EVENTS

Fourth Fridays at Folklore

Friday, August 28, 5:15 PM.
Time to sign up, Social Club Members. These tastings are so good. Last month we drank Sauvignon Blanc from Mexico, Aligoté from Burgundy, skin-contact Pinot Grigio from Collio, Rosso di Montalcino, Sicilian Rosso and Gigondas. Folklore co-owner and wine director Steve Ventrello and I talk about the wines.
$25/person. Fourth Fridays are for Social Club members. (Join the club.)
Info and Sign Up

Bring A Bottle of Pinot Noir Dinner Party “On The Farm”

Saturday, October 10, 4 PM
at Umbel Roots Farm, Highway 37 near Lakeville Highway.
One bottle of Pinot Noir admits 2 + $50/club member, $75/non-member.
Special guest: Kurt Beitler of Boheme Winery (read about Kurt below) with a couple of his single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinots. Umbel Roots owner William Henpenn and I do some crafty fire cooking. More info and Sign Up

“Toasts for Hope” aka Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #4

Thursday, October 15, 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Paula Kornell, Crocker & Starr, La Sirena and Honig Wineries
A joint production with, and at, The Napa Valley Wine Train (at the station).
Proceeds donated to North Bay Cancer Alliance in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Members pay $30, non-members $40. The wine line-up and SIGN UP.

Eat Drink Cook Road Trip to LODI

Saturday, November 14, 11 AM start
We begin with a meet-up at the sharp Lodi Wine Visitor Center. I’m putting together the rest of the day and will update you as events are booked. Vineyard and winery visits will be cutting edge, focusing on creative winegrowers who push the limits of California wine quality and creativity. Price is TBD. Expect around $80/person ($40 for members). Info and sign up.

A PAID Substack subscription = Eat Drink Cook Social Club Membership.
$12/month or $120/year

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Picking the pricey wine from the value wine

I played an old game in my final “Under $25 Wines” class at Napa Valley College. I pit two wines, same grape and vastly different prices, against each other. Guests are served “blind,” taste and guess which one is pricey ($65-$150/bottle) and which is inexpensive ($15-$25). Guess what, we tasted five pairs of wine and the inexpensive wine was picked as the pricey wine 55% of the time.

I’m not surprised. In fact, past results from this game are much the same. Why does this happen? One student in my class put it perfectly. “If the wine doesn’t taste good it’s the expensive one.” Well, not exactly, but there’s an element of truth to that statement. I like to call it “acquired taste wine” where you’re paying not for deliciousness but for uniqueness, taste of the vineyard (terroir) and a forecast of tasting better in future years. Wineries have deliciousness literally down to a science, and it can be achieved for pretty cheap, like under $25/bottle cheap. Put the “acquired taste” wine against the delicious wine and you decide which one costs more. Until you crack the code like my one student, it’s hard to guess correctly.

A Delicious Pinot Noir from Mexico

Speaking of delicious under $25 wines that fooled the class, the big winner (14 of 18 guessed it the more expensive wine) was Vinos Ce Acatl “Coahuila” Pinot Noir from Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico 2022. Red roses, ripe spiced cherries, soft tannins, satisfying richness. Impressive, and from Mexico! Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico’s premier wine region 40 miles south of Tiajuana, is not known for Pinot Noir. How the winery made this tasty wine I’m not completely sure, but I do know the winemaker, Cesar Reyes, also owns and make Prohibido wines in Sebastopol. Vinos Ce Acatl “Coahuila” Pinot Noir is $22 at Back Room Wines in downtown Napa. Link to buy it.

Ted Lass-no

First reaction when I heard Ted Lasso is returning for a Season 4: For the love of Mike, NO! Why screw up something that was so timely and so perfect for 3 seasons? Remember M*A*S*H? Remember the travesty that was After MASH? Don’t be an After MASH, Ted Lasso.

But I’m afraid it’s too late. Not that I’ve watched it. I don’t have to smell the expired milk either.

OK, I know I’m being unfair. You can’t blame Apple TV and the Ted Lasso team for bringing the band back together. A built-in fan base translating to certain financial success is rarely ignored. Reviews are mixed after 3 episodes with one pundit gracefully writing the show is “finding its footing.” Other writers are still enamored with the outpouring of kindness that made the show stand out. I’ll watch it eventually no doubt. In the meantime, I’ll rewatch my all-time favorite episode “Sunflowers” Season and wish they’d left well enough alone.

Mothers Tacos “Lunch Break” Special

On Thursday I got an email from Mothers Tacos announcing their “Lunch Break.” On Friday we went.
The Lunch Break is 3 tacos, chips, salsa (salsa bar if you eat in) and an agua fresca, all for $18.95. We got al pastor x 3, Talia wanted the horchata. Tacos were spot-on delish like everything they serve. At 2 PM most of the tables were full, folks loving the food and their company. The manager, getting ready for Happy Hour at 3, turned on the Mexican tunes. So often I’m at an eatery in another town and wish Napa had “one of these.” Mothers is that kind of business – and it’s all ours.

The “Lunch Break” is available M-F, 11 to 3. For what you get and the quality of the food it’s the best bargain I’ve had in Napa this year. Mothers Tacos, 3150A Jefferson St, Napa.

Muireann Bradley

I recently “discovered” Muireann Bradley, a 19 year old country blues and ragtime guitar player and singer from County Donegal, northwest Ireland. Her fingerpicking playing sounds straight from 1950s Delta Blues, her soulful songbird voice is sweet contrast to the gravelly male voices we’re accustomed to from the genre. I love listening to her play as I write. You might love it too so have a listen. Her second album comes out in October.

Father John Brenkle, A Man For Others

My wife Holly just emailed me “A Man For Others: The Father John Brenkle Story,” (bit.ly/Father-Brenkle) a bio-documentary about Father Brenkle from 2015. Father Brenkle passed away last December and asked that the short film, created by filmmaker and Napa Valley native Will Agee, be played in lieu of a typical eulogy. This film had passed me by. Now that the dust has settled, so to speak, on his passing, I share this video with hope it finds more new eyes.

My history with Father Brenkle goes way back to his work in Eureka where he ran St Bernard’s Parish and High School in the 1970s. My mom Mary Ann Dawson, who now lives at The Meadows, was Parish board president under him. She rode to meetings with Father Brenkle in his little red sports car. Fast forward twenty years. I was active in the St Helena parish when I lived in northern Napa Valley and Father Brenkle would introduce me as “Danny Dawson, one of my best altar boys at St Bernard’s.”

“I was never an altar boy, Father,” I corrected him.

“Are you sure, Danny? I think you were.”

“I’m sure. Went to hundreds of your masses, but never an altar boy.”

“Well you would have been an excellent altar boy.” He wasn’t wrong.

The film ends with a serving of the Father’s celebrated humility. He says, “I’m not afraid of what the next life will be like. I’m ready, I’m ready. I’ve been far from perfect, but I’m hopeful when God balances out my life it will tip handsomely on the side of what good I have accomplished rather than what I have failed to do. I would like to be remembered as a person for others, I would like to think that I’ve spent my life trying to make this world just a little bit better.”

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

Kurt Beitler is the everything behind Bohème. He farms the vineyards he sources…owns one of them as well. Makes the wines in Occidental where you’ll find the Bohème tasting room in the center of the tiny town. What’s also tiny is his production. 100 cases of this, 120 cases of that, and so on.

The wines are nuanced and delicious with a brilliant fruity core and the earth/spice/floral complex that drives Pinot Noir fanatics wild. The textbook, world-class Chardonnay tastes like the fresh sea air that blows through the vines.

More on the Bohème wines, and a 15% off discount code for EDC social club members, below. But first:

EVENTS

Eat Drink Cook Road Trip to Brockmeyer Family Wines

This Sunday, August 16, 2 PM.
We’ll drink bubbles, Albariño, Syrah and more.
I’ll be at the grill for the first part of the tasting making Mexican street corn and Tandoori chicken wings. I got a few spots left.
Members pay $20, non-members $40. Sign up.

Fourth Fridays at Folklore

Friday, August 28, 5:15 PM.
So much fun. For Social Club members. (Join the club.)
Info and Sign Up

Bring A Bottle of Pinot Noir Dinner Party “On The Farm”

Saturday, October 10, 4 PM
at Umbel Roots Farm, Highway 37 near Lakeville Highway.
One bottle of Pinot Noir admits 2 + $50/club member, $75/non-member.
Special guest: Kurt Beitler of Bohème Winery (see below) with a couple of his single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinots. More info and Sign Up

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #4

Thursday, October 15, 5:30 to 7:30 PM
a joint production with, and at, The Napa Valley Wine Train (at the station).
aka “Toasts For Hope” for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Proceeds donated to North Bay Cancer Alliance.
Members pay $30, non-members $40. The wine line-up and SIGN UP.

Road Trip to Truchard and Post & Vine
a Field Team 6 Fundraiser

Saturday, October 24, 11 AM to 3ish PM
$125/person, 100% donated to Field Team 6.
”Register Democrats - Save The World”
Email me for tickets.

A PAID Substack subscription = Eat Drink Cook Social Club Membership.
$12/month or $120/year

Subscribe now

Read more

Since it’s been a while I think I’ll try the format again and see how it goes.
12 subjects is too much to read, let alone write. Below are 6.

EVENTS

Tomorrow night, W 8/5 is the final class in my “Under $25 Wines” series at the new Napa Valley College Hospitality Training Center.
It’s a blind tasting. Pick the expensive wine from the Under $25 wine.
Compare Champagne, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Tempranillo and Napa Cabernet. $50/ticket. Buy tickets here.

Eat Drink Cook Road Trip to Brockmeyer Family Wines

Sunday, August 16, 2 PM.
I know writing “you don’t want to miss this” gets redundant, but it’s true.
Members pay $20, non-members $40. Info and sign up.

Fourth Fridays at Folklore

Friday, August 28, 5:15 PM.
So much fun. For Social Club members. (Join the club.)
Info and Sign Up

Bring A Bottle of Pinot Noir Dinner Party “On The Farm”

Saturday, October 10, 4 PM
at Umbel Roots Farm, Highway 37 near Lakeville Highway.
One bottle of Pinot Noir admits 2 + $50/club member, $75/non-member.
Special guest: Kurt Beitler of Boheme Winery (read about Kurt below) with a couple of his single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinots. More info and Sign Up

A PAID Substack subscription = Eat Drink Cook Social Club Membership.
$12/month or $120/year

Subscribe now

A Grand Wine Tasting At Napa Valley Yacht Club

The summer sun creeps toward the horizon, an evening breeze blows intently off the Napa River and 80 people arrive for an exceptional wine tasting with winemakers from four of Napa Valley’s best.

That was the scene at The Napa Valley Yacht Club last Thursday for an NVYC/Eat Drink Cook “joint” tasting with Massican, Robert Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine wineries pouring and visiting. Proceeds from the tasting benefited the Yacht Club’s Maritime Scholarship Fund, and like most of my events I prepared the food…this time a variety of lavash pinwheel sandwiches and a made-from-scratch onion dip that received ten recipe requests. I provide that recipe below.

“This is the best event I have EVER poured at,” Cody Hurd, winemaker of Priest Ranch, told the group tasting the “Estate” Grenache Blanc on the Yacht Club back deck, next to the river. “Everyone is so nice and interested in the wines. So happy to be here.” Dan Petroski was there too, pouring two Massican wines that, fifteen years ago, spurred conversation about how Napa wine could evolve. David Natali, Robert Biale winemaker, came in strong pouring three single-vineyard Zins: R.W. Moore, Heminway and Monte Rosso. It was a line-up worthy of Master Somms. Dave Eriksen, sales guru at Bouchaine, poured four dynamite wines finishing up with the 2021 “Estate” Syrah, a special treat that I later learned sells for…a lot.

For almost forty years the Napa Valley Yacht Club has provided a boat dock for visitors and a member clubhouse equipped with a full bar, small kitchen and seating for a hundred. To the side is a boat ramp available to anyone with kayaks, paddleboards, etc. Check it out if you haven’t already – it’s at 100 Riverside Drive on the river, between The Tannery and Downtown Napa.

This was my Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3. The next one, #4, will be Thursday, October 15 at The Napa Valley Wine Train station on McKinstry Street. Information is on my website, eatdrinkcook.club. My Social Club members get a discount on attending. You can join the club through my website.

Bohème Winery in Occidental

If you feel like a break from the regular Napa thing without the heavy lift, drive out to Occidental for a wine tasting at Bohème Winery, then see where the day takes you. Bohème owner/winemaker Kurt Beitler is humbly making some of California’s best single vineyard Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from his Sonoma Coast vineyards. I just went out to visit with fellow Chard & Pinot fans to taste the 2023s with Kurt. I won’t bore you with tasting notes but will send privately upon request. Leave it to say the wines are vibrant, vivid and multi-dimensional. Bohème Winery tasting room in the heart of Occidental is open Thursday to Sunday, noon to 6 PM. Bohème Winery Tasting Room, 3625 Main Street, Occidental. Tell them Eat Drink Cook sent you.

2026 Harvest - earliest ever?

The two predominant themes of Harvest 2026 currently and EARLY and LIGHT. Sparkling wine grapes started arriving at wineries in mid-July. Many premium Sauvignon Blanc and lighter white producers began harvest last week. That’s July. Used to be anything picked in August was very early (sparkling wine grapes the exception).
You see, that hot week in mid-March (low to high 80s March 13 to 20) turned on the vines’ lights and woke them up. There was no turning back as spring rains arrived, causing shatter (which is basically inclement weather stopping pollination). That means a light harvest, and the lighter the grape load, the faster they ripen. And so here we are with harvest in full-swing before the kids go back to school.

