Celebrate summer and Napa Valley wines in two weeks at a classic (and lovely) wine tasting event: the Napa Valley Wine Library Association Annual Tasting.  This relaxing walk-around Library Association Tasting will be held under the sheltering oaks of The Grove at Silverado Resort & Spa (1600 Atlas Peak Road, Napa) on August 14^th between 5 and 7 pm.  For 2016, participating wineries have been encouraged to pour wines they feel keenly reflect a sense of Napa Valley, a certain terroir.

The Napa Valley Wine Library Association (NVWLA) Tasting is free, but for NVWLA members only.  Membership is just $100 per person (and your membership dollars help support a worthy local cause). NVWLA benefits include discounts on courses and seminars throughout the year, a semi-annual Wine Library Report, and admission to the Tasting (now in its 54th year) on August 14: so you should move quickly and go here to join.

Stags’ Leap Winery

Are you a fan of Cabernet Sauvignon?  If so, you should know that you will be able to “take a tour” of Napa Valley at the Library Association Tasting because wineries will be sharing wines crafted from this varietal and representing grapes grown in Atlas Peak (Dos Lagos Vineyards), Coombsville (Rocca Family Vineyards), Diamond Mountain (von Strasser Winery), Howell Mountain (CADE Estate), Mt. Veeder (Paratus), Oak Knoll (Stormy Weather), Oakville (Groth Vineyards & Winery), St. Helena (Crocker & Starr), Spring Mountain (Stony Hill Vineyard) and Stags Leap District (Stags’ Leap Winery).

Attendees will have over 70 Napa Valley wineries to select from, each pouring two wines made from grapes grown from Calistoga to Los Carneros such as: 

• Semillon:  Perliss Estate Vineyards 2014 The Serpents, Knights Valley
• Sauvignon Blanc: The GRADE Cellars 2014 Sauvignon Blanc, Calistoga
• Chardonnay:  El Molino Winery 2014 Chardonnay, Rutherford
• Pinot Blanc: Saddleback Cellars 2014 Estate Pinot Blanc, Oakville
• Chenin Blanc: Casa Nuestra 2015 Chenin Blanc, Saint Helena
• White Riesling: Hagafen Cellars 2014 Rancho Wieruszowski Dry White Riesling, Coombsville
• Pinot Noir: ZD Wines 2014 Founder’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Los Carneros
• Charbono: Summers Estate Wines 2013 Villa Adriana Vineyard Charbono, Calistoga
• Merlot: Joseph Carr Wines 2012 Merlot, Rutherford
• Cabernet Franc: Keenan Winery 2013 Cabernet Franc, Spring Mountain
• Zinfandel: Green & Red Vineyard 2013 Tip Top Vineyard Zinfandel, Chiles Valley
• Petite Sirah: Kenefick Ranch 2012 Estate Petite Sirah, Calistoga

McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards and Winery

If you haven’t already reached for your credit card, you should know that these wineries will be participating at the Napa Valley Wine Library Association Tasting as well: Arns Winery, Cakebread Cellars, Grgich Hills Estate, Herb Lamb Vineyards, KrisTodd Vineyards, McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards and Winery, Palmaz Vineyards, Pride Mountain Vineyards, Schramsberg Vineyards, Trinchero Napa Valley,Turley Wine Cellars and White Rock Vineyards.  To see the complete list of confirmed participating wineries (and the wines they will be pouring) please go here.

The Napa Valley Wine Library Association (NVWLA) 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. Every member of the Library Association is invited to attend the Annual Tasting and there is no separate admission fee as the tasting is a benefit of membership.

The Association’s collection offers incomparable resources for students, wine enthusiasts and professionals involved in all aspects of the wine industry and is available at the St. Helena Public Library. Your membership in the NVWLA will help support the mission to collect and preserve these treasures for generations to come.