For a classic Napa wine tasting event, it’s hard to beat the Napa Valley Wine Library Association Wine Tasting. This year’s event is coming up on Sunday August 10th between 5 and 7 pm at the Silverado Resort & Spa with a focus on single-vineyard designated wines. The “classic” part of the event stems from the 52nd annual occurrence of this tasting and the involvement of wineries such as Beringer Vineyards, Cakebread Cellars, Caymus Vineyards, Grgich Hills Estate, Heitz Wine Cellars, Louis M. Martini Winery, Schramsberg Vineyards, and ZD Wines.
This refined event consists of 75 wineries sharing some of the best wine in the Valley on a lovely summer evening under the sheltering oaks of The Grove at Silverado (1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa). At this year’s Wine Tasting, you will find white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Roussanne, and even Vermentino. On the red wine side you can expect to taste Charbono, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel (and of course, Cabernet Sauvignon). Or, you can enjoy Rosés from wineries such as Peju Province Winery, Swanson Vineyards, and Tres Sabores.
Napa Valley Wine Library Association Wine Tasting
The wineries at the Napa Valley Wine Library Association Wine Tasting come from all over Napa Valley from Calistoga to Los Carneros. The sides of the valley are represented as well, including Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, Diamond Mountain, and Mount Veeder. The NVWLA Wine Tasting is free, but for Napa Valley Wine Library Association members only. The good news is that membership is easy to purchase (online or at the event) so buying your way in is pretty easy (and your membership dollars help support a worthy local cause).
Keep reading and we’ll tell you more about the 2014 NVWLA Wine Tasting on August 10th and their Winemaker’s Seminar scheduled the day before which focuses on vineyard care and the role of a designated vineyard in winemaking.
Napa Valley Wine Library Association Wine Tasting
Need some more motivation? The theme of the 2014 Napa Valley Wine Library Association Wine Tasting is “From Vineyard to Label,” featuring wines from a designated vineyard or a particular terroir.
Clos Du Val Winery, Pouring Los Carneros Chardonnay and Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2014 NVWLA Wine Tasting
The wineries have responded to the invitation with enthusiasm, and if you come to the Wine Tasting you will be able to savor Carneros Chardonnay from wineries such as Ceja Vineyards, Neyers Vineyards, and Round Two Wines, and Carneros Pinot Noir from wineries such as Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Truchard Vineyards, and ZD Wines. Or, you can compare Cabernet Sauvignons from the different parts of Napa Valley such as Diamond Mountain (Schramsberg Vineyards), Howell Mountain (Valance Wines), Chiles Valley (Volker Eisele), Oakville (Groth Vineyards & Winery), Atlas Peak (Krupp Brothers) and Stags Leap District (Clos Du Val).
You can also develop your knowledge of and appreciation for single vineyard wines such as:
- Anthem Winery – 2010 Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
- Arns Winery – 2010 Melanson Vineyard Syrah
- Beringer Vineyards – 2007 Steinhauer Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon
- Euclid Wines – 2010 Clark Claudon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
- Hagafen Cellars – 2012 Wieruszowski Vineyard Dry Riesling
- Heitz Wine Cellars – 2005 Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
- Larry Hyde & Sons – 2011 Hyde Vineyards Pinot Noir
- Stanton Vineyards – 2011 JB Ranch Petite Sirah
- Summers Estate Wines – 2011 Villa Adriana Vineyard Charbono
To see the complete list of confirmed participating wineries (and the wines they will be pouring) please go here.
Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Pouring Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir from Los Carneros at the 2014 NVWLA Wine Tasting
As mentioned before, the NVWLA Wine Tasting is free, but for Association members only. If you now need a membership, you should know they are easy to obtain and are available online here. Annual memberships are $80 per person prior to August 5th or can be purchased on the day of the Wine Tasting event (but will be $90 that day). If you are a fan of wine, wine knowledge, and wine history, you should seriously consider joining the Napa Valley Wine Library Association to support their great work.
Napa Valley Wine Library Association Winemaker’s Seminar
Culinary Institute of America at Greystone
In addition to free admission to the Annual Tasting event, members of the NVWLA also receive discounted rates for wine education courses and seminars throughout the year. In fact, Association members can get a special rate for a Winemaker’s Seminar on August 9th (the day before the Wine Tasting) between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone (2555 Main Street, St. Helena).
The Seminar, titled “From Vineyard to Label,” will feature a discussion panel of vintners as they discuss the remarkable changes in vineyard care over the last 40 years in the Napa Valley and the role of a designated vineyard in winemaking. Panel Participants include:
- Andy Beckstoffer, Beckstoffer Vineyards
- Larry Hyde, Hyde Vineyards, HdV Wines, and Larry Hyde & Sons
- Julie Johnson, Tres Sabores Winery
- Mary Hall Maher, Harlan Estate and BOND (and this year’s Napa Valley Grapegrowers “Grower of the Year”)
- Tegan Passalacqua, Turley Wine Cellars
- Kirk Venge, Venge Vineyards
The panel discussion includes a wine tasting and Q&A session, followed by a special buffet lunch at Chase Family Cellars (which will offer an optional tour of the winery and vineyard afterwards). For the Winemaker’s Seminar, tickets are $120 for members and $135 for non-members (the Seminar is not limited to NVWLA members, but may sell out).
For complete details on the NVWLA Wine Tasting, the Winemaker’s Seminar, to purchase a NVWLA Membership, and/or to register for the Seminar, please go here.
Napa Valley Wine Library Association
The Napa Valley Wine Library Association was founded in 1963 as a resource for information about wine. Today, the Association hosts seminars and other educational events, and funds an extensive collection of books, interviews, newsletters, technical journals, and other wine-related materials about wines and wine growing. The collection offers incomparable resources for wine enthusiasts and professionals alike and is available at the St. Helena Public Library. Membership in the NVWLA helps support the mission to collect and preserve these treasures for generations to come.