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Paul Franson
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CommentDevelopments, questions at Red Hen complex
There are lots of questions about what's next for the former Red Hen complex. Owner/developer Kathy Smith will be building a new home for Zare Restaurant, which now occupies the former Red Hen Cantina, and a banquet hall in what is now the south parking lot. Where the antique store was, she's building a long, two-story building that will have shops, an ice cream store and other attractions on the first floor and a small inn upstairs. After the new restaurant opens, the ramshackle building that now holds Zare will be replaced by a parking lot. Zare will stay open until then.
There are lots of questions about what's next for the former Red Hen complex. Owner/developer Kathy Smith will be building a new home for Zare Restaurant, which now occupies the former Red Hen Cantina, and a banquet hall in what is now the south parking lot. Where the antique store was, she's building a long, two-story building that will have shops, an ice cream store and other attractions on the first floor and a small inn upstairs. After the new restaurant opens, the ramshackle building that now holds Zare will be replaced by a parking lot. Zare will stay open until then.
Redd, Angele do brunch
Redd is the newest restaurant in the valley to offer brunch, a meal that seems to be making a comeback. Angele has added some typical brunch offerings to its Sunday menu, too.
Redd is the newest restaurant in the valley to offer brunch, a meal that seems to be making a comeback. Angele has added some typical brunch offerings to its Sunday menu, too.
Redd serves the classic San Francisco Hangtown fry with Tomales Bay oysters, huevos rancheros and healthy choices.
Redd is at 6480 Washington St. in Yountville. The telephone number is 944-2222 and the Web site www.reddnapavalley.com.
Redd is at 6480 Washington St. in Yountville. The telephone number is 944-2222 and the Web site www.reddnapavalley.com.
Angele serves an omelet du jour, eggs Florentine, poached eggs with, French toast and the classic Croque Monsieur grilled ham and cheese sandwiches with Parisian ham and melted gruyere or Croque Madame, the same with a fried egg. Angele is at 540 Main St. In Napa in the Napa Mill. The telephone is 252-8115.
Brix serves a sumptuous Sunday buffet brunch, too, and of course the Wine Train also offers brunch excursions.
Increased production from Gustavo -- Thrace Winery Š
Gustavo-Thrace Winery's new Third Bottle wines have been so popular that they've been able to increase production from 3,000 to 10,000 cases, allowing winemaker Gus Bramila to drop his second job at Eagle and Rose Winery.
The winery will slowly grow production of its GustavoThrace line, while focusing on the Third Bottle project. The name comes from the idea that after you've already opened two good bottles of wine with dinner, you may as well choose a more modest wine for the third.
Napa Wine Merchants expands offerings at tasting room
Napa Wine Merchants in downtown Napa is a communal tasting room for Gustovo-Thrace and other wines. Manager Thrace Bormberger says she hates disappointing customers who want Champagne, riesling or pinot grigio or another wine her members didn't produce, so the store got a type 20 retail license and now sells wines from other Napa wineries including Opus One as well as Champagne.
She's also adopting the lounge atmosphere of downtown tasting rooms, adding comfortable chairs and tables to invite patrons to lounge with a glass of wine.
The new automated wine bar appears about to open across the street but she doesn't mind the competition. She thinks the wine-tasting bards attract customers who may want to visit more than one.
Sinskey moves toward biodiesel
Robert Sinskey Winery has bought a filtering system so it can use clean, sustainable biodiesel fuel in its farm equipment and trucks.
The system works with either virgin plant oil from soy beans and other sources (which costs twice as much as commercial diesel) or with recycled cooking oil. Sinskey has found interest among local restaurants in donating it to the project; they who now have to pay to have their used oil carried away.
Sinskey's vineyard manager Kirk Grace says the new equipment cost about $7,000, and he expects it to pay for itself in two years.
The winery has introduced wine called Abaxas of a field blend of Alsatian varieties grown in its Carneros vineyard. The vines include riesling, pinot gris and blanc as well as gewrztraminer. Sinskey also produced 200 cases of half bottles of a sweet sptlese riesling this year and expects to bottle other varietals from the area when they're especially tasty.