The Odyssey

The family went to see The Odyssey tonight. My takeaways:
1. I got the message. Humans, especially men, destroy needlessly and generally suck.
2. You can get 2 to 1 odds on Kalshi betting on The Odyssey to win the Best Picture Oscar. I like those odds.
3. How soon before prequel The Illiad goes into production? The Odyssey is making big money, so.

Street of Dreams

From the desk of an early U2 fan starting in 1981…I heard their latest single “Street of Dreams” on Napa’s own KVYN radio. I dig the catchy tune, more so than anything they’ve released the last 22 years. The video harkens us old U2 fans back to their Embarcadero pop-up in 1987. For Street of Dreams they ride in, and on, a bus through historic Mexico City singing “La calle, calle de los sueños. All the doors are open on the street of dreams. Don’t you give up on your dreams. For the many not just the few. Don’t you give up and your dreams. Won’t give up on you.”

Onion Dip

I made this onion dip for the Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3 chronicled above. Serve with thick or wavy potato chips.

Dice 2 medium yellow onions. Finally chop 5 to 10 cloves garlic and 1 tablesoon fresh ginger. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, ½ teaspoon sugar and cook for about five minutes, stirring regularly. Add garlic, ginger and ½ teaspoon dried shrimp. Cook medium-low until the mixture is very soft and a light brown color. Add 2 teaspoons fish sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and cook one more minute. Let cool for at least 20 minutes.

In a large bowl combine 2 cups sour cream and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Whisk until smooth. Add onion mixture and mix thoroughly. Taste and add salt if you want but remember the chips are salty. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving (best to make the day before). Drink with the Bouchaine Alsatian White Blend. Or a lager.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

So that was my week, along with an amazing Road Trip to Jericho Canyon with 13 very engaged, happy guests and social club members. We ate and drank well. Here we are:

EVENTS NEWS

Busy tonight? I’m teaching Best Under $25 Wines - Southern Hemisphere at Napa Valley College at 6 PM. Few seats left. INFO and the wines.
Next Wednesday 7/29: Under $25 wines - North America.
Buy all tickets here: $50/class, remaining 3 classes for $135.

Here’s what else is going on:

Fourth Fridays at Folklore

This Friday, July 24, 5:15 PM. For Social Club members. (Join the club.)
Info and Sign Up

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3

Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM
At Napa Valley Yacht Club
Taste with Massican, Robert Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine
Snacks by me.
Benefit for the Yacht Club’s Maritime Scholarship Fund.
EDC Members $20/person. Non-members $30.
More info and Sign Up

Eat Drink Cook Road Trip to Brockmeyer Family Wines

Sunday, August 16, 3 PM.
Taste a kaleidoscope of wines from this three-generation winery based in Napa, made in Washington. Sparkling Wine, Rosé, Albariño, Grenache, Syrah and Grenache/Syrah. Culinary pundits still comment on the Mexican Street Corn I made at Brockmeyer last year. I will try to recreate the experience along with other tasty, wine-friendly snacks.
EDC Members $20/person. Non-members $40.
Info and Sign Up

A PAID Substack subscription = Eat Drink Cook Social Club Membership.
$12/month or $120/year

Subscribe now

and not too early to sign up for this mega-event:

Bring A Bottle of Pinot Noir Dinner Party “On The Farm”

Saturday, October 10, 4 PM
at Umbel Roots Farm, Highway 37 near Lakeville Highway.
THIS farm to THIS table food by William Henpenn of Umbel Roots and me.
One bottle of Pinot Noir admits 2 + $50/club member, $75/non-member.
Special guest: Kurt Beitler of Boheme Winery will with a couple of his single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinots.
More info and Sign Up

I just wrapped up a busy week of tasting, listening, learning and connecting. Two days of wine classes at the Society of Wine Educators conference were followed by a wine tour & tasting day with Platypus Tours. The audience for each was different as night & day, and with that the presentations were opposites. Teachers taught teachers at the conference, wineries taught consumers at the other. Distill it down and you get the same thing: sales through education and varying levels of showmanship.

In a week of many takeaways, the top one for me, and what I’m sharing with you today, is how the performance can become as important as the wine. And when we’re talking about direct sales, even more important. On a related note, personal connections have long-term, big picture effects on wine sales. I had the privilege of being part of many good ones last week.

Society of Wine Educators 47^th Annual Conference at Napa Valley College

Since 1977 the Society of Wine Educators (SWE) has advanced wine and spirits education through professional development and education. Last week, SWE members gathered at the new Napa Valley College Hospitality Training Center/Wine Spectator Wine Education Center for two days of learning, tasting and connecting.

I found out about the conference through Doug Marriott, the Senior Dean for Career Education & Workforce Development at Napa Valley College (NVC). Marriott is very much a community connection, rising tide type of leader and was thrilled to host SWE to introduce the college’s new digs. “This conference embodies community on both a local and global wine scale. Today we’re focusing on career education, and with that we’re connecting industry professionals with each other as well as this amazing wine and hospitality training center,” he explains. It’s a wonderful venue: compact, efficient and versatile. By the way, it’s also home of NVC’s viticulture/enology programs and commercial winery.

A few memorable wines were enjoyed, but more importantly the people that filled the rooms were inspired and engaged. A Total Wine manager from Omaha, independent chef and wine instructor from New Orleans, an importer of Croatian wines and a wine enthusiast here in Napa are just four of the many connections made. The theme for the conference was “Building Bridges,” and SWE General Manager Brandon Hood is happy that many were built. “Perhaps the greatest success was seeing educators, students, producers, writers, and industry professionals back together in the same room,” he said while noting this was their first in-person conference since 2022. He continued, “Building Bridges was reflected not only in the educational sessions but also in the conversations, collaborations, and new relationships that developed throughout the event.”

Wine educators are a tough bunch to impress. Respectful for sure, and always learning something new, but not likely we’ll start a wave after a seminar. Every presentation was outstanding, but the best for me was Dr. Stephanie Bolton of the Lodi Winegrape Commission. By tying together the farmers, the wines and the AVAs of Lodi, visiting there moved from “someday” to “let’s do it” category. (Who wants to join me for a Lodi wine day in November?) Connection made.

Wine Tasting Day With Platypus Tours

For a different kind of people connection, put 9 people, consisting of of 4 parties, in a van for a full day of Napa Valley wine tasting. I was one of those 9 on a Platypus wine tasting tour with tour guide Steve Hunter. If wine educators are hard to impress, a van full of Napa Valley first-timers with low to moderate wine experience are eager to learn, taste, BE impressed and have a good time. Still, it takes time for those in a group to warm up to each other. Once they do, the vibe changes, everyone’s comfortable with their wine opinions, and frankly the opportunity to sell wine is greater. My group’s six hour evolution was fascinating to watch, and is a good reminder to us Napans how wine sales work. Here is my Platypus Tours day in a nutshell.

10:30 AM. We ride the Platypus van from Napa to Calistoga. On the trip, Steve points out landmarks, drives us through Yountville, tells a few stories. Everyone is settling in, we’re listening to Steve, not much talking going on. Getting our bearings. We arrive at Tedeschi Family Winery in the northern outskirts of Calistoga. It’s a little gem of a winery and tasting room, and Emilio Tedeschi tells us about the family, history, growing grapes and making wine. He weaves the tasting through his performance. Great first stop, we buy a few bottles and are feeling good. The day is warming up quickly, and the group is warming up to each other.

12:30 PM. Steve delivers us to Varozza Winery on the northeastern edge of St Helena. We start with a turkey sandwich lunch, al fresco, before our tasting with Dianna Varozza. I wonder why wine is not offered to drink with our lunch. Clean up, and into the impressive stone & wood winery for a tasting. We are the only ones here on a beautiful Saturday afternoon so we spread out along the 30ish-foot wine bar. We enjoy, some buy wine and we graciously say our goodbyes to Dianna. Off to our final stop, and I begin to feel more of a connection. Like the vineyards surrounding us, it grows organically.

2:45 PM. We arrive at Backstage Cellars, north of Napa on Big Ranch Road. Upon arrival our host Gabe Serafin jumps on the bus. In a vivid blue short-sleeve work shirt, white mesh fedora and two pens in his breast pocket, I can tell he arrives with intent. “Everyone ready to have good time?” he boldly asks. Some of us nod, some whoop out a big “YOU BET!” and some do something in between. This is going to be different.

We’re led to our tasting table out back, next to their vineyards and in the shade of cypress and pine. We 9 sit round the table, Steve joins us as an observer, and Gabe begins his energetic, enthusiastic performance. It takes me a couple of wines to appreciate his style. Once I do I can see its effectiveness. He has us very comfortable, new conversations are starting, everyone is having a fine time and Gabe is using the energy to promote the wines. “I like to call this our Chardon-YAY because folks cheer ‘YAY’ when they drink it,” he says. “It is our mission to make everyone like Merlot again,” he says later, then talks about how Miles drank Merlot out of a paper cup at the end of Sideways. (The Cheval Blanc Miles drank was half Merlot, half Cab Franc in fact.)

We all enjoy his explanations from the Rosé to the Howell Mountain Cabernet. Everyone bought wine, especially the Merlot. I was not surprised. The best conversations between us all happened at that table, and Gabe gave us space to connect while keeping us keenly aware of the wine in our glass and that it was for sale. “I love this place, and I love what we’re doing here,” he told me while heading back to the bus. “I give it everything I got every day because the customer and Backstage deserve it.” He waits in the parking lot to wave us goodbye as Steve drives off.

5:30 PM. Our first drop-off at RiverPointe Timeshare, followed by River Terrace Inn, then downtown where I’m the last to go. At each stop Steve hands over purchased bottles, handles unfinished business, warm goodbyes all around. This was my first and probably only guided wine tour of Napa Valley. I leave it with a refreshed appreciation for the power of connection and hard-working, fully engaged wine performers.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

My inaugural “Wine Wednesday” went off smashingly. We tasted ten wines from Europe, all selling for under $25/bottle (Thanks K&L Wines and Back Room Wines for carrying the goods.)

Next Wednesday July 22 the Best Under $25 Wines theme continues with wines from the Southern Hemisphere. INFO and the wines.
Buy tickets here: $50/class, remaining 3 classes for $135.

Here’s what else is going on:

This Sunday’s Road Trip to Jericho Canyon is SOLD OUT!
If you booked it, and you’re an EDC member, good for you!
You’re getting a $200 “experience” for $25. Tasting, amuse bouche, lunch by me (gougeres, salads, cheese…)

If you’re not a member yet,
A PAID Substack subscription = Eat Drink Cook Social Club Membership.
$12/month or $120/year

Subscribe now

Fourth Fridays at Folklore

Friday, July 24, 5:15 PM
For my Social Club members exclusively.
Info and Sign Up

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3

Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM
At Napa Valley Yacht Club
Taste with Massican, Robert Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine
Snacks by me.
Benefit for the Yacht Club’s Maritime Scholarship Fund
EDC Members $20/person. Non-members $30.
Info and Sign Up

Eat Drink Cook Road Trip to Brockmeyer Family Wines

Sunday, August 16, 3 PM.
Taste a kaleidoscope of wines from this three-generation winery based in Napa, made in Washington. Sparkling Wine, Rosé, Albariño, Grenache, Syrah and Grenache/Syrah. Culinary pundits still comment on the Mexican Street Corn I made at Brockmeyer last year. I will try to recreate the experience along with other tasty, wine-friendly snacks.
EDC Members $20/person. Non-members $40.
Info and Sign Up

and not too early to sign up for this mega-event:

Bring A Bottle of Pinot Noir Dinner Party “On The Farm”

Saturday, October 10, 4 PM
at Umbel Roots Farm, Highway 37 near Lakeville Highway.
Did you come to the last one? It was great. This one will be better.
Kurt Beitler of Boheme Winery will attend with a couple of his single-vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinots.
One bottle admits two people, but you can bring more.
EDC Members $50/person. Non-members $75.
Info and Sign Up

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

And the fundraiser for Field Team 6 (Register Democrats - Save The World!) at Folklore in Downtown Napa was a great success. 26K raised! Fundraising of course is never over - chip in to support Field Team 6’s work here.

Here’s what’s coming up:

“Wine Wednesdays” - Best Under $25 Wines of the World
by Dan Dawson (me!) at the Hospitality Training Center, Napa Valley College
I’m showcasing wines from iconic regions, made by family-owned wineries, from organic vineyards.
July 15: Europe
July 22: Southern Hemisphere
July 29: North America
August 5: Blind Tasting/Is It $20 or $60?
Classes are from 6 to 7:30 PM
Details and buy tickets ($50/class or $180 for all 4 classes)

ROAD TRIP to Jericho Canyon Winery in Calistoga
Sunday, July 19, 11 AM
Tour and tasting of Jericho Canyon wines with owner Dale Bleecher.
Al fresco lunched prepared by Dan Dawson (that’s me again).
EDC Club Members: $25. (Non-members $60).
Details and sign up.

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Friday, July 24, 5:15 PM.
Chip in $25. I select wines from the Folklore wine list (1/3rd off during Happy Hour), owner Steve Ventrello and I teach you about the wines.
Info and sign up.

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club.
Featuring Massican, Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine.
Fundraiser for Napa Yacht Club Maritime Scholarship Program.
$30/person - EDC Members $20. Details and RSVP.

