It seems that about this time every year, I find myself up in Napa. It’s rare that we go up in the summer (too hot, too crowded), and I’ve never gone during the winter (too rainy). Spring is lovely during bud break, but if I had to pick a time of year to visit, it’s definitely autumn. The vines’ foliage is still abundant, yet you can’t help but notice the tinge of golden yellows, fiery oranges and even deep aubergine that have begun to creep amongst some of the rows. The air is crisp, and clean, and a few vines still play host to the late season varietals — often merlots and cabernet sauvignons. By mid to late November, the fields are awash with autumnal color; who needs trees that change color when you have vines that do the same thing?

Last weekend, I spent Saturday visiting a number of wineries with Joe and some of his co-workers. Phelps, Paraduxx, Grgich and Sequoia Grove all made the list. Verdicts?

Listen, you can’t beat the views at Phelps. The last time I was there was in the spring, and the valley below the tasting room was a lush, verdant green. Now, it was apparent that summer had come and gone, but the expanse of land wasn’t any less beautiful to look at.

See that first blush of orange and red I was mentioning? Perfection.

The wines? We’ll get to that in a bit. (more…)