Vineyard 29 hurricane wines
Vineyard 29 has created "Hurricane Cuve," a special non-vintage red wine using mostly petite sirah grapes partly from vines planted in 1923 at its Aida vineyards. All proceeds from the sale of Hurricane Cuve will be donated to the AmeriCares Hurricane Relief Fund.
Vineyard 29 produced more than 500 cases of this $25 wine. When it has all been sold, the winery will have helped to raise more than $150,000 for hurricane relief. Order the wine at www.Vineyard29.com.
Vineyard 29 will be introducing a new label next fall. Vineyard 29 Cru will be a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot from purchased grapes and will cost $50. The winery will produce 1,500 cases -- three times as much as any of its other wines from Vineyard 29 or Aida.
The winery is also readying a sauvignon blanc called Vineyard 29 blanc from its own hillside properties as well as a late harvest zinfandel from its Aida vineyard. The wine is naturally fermented to 18.5 percent alcohol with 5 percent residual sugar.
Vineyard 29, like Sinskey, is also committed to the environment. It uses a low-polluting natural-gas cogeneration system to produce electricity, heat and cooling for the winery.
Spring Mountain wineries
clean up along side the road
Spring Mountain District winery and vineyard owners recently helped clean up Spring Mountain Road. About 25 people picked up trash along a 5-mile segment of the steep and winding road.
Participating wineries included Atchley Vineyard, Barnett Vineyard, Cain Vineyard & Winery, Juslyn Vineyards, Philip Togni Vineyards, Spring Mountain Vineyard and Terra Valentine.
They removed a motorcycle, several bicycles, tires and a couch in three truckloads of garbage.
The Spring Mountain owners plan to continue the trash pick-ups quarterly.
Spring Mountain Vineyard honored with tourism award
One winery from Spring Mountain District, Spring Mountain Vineyard received the Best of Napa Valley Tourism Award for 2006 from the Global Network of Great Wine Capitals.
The 845-acre estate was long hidden from the public, after Jacob Safra bought four adjoining vineyards starting in 1992, replanted the vineyards and restored its 19th-century structures. It became famous as the face of soap opera Falcon Crest.
It is now open to visitors by appointment. To arrange a tour, see www.springmountainvineyard.com.
Mount Veeder tasting
The small Mount Veeder appellation recently invited media and the trade to talk about its wines and provide tastes for writers. The event was held at its largest winery, the Hess Collection Winery.
Mt. Veeder is the coolest mountain district in Napa County, and that leads to wines that are a bit more complex and elegant, typically exhibiting tighter tannins and lower alcohol than wines from warmer sites. Cabernet barely ripens in the area, a good sign for fine wines in the Bordeaux model.
Bob Travers is anticipating the 40th harvest next year from his Mayacamas Vineyards, and he still makes his wines in the classic styles without late-harvested grapes, and the whites without malolactic fermentation and lees stirring and contact while using only 10 percent new barrels. Needless to say, they're perfect with food and age beautifully.
In addition to cabernet and its cousins, syrah is a stand out in the area. The best, such as Carole Meredith and Steve Langier's, have the spicy, black-pepper character of the best from the northern Rhne.
Raymond Vineyards hosting open house at on Saturday
Raymond Vineyard and Cellar is hosting a holiday open house Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge, but R.S.V.P. to make sure they make enough food. The number is 800-525-2659 and the winery is at 849 Zinfandel Lane south of St. Helena.
The winery will also be giving its discount of 10 percent to locals on any purchases made that day -- and Raymond's wines are already quite reasonably priced.
Two Christmas toy drives
Caffe Cicero and the Napa Musicians Performance Guild are holding a "Rockin' Toy Drive" for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys for Tots" charity. You can just donate toys, but even better, they're having a party with music and specially priced Cajun food and beverages. Admission is an unwrapped toy and the event is Saturday from 6 p.m. until midnight at Caffe Cicero.
Caffe Cicero is at 1245 First St. in downtown Napa. Its Web site is www.caffecicero.com. For details call 257-1802.
