What has become an annual event, Flavor Napa Valley attracts some of the valley’s best chefs and vintners to showcase their products. Both small and large producers pour their wines at the Appellation Trail Tasting, the events’ crowning get-together at the Culinary Institute of America. The Appellation Trail Tasting features wines from all 16 of Napa’s sub-appellations. This year we did not have to worry about wearing jackets and fighting cold rain – but rather we were treated to unseasonably warm evening temperatures.
The Culinary Institute of America is housed in one of Napa’s most impressive buildings. It is built of stone quarried from the other side of the valley and it used to be a working winery. There are not many events under one roof that combine the diversity and numbers of local wineries along with many of the the tops chefs in the valley. Names like Morimoto, Hurley, Jeanty (Bistro Jeanty), Cruz (Brix) and many more were personally serving small plates to attendees.
With so many Napa producers represented we focused our tasting efforts on just a handful of wineries we have not yet reviewed. Some standouts of this select group were Stone the Crows, with Thomas Brown as their winemaker, ADAMVS, Napa Angel – a Chilean owned producer, Edict Wines and Crosby Roamann.
We focused our photography efforts directly on the vintners – either the winemakers or the owners.
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- Amelia Ceja, Ceja Vineyards
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- Craig & Kathryn Hall, Hall Winery
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- Elliot Stern, Oakville East
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- It was crowded tonight!
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- John Skupny, ‘Mr. Cabernet Franc”, Lang & Reed
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- Julie Johnson, Tres Sabores
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- Karen Fontanella, Fontanella Vineyard
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- Kian Tavakoli Winemaker & GM Ken Nicholas, Patel Cellars
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- Larry & Eileen, Jack Brooks Vineyard
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- Marko Karakasevic, Domain Charbay
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- Paula Kornell, filling in for Karen Cakebread, Ziata
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- Stephen Parry, Parry Cellars
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- With Rick Talmadge, Stone the Crows
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- Tom Detert, Detert Family
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- Tom Farella, Farella Vineyard
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