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

2nd annual Kirkland Signature Wine Review

My first review of Kirkland Signature Wines, the proprietary brand of Costco, happened in March last year when Napa’s Costco was just five months old. 16 months have passed since those reviews and, countless comments & questions later, I figure it’s time to do it again. Costco has settled into our Napa culture (who doesn’t shop there?), vintages have changed, and, since specific Kirkland Signature wines come and go over the year, half the wines reviewed today are different than last time.

My tasting format is the same as last year. Assembled are a collection of friends not in the wine business. They like wine, they drink wine, they make their living not directly related to wine. One glass per person, a wine is poured around the table, tasters blurt out comments, I scribble them down alongside my own notes. Appetizers and 13 bottles of Kirkland Signature wine fill the table. It’s all informal with just enough control to get what I need. I’ve made pesto pasta, aged Gouda sourdough and a green salad for afterwards.

13 Wines. The Good, The Average and The Ugly

I’ve put the 13 wines into three categories. “The Good” are recommended regardless, but especially, for the price. “The Average” is self-explanatory, although an argument could be made to move most of them up to The Good section. This is wine after all - a very subjective product. The Ugly wines were vastly disliked by all. Hats off to the Kirkland Signature brand for placing four of thirteen wines in The Good category. No easy feat at such reasonable prices.

The Good

Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio, Friuli Grave 2025 ($5.69). This is the 2^nd year in a row this wine has made The Good list. After last year’s review, long-time Napa Valley winemaker Michael Weiss told me how the Kirkland Signature Pinot Grigio is his go-to white wine for everyday drinking. Comments: “I want to keep tasting it” and “this is a perfect poolside sipper.” Fresh and fruity tasting, dry, front-loaded with melon and citrus flavors, short finish – to be expected for $5.69…short finish is better than an unpleasant one.

Kirkland Signature Champagne, Brut ($24.99). Recommending the Champagne this year makes me very happy because A) last year’s bottling was Ugly, and B) how great is it to find a tasty $25 Champagne?
Sometimes the Kirkland Signature wines have a winery or a winemaker name on the back label, and this is the case for the Champagne. Manuel Jannison, also producer of Jannison & Fils, has made the Champagne for Costco for 20 years. Comments included “dangerously drinkable,” and “don’t have to add orange juice to make it good.” I like that one. Made from the 3 Champagne grapes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Guessing it falls near the top end of Brut sweetness as many found it a little sweet, which is not a criticism: the sweetness elevates the fruity flavors.

Kirkland Signature Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2023 ($10.99) This light, fruit-forward Oregon Pinot Noir was called “a good chillable red,” and “a wine I’ll stick in the fridge in the summer.” Back-handed compliments for sure. Cranberry, red plum, oak and rhubarb flavors, smooth, lightness, touch of lavender in there. I can see light red wine drinkers buying this very happily by the case.

Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2023 ($14.99) Yes folks, a $15 Napa Valley Cabernet, and it’s pretty darn good. Comments: “Very aromatic,” “tasted like Napa Cab,” “very aromatic” and “I can drink this without food.” Restaurants wish they could pour a Napa Valley Cab this good by the glass (and charge $18 for it).

The Average (in order of my personal preference)

Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico, Riserva 2022 ($9.59). The group knocked the Chianti Classico for lacking flavor and being too tart. I can see that, but I also like its understated-ness in classic Italian dinner-companion red style. Raspberry, lemon/orange and white pepper flavors with a little bitter tea finish. Nothing wrong with a generous glass to wash down the pizza or pasta. I would have put in The Good but for the strong group feelings. You decide for yourself.

Kirkland Signature Pauillac 2023 ($19.99). A Cabernet Sauvignon-based red blend from the famous region in Bordeaux was a pleasant surprise to find – this is the first Pauillac by Kirkland Signature since 2015. Comments included, “a good $20 Cab” and “get the ribeyes for this” and “a BBQ party wine.” It tastes like Bordeaux, to its credit, with currants, mushrooms and tannins coating the gums. This wine certainly has its place.

Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County 2023 ($9.99). This won the group award for “best party bottle red wine.” Medium bodied, soft tannins, light oak. Typical Alexander Valley Cab green pepper and herb flavors are there which some liked, some didn’t. I think they’re nice. This is a simple, honest, straightforward wine.

Kirkland Signature Rioja, Reserva “JME Selección” 2021 ($7.99) This was panned by the group. “Funky smell, astringent, flat,” and “no fruit.” Now, Rioja Reservas often have (some say should have) an “acquired taste” funk. I could see the rating turned on its head with another group of tasters. That’s wine for you. Interestingly, this Rioja is better three days later. Less funk, more fruit, surprisingly pleasant now. It was an Ugly, now it’s an Average with a bullet.

Kirkland Signature Zinfandel “Old Vine” Sonoma County 2024 ($9.99) Nothing wrong with it, tastes like it should, soft tannins, easy-drinking and versatile. Comments were sparse for the Zinfandel as it didn’t stand out one way or the other which can be seen as good or bad.

Kirkland Signature Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2025 ($8.99) Provence, Southern France, the world capital for rosé wine. Doesn’t mean that all the rosés from here are good, and this one barely passes muster. The group liked the pale orange/salmon flesh color and fruity nose. The taste fell flat however, leading to comments like, “a squeeze of lemon will pick it up” and “maybe a splash of Sprite and on the rocks will help.” I put it into The Average group because there are no off-putting flavors.

The Ugly

Kirkland Signature Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Cuvée du Terroir des Papes” 2024 ($21.49) Sad to put a wine from what used to be my favorite wine region in the ugly list. This Southern French, Grenache-based red blend is soft with expected jammy berry and cherry flavors and spice, but an overarching sweaty armpit and day-old chopped bell peppers flavor continues into the 10 second finish.

Kirkland Signature Malbec, Mendoza 2024 ($6.99) This is a very popular wine and I don’t know why. Car exhaust and over oaky nose, taste of prunes, sharp. The short finish is a blessing.

Kirkland Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley 2024 ($19.99) Part of the Kirkland “Signature Series” line, suggesting higher quality, more special. The Stags Leap District designation is premium, but the wine is not. Hollow, funky, not much redeeming going on. Buy the Napa Valley Cabernet instead.

And there you have it. Not tasted for this piece but worth giving a try are the Kirkland Signature Asolo Prosecco Superiore, Moscato d’Asti and Chablis. The first two I’ve had in the past and liked, the Chablis I’ve heard good things about.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

Dinner on the Farm and Bring A Bottle

at Umbel Roots Farm near Novato.
This Saturday, June 20, 6 PM DETAILS & BOOK IT

“Yes, I Remember It Well”

Next Thursday, June 25, 6 PM. At Folklore Napa.
VIP Champagne reception 5 PM.
This is a pro-Dem Party fundraiser for Field Team 6.
DETAILS & BOOK IT

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Friday, June 26, 5:15 PM. Info and sign up.

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club.
Featuring Massican, Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine.
Fundraiser for Napa Yacht Club Maritime Scholarship Program.
$30/person - EDC Members $20. Details and RSVP.

Best Under $25 Wines of the World
by Dan Dawson (me!) at Napa Valley College
4-part series Europe - North America - Southern Hemisphere - Blind Tasting
On Wednesdays: July 15, July 22, July 29, August 5 - 6 PM start.
Details and buy tickets ($50/class or $180 for all 4 classes)

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

Auction Napa Valley at the “reimagined” Robert Mondavi Winery

By all appearances and sentiments Auction Napa Valley is in a very happy place these days. As I wandered about the remade, just reopened Robert Mondavi Winery enjoying lamb lollipops and Hamachi crudo, washed down with plenty of Napa’s finest, I profoundly thought, “this doesn’t suck.” The other 2000 guests there I think felt the same, not letting the heat get them down, nor the day’s stock market plunge. Likely a 9-figure drop in net worth amongst attendees for the day, but what a place to have another and forget about it.

It was nice to see the event truly buzzing, and particularly refreshing seeing more fellow Napans enjoying the affair. Paula Kornell, pouring her excellent, eponymously named Napa sparkling wine, noticed as well. “It’s been wonderful seeing my Napa Valley friends here today – the most since the Meadowood days.” The 2020 Glass Fire ended that run, sadly.

The top barrel-lot earners were similar to years past: Chappellet, Cardinale, Joseph Phelps, Continuum, Shafer, Alpha Omega, Davies, Ovid, Favia and host Robert Mondavi. I didn’t taste any of them – with 105 barrel lots to try + gluttonous amounts of food and wine spread around the Mondavi grounds, finding specific wines to taste would have felt like work, and I didn’t feel like working, thereby reducing my spring pea/black truffle risotto consumption.

My method at tastings like this is to find lesser-known wineries…names new to me. Not only is there usually more space than around the famous names, which I akin to front & center for Foo Fighters at Bottle Rock but more polite people, I can also have a minute to chat and hear their story. Let me tell you about them.

Julian Christian and Kathryn Seigfried, husband/wife and partners in Greater Fool Wines poured at their second Auction Napa Valley. 30-something, two kids and both with day jobs, they are not your prototypical vintners here. Julian gave me his complete focus as Kathryn poured and chatted with others. The two are living their dream and enjoying the ride with a balance of optimism and realism of the brand’s future. “We couldn’t be more proud showing our wines here,” Julian tells me. A strong supporter of the fundraising for youth wellness in Napa Valley, the exposure to potential customers and winery colleagues is equally valued. “The peer-review of our wines and positive feedback from top winemakers have greatly contributed to maintaining our positive outlook,” Julian says in his honest, polished way. Their auction lot, the Greater Fool Petite Sirah “Frediani Vineyard” 2024 is perfectly dense and spicy with a bit more grace than most. Half of their 10 one-case lots went to first-time buyers of Greater Fool, which is exactly as hoped. They’ll sell their remaining 65 cases this fall.

Scott Dalecio of Dalecio Family Wines poured his 2024 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon with calm confidence. He benefited from having a little more open space around his barrel which helped him connect with tasters that came to him in steady, controlled order as if their number was called to approach. The wine tastes delicious and luxurious, as expected from his winemaking team Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky. This is Scott’s 2^nd year pouring at the barrel tasting, and he’s coming back next year. But he’s seen both sides of the barrel as he came as a customer before Dalecio Family Wines. He’s a devotee of the cause, noting “the philanthropic focus of the event for the community and its focus on youth wellness in the Napa Valley. Then there’s the comradery and opportunity to engage with wine lovers like me. So many talented winemakers and vintners here, it’s just an honor to be a part of the event.” His lots, like Greater Fool, balanced repeat buyers with new ones, and within & beyond California.

Outside in the marketplace, where Napa Valley Vintners members without a 10 case barrel auction lot poured their wines, I stopped to visit with an old colleague, Ken Bernards of Ancien Winery. I sipped on one of his Chardonnays, Ancien’s specialty along with Pinot Noir, as we sized up the scene around us in Mondavi’s new south wing. Ken first participated in Auction Napa Valley in the mid ‘90s, and keeps coming back for several reasons. “It’s one of the most rewarding events of the year – an opportunity to give back to the community we are part of. And I like sharing something that is new and special to me with Napa Valley’s biggest supporters.” And going back over 30 years, he’s witnessed much of the $245 million raised by ANV for Napa County healthcare, youth and environment. And here we stood, 45 years since the Mondavis helped launch the inaugural auction, in the spiffy new Mondavi digs that honor the past, look toward the future, and put on one heck of a party today.

$5 sandwiches at Lawler’s

And now for something completely different.

As my daughter Talia prepares for her freshman year at Napa High in August, I’m working on local business orientation with her. First on the list is…a liquor store?

As you probably know, Lawler’s is not JUST a liquor store. Their Italian deli and to-go dishes are as legendary as their spirits selection and holiday sale I wrote about last year. Add the $5 deli sandwiches to their wall of fame, which have fed many Napa High students for generations. And stop the presses please: the sandwiches are pretty good!

Choice of turkey, ham or salami on a soft Italian deli roll. Get the works: mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, dill pickle, deli peppers. There’s plenty of flavor inside so you’re not left with a fistful of bland bread at the end. Talia likes it with The Works: that’s my girl. Open the sandwich first to distribute the insides evenly, and pinch the back end firmly as you bite so the insides don’t squeeze out.

“We sell them all through the day to the kids, they just keep coming and coming,” co-owner Peter Ibrahim tells me as he and brother George tend to their endless line of customers. And why wouldn’t they? A $5 bill, tax included, for a solid sandwich to get you through the day. Napa High freshman can’t leave the campus, so I’m pitching Peter on getting one of those T-Shirt cannons you see at sporting events to launch sandwiches over to Talia at the corner.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

This is an all-events email. Check ‘em out.

Smoked & roasted heritage pork shoulder.
Fire-blasted vegetables, picked 40 feet away.
Garden greens from a stone’s throw away, soft boiled duck egg.
Summer strawberries with fresh ricotta and honey.
This is what you’ll enjoy at…
Dinner on the Farm and Bring A Bottle at Umbel Roots Farm
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
A ONE-OF-A-KIND EVENT. We gather at Umbel Roots Farm (on Hwy 37 near Novato) and share our wines as Umbel Roots owner William Henpenn and I cook for everybody (and yes, you can help out too if you wish).
$50/members, $75 non-members, plus a bottle of Rhone Valley or New World Rhone wine (one bottle admits two guests).
This will be epic. Join in the fun. DETAILS & BOOK IT (taking payment later)

“Yes, I Remember It Well”

Thursday, June 25, 6 PM. At Folklore Napa. $80/tasting.
I’ve added a couple more STARS to the line-up of 2015 vintage Napa reds.
Aaron Pott has provided his last bottle of 2015 (a magnum of Cab).
Tom Farella has joined the party with his Farella 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon.
They’re joining Kongsgaard, Purlieu, Amuse Bouche, Dyer, Parador, Miner Family, White Rock, Robert Craig and Detert Family. Eleven 2015 vintage wines + bubbles from Paula Kornell to begin, tasty food from the Folklore kitchen, music galore, and a silent auction to boot.

