August 20th, 2008

Napa Valley

A trip to Napa Valley is the perfect way to end a summer of traveling with the family. I had a few art shows to attend so Vanessa and the boys came on the road with me to enjoy the last week of summer vacation. We rented a house just outside of Sonoma in a town called Duncan Mills so that I could enjoy peaceful surroundings to paint and a comfortable place to entertain. We had a great time hosting friends there and enjoyed a special dinner cooked by my good friend Richard Haake.

Thanks to all of my old friends who came to see me at Silver Oak Release Day! As always, I enjoyed trying the latest Silver Oak release and it was great to meet those of you who came for the first time. There’s nothing quite like Silver Oak for breakfast . . .

To take a break from the easel, Vanessa and I took the kids over to Safari West just outside of Calistoga and had a great time checking out the wildlife . . . Christopher made especially good friends with the giraffes! The kids had a great time visiting the animals and Vanessa & I really enjoyed the change in scenery: it’s not too often that we get to have a glass of wine on safari!

What’s a trip to Napa Valley without a stop at Far Niente to enjoy the amazing gardens? Far Niente released a special Connoisseur’s Case featuring a miniature of one of my new releases, “The Collection,” and a six bottle vertical of their limited Cave Collection Cabernet Sauvignon. To celebrate this special release, I was on hand to sign cases and meet all of the Far Niente members who came in town to enjoy this special event.

To cap a great week in wine country, Vanessa and I enjoyed some wine tasting of our own. Thanks to our friends at Vineyard 29, Revana Family, and Far Niente for the amazing tasting experience.

photography by Victoria Pisarello

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