Well the reports are in and its 'official', Black Friday was absolutely crazy busy in Napa this year. Tasting rooms, restaurants and coffee shops were bursting at the seams. The tasting staff from Rombauer said it was the busiest day of the year, cars were lined up on that steep driveway trying to get to the valet parking they use on weekends, due to their limited parking lot.
Going there wasn't my choice, while I like the winery, on high volume days I normally steer towards quieter waters. Rombauer's prominence on high end restaurant lists insures that visitors will make a pilgrimage there in search of Chardonnay.
Enjoying a cup of coffee at the Model Bakery in downtown St. Helena, while my clients had lunch next door at Market restaurant, I watched in wonder as hordes invaded my haven, until there was a continual line of people from the door in a complete U lining the counters in search of refreshment. All of the tables were already filled and still they came.
Early in the day we had stopped in at the James Cole winery and even though I had called ahead to make sure the way was clear, by the time we got there a dozen people were clustered around that tiny tasting bar and cars were streaming in behind us. My clients popped back out like a cork in a whirlpool, so as an alternate we headed up to Regusci where fortunately we timed it just right.
While we were there more people streamed in behind us and fortunately Claire, upon hearing that my clients were big fans of T Vine, brought us upstairs for a private tasting on the second story of the stone barn, the oldest wine building in the Stags Leap district.
Because we were touring with five people and a two year old, not a common addition, many of the small, private wineries were off limits, they don't permit children. When you are touring with a young child in the car, they possess an inordinate amount of leverage when it comes to affecting the enjoyment of everybody else. In some ways, the tour is built around them.
Fortunately, Claire brought us upstairs where the little girl could run around the open spaces without bothering other visitors and they could go off and see the animals on this working farm. The Rubicon winery, soon to reclaim its original name, Inglenook, is very family friendly. I was amazed at the crowds swarming around the place, including children sailing boats in the fountain, playing bocce and enjoying hot chocolate at the cafe.
Normally Black Friday is a busy day in wine country but this was ballistic, what's up. I was talking with my Astrologer and apparently that Venus conjunct Pluto in Capricorn, is encouraging earthly pleasures and the two planets trine Jupiter, in the earthy sign of Taurus, the sign of food, wine and travel, made it a very busy day in wine country.
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