A two-love event. Love drinking Napa Valley wine? Love supporting pro-Democratic party causes? Loving one is good, loving both is GREAT!

This is a fundraiser for Field Team 6. “Register Democrats - Save The World!”

Info, Wine Line-Up, Buy Tickets, Donate

“Explore The Best Wines Under $25” with me, Dan Dawson, during
WINE WEDNESDAYS At Napa Valley College
4-part series
July 15 (Wines from Europe), July 22 (Southern Hemisphere)
July 29 (North America), August 5 - (Blind Tasting)
6 PM start.
$50/class or all four classes for $180

BUY TICKETS

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club.
Walk-around wine tasting with Massican, Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine.
Fundraiser for Napa Yacht Club Maritime Scholarship Program.
$30/person - EDC Members $20. Details and RSVP.

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

Eat Drink Cook Events Coming Up

Dinner on the Farm and Bring A Bottle at Umbel Roots Farm near Novato.
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
A ONE-OF-A-KIND EVENT. We gather at Umbel Roots Farm, share our wines, Umbel Roots owner William Henpenn and I will cook for the group.
$50/members, $75 non-members, plus a bottle of Rhone Valley or New World Rhone wine (one bottle admits two guests).
This will be epic, join in the fun. DETAILS & BOOK IT

“Yes, I Remember It Well”

Thursday, June 25, 6 PM. At Folklore Napa. $80/tasting.
Tasting of 2015 vintage Napa Valley Reds. We got some HEAVY HITTERS! Kongsgaard, Fayard, Amuse Bouche, Dyer, Parador, Miner Family, White Rock, Robert Craig and Detert Family. Nine 2015 vintage wines + bubbles from Paula Kornell to begin. This is a pro-Dem Party fundraiser for Field Team 6.

Info, Wine Line-Up, Buy Tickets, Donate

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Tomorrow: Friday, June 26, 5:15 PM. Info and sign up.

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club.
Walk-around wine tasting with Massican, Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine.
Fundraiser for Napa Yacht Club Maritime Scholarship Program.
$30/person - EDC Members $20. Details and RSVP.

Best Under $25 Wines of the World
by Dan Dawson (me!) at Napa Valley College
4-part series Europe - North America - Southern Hemisphere - Blind Tasting
On Wednesdays: July 15, July 22, July 29, August 5 - 6 PM start.
Details and buy tickets ($50/class or $180 for all 4 classes)

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

Chapter 5 Dinner Series – my best meal in 2026

The buzz began early this year. “Have you been to Chapter 5 yet?” “Have you heard about Chapter 5?” “I went to Chapter 5 and it was SO GOOD.” My intent to go grew, but I didn’t make it until, finally, a friend invited me. Nothing like the motivation of someone else picking up the check!

And so I went to dinner there two weeks ago. It was the best meal I’ve had this year. Not fancy, just great ingredients prepared on the simple side with expert technique. Alice Waters-esque, farm-to-table-style cooking for sure.

Chapter 5 is a very personal restaurant endeavor by chef and co-owner Morgan Robinson (he and wife Irma, proprietors). The name Chapter 5 points to this as it signifies 5 stages of Morgan’s culinary journey. It is a dinner series, offered every Wednesday, only on Wednesdays, at the Robinson’s Southside Café in the South Napa Century Center.

Morgan built his once-a-week dinner model to ensure consistent great food while maintaining his life-balance. “I was looking for a creative outlet post-pandemic,” he says, noting that, while he and Irma own Southside, Chapter 5 is its own entity on the culinary and marketing side a la the restaurant pop-up concept we’ve grown accustomed to.

The food is purchased direct from the source as much as possible, starting with “Farmer John,” Morgan’s principal produce supplier with whom Morgan consults closely to plan future menus. Morgan visits the gardens once or twice a week to pick up produce and to discuss what’s coming up. “Farmer John will tell me ‘Little Gems lettuce will be ready in two weeks,’ and I’ll start thinking about how I’ll use them on the next menu. If you’re serving once a week you can go around for a couple of days, have fun, procure all your stuff, talk to people,” Morgan tells me. This is impossible to do if running a 5-to-7 days a week restaurant - short of employing an army of young, aspiring chefs and charging much more. The French Laundry for example, and truly, the meal I had at Chapter 5 was not THAT far behind TFL.

I started with Farmer John’s Lettuce Salad, an orb of Red Tango lettuce cut in half, preserved Meyer lemon dressing and crispy capers. I added Della Fattoria lemon-rosemary bread with Chapter 5 house-churned butter, Tempura Broccoli Shoots with Bagna Cauda Aioli and a Hamachi Crudo Salad. For main course, the Lavender Scented Spring Lamb was tender, medium-rare slices of Sonoma leg of lamb on smashed fava beans and saffron cauliflower. The dish, like the ones before, were delicious, cohesive and made perfect sense. As are the wine pairings, like the Pott “Rhone-ish” Red Blend with the lamb. For dessert, Strawberry Layer Cake showcasing the beloved Silverado Trail Strawberry Stand.

As the meal progressed I would look over at Morgan in the open-air kitchen. Always cool as a cucumber, finishing dishes with economy of motion, observing customers and staff, so on top of the orders it seems he needs more to do. In his happy place from all appearances. “My dream has always been to own the neighborhood bistro,” he tells me, and this is it - on his own terms.

Dinner at Chapter 5 is a 3-course menu with two choices in each course + “next level” add-on options. The menu changes every two weeks and no dish is repeated over the calendar year. It’s a value at $40, as is the wine pairing option, chosen by Morgan, for $40. Reservations are required - you can try to walk in but I have a feeling “squeezing in” will become less and less likely.

Chapter 5: “Grown By Locals, Cooked By Locals, Enjoyed By Locals” 135 Gasser Drive, Suite B (South Napa Century Center). 707-927-5070. Chapter5napa.com
Vegetarian and gluten-free options available with advance notice.

Be Cool – Drink Riesling

Just for kicks I brought my Weber to Outer Space Wines the other day to grill up some brats during their California Riesling tasting. If you think a tasting of 19 California Rieslings with many of the winemakers in attendance would be popular, you’d be…RIGHT.

This Riesling tasting, and similar tastings by Outer Space and like-minded wine bars, is next-gen material through & through. The room was full of local winemakers and others working in the wine industry who, to a person, understand, if not embrace, Riesling wines. No “ugh, Riesling, it’s too sweet for me” in this group. Amongst the ad nauseum discussion of the wine business falling off a cliff, and the quixotic search for remedy to cure its malaise, are threads of hope like this tasting, brimming with 20 to 40-somethings who make wine, sell wine, buy wine and appreciate its practically infinite variety. Many here rely on Cabernet to make a living, but collectively are moving Napa Valley in another direction. What a joy to be in their company!

By the way, Outer Space Wines is heading for a makeover and name change. They’ll be closed over the 2^nd half of June, reopening as Zealot Bar & Bottle. In two years Thad and Emily Duprey of Outer Space/Zealot have built a strong following of devoted locals and a steady stream of visitors thanks to the best collection of bonafide 5-star Google reviews I’ve ever seen. They are excited to start THEIR next chapter with the launch of Zealot and be part of the Napa Valley wine evolution.

Outer Space Wines/Zealot Bar & Bottle. 974 Franklin Street, Downtown Napa. 707-657-7401 outerspacewines.com

After Bottle Rock Dogs

I was absolutely THRILLED to see the bacon-wrapped hot dog griddle-carts as I made my 10 PM departure from Bottle Rock, the air drenched with the smell of smoky bacon grease and fried onions. Napa City stated that “local law enforcement, working alongside County partners…will address unpermitted food vendors.” I read that and thought “damn, they’re taking our hot dogs away.” Well, maybe by addressing they meant they’d be buying a few because outside Bottle Rock were endless hot dog carts, each barking me over as I tried to pick the one with the most caramelized onions and peppers to dress my greasy bacon dog. Talia and I each had one; just outstanding. I am sated until, Dog-willing, Bottle Rock 2027.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

Eat Drink Cook Events Coming Up

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Tomorrow: Friday, May 29 (fifth Friday this month), 5:15 PM. An Eat Drink Cook Social Club members-only event (become a member anytime). Everyone chips in $25, I pick wines from the great Folklore wine list (30% off half the wine list during happy hour), we drink and talk about them.
EMAIL ME BACK TO RSVP.

Dinner on the Farm and Bring A Bottle at Umbel Roots Farm near Novato.
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
A ONE-OF-A-KIND EVENT. We gather at Umbel Roots Farm, share our wines, Umbel Roots owner William Henpenn and I will cook for the group.
$50/members, $75 non-members, plus a bottle of Rhone Valley or New World Rhone wine (one bottle admits two guests).
This will be epic, join in the fun. DETAILS & BOOK IT

“Yes, I Remember It Well”

Thursday, June 25, 6 PM. At Folklore Napa. $80/tasting.
Tasting of 2015 vintage Napa Valley Reds. We got some HEAVY HITTERS! Kongsgaard, Fayard, Amuse Bouche, Dyer, Parador, Miner Family, White Rock, Robert Craig and Detert Family. Nine 2015 vintage wines + bubbles from Paula Kornell to begin. This is a pro-Dem Party fundraiser for Field Team 6.

Info, Wine Line-Up, Buy Tickets, Donate

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club.
Walk-around wine tasting with Massican, Biale, Priest Ranch and Bouchaine.
Fundraiser for Napa Yacht Club Maritime Scholarship Program.
$30/person - EDC Members $20. Details and RSVP.

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

coming soon…

“Wines Under $25” by Dan Dawson
At Napa Valley College
4-part series
Europe - North America - Southern Hemisphere - Blind Tasting
On Wednesdays: July 15, July 22, July 29, August 5 - 6 PM start.
Ticket sales beginning next week. Email me or comment if you have questions.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

Event Recap. Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2 was mighty fine. Thanks to FoodShed for the great food and the winery owners/winemakers so generous with their time. And all of you who attended - your support is what keeps all us hospitality folks going. Thank you!

Upcoming Events

Sausages? Do I smell sausages? You will Friday night at Outer Space Wines as I will be grilling them up in the alley during their AMERICAN RIESLING walk-around tasting this Friday, May 15, 5 to 8 PM. 15 (!) American Rieslings in the tasting with many of the winemakers on hand to pour and discuss.

Sausages included in the $40 tasting ticket. EDC members get a splash of something special from me. Cool kid event for sure. No reso needed.

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Friday, May 29 (fifth Friday this month), 5:15 PM. And Eat Drink Cook Social Club Members only event…join us! Details and Book It

TIME TO SIGN UP!

Dinner on the Farm and Bring A Bottle at Umbel Roots Farm near Novato.
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
$50/members, $75 non-members, plus a bottle of Rhone Valley or New World Rhone wine (one bottle admits two guests).
This will be epic, join in the fun. DETAILS & BOOK IT

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #3
Thursday, July 30, 6 to 8 PM at Napa Yacht Club. EDC Members $20. Details.

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

Cookin’ #1. Potato Pancakes

My culinary journey began the age of 7 with the epic Peanuts Cook Book in hand. My first dish: Charlie Brown’s Mother’s Buttered Oven Potatoes. My mother, a potato zealot like her son and granddaughter, must have been pleased with her parenting the night I served them up. The rest is spud history.

My potato pancake does not have egg or flour like latkes or the German Kartoffelpuffer. Mine are like the Swiss version called Rösti, although this is coincidental. My top influence was probably watching the line cooks grate potatoes onto the huge griddle at the old Soscol Café. Here’s how I make one big potato pancake that serves 3 or 4.

Watch me make it on Youtube

A) Peel two large or three medium Russet potatoes and half a white or yellow onion. Grate both on the large holes of a box grater and put in bowl. Add half teaspoon salt and quarter teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix together by hand. (Non-negotiables: must use Russets for their high starch content, and do NOT rinse the potatoes after grating.)

B) Heat a 12 inch non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and 1 ½ tablespoons butter. Once butter has melted, add the potato mixture. Mix in pan so the oil and butter covers all the potato. Gently press down on the potato, forming your pancake, then shake & swirl the pan to make sure there’s no sticking. Cover pan, monitoring heat so the potato is sizzling a little, not a lot.

C) This is where your cooking skills kick in. Lift the pan every 90 seconds more or less, shake & swirl the pan so there’s no sticking, give the pancake a smell to make sure there’s no burning, and lift an edge to check for browning. Adjust heat as needed. After about 5 minutes the pancake will be nicely browned on the bottom (make sure) and ready to flip.

D) Flip the pancake by flipping it in the air “like the pros do it,” or, if that ain’t happening, plop it cooked side up onto a platter or cutting board then slide it back into the pan. Cook this side like the first: shake & swirl, cover, check it, smell it, adjust heat.

E) When it’s ready - in about five minutes - slide it onto a cutting board, cut into 6 or 8 pie-shaped slices, serve. (with eggs, red meat, a green salad…your call).

Cookin’ #2. Cornmeal & Honeyed Applesauce Cake

I’m excited to share this recipe because I could not find it online. Rather I altered a recipe I liked using The Google’s advice on substituting applesauce for eggs and oil. My inspiration is a frozen applesauce back-up from two Gravenstein harvests. I can’t stress how easy and how tasty this recipe is.

