Greetings Vayniacs!

Runners, on your mark. Set. The gun sounds. Marathon or sprint? Yes. Harvest 2007 has begun.

COOL IS COOL
Napa recently had a string of warm days that accelerated ripening and bumped up sugar levels. 2007 had been shaping up to be an early harvest and the warming trend looked to push pick dates even further ahead. However, cooling breezes and the Pacific marine layer has settled back in to chill things down.

Greetings Vayniacs,

QUIET BEFORE THE STORM
If you've ever watched a John Ford or Sergio Leone Western, you know at some point during the film, good guy sheriff is going to have to face bad guy outlaw in a shootout. To help set up the climatic sequence, the director builds tension by cutting the volume to a hushed level. Time is momentarily suspended. It's too quiet.

Vayniacs... They're almost here!!!

FIRST VAYNIAC GRAPES

Greetings Vayniacs!

I have a very personal gripe with aging when it comes to my personal life. Puffy dark circles under the eyes, puffy mid-bellied paunch, hair loss and the unsettling cracks and pops emanating from knee and shoulder joints are a not so subtle reminder that my body is not becoming more refined as it matures. Wine can be a different beast. Many styles, especially full-bodied varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, need maturity to fully integrate and show their stuff.

We're picking Young-Inglewood on Sunday! This St. Helena site is planted to clone 337 on a rocky/gravelly bench, about one mile south of Dr. Crane Vineyard. With the low precipitation this year, the berries are very small and concentrated. Being in a warmer part of Napa, Young-Inglewood generally features intense, fruit-driven wines that pair up nicely with darker toast barrels.

I just watched the new video and Stu referred to a December 1st gathering and said "of course, you've received your invitation" (or words to that effect). I haven't received an invitation. (Shades of the high school prom!) What have I done to offend?