existing relationships with our key ambassadors in the wine trade. The Saturday event sets the stage for a lot of business being done beyond the auction. It's great for our vintners and great for these trade who sell our wine to their customers."

New Records Being Set
Saturday's auction also broke PNV's previous single-lot record bringing $125,000 for a five- case offering from Scarecrow Wine, selling to Tokyo-based Nakagawa Wine Co. The previous single-lot record of $80,000 was set in 2007. Perennial auctioneer Fritz Hatton worked the bidding war that roared quickly into six figures as the audience of bidders and vintners cheered. When the gavel fell, the crowd jumped to their feet in rousing applause.

Ichizo Nakagawa when asked why he battled for the lot said, "When I came to the auction, I intended to get that wine no matter what it took." Nakagawa purchased five lots in total.

"I'm amazed, I'm shocked," said Scarecrow owner Bret Lopez stepping outside to catch his breath. "We never dreamed we'd reach this stature and (winemaker) Celia Welsh is a genius, a humble genius who coaxes the sublime flavors from the old men," referring to the 66-year-old-vines that produce just a 1/2 ton per acre.

Gary Fisch of Gary's Wine and Marketplace with three stores in New Jersey continues as the auction's top bidder, capturing 300 cases from 32 producers, spending more than a half million dollars this year alone. Fisch holds the title as the retailer offering the most prestigious list of Premiere Napa Valley wines in the world. This year among his successful bids, Fisch captured top-grossing lots from Ovid, Duckhorn Vineyards and Robert Mondavi Winery, as well as the chair's lot from Honig Vineyards and Winery.

The value of PNV wines for a wholesale buyer like Fisch is that the wines provide offerings to clients that cannot be found anywhere else in the world, and from America's most renowned wineries that no prestigious cellar should be without.

Also among the top ten bidders of the day were; The Wine House, Los Angeles, CA; Cliffewood Wine Syndicate, Little Rock, AR; The Bounty Hunter, Napa, CA; Meritage Wine Market, Encinitas, CA; Golden Gate Wine Cellars, San Francisco, CA; Beverage Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA; Cache Road Liquor & Wines, Lawton, OK; The Metz Group, Dallas, PA; Bearfoot Bistro, Whistler, BC., Montesquieu, Napa, CA.

Rounding out the top ten highest earning lots of the day include Schrader Cellars, Ovid, first-time Premiere-participating winery, Levy and McClellan, Shafer Vineyards, Robert Mondavi Winery, Reynolds Family Winery, Duckhorn Vineyards, Silver Oak Cellars and Beringer Vineyards.

Click here for the full press release.

Click here for Premiere Napa Valley photo coverage.

A Look Back at the 2010 Chardonnay Harvest with Ceja Vineyards

Footage of the Ceja vineyard crew hard at work picking Chardonnay in the Carneros district of Napa for Ceja Vineyards' 2010 vintage.

Bottling 2009 Chardonnay with Elias Fernandez at Shafer

It's time for Shafer’s Chardonnay to move from barrel to bottle in an annual tug-of-war between winemaker and chaos!

Napa Vintners Release Findings of Climate Study

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) non-profit trade association announced today the release of the Napa Valley-specific climate study titled Climate and Phenology in Napa Valley: A Compilation and Analysis of Historical Data by Dr. Daniel R. Cayan, Dr. Kimberly Nicholas, Mary Tyree, and Dr. Michael Dettinger.

In 2006, a researcher garnered national media attention by predicting that Napa Valley would soon become too warm to grow fine wine grapes. These reports noted signs of warming in California and the western United States in recent decades, calling attention to several changing indicators in weather, hydrological and biological systems. Evidence from other Mediterranean climate regions around the world indicated that climate warming may be taking hold in these settings. However, the experience of Napa Valley growers has been contrary to the notion that Napa Valley has warmed substantially. A problem in applying this previous research to the Napa Valley is that it has considered just a few weather station records in Napa Valley, which has long been known for very diverse micro-climates and growing conditions.

