"Good friends, good books, sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life." Mark Twain
A very good friend of my younger Daughter’s from U. Mass followed her dream and moved to Napa Valley two years ago. We made plans to meet at the Caves of the Vineyard she works for, Parallel Wines. This is the lovechild of a group of friends from Utah who are passionate about wines and skiing, hence the name. One couple retired to St Helena and convinced their friends to come onboard.
Interestingly enough, one of the couples I have shared a couple of breakfasts with at the Wine Way Inn are part of a similar adventure with a Vineyard in Oregon that produces Pinot Noirs, Carabella Wines. (I will be looking for them at home.) Judy explained to me that their friend explained at the beginning of this adventure that the way to go into such venture is to look at it as recreation, not investment.
Learning a lot about wine-making in Napa, since Parallel Wines is so small they are part of a consortium of sorts storing their barrels with Hunnecut in Rutherford, a company that works with small vineyards. Phillipe Melka, one of the leading wine-makers in the Valley works with and guides them. So many smaller industries contributing together to give us fine wines. Ingenious. Lindsay treated me to lovely private tasting of their great Chardonnay and Cabernet (Napa is most famous for these). I decided to joined my first wine club with Parallel Wines!
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| Market, from their website |
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| Tuna Carpachio @ Market |
After our tasting we meandered over to St Helena to have lunch at a marvelous restaurant, Market. Of course, being in Napa, we had to have some wonderful wine! One of Lindsay’s favorite is from Schramberg’s, a light, crisp sparkling white. It was delicious. Lindsay’s first wine club membership was with Schramberg’s. It was a long, leisurely lunch with wonderful wine, food, conversation, and friendship. This is the reason this lovely young Lady fell in love with the whole culture around wine. And she followed that dream! Inspiring.
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| Sole with capers, green beens, over whipped potatoes |
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| Brannon's, from their website |
Later, I poked around the shops of St Helena. Then went “home” and relaxed and did some reading on the patio. Lindsay and I met again later that evening for some dinner together in Calistoga. We shared a lovely evening at Brannon’s sharing the scallop appetizer and loving our filet of sole entrees. Lindsay brought a great bottle of Cabernet from her private collection. In Napa Valley it is encouraged to bring your own wines from explorations. Most restaurants do charge a corkage fee, but many Vineyards and restaurants have agreements where the fee is waived.
At the end of a really nice day, we both walked our separate ways home along the very quiet streets of Calistoga. Thanks again, Lindsay!
Learning a lot about wine-making in Napa, since Parallel Wines is so small they are part of a consortium of sorts storing their barrels with Hunnecut in Rutherford, a company that works with small vineyards. Phillipe Melka, one of the leading wine-makers in the Valley works with and guides them. So many smaller industries contributing together to give us fine wines. Ingenious. Lindsay treated me to lovely private tasting of their great Chardonnay and Cabernet (Napa is most famous for these). I decided to joined my first wine club with Parallel Wines!
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