LM2 Productions, Downtown Joe's and the Napa Fire Fighters Association are also sponsoring a Christmas toy drive for children who might otherwise face a bleak Christmas.
Bring an unwrapped toy, clean clothing or canned food item to Downtown Joe's on Main Street at Second and receive a free raffle ticket. You can buy raffle tickets for $10. The raffle will be held during a party at Downtown Joe's Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight. You can e-mail LM2Productions@hotmail.com with questions.
Youth Art Camp at Jessel Gallery
Want to keep the kids usefully occupied during the holiday vacation? Jessel Gallery is sponsoring a Youth Art Camp next week every morning from 9 a.m. to noon, daily. Artist Debra Hodge will teach water color, pen and acrylic painting, and the kids will make ornaments and clay sculptures. It's a great way for children to make gifts for the grandparents. It's for ages 6 to 14 and costs $250 per child.
To register, call 648-1420. Jessel Gallery is at 1019 Atlas Peak Rd. in Napa.
E-mail news to paul@napalife.com.
Brix serves a sumptuous Sunday buffet brunch, too, and of course the Wine Train also offers brunch excursions.
Increased production from Gustavo -- Thrace Winery Š
Gustavo-Thrace Winery's new Third Bottle wines have been so popular that they've been able to increase production from 3,000 to 10,000 cases, allowing winemaker Gus Bramila to drop his second job at Eagle and Rose Winery.
The winery will slowly grow production of its GustavoThrace line, while focusing on the Third Bottle project. The name comes from the idea that after you've already opened two good bottles of wine with dinner, you may as well choose a more modest wine for the third.
Napa Wine Merchants expands offerings at tasting room
Napa Wine Merchants in downtown Napa is a communal tasting room for Gustovo-Thrace and other wines. Manager Thrace Bormberger says she hates disappointing customers who want Champagne, riesling or pinot grigio or another wine her members didn't produce, so the store got a type 20 retail license and now sells wines from other Napa wineries including Opus One as well as Champagne.
She's also adopting the lounge atmosphere of downtown tasting rooms, adding comfortable chairs and tables to invite patrons to lounge with a glass of wine.
The new automated wine bar appears about to open across the street but she doesn't mind the competition. She thinks the wine-tasting bards attract customers who may want to visit more than one.
Sinskey moves toward biodiesel
Robert Sinskey Winery has bought a filtering system so it can use clean, sustainable biodiesel fuel in its farm equipment and trucks.
The system works with either virgin plant oil from soy beans and other sources (which costs twice as much as commercial diesel) or with recycled cooking oil. Sinskey has found interest among local restaurants in donating it to the project; they who now have to pay to have their used oil carried away.
Sinskey's vineyard manager Kirk Grace says the new equipment cost about $7,000, and he expects it to pay for itself in two years.
The winery has introduced wine called Abaxas of a field blend of Alsatian varieties grown in its Carneros vineyard. The vines include riesling, pinot gris and blanc as well as gewrztraminer. Sinskey also produced 200 cases of half bottles of a sweet sptlese riesling this year and expects to bottle other varietals from the area when they're especially tasty.
Vineyard 29 hurricane wines
Vineyard 29 has created "Hurricane Cuve," a special non-vintage red wine using mostly petite sirah grapes partly from vines planted in 1923 at its Aida vineyards. All proceeds from the sale of Hurricane Cuve will be donated to the AmeriCares Hurricane Relief Fund.
Vineyard 29 produced more than 500 cases of this $25 wine. When it has all been sold, the winery will have helped to raise more than $150,000 for hurricane relief. Order the wine at www.Vineyard29.com.
Vineyard 29 will be introducing a new label next fall. Vineyard 29 Cru will be a blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot from purchased grapes and will cost $50. The winery will produce 1,500 cases -- three times as much as any of its other wines from Vineyard 29 or Aida.
The winery is also readying a sauvignon blanc called Vineyard 29 blanc from its own hillside properties as well as a late harvest zinfandel from its Aida vineyard. The wine is naturally fermented to 18.5 percent alcohol with 5 percent residual sugar.