A) “Honey” the applesauce. Put 1/3 cup honey into an 8 inch sauté pan. Simmer over medium heat until honey is bubbling and turns a shade darker, about 2 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce, bring it to simmer without stirring and cook for 2 more minutes (keep eyes and nose on it so it does not burn). Cool to room temperature.

Butter a 9 x 13 cake pan or a 12 inch cazuela if you got one. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

B) Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. 1½ C fine cornmeal, 1½ C all purpose flour, 1 C wheat flour, 1 C white sugar, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ cup dried fruit, chopped if necessary (I like dried cherries) Mix well.

C) Combine wet ingredients. 2 eggs, 1/3 C melted & cooled butter, 2½ C whole milk and all the honeyed applesauce. Mix it all up.

D) Marry. Create a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the wet stuff, and fold gently until just combined. A few streaks of dry ingredients here and there is OK.

E) Cook in oven until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Turn the pan halfway through. Cool for an hour before taking it out of the pan, or just leave it in. Tastes fabulous as-is, or embellish with fresh fruit, whipped cream and/or ice cream.

Cookin’ #3. I’m 59 and finally making pasta the right way

I like to think my cooking confidence shows by broadcasting my shortcomings. Like pasta…I’ve been doing it wrong for 50 years. Cook al dente and reserve some salty pasta water: All this I’ve done forever. Other than that my preparation has been a bit of a hack job, like using a colander to drain the pasta, for instance. But no longer. Simply search “cook pasta Italy Youtube” and you’ll get an eyeful. Here’s what I do now. Let’s call it “The Right Pastuff.”

A) Have you pasta sauce, whatever it is, warm or simmering in your pot or pan. By no means have your cooked pasta waiting for your sauce to be ready.

B) Cook your pasta in salty water about 2 minutes less than package directions. The popular rule is for the water to be “salty as the ocean,” but that’s too salty in most cases. I say “half as salty as the sea.” As for undercooking it to “al dente,” keep in mind the pasta will finish cooking in Step D below.

C) When you’ve deemed your pasta perfectly undercooked, transfer directly into sauce, using tongs or big slotted spoon. Do not, repeat do not, pour your beautiful pasta into a colander. Keep your pot of hot pasta water next to you.

D) Stir pasta vigorously into the sauce, adding pasta water a quarter cup at a time as you stir. If your sauce is not particularly wet, like a tomato sauce, you may be surprised how much water the pasta absorbs. (“It’s like cooking risotto, but with pasta,” Holly notes as I prepare.) You’ll know, or hopefully you’ll know, when your pasta is perfectly wet and saucy.*

*if a dried cheese, Parmesan for example, is an ingredient in your pasta, grating it in along with your pasta water works wonders.

E) Portion out onto warm bowls or plates, finish as you desire with oil, cheese, herbs, nuts, etc and eat immediately.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

BIG EVENT this Friday night…

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2
Friday, May 1, 6 to 8 PM
At FoodShed Take Away, Napa
Eight wineries - 15 wines to taste!
Plus tasty treats served hot from the FoodShed kitchen included.
Wineries pouring:
Valravn & Marine Layer. Pass Wines. Syntropy and Whitlatch Cellars.
Hendry Ranch and Mike & Molly. Pestoni Family.
Social Club member price: $15. (Not a member: $25)

LET ME KNOW YOU'RE COMING!

Fourth Friday at Folklore Recap. It was a party of ten for the inaugural. We drank Swiss Chasselas, Alsatian dry Muscat, Sancerre Rouge and a 2016 Saint-Estephe. Folklore’s Steve Ventrello and I spoke about the wines, good music (Foo Fighters new album listen) and excellent vibes. Not bad for $25. Next one is, in fact, a FIFTH FRIDAY: May 29, 5:15 PM at Folklore. Must be a member to attend. Join.

ALL UPCOMING EVENTS

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

We lost a good one last week

Renowned winemaker and Calistogan Bill Dyer passed away last week. It was way too soon. Bill and his wife Dawnine are humbly, respectfully part of the Napa Valley winemaking tapestry of the last fifty years. Bill’s resume includes Sterling Vineyards winemaker in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Marimar Torres in Sonoma, consulting in Canada’s Okanagan Valley and, with Dawnine, Dyer Vineyard, a 2.2 acre plot around their home on Diamond Mountain.
Dyer Cabernet is glorious, by the way, and worth trying if you haven’t already. American fine wine is better because of Bill’s years of craftsmanship. He is missed.

A wine tasting perspective from both sides of the table

Today’s story starts with an ask from winery owner, winemaker and long-time friend Drew Neiman (sounds like DIAMOND, lose the last D). He asked me to help pour his eponymous wines, Neiman Cellars, at the “Discover Coombsville” tasting at COPIA last week. It was a one hour gig, leaving me with two hours to taste and chat with a few of the 30 or so wineries in attendance. Somewhere along the way I realized there was a good column to be written about this.

On the tasting side of the table

Around 35 wineries are spread around the first floor of cavernous CIA at COPIA. I arrive at 1 o’clock just as the tasting begins so most of the guests have yet to come. I briskly walk through for the lay of the land, not stopping because surely there’d be wine in my glass in a flash. Hopefully the room will soon fill up to engage all the winery owners, winemakers and representatives, as the case may be. Wineries present range from Coombsville standard-bearers like Farella and Caldwell to “new kids” like High Ranch and Rewa. A generous spread of pizza, cheese and charcuterie covers a long table running through the room. I find a couple Sauvignon Blancs to begin my tasting before I dive into the reds.

The set up could not be better for 3 hours of excellent wine, tasty food and good company. Definitely worth the $150 ticket price. Still, after the first hour, I wish more people were here. Find out later about 200 guests attended, which is OK, but hardly sufficient to cover the costs to put on the event.

The wines are expensive. After a while you grow numb to 3-figure price tags on these delicious but relatively unknown Cabernets. Step back and you wonder how many of the wineries have the buyers they need. Some wineries, like my buddy Drew Neiman, seems to have his methods in place. Some undoubtedly find themselves in a pickle they did not make. Making really good Napa Valley wine costs a lot of money.

I taste a while longer, find a few wines to recommend folks to taste (I’m often asked at events like this, “what wines here should I taste?”) then head over to the Neiman Cellars table before Drew departs.

On the pouring side of the table

Drew Neiman is pouring and engaging guests as I walk around to the pouring side. He has three Coombsville AVA wines to pour: Cabernet Franc and Syrah from “Caldwell Vineyard” and Chardonnay from “Haynes.” He has four extra wines, all Cabernet Sauvignons, to pour for those particularly interested in his wines. Prices range from $125 to $375 a bottle. His table has a constant flow of guests eager to taste his wines.

Drew takes a measured approach to these events. While selling wine is nice when it happens, it’s not his reason for pouring. “I need to believe in supporting the cause of the event. I am a customer of Coombsville growers, so whatever I can do to support the organization is important to me,” he explains. A positive attitude, readiness to entertain, and no expectation of sales are keys to achieving his definition of success at these events. “I go in with no expectations for sales and full expectations that people who show up at my table will have a great time. Doesn’t happen on the spot necessarily but I always benefit from pouring at events like this.” He tells me about a recent fundraiser event where he booked a private tasting that resulted in a 30 case sale. So, as he departs, I tell him to expect a 31 case sale from my hour behind the table.

Goals are different from table to table. Rudy Zuidema, winemaker for Coombsville wineries Shadybrook Estate and Napa de Oro, is there for the exposure and hopeful future sales. “We gather cards and emails and will invite them to join our wine club. If we get 30 emails maybe we’ll make 10 new customers, and then hopefully they’ll come visit, bring some friends who buy wine, and so on.” While the planting an acorn philosophy keeps the spirit alive, Rudy also acknowledges the importance of teamwork amongst growers and producers. “The Coombsville Growers is an important organization to me, and I’m here to support it. Besides, it builds up my good karma.” For comparison, Rudy tells me how he often pours at country club tastings out of the area. Immediate sales come much easier at these events. “I pour more wine, but I might sell ten to twenty cases at these events. And hopefully I get to play a round of golf too.”

Over at the Neiman Cellars table I pour, explain, answer questions and exchange information. Each taster is welcomed, heard and spoken to. Pay attention and make eye contact with those waiting to taste, and make sure buttinskis wait their turn. From years of wine bar service and sales this is my natural habitat. I pull out a few of my trusted techniques, like slowly rubbing my chin as I contemplate a question before offering a seminal answer like “the Chardonnay pairs best with seared scallops.” Tasters are into it: most are genuinely interested in the wines and, if not potential buyers someday, likely good ambassadors for the wines moving forward. I talk to a lot of guests who come to the Discover Coombsville tasting every year, making me think about how to get more fresh blood in here next year.

As the tasting wraps up, one guest walks up with a magnum of Neiman Cellars Chardonnay, won in a silent auction along with a private tasting. Neiman magnums are exclusively for charitable fundraising. I stick around 20 minutes past closing time to pour the last of the Syrah and Cabernet Franc since tasters were still thoroughly engaged and not buzz-hunting. Overall a successful event I think, and I hope the same for all the wineries in attendance. Now, if that 31-case purchase will just come in.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

ROAD TRIP RECAP. Great time last Sunday at Graziano Family and Ridge Lytton Springs. Beautiful drive to Hopland for a big tasting with Greg Graziano while I got lunch ready. Check out the spread on my Youtube video. I got six Social Club Members to come to this one - cost them $20 for the whole shebang. Then we scurried over to Ridge Lytton Springs for a special tasting of their iconic wines with Eliot, the hospitality team leader and educator. This was my first time at Lytton Springs and I’m so glad I went! (Reminder: upgrading to a paid Substack subscription earns you Social Club membership.)

EVENTS COMING UP

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Friday, April 24, 5:15 PM
Social Club Members gather at Folklore Napa for Happy Hour wine-time. Everyone chips in $25, Dan picks bottles from the great Folklore wine list, we all drink, talk about the wine, and hang out. BOOK IT

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2
Friday, May 1, 6 to 8 PM
At FoodShed Take Away, Napa
Five wineries - 15 wines to taste!
Arancini, meatballs and cheese tarts, fresh from the FoodShed Kitchen, included in the tasting.
Wineries pouring:
Valravn & Marine Layer. Pass Wines. Syntropy and Whitlatch Cellars.
Hendry Vineyard. Pestoni Family.
Social Club member price: $15. (Not a member: $25)
List of wines to be poured and BOOK IT

Road Trip!
Sunday, May 17
Palisades Canyon in Calistoga.
Vineyard walk, tasting, lunch. Open to Social Club Members. Send me a message if you’d like to attend.

Bring a Bottle Wine Dinner on the Farm
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
at Umbel Roots on Highway 37 east of Novato
Theme: Rhone Valley and New World Rhone wines.
Umbel Roots owner William Hennpen and I will prepare an awesome farm-to-table dinner family-style under the stars at Umbel Roots.
An Umbel Roots CSA box prize for best wine of the night (crowd vote).
One bottle admits two people + $50/person for social club members (not a member: $75).
More Info and Book (Book it soon - this will sell out.)

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

Good Eating in American Canyon and Vallejo

Today I take you south to our neighbor American Canyon, and a little further still to Vallejo, for some of my favorite restaurants and food trucks. I have a healthy addiction to the ethnic options, particularly southern Asian, in these towns where take-out is the norm. The food is fresh & made to order, and your money stretches a little further than in Napa equivalents. If I had a dollar for every time I picked up take-out from Vallejo or Am-Can on my way home from San Francisco I’d have…a lot of dollars.

Not to disqualify eating on location, mind you, because some dishes taste so much better steaming hot, straight from the kitchen. Favorite dishes and preference to stay or go are discussed. And (gasp) no wine talk in today’s Eat Drink Cook.

If you have favorite eateries in American Canyon and Vallejo not listed here, please share them in the comment section. Include your favorite dish or dishes too.

K Manna Korean Steet Food

Rather than a Vallejo pass-through, the family made a trip specifically to eat at K Manna. Consistently strong online reviews, a recommendation from my neighbor Lou and Saturday afternoon free time made it happen.

If this column has one dish that you have to try it’s K Manna’s Soft Tofu Soup, served bubbling hot in a stone bowl. The spicy, seductive smells will make you hungry no matter when you last ate, and the flavor is a perfect balance of sweet, salty, sour and rich. It’s made with silken tofu that begins to disintegrate and become one with the boiling hot broth, a very different experience than if made with firm tofu. “This would be my “feed a cold” soup if K Manna was a little closer,” wife Holly decided.

The Bulgogi (marinated thin-sliced beef) Bibimbap and Galbi (Korean Short Ribs) Platter were also perfectly seasoned and cooked. These two dishes will travel well for take-out, but if you can, have the Soft Tofu Soup at K Manna. Call in your order even if you’re eating there as everything is made to order, and if it’s busy you’ll be waiting a while. Sally, the owner with her husband and son, takes orders and cooks, too. They all cook, but “I make the Tofu Soup and the Bibimbap,” Sally let me know. Such a nice lady once we engaged her. Put K Manna on your must-go list.

K Manna Korean Steet Food, 601 Tennessee Street, Vallejo. 707-644-2200. Kmannaofficial.com

Kob’s Kitchen Lao and Thai Food Truck

The family has been BIG fans of Kob’s Kitchen Food Truck for five years now. Larb, papaya salad, spring rolls and Banh Mi sandwich: all delicious. At daughter Talia’s request we always get their Pad Thai, a fresh, vibrant take on the popular noodle dish. But TOPS on our list, a must get every time, is the Lao Nam Khao: Laotian Crispy Rice Salad. Crispy fried rice balls are crushed and tossed with sour pork sausage, peanuts, peppers, lime juice, fish sauce, cilantro, mint, green onions and more.