This just-released Napa-specific study by Cayan and colleagues scrutinized weather and phenology (the growing cycle of grapevines) records based on many more stations within Napa Valley, and arrived at a number of important new conclusions. Over the four years of the study, more than 12,000 data points were collected from measurements made at geographically diverse sites in the valley, using information ranging from hand-written journals kept by long-time growers to digital data from current-day automated weather stations positioned valley-wide. Most of the observations were from records taken since the late 1970s, but some of the hand-written entries were from as early as the 1950s. The Executive Summary of the study is attached; in brief, it finds that the region has experienced some warming, approximately 1 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit over the past several decades, but considerably less warming than would be inferred from the standard cooperative observer weather stations in Napa Valley. The warming has been primarily in winter, spring and summer, and it has concentrated during nighttime rather than daytime. Over the last several decades in growing season temperatures, there has been little warming in the daytime and the available observations provide little evidence that the growing cycle of the grapevines has changed substantially.

The results, overall, provide good short-term news that consumers are not "tasting" climate change in Napa Valley wines. It reinforces the firmly held belief among growers and winemakers that the taste profile of Napa Valley's wines is driven by its place of origin, as well as by the solid direction of the in-field practices related to viticulture (clonal and rootstock selection, canopy management, irrigation, crop load and hang time, among others) along with stylistic preferences in winemaking.

Click here to read the full story.

In the Cellar reviewing the 2010 Ceja Chardonnay Vintage with Winegrower Armando Ceja

Napa Vintners' Premiere Event for the Wine Trade Sold Out

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) non-profit trade association announces today that its annual Premiere Napa Valley (PNV) mid-winter barrel tasting and auction for the wine trade taking place February 26 is sold out.

"We are delighted with the response from the wine trade--retailers and restaurateurs, wholesalers and brokers from across the country, as well as the UK, Canada and Japan--who will attend the 15th annual Premiere tasting and auction," said PNV 2011 Chair Michael Honig of Honig Vineyard and Winery.

"This continues to be the must-attend event for the wine trade each year. It raises money for our trade association's work to promote and protect the Napa Valley appellation, but more importantly, the event provides the opportunity for the best networking event anyone could ask for. All under one roof at The Culinary Institute of America in St Helena will be hundreds of winemakers and winery owners pouring their offerings to the 200+ wholesale wine accounts represented by the attendees," said Honig.

"Selling out four weeks in advance of the tasting and auction is a clear signal of the demand for Napa Valley wines, as well as the recognition of the value of networking and relationship building that PNV provides. What we always understand in Napa Valley is that building and maintaining personal relationships with the top accounts that attend Premiere is integral to our success in the market," said PNV steering committee member Jeff McBride of Stag's Leap Wine Cellar.

"Premiere Napa Valley is where winemakers get to have a 'gloves off' approach to what they make," said PNV steering committee member John Skupny of Lang and Reed Wine Co. "These wines are ultra-boutique wines crafted in as few as sixty and never more than 240 bottle lots from 200 renowned Napa Valley wineries, each sold to one buyer like a restaurant or retail store, who then offers these wines to their savviest customers. So while the event is only for the wine trade, the product--the portfolio of Premiere Napa Valley wines-- provides wine consumers with not only truly one-of-a-kind wine, but some of the very best wines from the Napa Valley."

Consumers can see the wines offered as futures at www.PremiereNapaWines.com and engage their favorite wine retailer, whether in attendance or not, to purchase wines on their behalf. Another way for consumers to purchase these rare wines is by visiting the website after the wines have been sold at the February 26 event to see who will have them on their shelf or wine list.

Napa Vintners Receive Recognition for Historical Preservation and Environmentally Conscious Building Practices

The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) has received more accolades for historic preservation and environmental leadership for its transformation of the once-ghost Jackse Winery to its headquarters.

The NVV was awarded the 2010 Preservation Design Award from the California Preservation Foundation for its Jackse Winery project. The old winery became the 67-year-old trade association's first permanent home in the Napa Valley in 2010.

One juror commented, "I am always amazed at the falling down ruins that people choose to renovate. This is a perfect example of the insanity that possesses some people. I am pretty good at looking at buildings and seeing what's possible but this one eludes me. All I can do is stand and applaud."

"Bringing back this historic 1905 all-wooden winery in the heart of the Napa Valley to a LEED-certified headquarters for our association is a dream come true," said NVV Executive Director Linda Reiff. "We have been working diligently toward finding a permanent home for our group for nearly fifteen years and when we were able to purchase the abandoned winery and preserve some of our region's history, it made perfect sense."

