Fires rage towards four of my favorite Napa vineyards

Sunset over early Spring mustard flowers in Screaming Eagle Vineyard on Silverado Trail Road.
Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley wine country.

As I write this newsletter, with the fire situation in Napa and Sonoma counties changing by the hour, I’m not 100% sure that four of my favorite Napa vineyards will be spared from the devastating fires ripping through the wine country.

Early Spring valley fog begins creeping over Cain Five vineyard in the hills above Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley wine country.

At least four Napa vineyards are totally destroyed or significantly damaged. One Napa winery—Signorello Estate—has been completely destroyed. Nine other wineries reported damage to their winery, outbuildings or vineyards. 

All 5000 residents of Calistoga evacuated, and there are 1000s of homes already destroyed in the Napa- Sonoma area. This will be a vintage to remember.

Cain Five vineyard

Wednesday evening: I just received an email from Christopher Howell, winemaker at Cain Five Vineyard, that they are safe for right now.

Big oak tree in Cain Five vineyard in the hills above Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley wine country.

Early Spring valley fog begins creeping over Cain Five vineyard in the hills above Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley wine country.

The distinctive rock outcropping dominates the Cain Five vineyard in the hills above Napa Valley, California. Napa Valley wine country.

Screaming Eagle Vineyard

Spring mustard flowers in Screaming Eagle Vineyard on Silverado Trail Road. While the wine consistently receives rave reviews from critics, my problem is two-thousand dollars a bottle prevents me, a common photographer, from enjoying the wine. USA, California, Napa Valley. 

Sunset light colors the hills above the Spring mustard flowers in Screaming Eagle Vineyard on Silverado Trail Road. Napa Valley.

Oakville Ranch Summit Vineyard

Springtime view of Napa Valley looking towards Calistoga and Mt. Saint Helena from Oakville Ranch Summit Vineyard, Napa County, California,

Newton Vineyard

View of Newton Vineyard on Spring Mountain above St. Helena in Napa Valley, California.
Napa Valley wine country.

A hot air balloon and fog float in the Spring green Napa Valley below Newton Vineyard on Spring Mountain above St. Helena, California. Napa Valley wine country.

Looking at the lush view in these photographs, I can only imagine what the Napa hills and valley will look like after the fires rake through the area with their smudged black fingers.

The Five Most Scenic Vineyards in New Zealand

Maude Winery vineyard
I discovered this amazing little vineyard by sheer luck. (But isn't that the way of great discoveries?) When my sister Zaiga found I was going to New Zealand, she suggested I contact Vanessa, co-winemaker at Maude Wines. After asking about their vineyards, Vanessa took me to petite Mt. Maude Vineyard.

Dawn and Dr. Terry Wilson planted this vineyard "because all doctors want to plant a vineyard." They named it Mt. Maude for the stark mountain Mt Maude, across the Maungawera Valley just outside of Wanaka, Central Otago. Mt. Maude Vineyard, Maude Wines, New Zealand, Central Otago, Wanaka region.

Netting to prevent birds from eating the ripe fruit, the vineyard is four hectares of Pinot Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.  Mt. Maude Vineyard. New Zealand, Central Otago wine region, Wanaka region.

Rippon Winery vineyard
This has to be the most photographed vineyard in all of New Zealand. I even had to sign a release form stating that I will let them know how the photographs are used.

Biodynamic Rippon Vineyard, New Zealand, Central Otago, Wanaka.

Ruby Island points to Rippon Vineyard on the shore of Lake Wanaka in this aerial view.  New Zealand, Central Otago, Wanaka.

View of vineyard and Ruby Island through an old spider-web-covered truck. Rippon Vineyard and Winery, New Zealand, Central Otago, Wanaka.

Man O'War Vineyard 
Wandering around the Man O'War property with vineyard manager Matt Allen, I was struck with the scale of the project. It is actually 150 acres of vines planted in 76 individual hillside blocks scattered over 4,500 acres. It's like a grand experiment with each vineyard having a distinct soil profile and microclimate.