You can get stuck waiting for your food at Kob’s Kitchen so calling ahead is recommended. Located behind the Napa Valley Casino on Highway 29 in American Canyon, it’s an easy stop on the way home to Napa.

Kob’s Kitchen Food Truck, 3466 Broadway, American Canyon. 707-439-1759 Access the menu via Google.

Tacon Hambre Food Truck

Directly across Highway 29 from the humongous Walmart in American Canyon you’ll find the Tacon Hambre Food Truck. It’s a darling setup they have with ample covered seating in front of the truck. With a hundred drive-by’s and gotta-go’s under my belt I finally stopped there last week to try their popular quesabirria tacos.

Texture-wise the tacos are spot on with a crunchy-crisp exterior and generous portions of birria (they use beef) and cheese inside. The flavor is good but could be better. The consommé could be reduced more. After a good soaking I still applied salsa with a heavy hand. The caramelized onions on the side are a nice touch and welcome addition. Talia got a chicken “supreme” burrito, which also was full of tasty ingredients but sort of bland. Nothing wrong, but nothing great about it. Portion sizes are large. Their horchata is very good especially if you like it on the sweeter side.

Very nice and accommodating staff, service is fast. Next time I’ll try the highly rated Ensanada fish tacos and the loaded steak fries provided I can find three friends to share them with me.

Tacon Hambre Food Truck, 4225 Broadway, American Canyon. 707-805-4141 taconhambreca.com

VEC (Vaishnu Express Café) Indian Sweet and Chaat

I first went to this (mostly) vegetarian Indian spot years ago on recommendation from staff at the Kaiser hospital in Vallejo. It’s located in the shopping center fronted by Popeye’s Chicken near where Highways 29 and 37 cross.

You’ll do nicely ordering strictly from the chaat menu (chaat are a family of Indian “street food snacks” that combine crunchy, tangy and savory) like Samosa Chaat or mixed vegi pakora. So much to try at VEC you’ll need a few visits. The yellow dal (split lentil curry stew) served over rice is a good start. My take-out order is sure to include a Samosa, still hot from the oil, to eat on the way home (many napkins required). It’s the size of my fist, full of goodness, and costs only $2.

VEC Indian Sweet and Chaat. 4380 Sonoma Blvd, Vallejo. 707-557-5460.

Abo’s Cocina

I introduced many readers to Abo’s, a Guatemalan restaurant in Vallejo, in my column last September. I’ve been back a couple of times since. My favorites are still their chuchito, a Guatemalan tamale of sorts, and their pupusa.

Abo’s Cocina, 3570 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo. 707-866-1924.

Four stops for PHO

Vallejo is not short on restaurants that serve a great bowl of pho, the Vietnamese soup made with clear broth, rice noodles, usually with a meat of choice and tons of sides (bean sprouts, spicy green pepper, Thai basil and cilantro). While pho travels well making it good for take-out, there’s nothing like being served a steaming hot bowl and a platter of fixins on the side.

Here are four Vallejo restaurants I recommend for pho:

Pho Hoang, 3495 Sonoma Blvd, 707-980-6886, phohoangvallejo.com
Pho Hoang is next to Seafood City Supermarket. Have some pho while you wait to have your grouper cleaned.

Pho #1 Noodle House, 3885 Sonoma Blvd, 707-553-9859. Pho1vallejo.com
The “spiffiest” looking restaurant of the bunch. Very good pho, big menu of other items, beer on tap.

Phở Hương Việt, 5201 Sonoma Blvd, 707-649-9999. Phohuongvietrestaurant.com
In a shopping center at Highway 29 and Mini Drive in north Vallejo, so a convenient stop on the way home from the Bay Area. The dining area is fine, but I’ve only had take-out from here. The pho has been excellent every time.

Viet Pho Restaurant, 1774 Tuolumne Street, 707-556-9999. I have not been here, but in my research I see the reviews for Viet Pho are off the charts.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

Thanks to Philip Greene, who penned To Have and Have Another as the title for his Hemingway-inspired cocktail companion book where you’ll find the perfect Negroni recipe.

EVENTS COMING UP

Road Trip!
This Sunday, April 12
Graziano Family Wines in Hopland and Ridge Lytton Springs in Geyserville
First stop, 11:30 AM at Graziano Family tasting room in Hopland with founder/owner/maker Greg Graziano.
We’ll taste, visit, snack (I’ll bring the bites) and buy some of Greg’s great wines.
Second stop: 2 PM: Ridge Lytton Springs for a ride through their 100+ year old vines followed by a tasting of current release and library wines.
Social Club member price $85/person. (Not a member: $125)
BOOK IT

Fourth Fridays at Folklore
Friday, April 24, 5:15 PM
Social Club Members gather at Folklore Napa (Bar, Bistro, Record Store) for Happy Hour wine-time. Everyone chips in $25 for Dan and Folklore owners Steve & Faith to choose bottles from the award-winning wine list. Enjoy the wines and learn about the from Dan, Steve and Faith.
The more members attending the more interesting wines we’ll taste.
Read my Substack about Folklore.
For Social Club members only (if you’re not a member yet, LOVE to have you!)
BOOK IT

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2
Friday, May 1, 6 to 8 PM
At FoodShed Take Away, Napa
Five wineries - 14 wines to taste!
Tasty treats fresh from the FoodShed Kitchen.
Wineries pouring:
Valravn & Marine Layer. Pass Wines. Syntropy and Whitlatch Cellars.
Hendry Vineyard. Pestoni Family Winery.
Social Club member price: $15 (Not a member: $25)
BOOK IT

Bring a Bottle Wine Dinner on the Farm
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
at Umbel Roots on Highway 37 east of Novato
Theme: Rhone Valley and New World Rhone wines.
Umbel Roots owner William Hennpen and I will prepare an awesome farm-to-table dinner family-style under the stars at Umbel Roots.
An Umbel Roots CSA box prize for best wine of the night (crowd vote).
One bottle admits two people + $50/person for social club members (not a member: $75).
More Info and BOOK IT (I expect this will sell out.)

BURGUNDY - a ten day tour

September 16 to 26, 2026 - Details

Every day will be full of awesome wine, great meals, vineyard walks, bike rides, winery lunch, family farm dinner, five star hotels. Taste wines grown from the soil under your feet in Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle Musigny, Pommard, Pouilly-Fuisse, Santenay, Marsannay, Beaujolais & more. Learn about the place, the wines and the people as we go.
And you get me. Did I mention that? I’ll be there with you every step, every sip of the way. 10 spots are taken. 2 spots left. Make it be you.

Can I tell you more about it? Hit this button and let’s chat.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

I have a fun story today, and an excellent tip whether you live in Napa or will be visiting sometime. Here’s a thought…how about a monthly Eat Drink Cook Social Club gathering at Folklore. Everyone kicks in $25 and I choose the wines to drink. Would you become a Social Club member to join in this wine geek fest? (Reminder: upgrading to a paid Substack subscription earns you Social Club membership.)

EVENTS COMING UP
Member or not, LOVE to have you!

Road Trip!
Sunday, April 12
Graziano Family Wines in Hopland and Ridge Lytton Springs in Geyserville
First stop, Graziano Family with founder/owner/maker Greg Graziano.
We’ll taste, visit, snack (I’ll bring the bites) and buy some of Greg’s great wines.
Second stop: Ridge Lytton Springs for a ride through their 100+ year old vines followed by a tasting of current release and library wines.
Social Club member price $85/person. (Not a member: $125)
More Info and Book

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2
Friday, May 1, 6 to 8 PM
At FoodShed Take Away, Napa
Five wineries - 14 wines to taste!
Tasty treats fresh from the FoodShed Kitchen.
Wineries pouring:
Valravn & Marine Layer. Pass Wines. Syntropy and Whitlatch Cellars.
Hendry Vineyard. Pestoni Family.
Social Club member price: $15. (Not a member: $25)

Bring a Bottle Wine Dinner on the Farm
Saturday, June 20, 6 PM
at Umbel Roots on Highway 37 east of Novato
Theme: Rhone Valley and New World Rhone wines.
Umbel Roots owner William Hennpen and I will prepare an awesome farm-to-table dinner family-style under the stars at Umbel Roots.
An Umbel Roots CSA box prize for best wine of the night (crowd vote).
One bottle admits two people + $50/person for social club members (not a member: $75).
More Info and Book (Book it soon - this will sell out.)

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

I’ll Meet You At Folklore!

I wouldn’t say I’m a regular at Folklore. I stop in once or twice a month. Not for Happy Hour in particular, but their “Happy Hours,” as the A-Frame sign on the sidewalk reads, are Monday to Friday 3 to 6 PM, longer than most. For my schedule the time works nicely.

Before I go further, I’ll mention that Napa has a wealth of inviting Happy Hours. Visit/search for DoNapa Happy Hours and Happy Hour Napa for fairly well maintained lists. Paul Franson’s NapaLife newsletter includes a thorough Napa Valley Happy Hour list with subscription. There is no best Happy Hour – just favorites. My favorite is at Folklore.

I have a few reasons, some personal, like knowing owners Faith and Steve Ventrello since they moved to Napa 27 years ago. The number one reason Folklore Happy Hour is my favorite is because they discount half their wine list 33%. The wines are well-priced anyway, so with 1/3^rd off I’m often paying less than I would at a wine shop.

A Friday Afternoon

I walk into Folklore a couple of Fridays ago with my daughter Talia. My wife Holly is wrapping up work at the county building across the street and will meet us soon. I see Jin and Jen, old friends from my wine merchant days, enjoying the Crocker & Starr Cabernet Franc 2019 for $66 (wow). We sit next to them at a small bistro table.

You may remember from my last column that my desert island wine grape is Chenin Blanc, especially if it’s from Loire Valley, France, where its wonderfulness shines brightest. I see the Aubert Vouvray Sec (dry Chenin Blanc from vineyards around the town of Vouvray…Aubert is the winery) for $35, so $23 for the bottle during Happy Hour. I’ll have that.

Jessie Montero, our server, suggests to Jin & Jen the smoked trout dip and the warm salted pretzel too, in case the accompanying naan runs out before the dip. They order it and I do the same. Talia orders a Shirley Temple and we’re all set for now.

The Vouvray tastes of Meyer lemons, tart pineapple and Bosc pears. It coats my mouth with a honeyed essence but without sweetness. Served frosty cold so it warms in the glass a bit, it’s refreshing and satisfying. Dare I say the best $23 bottle I’ve had in a restaurant this century?

Holly arrives, as do our friends Tom and Angela. We finish the Vouvray and, to keep things simple, order another. Talia orders a second Shirley Temple and borrows a deck of cards from Jessie for a game of Go Fish with Dad as the others chat away. We’re there until 7.

Talia and I returned last Friday for a little more research on this piece. This time I go Loire Valley red wine, Domaine de Beausejour Chinon, for $36 during Happy Hour. Steve Ventrello, whose “day job” is owning & operating a wine import and wholesale company, is the wine director…the mind behind the wines at Folklore. He pops and pours for me. We try the Carnitas Street Tacos, only offered during Happy Hour. They’re very good but not as satisfying as the smoked trout dip. The Chinon tastes of red plums, pomegranate and sage. A good wine and a fine fit inside Folklore’s Parisian-esque bistro.

Folklore Wine List – A Wine Geek’s Delight

In 2023 Jess Lander of The San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “Folklore has the most interesting wine list in the Napa Valley.” I say it’s not only the most interesting, it’s the best – because not only is it loaded with intriguing wines that I want to try, but the mark-ups are lower than most. To give you an idea of value, there are about 350 wines on the list - over half of them under $100. Put this same list in the hands of most any other Napa restaurant and 75-80% of the wines would be three figures. (Not to mention the 1/3^rd off Happy Hour prices.)

A perusal through the six page list is a journey through Europe and California, combining wine legends with imaginative newcomers and everything in between. Categories include “Seductive Whites from Southern France,” and “The Old Castilian – Rioja.” Steve pointed out his just-added category: “Burgundy Anomaly: Aligoté.” A bettin’ man would wager Folklore has the only Aligoté section outside of France.

The pricier the wine the greater the savings during Happy Hour, so it’s a good time to go large with a bottle of Krug or Roederer Cristal Champagne. Or, closer to home, Williams Selyem Russian River Pinot Noir 2021 for under $90.

With too many wine list twists and turns to cover here, I suggest you go in to slowly soak it all in. Steve, Faith and the staff will assist. At the bottom of the column are the 12 wines on the list I most want to drink. Keep it handy if you see me there and want to share one of them with me.

A Cold Splash of Water to the Face

I feel like Folklore is a gift of creativity and ingenuity to Napa. Their business model, an “intersection of the best in music, libations, and food” includes craft cocktails and a record store. While people like me reasonably think it would be constantly bustling, that is not the case. It’s busy sometimes, but not enough. Three years in, it’s still impossible for the Ventrellos to predict business. “Our local support has been amazing, but we need to work on getting more visitors to The Valley consistently,” Faith tells me. I’ve witnessed both sides: full of people music and laughter…and stunningly slow. “We haven’t been able to make accurate business projections yet,” Faith continues, explaining that each segment of the business (bistro, bar, records, events) needs its own capital infusion, and it’s hard with inconsistent business. I suggest you treat yourself to an afternoon, evening, or both at Folklore.

