From First to (Legendary) Last, Flavor! Napa Valley Tastings Captivate

by Kathryn Holland Besser

Photographs courtesy of Flavor! Napa Valley

Celebrating its fifth year, Flavor! Napa Valley is now held in March to allow attendees a slightly more relaxed pace in sampling Napa’s finest farm-to-table cuisine and world class wines. While five days is ample time to develop a sense of the breadth of talent found in Napa, it is not nearly long enough to delve deeply into all the legendary valley has to offer. Herewith, a brief overview of two events that successfully reflect the wide array of Napa-based talent: Wednesday, March 16th’s First Taste Napa – The Downtown streEAT Market and Saturday, March 19th’s Legendary Napa Valley, The Grand Tasting. The best part of both events is getting a broad overview of what Napa has to offer and compiling a “not to miss” list of wineries and restaurants for future, in-depth visits.

First Taste Napa – The Downtown streEAT Market

Held on the picturesque grounds of The Culinary Institute of America at Copia, the relaxed atmosphere of the Downtown strEAT Market allowed guests to stroll, sip and savor delectable bites from 1313 Main, Angele Restaurant, Atlas Social, Bounty Hunter, Ca’Momi, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Heritage Eats, Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, Kitchen Door, Napa General Store, Oenotri, and Torc.

Participating wineries included Amici Cellars, Back Room Wines, Baldacci Family Vineyards, Benessere Vineyards, Beringer, BNA Wine Group, Bouchaine Vineyards, Bougetz Cellars, Broman Cellars, Ca’Momi, Charles Krug Winery, Charthia Cellars, Chateau de Vie, Croze-Avatar Vintners, Etude, Far Niente, FlyWine, Frank Family Vineyards, Freemark Abbey, Gallica, Ideology Cellars, Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, Juslyn Vineyards, Kale Wines, Red Mare Wines, Redmon Wines, Round Pond Estate, Smith-Anderson Wine Group, Somerston Estate, Spoto Family Wines, Stags’ Leap Winery, Taylor Family Vineyards, Terra Valentine, Tournesol, White Rock Vineyards, and Young Inglewood Vineyards.

Legendary Napa Valley – The Grand Tasting

Saturday night’s Grand Tasting kicked up the style quotient with an elegant affair held at The Culinary Institute of America’s historic Greystone Building. For style makers, it was the place to see and be seen. The convivial atmosphere, along with Napa fashionistas in rustic-sexy chic, made for a visual as well as food and wine treat.

Tempting bites were served by 1313 Main, Atlas Social, Angele Restaurant, Bardessono, Bistro Jeanty, Ca’Momi, Cococlectic, The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Del Dotto, FARM at The Carneros Inn, Harvest Table, Heritage Eats, Jamieson Ranch Vineyard, Meritage Resort and Spa, Napa Valley Marriott, One Market, Panevino and Subrosa Salumi, PRESS Restaurant, Sam’s Social Club, Scotland Yard, Silverado Resort and Spa, and Zuzu.

Wine flowed generously from the abundance of participating wineries: Ackerman Family Vineyards, Acumen, Antica Napa Valley, B Cellars, Ballentine Vineyards, Barnett Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard, Beringer, Burgess Cellars, Cakebread Cellars, Ca’Momi, Canard Vineyard, Chappellet Vineyard, Chimney Rock, Cliff Lede Vineyards, Clos Du Val, Conn Creek Winery, Crocker & Starr Winery, Darms Lane Wine, Del Dotto Vineyards, Duckhorn Vineyards, Eagle Eye Winery, eleven eleven wines, Etude, Falcor Winery, Farella Vineyard & Winery, Frank Family Vineyards, Gamble Family Vineyards, Grgich Hills Estate, Hall Wines, Jamieson Ranch Vineyards, Jean Edwards Cellars, Joseph Carr, Kenefick Ranch, Krupp Brothers, Laird Family Estate, Leto Cellars, Louis M. Martini, Markham Vineyards, Merryvale Vineyards, Oakville Ranch, Oberon, O’Shaughessy Estate Winery, Parallel Napa Valley, Parry Cellars, Peju Province Winery, Pine Ridge Vineyards, Pope Valley Winery, Priest Ranch, Provenance, Purecru Winery, Quixote Winery, Rombauer Vineyards, Saddleback Cellars, Salvestrin Winery, Schweiger Vineyards, Signorello Estate, Somerston Estate, Stags’ Leap Winery, Sterling, Stony Hill Vineyard, Summers Winery, Trefethen Family Winery, Tres Sabores, Truchard Vineyards, Tudal Winery, V. Sattui Winery, Wallis Family Estate, and William Cole.