Man O' War vineyard is on the "other" side of Waiheke island, requiring a scenic drive over an unpaved road. Barely visible are two hikers on the far left of the photograph. The boulders are the left overs of the ancient volcanic activity which created the island. Man O' War Vineyards, Waiheke island, New Zealand

Captain James Cook anchored along this coastline during his first voyage around the islands of New Zealand in 1769. When the good captain saw the ancient stands of magnificent Kauri trees ashore, he wrote in his journals that they would make great masts for the Man O' War battleships of the Royal Navy. Thus the name Man O’ War was given this unique part of Waiheke island. Man O' War Vineyards, Waiheke island, New Zealand

Located at the eastern end of Waiheke Island, Man O’ War vineyards are a combination of coastal hillsides with high cliffs, pristine hidden beaches, and a rugged coastline. Man O' War Vineyards, Waiheke island, New Zealand

Sheep, vines and crop trees co-exist on Man O'War Vineyard land.
Man O' War Vineyards, Waiheke island, New Zealand

Te Whau Vineyard
Te Whau was the first vineyard I saw from the Auckland to Waiheke Island ferry. So, actually, that makes it the first vineyard I saw in New Zealand.

Bird netting covers cabernet sauvignon vines of Te Whau vineyard. The view is of ferry and sailboats in Anzac and Putaki Bays.  New Zealand, Waiheke Island, Te Whau Vineyard

Te Whau cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay vineyards seen from the Auckland to Waiheke car ferry. New Zealand, Waiheke Island, Te Whau Vineyard

Auckland can be seen in the background from the Te Whau vineyard and restaurant. New Zealand, Waiheke Island, Te Whau Vineyard

Chard Farm Winery
This was the very first vineyard I saw in Central Otago, on New Zealand's south island.

The landscape seems to dwarf Chard Farm vineyard hanging on a lip above the Kawarau River.  (The vineyard is the patch of green in the distance. I wanted to show the river canyon in the photograph.)  Chard Farm vineyard, Gibbston wine region, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand.

This Chard Farm 11.6 hectare vineyard was planted by Rob Hay, wife Gerdi, Rob's brother Greg and their parent's checkbook.  Chard Farm vineyard, Gibbston wine region, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand.

Trump's wine choices not on my World's Most Incredible Vineyards List

A couple of weeks ago Trump hosted China’s president, Xi Jinping, for talks in the US. I wonder how the decision was made to serve the two California wines at dinner?

Imagine Xi's diplomatic surprise if our President had chosen a world-class Chinese wine from a Yunnan Province vineyard. Two Yunnan vineyards are pictured below. Know and surprise your enemy? 

Trump could have chosen a world class wine from President Xi's own back yard. Chinese Shangrila Winery joint ventured with Moet Henessey to make wine from vineyards in the mountains of Yunnan Province.  Beng (some call it Bu) village on LanCang (also called Lantsang, Lansang and Mekong) River is one of my favorite incredible vineyards. This is in the Heng Duan (Hengduan) Mountain Range, Yunnan Province, China.

Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in front of historic Catholic Church, first built in 1867 and rebuilt in 1909, in Cizhong village on LanCang (also called Lantsang, Lansang and Mekong) River, Yunnan Province, China.

Trump could have chosen a French wine, such as a Romanée-Conti from the famous vineyard pictured below. To most Chinese, France is wine. Know and surprise your enemy.
 

Signature cross in front of world-famous Romanée-Conti vineyard above Vosne-Romanée village, Burgundy province, France.

Clouds create passing shadows over Romanée-Conti vineyard (to left of the paved road) in front of Vosne-Romanée village, Burgundy, France.

Neither of Trump's California selections are exceptionally good pairings with the hamburger he promised during the  presidential campaign to serve Xi . Apparently, the McDonalds-meal promise was not kept.

While Trump has repeatedly said that he is a teetotaler himself, he served his dinner guests a 2014 Chalk Hill Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast and a 2014 Girard Cabernet Sauvignon from Yountville in Napa Valley, according Decanter news.

Here are vineyards providing other choices Trump could have made from my World's Most Incredible Vineyards List.

Spring mustard flowers in highly-rated Screaming Eagle Vineyard on Silverado Trail Road. 
USA, California, Napa Valley.

Vineyard view from Artesa Winery on Henry Road, in the Carneros wine area of Napa Valley, California.