Dan’s Top 12 Wine Picks at Folklore

* offered for 1/3^rd off during Happy Hour, Monday-Friday 3 to 6 PM

Egly-Ouriet Champagne Extra Brut “Les Prémices” $175*. Tack on a Regiis Ova Caviar bump for $10.

Vignoble Aubert Vouvray Sec 2023 $35*. Praises sang above.

Bitouzet-Prieur Meursault “Clos du Cromin” 2019 $150*. A delicious lesson in White Burgundy for $100 during Happy Hour.

Rabasse-Charavin Cairanne Blanc “Cuvée d’Estevanas” 2018 $60. Personal pick. One of my favorite wineries growing up in wine in the ‘90s. Crazy it’s on the list. I’m so curious…

Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021 $130*.
Mentioned above.

White Rock Claret, Napa Valley 2019 $125*. Superb Cab-heavy bland, excellent vintage, drinking perfect now, that is sold out most everywhere else.

Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme” 2020 $110* My headstone will read “His first loves were the 1981 49ers and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.”

Parador Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2013 $90* Steve & Faith’s wine label. Steve makes the wine. Excellent vintage made to age. It has aged.

Cantina del Pino Barbaresco 2019 half-bottle $60. Want something really special but not too much? Bingo.

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2006 $200. We shall imbibe and discuss the vagaries of brettanomyces.

Château du Glana Saint Julien 2017 $90*. A killer Bordeaux flying under the radar. Paying $60 during Happy Hour is a misdemeanor in some states.

Adega de Monção Escolha - Vinho Verde 2021 $25. From “The Cheapest Wines On The List Deserve To Be Drunk” Section.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

EVENTS COMING UP

We’ve got a Road Trip this Saturday.

Road Trip to Jolie-Laide Winery in Sonoma
This Saturday, March 14, 12 noon.
I’m grilling up skewers of various meats and veggies to go with an array of Jolie-Laide wines, poured for us by co-owner/co-winemaker Scott Schultz.
If you can come, please BOOK by tomorrow night.
$20/person for Eat Drink Cook Social Club Members and a +1.
$40/person for non-members
2nd winery visit (optional) in Sonoma after Jolie-Laide “in the works”

So many wonderful tastings coming up. Here’s a “taste.” Email me for more information as they are mostly not yet posted on my events calendar.

Road Trip to Graziano Family Wines in Hopland and ???
Sunday, April 12
More Info and Book

For the following events, write me “I’m interested” and I’ll let you know when the date has been confirmed and I’m taking reservations.
Social Club members get first crack at booking.

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase #2
Friday, May 1, 6 to 8 PM
At FoodShed Take Away, Napa
Visit and taste with winery owners/winemakers

Wine Dinner at the Farm
Saturday, June 20 tentatively
at Umbel Roots in Petaluma

Road Trip (back) to Green & Red Vineyards
late July (specific date tbd)
One of our greatest outings of 2025 gets a replay!

Taste Massican Wines with winemaker/founder Dan Petroski
Date TBD.

******* A paid Substack subscription = EDC Social Club Membership *******

Petite Sirah and Chenin Blanc, I appreciate you.

It’s a Cab’s Cab’s Cab’s world in the Napa Valley. A four day sojourn to attend various tastings as part of Premiere Napa Valley reinforced this for me. That’s cool: Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley can be amazing, and for years it has been the most dependable return on investment for growers and makers.

But politely raising their hands during the annual wine party and auction that is “Premiere” were two grapes that have my unwavering respect: Chenin Blanc and Petite Sirah. One of these, in fact, I declare my “desert island grape.” I tell you which it is at the end of the column.

Each grape was celebrated during Premiere at its own dedicated tasting. Since I sampled around 20 wines at each as I chatted up the winemakers, I thought I’d write this column.

I tasted a few stand-out wines which I’ll mention, but this is not a wine recommendation piece, and I’ll take it easy on the grape lectures. I find most interesting, and hope you do too, is why these two “underdog grapes” garner the interest if not admiration of Napa winemakers. What makes these grapes important in our wine country and worthy of our time and money? Allow me to take you along to the two tastings for insight.

Petite Sirah & Bacon Breakfast at Biale Vineyards

I pull into Biale Vineyards on Big Ranch Road at 8:15 AM for the earliest wine tasting of my life. Inside I find over a dozen producers pouring Petite Sirah and a buffet filled with some of the bast bacon on the planet. The line goes, “bacon makes everything better,” and that most definitely goes for Petite Sirah. This is Biale’s 12^th annual Petite Sirah and Bacon Breakfast, and once you wake up the tastebuds 8:15 AM is a good time to taste (and spit) strong red wine.

If wine has a soul then Petite Sirah is James Brown. The grape arrived in American in the 19^th century with European immigrants along with Zinfandel, Carignane and a few others. Why the seldom-grown French grape was chosen for the trip west is unclear although its high yields, disease resistance and thick-skin sturdiness had something to do with it. The winemakers at the Petite Sirah tasting hold it in great respect.

Host Bob Biale is the grape’s honorary chairman for the day, stating, “Petite Sirah was the grape, along with Zinfandel, that put California wine on the map in the 1880s. That’s important to us because we want to remind people what Napa was, before the evolution to what it is today. It’s a strong, rich tradition, and we like to celebrate it.” If you like powerful reds seek out the Biale Petite Sirah “Royal Punishers.” While uber-concentrated, it’s also complex and remarkably polished. At $50-$55/bottle it’s one of the best values in artisan Napa wine today.

Julie Johnson of Tres Sabores Winery in Rutherford speaks to Petite Sirah’s specialness so well. “It’s my connection to the past. As far as I know Petite Sirah was the first grape planted at Tres Sabores in the 1890s,” she told me. She grows Petite Sirah to blend into her estate Zinfandel to add color, tannin and more spice: common use for the grape through the years before wineries let it stand alone. The Tres Sabores Petite Sirah comes from Calistoga. It’s a beauty. “Napa is the perfect place for Petite Sirah,” she explains. “Warm weather, dry farming, morning sun coming over the Palisades. It is a wine that is far underestimated.” While it can be awfully dry and almost painful, “if you let the blackberry and the mocha come out, it’s wonderful.”

Stephanie Douglas launched Aratas wine in 2008 with one wine: Napa Valley Petite Sirah. The brand has expanded a bit but Petite Sirah is the focus. Stephanie is the ultimate champion of the grape. “It’s an American heritage grape, one of the original cornerstones of the American wine industry,” she says. Today, while still under-appreciated, it perseveres: “It’s a survivor…all-American story, a pioneer, an underdog. It says, ‘I’m going to make it on my own, watch this.’” Who would play Petite Sirah in a move, Sly Stallone?

Chenin Blanc at Ballentine Vineyards

Go waaaaaaaay over to the other end of the wine spectrum from Petite Sirah and find in that general area Chenin Blanc. I say general because you can’t pigeonhole Chenin as it takes so many forms. More about that in a moment.

Hard to fathom that in 1969 the most planted grape in Napa Valley was…Chenin Blanc. Truly, 749 acres grew here because, like Petite Sirah, it can yield a lot of grapes. Also at the time it made a popular sweet white wine, most notably by Charles Krug. Changing times, however, did not treat Chenin well as only 10ish acres grew in 2017. Now Napa is up to around 20 acres, and more importantly, there is interest in Napa Chenin, spearheaded by the winemaking community. I touched base with a few of them at a tasting of Chenin Blanc at Ballentine Vineyards.

My takeaway from tasting and talking: Chenin Blanc makes lovely, different and occasionally a special wine in Napa Valley, but it’s an accessory to a winery’s wardrobe. While Petite Sirah gets reverence, Chenin Blanc gets an atta boy. It’s different, it’s tasty, and it’s not Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

One reason for this is that Napa Valley is too warm to make world-class Chenin Blanc. It shines most in the cool air and chalky soils of Loire Valley, northern France. In California the best Chenin Blancs I’ve had come from Chalone, Santa Ynez Valley, Dry Creek Valley and the Sacramento Delta. They’re cheaper than their Napa counterparts, too. That said, there is plenty of optimism for Chenin Blanc in Napa and the winemakers shared it with me.

Bruce Devlin, the winemaker for Ballentine Vineyards and the host of the tasting, wants Ballentine to be the face of Napa Chenin. “We’re producing very floral, fresh pear/apple style. We add a little oak, bottle it young, keep it bright and fresh,” he says. Ballentine has made the most consecutive vintages of Chenin Blanc in Napa Valley, beginning with 2002 (Chappellet made it earlier, and does now, but took a break after pulling out their old vines.)

Matt Naumann, co-owner and winemaker of Newfound Wines, makes 67 cases from 80 year old Chenin vines at “Henry Ranch” in Pope Valley. Working with these old vines is a natural fit for Naumann’s admiration of California wine history. To his credit, he has higher aspiration for the grape in Napa Valley than I do. “It’s a variety I’ve always loved, and having access to ‘Henry Ranch,’ one of the older vineyards in the state was a real opportunity. We’ll see what I can do to redefine the greatness of the variety.”

And finally there’s Sean Capiaux’s take. A Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir winemaker extraordinaire, he planted an acre of Chenin Blanc on his home property in the Oak Knoll District. He bottles it under his TBD label. He has an easy-going attitude to these wines. “It has so many expressions, so many ways to make it,” he tells me. “I have sparkling, still and sweet here today. You can age it in oak, or no oak, put it through malolactic fermentation, or don’t. You can do so much with it…I’m throwing a dart at the Chenin board.”

It’s that versatility that makes Chenin Blanc my desert island wine. If I’m stuck on desert island with all the fish and tropical fruit I can eat, I want a mouth-tingling white wine that can be crisp, rich, sparkling or sweet. That’s Chenin. So now you know.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

After various names, I’ve settled on calling our merry group a Food & Wine Social Club. Bringing people together to enjoy excellent wine and food is the strongest, and frankly most marketable, part of Eat Drink Cook, and where I’ve had the most membership growth.

If you are one of my members living outside these parts, an even bigger thank you for the support because I know that you know you can’t reap all the benefits of membership. Don’t forget that I am always at your service for wine advisement. Let’s talk about my helping you set up a wine party - perhaps remote in to talk about the wines. And allow me to “set you up” on your next visit to Napa/Sonoma…I’ll try to join you for a wine tasting.

I hit Year 2 with some momentum from my first Wine Tasting Showcase, held last Friday night. We filled up The Food Mill Kitchen with winemakers and wine lovers. A lot of wine was enjoyed, a little wine was purchased.
Here we are:

I’m in the process of nailing down the location and date for Wine Tasting Showcase 2 and will let you know.

Read more

You’re invited to my super wine tasting this Friday:

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase
This Friday, February 27, 6 to 8 PM
At The Food Mill Kitchen, Napa
Visit and taste with owners/winemakers of five local, micro-wineries. They are:

• Richard Brockmeyer - Brockmeyer Family (Albariño, Sparkling Wine and Syrah)

• Michaela Rodeno - Villa Ragazzi (Oakville Estate Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon)

• Kira Ballotta - Olivia Brion and Cantadora Winery (White Blend, Red Blend, Tempranillo)

• David Huang - David Clinton Winery (Zinfandels from Dry Creek Valley)

• Ellen & Gary Luchtel - Fortunati Winery (Napa Estate Syrah two ways! Rosé and red)

$20/person - $10 each for EDC members and guests.
The Food Mill is bringing out some very tasty snacks!

RSVP for the Wine Tasting Showcase

The community came out for “Share That Bottle Night,” a celebration of wine co-hosted by Outer Space Wines and Eat Drink Cook. Wine of the night? Hard to say, but 1995 Dalla Valle “Maya” Napa Valley was voted #1 by attendees. Plenty of others were enjoyed like Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosché 2001, Larkmead “Firebelle” 2003 and Chapoutier Ermitage “Le Pavillon” 1997. Keep an eye out for the next Share That Bottle party.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

If I’ve read it once I’ve read it a thousand times.

The California wines made today are sweet, simple and taste the same. The character of the grape and the place are gone.

The criticism continues on, ending with usually the same conclusion: The California wine industry has sold out. Craftsmanship and integrity has been sacrificed in exchange for higher ratings and easier sales. It went to the dark side and never came back.

Not true, I say. And in the fashion of doubling down, I also say California wine, and Napa Valley wine in particular, benefits from its transformation to a riper, richer style.

Here’s Where I’m Coming From

You should know my story before I continue making my case. I came to Napa Valley in 1992 and quickly immersed myself into the wine business - mostly retail, some fine dining somm work too. The early/mid ‘90s saw the first wave of Napa cult wines. Araujo, Bryant Family, Harlan, Screaming Eagle. A few came before, like Shafer “Hillside” Cabernet. These wines boasted a richness and appeal at a young age that began to redefine great Napa Cabernet and other red wines (the Turley Zinfandels of the ‘90s come to mind). The critic Robert Parker had a preference for certain wine styles, what I call “Big Flavor” wines, at the right time to become a massive influence on wine sales. He got flak for changing the way wine was made, which was true indirectly because he told the wine industry what wine consumers wanted. Many wanted to shoot the messenger.

In 2002 I went into business for myself and opened up a wine shop and wine bar in Napa. Big Flavor wines were off to the races by then with labels like Orin Swift, Pride Mountain and Bond skyrocketing in popularity. And they were affordable too, by the way. I had access to these wines, the customers for them, and a keen sense for a quality Big Flavor wine. Sometimes I’d taste a wine and before its “Parker Score” was published and confidently buy it in anticipation of a good review. I was usually right, but if not then all the better because I could get more of it, and my Big Flavor wine customers loved them. My business had a good run.