Vineyard 29, like Sinskey, is also committed to the environment. It uses a low-polluting natural-gas cogeneration system to produce electricity, heat and cooling for the winery.
Spring Mountain wineries
clean up along side the road
Spring Mountain District winery and vineyard owners recently helped clean up Spring Mountain Road. About 25 people picked up trash along a 5-mile segment of the steep and winding road.
Participating wineries included Atchley Vineyard, Barnett Vineyard, Cain Vineyard & Winery, Juslyn Vineyards, Philip Togni Vineyards, Spring Mountain Vineyard and Terra Valentine.
They removed a motorcycle, several bicycles, tires and a couch in three truckloads of garbage.
The Spring Mountain owners plan to continue the trash pick-ups quarterly.
Spring Mountain Vineyard honored with tourism award
One winery from Spring Mountain District, Spring Mountain Vineyard received the Best of Napa Valley Tourism Award for 2006 from the Global Network of Great Wine Capitals.
The 845-acre estate was long hidden from the public, after Jacob Safra bought four adjoining vineyards starting in 1992, replanted the vineyards and restored its 19th-century structures. It became famous as the face of soap opera Falcon Crest.
It is now open to visitors by appointment. To arrange a tour, see www.springmountainvineyard.com.
Mount Veeder tasting
The small Mount Veeder appellation recently invited media and the trade to talk about its wines and provide tastes for writers. The event was held at its largest winery, the Hess Collection Winery.
Mt. Veeder is the coolest mountain district in Napa County, and that leads to wines that are a bit more complex and elegant, typically exhibiting tighter tannins and lower alcohol than wines from warmer sites. Cabernet barely ripens in the area, a good sign for fine wines in the Bordeaux model.
Bob Travers is anticipating the 40th harvest next year from his Mayacamas Vineyards, and he still makes his wines in the classic styles without late-harvested grapes, and the whites without malolactic fermentation and lees stirring and contact while using only 10 percent new barrels. Needless to say, they're perfect with food and age beautifully.
In addition to cabernet and its cousins, syrah is a stand out in the area. The best, such as Carole Meredith and Steve Langier's, have the spicy, black-pepper character of the best from the northern Rhne.
Raymond Vineyards hosting open house at on Saturday
Raymond Vineyard and Cellar is hosting a holiday open house Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is no charge, but R.S.V.P. to make sure they make enough food. The number is 800-525-2659 and the winery is at 849 Zinfandel Lane south of St. Helena.
The winery will also be giving its discount of 10 percent to locals on any purchases made that day -- and Raymond's wines are already quite reasonably priced.
Two Christmas toy drives
Caffe Cicero and the Napa Musicians Performance Guild are holding a "Rockin' Toy Drive" for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve "Toys for Tots" charity. You can just donate toys, but even better, they're having a party with music and specially priced Cajun food and beverages. Admission is an unwrapped toy and the event is Saturday from 6 p.m. until midnight at Caffe Cicero.
Caffe Cicero is at 1245 First St. in downtown Napa. Its Web site is www.caffecicero.com. For details call 257-1802.
LM2 Productions, Downtown Joe's and the Napa Fire Fighters Association are also sponsoring a Christmas toy drive for children who might otherwise face a bleak Christmas.
Bring an unwrapped toy, clean clothing or canned food item to Downtown Joe's on Main Street at Second and receive a free raffle ticket. You can buy raffle tickets for $10. The raffle will be held during a party at Downtown Joe's Sunday from 7 p.m. to midnight. You can e-mail LM2Productions@hotmail.com with questions.
Youth Art Camp at Jessel Gallery
Want to keep the kids usefully occupied during the holiday vacation? Jessel Gallery is sponsoring a Youth Art Camp next week every morning from 9 a.m. to noon, daily. Artist Debra Hodge will teach water color, pen and acrylic painting, and the kids will make ornaments and clay sculptures. It's a great way for children to make gifts for the grandparents. It's for ages 6 to 14 and costs $250 per child.
To register, call 648-1420. Jessel Gallery is at 1019 Atlas Peak Rd. in Napa.
E-mail news to paul@napalife.com.
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