NAPA TRIPS

Several have asked about the wines we have found here. We have been to the Napa region several times. My master (ha), along with his wife, took his parents on the Wine Train in Napa last October. It chugged through the Napa valley for about one and a half hours (roundtrip). On board they were served a gourmet meal. I heard the dessert was fabulous. Before the trip two wines were tasted. One wine was apparently a Pinot Grigio. It was supposed to go well with fish. It smelled like fish and tasted like fish. So I guess is goes with fish.
Along side the train tracks is one winery, V. Sattui, in St. Helena. It had a good port, nice picnic area, though too close to the road and tracks, and seemed too commercial.
While attending a volunteer appreciation dinner held at the Kirkland Winery. They had a great merlot from Anterra Wines. Kirkland's motif appeared to be a Colorado mountain lodge. Very large debarked logs, etc. Having just come from CO, we weren't impressed.
A side note. While we are composing these postings we are listening to old time radio on Brandoclassicotr.com while composing these postings. MP3 CDs with many shows are only $5. Will have to get some and try them. I will relate more of "our" wine trips at a later time.
Several glassy-winged sharpshooters (GWSS) were found in Vacaville, 7 June. These insect pests can spread Pierce's disease, which kills grape vines. Besides pesticides, the county has released 100s of parasitic wasps that attack the sharpshooter eggs. This is the closest the GWSS have come to the Napa Valley vineyards, just over a low range of hills. Unfortunately, the Suisun Valley vineyards are closer and may prove to be a battleground if the GWSS cannot be contained near Vacaville. Once a vine is infected it will die.
July is a great sports month. Probably the best. There is the Tour de France, Wimbledon and the British Open.
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