And don't forget Oregon. Check out my book Oregon The Taste of Wine to get insights into why Trump could have chosen a wine from Oregon wine country.

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with bronze-colored leaf on knarly old vine in Valley View Winery and Vineyard in the Applegate Valley, Oregon.

My book China The New Wine Frontier offers a cellar door insight into President Xi and the Chinese culture, but it is only available in China. I'm now working on a version for the rest of the world.

Rene Magritte visits a New Zealand vineyard

On the ferry from Auckland (seen in the distant background), to Waiheke Island (not seen),  I saw the strangest thing. 
 

Rene Magritte visits Man O War vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Fortunately, years of transcendental training with remote tribes in Africa gave me the rapid reflexes to capture the vision with my trusty Nikon D810.
 
Later, over the third glass of Pinot gris-Sémillon-blend wine, I wondered if what I saw was Rene Magritte wanting me to experience New Zealand's Waiheke Island wine and vineyards differently?

Man O War Vineyards

One of the most amazing viticultural efforts I've visited in New Zealand, actually the world, are the Man O’ War vineyards.

You can see three blocks of vines not far from one of the little bays found at the east end of Waiheke Island. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Not just one vineyard, the vines are actually planted in 76 individual blocks scattered on 4500 acres on the eastern side of Waiheke Island. Most of the 150 acres of vines are planted on very steep hillsides.

Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Sauvignon blanc harvest. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

When asked about the difficult logistics of moving men and machine over often washed out roads to the scattered vineyards, vineyard manager Matt Allen says: "I wouldn't have it any other way. Doing in the flat would be boring."

Matt as been Man O War vineyard manager for 24 years.

Matt Allen, vineyard manager. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Bird netting. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Besides the vines on Waiheke Island, Man O War Winery has vineyards on adjacent Ponui Island. At harvest, the grapes are barged from Ponui at high tide to the winery on Waiheke Island.

Ponui Island seen from Waiheke.  Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

Bird net-covered vineyard and sheep seen from a hill covered with volcanic strewn boulders. Man O War Vineyard, Waiheke Island, New Zealand.

One of World's Most Amazing Vineyards #5 Romanée-Conti Time Lapse

Time lapse video of clouds and visitors over Romanée-Conti vineyard, in the Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France.

Romanée-Conti vineyard, in the Cote de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, France. 

Romanée-Conti, in the Cote de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, France.

Romanée-Conti, in the Cote de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, France.

Heavy sulphur spray on the leaves of Romanée-Conti vineyard, in the Cote de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, France.

Not all of the grapes are successful in the heavily sulphur sprayed Romanée-Conti vineyard, in the Cote de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, France.

World's Most Amazing Vineyards #2 Red Willow

 With its iconic hilltop stone chapel, Red Willow Vineyard is probably the most recognizable farm of wine grape vines in Washington state. The small rock monument can be seen for miles across the flat Yakima Valley. 

A stone chapel sits above the Syrah vines at Red Willow Vineyard in the Yakima AVA of Washington state.

Inspired by a trip to Italy, along with the death of his longtime friend Monsignor Mulcahy, Mike Sauer had a stone chapel built atop the highest hill on the family farm to honor the memory of the Monsignor. The hilltop chapel, built with stones from the farm, took three years to complete.

Located in the far western end of the Yakima Valley, Red Willow Vineyard is one of the oldest vineyards in Washington state.

The history of Red Willow started when irrigation canals were dug throughout Yakima Valley in the mid 1920s, and settlers flocked to the sage-covered land to farm. Included in this first wave of settlers was Clyde Stephenson, the first generation to farm the land which became Red Willow.

The first vineyard, planted in 1971, was 30 acres planted with Concord vines. The few token rows of wine grapes, Chenin Blanc and Semillon, did not survive on the rich soil where the Concords were planted. However, the Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted in 1973, are still in production today.

Red Willow Vineyard is part of the 4th generation Stephenson family farm that dates back to the 1920's.

Mike Sauer sits on his get-around-the-farm 4-wheeler at the base of the hill with the iconic stone chapel.

Third generation farmer, Mike Sauer, provides wine grapes for many of the most recognizable winemakers in Oregon and Washington.

All images copyright ©Janis Miglavs 2014