President’s Letter

Dear Members,

Our 45th Annual Tasting was held in the Picnic Grove at Silverado Resort, the 25th Annual Tasting to be held there. Just as the country club has become a resort, so our Tasting has changed, we like to think for the better. For this year’s Tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet varieties and blends, Tasting Chair Bob Long’s innovation of organizing wineries in the Grove by appellation of the wine poured was a great success. And, since most wines were of the same 2004 vintage, everyone had an excellent opportunity to compare and contrast similar wines within an appellation or with other appellations. 109 wineries poured 24 kinds of Cabernet, Cabernet varieties and blends.

Besides the many hours generously contributed by our board members and the volunteers they commandeered to help at the Tasting, we would like to thank several institutions for inkind support: Bouchon Bakery for its nine dozen loaves of Epi, Crystal Geyser for its still and sparkling waters, Napa Valley Vintners Association for its appellation maps, and Raymond & Company for donating its cheese servers’ time.

The day before the Tasting is the Varietal Seminar. This year was our 17th such seminar and we are indebted to the winegrowers, winemakers and winery principals who give so generously of their time and their wine to make this event possible. There were twelve such vintners this year. We also wish to thank the board members and volunteers who helped pour throughout the seminar and Bob Pecota, who moderated. For our annual Harvest Seminar in October we are also indebted to the wineries that open their vine rows, crush pads, caves and tank rooms for a behindthescenes look as they bring in their grapes and make wine.

Throughout the year, additions are made to our collections at the St. Helena Public Library. In 2007 we subscribed to 51 magazines and 10 newsletters and accessioned nearly 100 new book titles. We also undertook transcribing oral interviews in the Heintz Collection with funds given in memory of Reg Oliver. The interviewees include Fred Abruzzini, Harmon Brown, Jack Davies, Nathan Fay, Joseph Heitz, Louise Klubescheidt, John Komes and Julia Komes Garvey, Hans Kornell, W.W. Lyman, Bob Mondavi, Gil Nickel and Warren Winiarski. A final edit and binding should be completed in 2008.

Producing our Wine Library Report twice a year also involves the work of gifted volunteers and inkind contributions. We would like to thank Jim Cross for his excellent graphic design, photo editing and layout of our semiannual Reports for the last five years and Bryan Imelli, editor at Wine Appreciation Guild and Theresa Whitehill of Painted Horse Productions for their contributions to this edition of the Report.

In conclusion, we would like to thank Larry Hlavasa, former director of the St. Helena Public Library, for his excellent help and guidance with our collections, administrative procedures and web presence. We look forward to working with his successor, Jennifer Baker, and wish to welcome her and her family to Napa Valley.

Kevin Alfaro, President