California Wine Tour: Day 4

Today was a marathon.  OMG! I should have trained a little bit more but I must say today has been another fabulous day.  We visited four wineries today.  Yes, all in a matter of 13 hours!!

The first winery we visited this morning at 9am was Opus One.  This winery is closed to the public unless you set up an appointment to tour the facility with a tour guide.  Michael, the winemaker, never speaks to the public and every year feels it is necessary to speak with our group.  How could we be so lucky? Opus One makes only one wine, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Michael is extremely intelligent and was pretty much way over my head with most of the words that he said.  But it was amazing to be in his presence and listen to the art of winemaking, different growing techniques, and the harvesting, sorting, and pressing process.  After we toured the fermentation room we were able to go into the tasting room that out looks the barrel room.  Michael revered to that window as the hospital window looking onto his babies.  I thought it was a great analogy for any winemaker.

The second winery we visited was Quintessa.  This winery was extremely special because we had Auburn's very own alumnus giving us the tour through the property.  Katie, the alumnus, actually went on this trip five years ago and visited Quintessa and came back during the summer after the trip to go through harvest and see what it takes to make this wine.  Quintessa also makes only one wine.  It is a blended wine (as is Opus One).  The winemaker, Charles, gave a very great insight on what Quintessa strives for in their wines.  It's nothing particular but it's what makes the best version of the grapes grown on the estate.  After visiting with Katie, Charles, and Gwen (the marketing director) we had lunch on the back porch of the proprietors house.  The Huneeus were extremely welcoming and were great company to sit with and talk to at lunch.  The Huneeus founded their land and planted the first grapes and are completely biodynamic in farming (which means they rely on the earth's energy to help the growth of the grapes [Opus One is also taking on this way of farming]).

The third winery we visited was Franciscan which is my favorite wine (at least before we came here) because of the price range and the quality it presents.  Franciscan is also a blended wine.  They produce Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley vintages and just released a brand called Magnificat in 2004.  This wine is a mix the three winemakers decide on together.  Every year is different (as Jay, one of the winemakers) said.  They aren't striving for a specific taste but for dynamics that make the wine stand out.  At Franciscan, our group participated in a blending competition.  We were able to make our own wines in two categories: drinkable wine (as in now, the present) and age able wine.  My group (Dr. O'Neill and Mrs. Sue) were in the category of drinkable wine.  We competed against three other groups that submitted wines and my blend won.  I made a 60% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Malbec.  This exercise was a lot of fun and introduced us to a new side of wine making.  Also my prize for winning the competition was a magnum bottle of Magnificat.  My only worry now is how am I going to get it home?

The last place we visited tonight was a resort by the name of Solage Calistoga.  This property is one of seven in their company and is completely sustainable and organic (without the certification).  They strive for modernization and going green.  Their spa on the resort specializes in mud baths and the town of Calistoga is actually known for its mud baths.  At every villa, there are two bicycles that they provide for the guest to ride around the premises on.  After touring the property, we were able to talk to the General Manager Richard and a master sommelier, Emmanuel.  Emmanuel actually came to the hospitality gala this year as a featured winemaker so it was nice to see such a successful person in the industry again.  After mingling with them, we sat down at a huge table and enjoyed a four course meal! Every course paired with one of Emmanuel's wines.  We tasted a Sparking wine during the reception, a Chardonnay paired with oysters, a Pinot Noir paired with tuna, a Cabernet Sauvignon paired with short rib, and a Shyrah paired with goat cheese.  The dinner was absolutely divine!

The biggest lesson I learned today was that this industry is built off of hard work.  These things don't just happen for most of the people in this business.  The industry isn't just about passion; it's about education, passion, and hard work.  I definitely have much more appreciation for the wine I drink because of all the hard work that goes into making each wine to perfection.  I am taking more life lessons away from this trip that I could learn in a lifetime of working.  Thanks to our amazing donors and sponsors this trip could never be possible and I only hope that one day I'm able to give back to this growing program.

Blessed beyond belief,

Kayla