NAPA NEWS
FALL 2010
celebratedliving.com
32
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tandingon the flagstone terraceof
THE NAPA VALLEY RESERVE
in the last of
theevening, gazingout overhypnotic
rowsof vinesandolive treesand taking
inNapa’s soft dusk, it’sveryeasy to
thinkyou’re theonlyone in theworld.
Not quite true, but youareamong
adistinctminority. TheReserve, as it’s
more simplyknown,maybe thebest
littlewine clubnoonehasheardof, a
500-charter-memberorganizationwhose
ranks currently compriseA-list actors,
musicians, sports figures, and captains
of industrywho, asyouquite rightly
imagine, shall not benamed. Let’s just
say that celebrations in themassive-
timberedHospitalityBarnhave included
aneveningwith ItzhakPerlmananda
cooking lesson fromDorieGreenspan.
Members inviteguests forwine-tasting
dinners ina cavewhere theirpersonal
wine collectionsare stored.When there
isabigevent atTheReserve— say,
October’sgrapeharvest—private jets
clog theNapaairport.
If it soundselitist— snobbyoeno-
philesdebatingavintage’s insouciance
— it isn’t.Membership isopen toanyone
(thoughboardapproval anda $175,000
lifetimemembership feeare required),
andplentyof themembersdon’t know
muchaboutwine,which isone reason
they join.
“Manymembersdon’t come inasex-
pertsand theydon’twant tobeexperts,”
saysPhilipNorfleet,TheReserve’sdirec-
tor. “They just enjoy thewineand the
fine foodandcamaraderie that comewith
it.” thenapavalleyreserve.com
—K.M.
IntheClub
Filmdirector FrancisFordCoppoladid it. SodidBobDylan,OliviaNewton-John, andDan
Aykroyd.Now, thanks to
MOUNTVEEDERMAGICVINEYARDS
ofNapa, California, you canput
your nameand logoonapersonalizedbottleofwine too. For around$15,000, youwill get
the20- to24-monthexperienceof creatingyourownpremiumMountVeeder cabernet
sauvignonusing thevineyard’shighly sought-aftergrapes (theyare impossible toget
outsideof the trade). The finishedproduct is24 to25 casesof thevintage inbottles
withpersonalized labels. “A lotofpeoplehavegreat cellars, but theyprobablydon’t
ownapremiumwinewith theirnameon it that theyareproud topour,” saysMount
Veeder founderKarenCrouse. (866) 750-2091,mountveedermagic.com
—W.K.
California’s belovedwine
country is showcased in
the revised andexpanded
HiddenNapaValleyby
photographerWesWalker
(WelcomeBooks). — L.S.
Vineyard
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LABELLOVERS
