UP AND DOWN THE WINE ROADS With George Starke
WINE NEWZ WAS SCARCE last week, but that doesn’t mean that Napa Valley’s famous elixirs played a minor role in the events of the week.
They played starring roles in the dazzling culinary pyrotechnics at some of the valley’s wineries in connection with the third Festival del Sole, which is bringing 10 days of world-class instrumentalists and vocalists to our valley. I can report on two of the concerts: One was with the Festival del Sole orchestra, featuring Canadian soprano Measha Brueggergosman — whose voice was deep and rich, with a control that ranged from almost musical whispers to titanic crescendos. The striking soprano received a wild, standing ovation.
The highly acclaimed Andre Watts was to play the Rachmaninov second piano concerto, but had to cancel because of an injury. At the last minute, a 21-year-old Russian pianist, now a U.S. citizen, Natasha Paremski (who had played the piece in musical festivals in New York and Colorado), stepped in as a replacement for Watts. She demonstrated that she was an artist of top caliber, and received the second wild, standing ovation of the evening from the audience.
The second concert was a multimedia presentation featuring the Napa Valley Symphony, conducted by Carolyn Kuan (whose past associations include the Seattle Symphony, the New York Ballet and the Baltimore Opera Company), playing a composition by composer Philip Glass and Michael Reisman, composer and arranger. The piece was written especially to accompany the images of photographer Frans Lanting (who has served as photographer-in-residence for National Geographic). The hour-long piece was titled “Life, A Journey Through Time.” A triptych of three large screens which spanned the width of the stage was hung behind the orchestra for the projection of Lanting’s colorful, often seemingly abstract, images of the evolution of life on our planet. Images displayed ranged from single-cell protozoa that evolved in the sea, to creatures that evolved on land and air throughout geologic time. The two media mesmerized the audience: It was the most dramatic blending of music and art that many of us had ever seen.
Still ahead for this wonderful week in Napa Valley are additional Festival de Sole events, including the festival’s closing concert with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra playing music by Gustav Mahler and featuring Jill Grove, mezzo soprano, on Sunday evening. Also, Festival del Sole, the Bank of America and the Napa Valley Museum are sponsoring an exhibition of the art books of Henri Matisse which will be on exhibition in the museum until Aug. 10. All of the books in the exhibit are from the B of A’s art collection, one of the largest and most significant corporate art collections in the world.
Then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Robert Mondavi Winery presents its third year of Taste 3, a program which brings together over 40 writers, journalists, chefs, speakers and academics who will totally submerge an estimated 400 guests in three days of stimulating happenings.
MOVING ON: In a column last summer, when The Wine Spectator Restaurant at Greystone had opened its outside terrace for summertime luncheons and twilight dining, I mentioned that the terrace overlooks the vineyards against a background of the Vaca range — making it one of the most idyllic dining venues in the valley. Now, the terrace dining has been expanded from 30 to 89 seats and the menu offers new and exciting items. On Tuesdays, a “ hot-off-the-grill” barbecue is featured.
Speaking of Greystone: on Oct. 5, Robert Parker will present his fifth annual tasting and seminar.This year the event will focus on the 2005 premier crus of Bordeaux, including all five of the grand premier cru wines. Participants are limited to 50 persons. The cost is $2,000 per person. All proceeds benefit the Wine Advocate Scholarship programs.
Kendall-Jackson Winery will host its 12th annual Heirloom Tomato Festival from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6. Here is your chance to taste 175 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from the K-J gardens. The event also includes some of the Bay Area’s finest food purveyors and restaurants. Also featured will be food and wine seminars, garden tours and live entertainment. Tickets are $65 per person and are available at 800-769-3649. No tickets will be available at the door.
Also, Boots Brounstein has announced that the sixth annual Diamonds in the Rough event which benefits research on Parkinson’s Disease is scheduled for Oct. 4. This year, the dinner will be prepared by Traci Des Jardin of Jardinaire restaurant in Ess Eff. Tickets for the event are $2,500 per person. Info at 942-6926.
Here is an event that all of us can afford … that would be the always fun-filled Home Winemakers Classic which is scheduled for this Saturday at St. Supery Winery. Besides some very joyful wine sipping, there will be music, food and lots of comradeship. Call 963-4507.
Dario Sattui has announced that the 14th annual Festa Italiana will be held at the V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena on Sept. 26 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event includes music, dancing, an authentic Italian dinner and, of course, V. Sattui wines. Call 963-7774 for info and tickets.
CABOOSE ITEM: If your cellar is lacking rare wines and you have some loose change, you might be interested in an auction to be held in Chicago on Sept. 19-20 by Hart Davis Hart, a rare wines purveyor, who is auctioning off wines from the famous Fox collection (of which I have never heard). The full-case lots include 166 cases of Ch. Lafite-Rothschild, 100 cases of Ch. Petrus, 100 bottles of Domaine Romanee Conti and 1,000 bottles each of Ch. Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion. Don’t know if they accept credit cards ...