So, this weekend, I came down with a bit of cabin fever and fired up my
convertible while the sun was still up (and it was just warm enough to run
with the top down and heater on :-) ).

I blasted up through Napa's remote Wooden Valley and down into the east
side of Napa, and up Silverado Trail. I haven't been to Regusci for
at least a year, maybe 18 months, so I stopped in. I was disappointed to
see they're no longer making the very nice Chardonnay I'd tasted previously.
However, I was pleased to see they're concentrating on reds in a fine, balanced
fashion. The Claret-style 2001 Zin was delightful (A--) with predominantly old-vine
body and some younger vined jewelry; it's seen a fair dose of oak which, unusual
for me, I liked. The 2000 Merlot was very, very good and 2000 Cab also excellent,
very much Stag's Leap wine; the use of oak was what WS might call lavish but it
was just inside bounds for me, I might have been in an especially good mood (give
'em both A--). If you like big Cal-style reds, these are pretty nice. If they
were priced around 20% lower, I'd buy more. As in previous visits, the hospitality
staff was especially sharp. I paid $5 for tasting and did not buy any wine.

My next stop was the Artisan Wine Tasting room near Calistoga, or
St. Helena, depending on who you ask. It's at the corner of Lodi and 29.
They're a collective room, with a dozen member wineries. They had a lot of
wine available for tasting at reasonable rates (and I didn't write down the
rate, so forgive me). Adams, Domaine Charbay, Desitino, Eagle and Rose, Fife,
Howell Mountain, Koves-Newlan, Lamborn Family, Livingston, Reverie, Spelletic
and Von Strasser are the members, and I honestly didn't take notes. I know
I bought a couple of Reverie's superb A. S. Kiken red blend (A-, $32/ea) to take
home; most of the wines at Artisan were priced below $35. The manager, Maria, was
extremely helpful and seemed to a decent job of reading my mind. It's on
my V-list (that's a good thing) as a Napa Valley destination. It's a must-stop
if you're driving by - they have a lot of interesting wine open for tasting.

My last stop was at my old friend Louis Martini. I haven't been since they
reopened hospitality in July, and it's too bad. The room is certainly a little
more elegant and less rustic than I'd come to love it for, but the wines are
obviously enjoying the infusion of Gallo support. For those, like me, that
worried that the Gallo buy-out meant the end of perhaps the oldest of the old
guard in Napa Valley, the indications are encouraging. It's clear that Martini
is out of the sub-$10 value wines (so stock up on the left-over Cab and Merlot
at Costco for $6) but they're wisely focusing on the $15-$20 wines and significantly
improving quality. In fact, I was somewhat surprised how much I liked the
Sonoma, Napa and Alexander Cabs - they were all more sharply focused and
true-to-appellation than in the past (all A-). Michael is sticking around
as winemaker and, I'm told, working on boutique projects with Matt Gallo.
If you find yourself driving past Martini, stop in. I used to say that
two years ago, but now I really emphasize it. Watch 'em. I'm tempted
to go back on label-signing day just to see if Carolyn and Michael
*look* as happy as the wine seems to be. I took home a couple of
bottles of decent (B++) Sonoma Pinot Gris that wasn't terribly
expensive (< $13/ea IIRC).

I left Martini about 1 minute to the 5pm closing, and had a superb drive back up
the 128 to Berryessa, down 121 to Wooden Valley and into Cordelia (though I admit
I put the top up before leaving Martini).

I don't work for or have any interest in any of these wineries. I'm just
honestly reporting on another afternoon in one of the finest places to live
in the world.

Dana