Napa
Pour Me Some of that Bottled Poetry
Most people in Europe start local and then their tastes move outward as they explore other countries and continents. With me it was different, and my love, and discovery, of wine started in the Napa Valley before moving back to Europe.
It was 1990, and I remember coming back to England and telling anybody who would listen about the amazing range and quality of wines I'd tasted in Napa. They laughed, and I remember one person telling me that the only good thing to come out of California was the surfboard. I didn't argue with him, because I'd never been near a surfboard at that time. I have since and much prefer the wine!
The photographs below are from numerous visits I've made over the years, and though I could have put hundreds on this page, I narrowed it down to the few below (now that was hard work).
I make no apology for the number of shots of Calistoga because I simply love the place and any picture I look at brings me so many vivid memories.
This was taken just outside of Calistoga, and I thought that the monochrome would give it a look as though it was from an early sixties film. Well it works for me.
I remember when Gotts was Taylor's Refresher, and their only location was just outside of St. Helena. I'd always buy a delicious burger and a glass of wine before retiring to the lawns at the back.
This is the Oxbow Public Market branch, and I'm pleased to say that standards have been maintained.
This photograph was taken in the grounds of the Continuum Estate which is owned by Tim Mondavi, and this is a bust of his father Robert. Some would say he's the father of modern Napa Wines.
Dean and Deluca are no more in the Napa Valley, but in their day it was a fantastic emporium for buying picnics, special bottles of wine and kitchen implements. I still mourn their absence, but smile when I drink coffee out of a mug I bought there.
Dutch Henry Winery has also gone, replaced by somebody else who dreams of making waves in the Napa Valley. It often happens, and there's always another mega-market financier with enough money to try and make dreams come true waiting to come along.
One day I decided to visit the Newton Winery, perhaps because I'd heard that it had been founded by a British man and that the gardens were worth seeing.
It has since been sold and rebranded, and I hope that whoever owns it now has kept this most enticing view down towards St. Helena.
Of course Napa's wine history goes far beyond the 1976 tasting, and this bottle from Larkmead is a prime example.
It comes from a time when a world-beating wine industry in Napa was more of a idealist's dream.
If you're driving up Highway 29 and are looking for somewhere pleasant to stay near St. Helena, can I recommend the El Bonita and its 1950's vibe.
I've tried to used monochrome to bring out the feel of a motel from that era. The trouble is that every time I look at this photograph I think of the 'Bates Motel'!
Another one of the El Bonito, but there's a welcoming warmth about this one I hope.
I view Calistoga as my spiritual home and have done since I first visited. I could have picked numerous pictures, but this one with Brannan's Grill (sadly no more) is the one I've chosen for personal reasons.
The Calistoga Depot has been numerous things since I first visited, but the last time I dropped in money had been spent, a state of the art 'foodie' store had been established, and an ornate bar has appeared at the back.
I needed a drink there after seeing how much I'd spent in the 'foodie' store!
This former garage (pretty obvious) is now the home to the small Tank Tasting room, and it's worth popping in so you can savour nice wines as you wallow in the mid-twentieth century American vibe.
This was taken this year as part of a piece about the Benessere Vineyard, which lies in a calming place between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail.
For years I'd passed the red Chevy that sits proudly on the '29' trying to lure visitors, and though I'd always admired the beauty of the pick-up it hadn't worked its magic until this visit, and I can only say thank you.
This is taken from the back patio of the tasting room at Continuum, and I'm assured that the mountains in the distance are the Santa Cruz Range, home to Ridge, and that you can see San Francisco, and the Bay Area if you look carefully. My eyes are not that good.
Colgin has the sort of elegant tasting room you'd expect from a boutique Napa winery, and if you step outside this is the view that greets you.
This was taken out of the window of the Clos du Val tasting room, just after I'd sampled one of their superb Reds.