So much has been written about the Napa Valley, in such a way and so much so, that it seems almost, mythical, and a bit unreal. As a young connoisseur of wine with abundant experience selling and consuming wine, woven with my time living in the valley, I have a new perspective to share. One that has allowed me to enjoy the valley and all the plenty it has to share, despite being on a very tight budget. The valley has much to offer, for everyone, and despite the hype, Napa in its bounty is for all.
I decided to head up and visit Napa for the annual mustard season. During the months of January, February and March, the Valley celebrates the quiet before the spring buds upon the bare grapevines all over the valley. The Mustard Festival celebrates community and attracts many tourists to the region while the grapevines take a well-deserved rest. The Spanish Mustard flower, known for its characteristically vibrant yellow hue, is planted all over the valley and can be seen illuminating vineyards all over the valley. The mustard flowers not only provide beauty during the barren months, but also help stimulate the soil, making for more optimal growth on the vines in the summer.
My sojourn began later than I would’ve liked. I decided that I would head north from work to take a quick pit stop at home in for my overnight bag, a book, and other various and sundry items. I woke up sometime around 7 after oversleeping on what I thought would be a little pick-me-up nap before I hit the road.
Finally, I ended up at my best friend’s house, back in Napa, close to the Yountville border. Being Louisiana girls, she’d cooked up a pot of serious gumbo, the kind you can’t find out west, and I provided moral support. Somehow, she managed to find some delicious andouille sausage to go with it.
We toasted to our success and health by pairing this gumbo with a beautiful 2005 Jekel Riesling, from nearby Monterrey, to go with dinner. Peaches and jasmine hit me in the face upon my first sniff. A warm winter and a wet spring had winemakers and aficionados alike weary for the 2005 harvest; would these weather conditions negatively affect the harvest? Luckily, nature took its course and allowed for a slow ripening that year, yielding tremendous juice. I was hopeful about this pairing, and my hopes were granted. The first thing I noticed about this was it’s absolutely perfect effervescence, which is a common characteristic of Riesling, That being said, this particular Riesling danced on my tongue with delicate bubbles that made their presence known. The dryness of this particular glass was a perfect match to the spice of the gumbo, soothing my tongue after every spicy bite, and readying my palate again for another go in “Spice World”. The notes of lemon, apple, and pineapple in this particular wine lend itself well, marrying with the flavors of the stew and the shrimp within it. At the end of what could be described as a bit of a subdued Bacchanalian frenzy, we were well on our way. Let’s go to a bar we thought.
After being hussled in pool playing doubles by an 85-year old man, we returned home eager to rest and begin again in the morning.
The sun shone and the air smelled clean. I woke up, a bit groggy from the night before, but ready. After eating oranges, ripened right in the backyard (right next to the Meyer lemon trees), and strawberries and yogurt smoothies for breakfast, we ventured on. We’d heard tell of a waterfall up valley and thought it a great idea to do a small hike, in search of it, have a small picnic lunch and do some tasting at one of our favorite vineyards.
Our first stop was to the Soda Canyon Store where Soda Canyon Rd. meets Silverado Trail, the main drag through the valley. It has the feel of an old general store. They have a great selection for easy picnic lunches, featuring burritos, sandwiches, snacks, and most importantly wine. My only complaint was their lack of any type of fine chocolates, and their half-bottle wine options are scant. A larger half-bottle selection would have had us drinking wine earlier in the day, but we took our sandwiches and kept on.
We finally made it to the spot where this fabled waterfall was concealed. A natural waterfall that flows into a few different pools was there. It was real, not to mention beautiful. Unfortunately, someone thought it would be a good idea to spoil the natural majesty of the area with some useless tagging. This is a beautiful spot full of natural life (salamanders and newts!), and light. Unfortunately I can’t tell you exactly where it is—I have no idea exactly how we came upon it. You’ll just have to come up to the Valley and get chatty with some locals.
Now that we’d eaten our lunch, it was time to get tasting. We made our way up to The Miner Family Vineyard’s Tasting Room, to the sweet sounds of Stevie Wonder, the aroma of rosemary engulfing our nostrils, the not-so-doomed “Thelma and Louise” of the Valley, ready to drink some vino.
We stood on the balcony of this beautiful vineyard, overlooking the resting vines and began our tasting. The first on the list at Miner was their 2005 Viognier, which has always been a favorite of mine, especially considering my partiality towards reds. This whole-cluster pressed, stainless steel fermented wine is astounding. The 2005, which I hadn’t tried was excellent. The difference between the 2004 and 2005 really eased a lot of the oakiness that we’d experienced previously, allowing for a delicious full-mouth feel, smoky white pear, with hints of honeysuckle that screams malalactic fermentation with every taste. I think it’s a winner among white and red wine drinker’s alike, melding fruit and cream seamlessly.
My pick from the selection from the reds is the 2003 Oracle, a wine that couldn’t be more aptly named. This wine knows something, and I think I gleaned only a few of it’s secrets. A bottle will likely divulge more of the enigma of its grandeur, and finesse, but one can only hope that some of its mystery remains as such, pulling us in and making us come back for more. This is a juice bomb, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a rich The Oracle is a Bordeaux-style blend inspired by the ancient Greek Oracle. The blend is comprised mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon, with 31% Merlot, and 17% Cabernet Franc and is aged 21 months in 60% new French Oak lending a mouthful of currant, black cherry, with just a touch of leather on the mouth, highlighted by dynamic amalgamation of black and green tannins. To write more about this wine would be a disservice—tasting this wine is the only way to understand it, and even then, it’s no guarantee that she’s divulge all her secrets.
After a lovely afternoon amongst the sun, the wine, and the crisp sweet air in the depths of a glowing yellow valley, it was time to go back home and back to work, to our responsibilities. One thing remains: the valley in its spectacular glory isn’t just for lavish parties, and posh tastings. For all its mysticism, Oracles, and hidden waterfalls, Napa is as real and as viable a wine producing region as any, and it’s here in our backyard This region has vast offerings for anyone who wants to take it in. Take it in. I highly recommend it. Stay Tuned.