"Winning the award for Large Rehabilitation category alongside such other wonderful preservation projects in California is an honor," said Bob Torres of Trinchero Napa Valley winery who chaired the NVV's office building committee. Honored along with Jackse Winery in St Helena are: Hollywood Bungalow Courts, Hollywood; Pisgah Village, Los Angeles; Richmond Memorial Civic Center, Richmond; Tahoe Fish Hatchery, Tahoe City; Walker House, San Dimas; and Walt Disney Family Museum, San Francisco

The Preservation Design Award was presented at a reception and awards ceremony at the exclusive Getty Villa in Malibu. The California Preservation Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization

National Recognition for the Jackse Project
The National Trust for Historic Preservation recognized the preservation of the Jackse Winery in the January 2011 issue of Preservation Magazine in an article titled "Greener Grows the Valley," along with other outstanding preservation projects in the renowned Napa Valley like Beringer Vineyards' Rhine House and the Charles Krug Winery. Photographed by National Geographic photographer Charles O'Rear, a Napa Valley resident, the article applauds the wine region for its care in preserving important landmarks from the past.

"We are delighted to be included in the historic preservation of the Napa Valley's history while paying keen attention to industry-leading green practices along the way to ensure the highest standards are in place," said NVV Board President Kathleen Heitz Myers.

The Napa Valley Vintners was an early-adopter and one of the first to be recognized as a Bay Area Green Business in the San Francisco Bay Area. The ghost winery and association headquarters has been LEED-certified, silver level, for its high environmental standards.

"All of this is in complement to the green standards we have adopted in the vineyards and wineries of the Napa Valley," Heitz Myers continued. "Napa Green Certified Land and Winery programs are the wine industry's most comprehensive farming and wine production initiatives that are the best in the country. I'm proud of our industry's achievements and feel that the association headquarters mirrors that philosophy we have in our industry."

About the Jackse Winery/Napa Valley Vintners project
The 1905 Jackse Winery in St. Helena is one of the few remaining wood-framed winery buildings in St. Helena's main business district. While the building is significant, Stephen Jackse's unusual arrest for bootlegging during Prohibition is what really distinguished him and his winery in Napa Valley.

The winery was adapted for use as the permanent offices of the Napa Valley Vintners. The contrast between the aged, rustic character of the winery with the new materials of the addition was carried throughout where aged siding contrasts with the contemporary interiors.

Report from the Road: Michael Honig & Taste Napa Valley NY

I arrived in New York yesterday after a few very cold days in Toronto. As I started to relax in the cab from the airport to the hotel, the video screen started and there was an ad promoting the fact the Napa Vintners Vintners were in the Big Apple. Talk about a captive audience! In every city cab with a TV screen, thousands of New Yorkers were hearing about Napa and the fact that we are in town and ready to rumble.

When I arrived at the trade tasting at an hour early, there were already buyers clamoring to get in. Stacey and Linda of the NVV were trying to hold them off until all the vintners arrived, but there were a few tense moments :-) Once the doors swung open, the room filled up and everyone was happy. I saw many top buyers from New York, but New Jersey and Connecticut were also well represented. There were also many press people and the Wine Spectator was filming segments for their website. The three hours were a blur and the time flew by so fast that I was never able to try any other wines or even get a bathroom break!

Last night about twenty vintners did a tasting with our partner Lexus. It was a well attended event that Lexus had marketed to their car buyers. This is a great demographic and I noticed that many of the guests were in their late twenties to early thirties, which is the perfect target audience for our wines. Today I am off to do a focus tasting on Premiere Napa Valley wines at Per Se and then a late night tasting at Landmarc.

Should be another great day showing New Yorkers why Napa rocks!!

Just Another Day in Paradise

This is my favorite time of year in the Napa Valley. Beautiful sunsets over the acres of vineyards changing colors from green to gold, with hints of red and brown. Once all the leaves hit the ground, you know the vines are peacefully sleeping, dreaming of the great vintages to come.

Underground in the cellar, all the VIADER wines have been pressed and moved to barrel to quietly undergo the usual secondary fermentation (malolactic). The only evidence remaining from the chaos of the harvest time is a great heap of grape must which will be taken to use in compost. Delia and Alan have tasted through the different lots and are looking forward to the further development of this enticingly aromatic and balanced vintage.