It’s A Matter of Taste

My dad, a Latin teacher at one time, liked to tell us kids, “de gustibus non est disputandum,” which means “concerning taste there is no argument.” Outside of a scholastic wine tasting class perhaps, you can’t tell someone what tastes good and what doesn’t, but you can keep track of what people do like. I’ve been doing that most of my professional life.

A couple walk into the wine bar, I pour them two wines, let’s say they’re Napa Cabs for the sake of the story. Same quality – equally representative of their respective style. One tastes of tart red fruits, tobacco, tea and mushrooms and grips the gums with tannins at the end: a provocative wine typical of the wines made in the 1970s and ‘80s. The other has the Big Flavor. Blackberries, cocoa, dark spices. Tannins are soft or if firm are complemented by a long, rich finish. That couple, visiting Napa Valley, spending money, never read a wine review in their lives, will prefer the Big Flavor wine 9 out of 10 times.

Turning people into customers by making wines they want to drink is a sell-out if the winemaker compromises her craft in the process, but in the upper echelon of Napa Valley wine that’s not the case.

Transparency Versus Richness

I tasted a lot of Napa’s best wines last week at Premiere Napa Valley, the annual wine trade event and auction of unique, limited-edition wines. Without a doubt richness takes precedence over transparency, a term used for a wine made to showcase the land from which it grows, and usually means alcohol under 14% and minimal oak influence. The winemaking craft is no less with the rich style. In fact, with the training and international perspective of today’s winemaker, I’d say the craft today is greater than it has ever been, and the definition of transparency has changed. The winemakers I tasted with during Premiere think so.

“The Cabernets I make from different vineyards taste very different from each other,” Helen Keplinger, one of California’s best winemakers, told me. Her Keplinger wines are rich and powerful, and they DO taste different from each other. Now, I would not put her or any other Big Flavor wines up to the AVA style test – Oakville tastes like Oakville, Stags Leap like Stags Leap, etc. I’ve always noticed the distinctiveness of a vineyard more than a region, whether it’s here or anywhere else in the world. The taste of a vineyard, or the consistent personality of a blend (check out the Keplinger “Lithic” as a shining example of this). Is this where the evolution of California wine is heading?

Today’s winemakers are vineyard nerds and non-interventionists

Kelly Peterson’s first vintage at Switchback Ridge Vineyard and Winery was 1999. Robert Parker loved the wines and gave them high scores. The special spot in Calistoga’s Dutch Henry Canyon and the Big Flavor winemaking by Bob Foley was a winning combination. Those early wines were dark, opulent and textural. The demand for the wines was incredible, and today Peterson still sells out before the next vintage is ready for release. You could say Switchback Ridge is a poster child for the Big Flavor wine craze. Fair enough, but 25 years later the craftsmanship of the wine, and the dedication to quality, is still as good as it gets.

The Switchback Ridge winemaker now is Thomas Rivers Brown, one of Napa’s best. As the years have gone by, Brown has become more vineyard-focused and moved to a lighter touch in his winemaking. His wines are rich, no doubt, but he’s making wines from vineyards that want to make ‘em that way. In nerdy wine-speak Brown is more winegrower than winemaker. “There is no intentional style we’re trying to achieve,” Peterson told me. “If anything there is more minimalism than in the past. Thomas picks the wines a little fresher and brighter than what we’ve done in the past.” I tasted the 2023 Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah with Peterson. It’s a mouthful of rich, wonderful joy that, to me, celebrates Napa’s special place in the winemaking world.

The Winery Vibe at Premiere Napa Valley 2026

I covered Premiere Napa Valley last year, and was a too hung up on “the state of the wine industry” and its well-documented headwinds. How much are the auction lots selling for? How does it compare to five years ago? What does it mean for Napa Valley wine? It was tiring.

Indeed, wine sales are tough and will get tougher. Instead of lamenting, the Premiere 2026 vibe is that Napa Valley wineries are more interested in taking action. You could say a year ago the wine downturn was more mysterious, and what you don’t know is scary. Now the path forward for this group is clearer, so the path forward while not easy is taking shape. So what do you say we enjoy some great Napa Valley wine and have a fine time selling it?

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

Two big events coming up with significant club member savings.

“Share That Bottle” Bring-A-Bottle Party
Saturday, February 21, 6 to 8:30 PM
At Outer Space Wines, Downtown Napa

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase
Friday, February 27, 6 to 8 PM
At The Food Mill Kitchen, Napa
Visit and taste with the owners/winemakers of five local, micro-wineries.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

It’s Wednesday night, February 4.

I’ve been carrying the idea in my head for months, and it turns out tomorrow is the perfect day for it. I have a morning meeting near Calistoga that will wrap up at 10:30 AM, and then free time until 3 PM, daughter Talia pick-up time in Napa. My assignment: fill my free 4+ hours with wine tasting and a bite to eat.

Hardly a heavy lift, but I’ll make it interesting. I’m tasting alone: party of one. I have no reservations, and I have a $100 budget. I’d say all three twists are not particularly conducive to today’s Napa Valley wine tasting business model of intimate experiences and high check averages.

I wonder how I’ll do.

The Rules and The Planning

Self-implied rules for the day.
I stay north of Napa for all my tastings.
Tips don’t count in the $100 budget. Food does count.
I have another $100 to spend on bottles should a purchase waive the tasting fee, thereby stetching out my tasting budget.
No reservations, but I can call ahead to make sure walk-ins are being accepted.
No special local, trade or media discounts. If asked what I do for a living, I’ll say I’m a retired teacher. (Fast forward - this plan failed miserably. I can’t help showing off my wine chops and eventually fessing up about my project.)

When I hit the internet Wednesday night, my task feels daunting. It feels like all the tastings, or “experiences” as commonly used, start at $60. This is going to take some digging.

The excavation came up with some possibilities. A $20 tasting here, a $25 tasting there, each with “reservations recommended” or “we receive walk-ins upon availability” qualifiers. We’re not in 1989 anymore, Moxie (my dog and companion for the tasting day). So, really, I’m jumping into this with an open mind and no fear of rejection. Damn, I just had a Canvassing for Kamala flashback.

Thursday, February 5: Napa Valley Tasting Day

First stop, 10:45, Brasswood Cellars for their $20 tasting of 3 wines. This is designed for walk-ins, appropriate as Brasswood has a bakery/café perfect for drop-ins, and an excellent restaurant too. I tasted Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. All made with care and precision. Equally enjoyable was my time with Lynn Kopper, who led me through the tasting and told me about all the great reasons to come back, like the bakery/café. Part of me wanted to blow off the assignment, grab a BLT and read my book in the courtyard. Brasswood has a walk-up standing bar and is dog friendly. I’ll be back for that BLT and a glass of wine, but it’s 11:30 and I got to go.

By the way, Thursday’s a great day to wine taste in Napa. All the wineries are open but not busy like the weekends, so you get more time with your wine host or hostess.

Rombauer Vineyards

The Rombauer website instructs to call if you want to visit in less than 24 hours, so I did. I booked a tasting for 11:45, ten minutes from now. I arrive to a table with a “Welcome Dawson Party” sign. Love this. Beautiful day, perfect 70 degree weather, gorgeous views of the Rombauer gardens and The Valley below. Rombauer has their act together.

The Rombauer $25 tasting consists of 5 wines of my choice from 12 on the menu. While I could have had table service, I preferred going to the wine station. The staff loves wine and treating their guests well. My host was Ethan Whittlesey, a Tasting Room Lead and obvious a student of wine.

Couple of points to make. Rombauer wants to accept everyone who comes to the winery, reservation or not. Ethan I believe channeled the late Koerner Rombauer saying, “we try really hard not to deny anyone who makes it here. This could be their only time at Rombauer, or in Napa Valley, and we have to do everything we can to make it a great experience for them.”

Point 2 is about the Rombauer wines. All the wines I had were smooth, fruity and easy to like. “Accessible” in wine-speak. Importantly, the wines have varietal character, leading with their undisputed champion, the popcorn butter-laced Carneros Chardonnay. This is no accident. The wines are in sync with their customers. Put another way, Rombauer isn’t asking their customers to like a different style of wine. Rather, they are going to their customers by making wines they want to drink, and with prices mostly ranging from $28 to $70 everyone walks out with a box of wine and quite likely a wine club membership too.

Again, a beautiful setting, dog-friendly, smart and warm hospitality, tasty wines. My highest recommendation. And get this: Napa Neighbor complimentary tasting Monday through Thursday. I’ll still count this as $25 on my assignment. Geez, it’s already 1 PM! I need to step it up.

I go to Azteca Market and Tacqueria in St Helena for two tacos, a pastor and a cabeza. $8. I know Azteca from their Napa location. Food is great. The two tacos are messy, delicious and all I need. I ate on their patio with many laborers on their lunch break. Everything is packed to go so there are options like one of St Helena’s public parks. Two tastings and lunch so far: $53.

Sutter Home and Mark Herold/B Wise Tasting Rooms

One minute drive from Azteca on Highway 29 is the venerable Sutter Home Winery tasting room. OK, not a “wine connoisseur’s” tasting, but the wines are sound, most of them are $7/bottle and the tasting is $15...$7.50 with Napa Neighbor discount. Is this a ride in the Hot Tub Time Machine? No, it’s a business model that has worked wonders for the Trinchero family, and it keeps Napa relevant for an important portion of the wine drinking community.

And the people are so nice! Jeannie, soon to retire after decades working there, pours me wine, tells me stories of Old Napa I didn’t know and the CliffsNotes version of the White Zinfandel story. It’s a fact that guests remember the people they meet at wineries more than the wines, for better or for worse. Sutter Home is dog-friendly and has their big beautiful yard and garden surrounding their iconic Victorian home for your enjoyment. It’s 2:05 and I have $32 left in my budget. Off I go.

I pull over on Highway 29 at Zinfandel Lane to find a $30 tasting. Mark Herold and B Wise, next to Mustard’s, has a $35 tasting. Close enough, and I’m a long-time fan of Mark Herold and his wines.

It’s a slow afternoon at Mark Herold and B. Wise. Megan Guefen, the hospitality coordinator, is happy to step away from her computer to welcome me. For $35 I pick three wines from a list of seven. Not a great value, but as we know $35 tastings between Napa and Calistoga are few and far between.

I taste Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon while Megan tells me about the summer events she’s planning for the tasting room. The tasting room gorgeously laid out with three distinct areas for tasting and entertaining. Dog friendly once again – that’s 4 for 4 for welcoming Moxie with bowls of water, sometimes a treat. It’s 2:45. Time to go get Talia, and Moxie is ready for a nap.

Final tally. Full price tasting fees $95, lunch $8. $103 total. My total out-of-pocket is $70.50. Money spent on bottles zero. Top-notch ambassadors for Napa Valley met: 4. And a reminder that Napa Valley can be enjoyed by us 99 percenters.

Winery and market locations and contact information.

Brasswood Cellars
3111 St Helena Hwy/Hwy 29, St Helena 707-302-5997. Open every day.

Rombauer Vineyards
3522 Silverado Trail N, St Helena, 866-280-2582. Open every day.

Azteca Market - St Helena
789 Main St, St Helena 707-963-4963. Open every day.

Sutter Home Winery
277 St Helena Hwy, St Helena. 707-302-3296. Open Thursday to Monday.

Mark Herold and B. Wise Wines
7415 St Helena Hwy, north of Yountville. 707-256-3111. Open every day.

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

On the topic of events, I have two of them in February I hope you’ll attend, highlighted by my first Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase on Feb 27.
All are welcome. My club members pay a lot less to attend, as explained in the details below. Perhaps now is the time to join the EDC Food & Wine Club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********

“Share That Bottle” Bring-A-Bottle Party

Saturday, February 21, 6 to 8:30 PM
At Outer Space Wines, Downtown Napa
In honor of “Open That Bottle Night” I’m co-hosting “Share That Bottle Night” with Outer Space Wines. This is the evening to open and share THAT bottle you've struggled to find the right occasion for. Bring in THAT wine, share it with others and enjoy all the wines brought in.
Tasty snacky food prepared by me and Outer Space Wines’ Thad Duprey.
Top two wines, as judged by attendees, win wine prizes.
Entrance Fee:
One special bottle admits two people,
+ $10/person for Eat Drink Cook & Outer Space members.
Non-members are + $25/person.
Consider joining either club: they're both so worth it!
DETAILS and BOOK IT.

Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase

Friday, February 27, 6 to 8 PM
At The Food Mill Kitchen in Napa
The Eat Drink Cook Wine Tasting Showcase, a walk-around tasting where you visit with exceptional winemakers and taste their micro-production wines. This is an evening to enjoy very good wine, snacks crafted by The Food Mill Kitchen to pair with the wines and the camaraderie of fellow wine lovers. Taste up to 12 wines as you learn about them from those who know best.

You may recognize the wineries at The Showcase as I’ve championed them plenty over the years. Brockmeyer, Olivia Brion, Fortunati, David Clinton and Villa Ragazzi. The wineries will take wine orders during the event.

$10 for Eat Drink Cook members and up to three guests.
$25 if you’re not a club member.

Book THE EDC Wine Tasting Showcase

You made it: the end of this week’s Eat Drink Cook: a life-journal from a Napa Valley dad, wine expert and enthusiastic cook. I write stories about food, wine & cooking. Sometimes I sprinkle in bits about being a dad and just a guy enjoying these crazy times the best I can. Read me for food & wine tips, recipes, and stuff I come across that you may find interesting too. Join the club.

********** A paid Substack subscription = EDC Club Membership **********