47th Annual Tasting,
"The Romance of PetiteZinNoir"

Silverado Resort, Napa
Saturday, August 15, 2009

Very warm weather, well above 100°, was predicted the day of the Annual Tasting, but the temperature stayed in the low nineties, which felt cool in comparison. The natural oaks of The Grove and many strategically placed umbrellas afforded plenty of shade for the 75 wineries that poured ten varietal red wines other than Cabernet, fairly evenly distributed among four, with the rest in ones and two’s: 26 Syrah, 25 Pinot Noir, 21 Zinfandel, 20 Petite Syrah, two Sangiovese, and one each of Charbono, Dolcetto, Grignolino, Primitivo, and Tempranillo, as well as eight proprietary blends, two rosés, two ports from Prager Winery and Port Works, and one sparkling wine, a Brut Rosé, from Schramsberg that did need lots and lots of ice. We noted that Vin Roc decanted its proprietary blend; otherwise pours were directly from the bottle. The Schramsberg and a Zinfandel from Green & Red were among the most popular wines poured for the 700 to 800 members who attended theTasting.

A banner above Whitehall Lane, a big sign at Biale, fresh flowers on the tables of Cuvaison, Guffy Farm and Prager, and dried flowers on the table of Clos du Val added to the afternoon’s ambiance. Chiarello Family featured a recent cookbook of Michael’s; Rombauer also offered a cookbook in celebration of Koerner’s great aunt’s The Joy of Cooking (published just over 75 years ago). Silverado nimbly provided plates of assorted cheeses and crackers at one station as well as carafes of still water throughout The Grove.

A number of wine clubs come to the tasting each year, as they have for more than a decade. Wine Tasters II drives up from San Mateo; another club’s members are from Burlingame and Hillsborough. Many NVWLA members have also joined the wine clubs of their favorite wineries in the Valley—one couple belongs to seven. After the Varietal Seminar or before the Annual Tasting, our members visit “their wineries,” as they have for years during the weekend of the Tasting. This year our board members also recommended five restaurants in the area that they have found to be particularly knowledgeable about and supportive of Napa Valley wines and wineries. We hope our members took advantage of these recommendations and found the restaurants helpful in pairing Napa Valley’s “other reds” with their superlative dishes.