Amidst all this quiet, I can't stop thinking, finally we can have a social life! With the endless hours of harvest time coming to a close, I now see much more of my family (which is a good thing)! And at this time of year, we spend most of our time enjoying the "fruits of our labor" over dinner.

Happy holidays to all,

Janet Viader

sales & marketing at VIADER

I'm not dead yet! I feel happy...happy!

“What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!”
--John Belushi as Bluto Blutarsky, Animal House

A few weeks ago, after some heavy rains, a few bloggers and the media started to declare the Harvest of 2010 over. Fortunately for all of us, they couldn’t have been more wrong. It is somewhat hard to believe, but here I am, almost mid-November, with Cabernet still hanging out in the vineyard. Grape growing, heck, farming in general, after all is much like gambling.

So I handed him my bottle
And he drank down my last swallow
Then he bummed a cigarette
And asked me for a light
And the night got deathly
quiet And his faced lost all expression
He said, "If you're gonna play
the game, boy
You gotta learn to play it right

You've got to know
when to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run
You never count your money
When you're sittin' at the table
There'll be time enough for countin'
When the dealin's done

Every gambler knows
That the secret to survivin'
Is knowin' what
to throw away
And knowin' what to keep
'Cause every hand's a winner
And every hand's a loser
And the best that you can hope for
Is to die in your sleep"
--The Gambler, Kenny Rogers

The Cabernet we left for now was “ok” by most standards a few weeks ago, but it
still needed more time to develop the incomparably beautiful color and intensity
of flavor that is expected of a Spring Mountain District Cabernet. After that
first rain, it was tempting just to go out and bring it in. After all, we were
already sitting looking at a “good hand”. The quality of this vintage has been
great, with intense colors and aromas…why not wrap it up early. After looking
hard at the long range forecast, we chose to “double down” and let it hang. Our
canopy still had mostly green leaves to it, so, we “let it ride”.

“Reverend, you've got balls as big as church bells.”
--Dabney Coleman as Jerry Caesar, Dragnet

Well, patience is definitely paying off. With temperatures at the top of Spring Mounain District in the upper 70s off and on the past week, and going into this weekend, more of the same, we have been dealt that magical fifth Ace into our hands. Sunday, we’ll start and finish our Petite Sirah (in all of 20 minutes…this is goes into a small wine club exclusive blend) and then move onto our Cabernet Sauvignon. Dad and I have observed no mildew in the vineyard, the sugars and acids are nicely balanced, and the color…did I mention the color? It’s been a long, drawn out harvest that definitely required careful farming and patience, but I believe, once it’s all in…in its own time…it is going to be a vintage to remember.

Until next time...

Cheers!

Andy Schweiger, Winemaker, Schweiger Vineyards

Follow me on Twitter: SchweigerWine

Fall 2010 on Spring Mountain!

Photo by Greg Wright

The 2010 grape harvest at Vineyard 7&8 officially finished on October 22nd with a fever pitch that many in the Napa Valley were also experiencing. It was a week of eighteen hour days, coordinating picks both on the Estate as well as from our growers on Spring Mountain, crews being pushed hard and fast.

Now that all the grapes have been happily fermenting away in tank, and the early morning picking days are behind us for another year, time now allows for reflection on the 2010 harvest.

While there is no denying the challenge of the weather this year, as our fruit came in this year, our Winemaker Luc Morlet and I continually looked at each other with satisfaction with the quality being received. We noticed much less shriveling than in years past, more moderate sugar levels, and a quality of tannin in the Cabernet both from our Estate vineyard and growers vineyards on Spring Mountain that was superb.

Originally we had thought our yields would have had to be down overall compared to last year due to the amount of thinning we did in the vineyard around veraison, but the finally tally shows us actually being about even if not slightly higher. There were some vineyards where we noticed yields being down almost 40% but others where the crop was significantly higher than last year.

Photo by Greg Wright

Now as the fermentations near completion, we continually taste for the right moment to drain the individual tanks to barrel to begin their nearly 2 year life of aging.

With the holidays approaching, and the days growing shorter, we are pleased to say the harvest on Spring Mountain this year was a great success, and should deliver another vintage of premium quality wines not only from Vineyard 7&8, but from our friends and neighbors as well!

Cheers!


Wes Steffens
Vineyard 7&8
http://www.vineyard7and8.com/