A Place of Dreams

Back at my office, The Flying Goat, for the start of Week 8! Can you believe it?
Reverie!
This Diamond Mountain District winery is one of the smallest in Napa Valley (3000 case total production). Wind your way up a tiny, tree-shrouded, 1-car road; you have to pass through the Von Strasser Winery property to get to Reverie. That is because at one time these two wineries and the adjacent Diamond Creek Vineyards were all one property. Reverie means "a dreamlike state" or "a place of dreams" depending on who you ask.  (Where is Apolline when I need her?) Either way, Kevin and I, along with my sister Debbie, enjoyed the flight.  

That's William on the right near the pumpkins. He was getting ready to do the punch-downs when we showed up. He and his family have been in the wine business for a long time. I actually forklifted bins onto a Rios Farming Co. truck just last week. Solovino is owned by relatives. Norm Kiken and his wife, Evelyn, own Reverie. They named a tasty Merlot-based blend after their son Andrew. A.S. Kiken! (get it)
A man of many hats at Reverie, William willingly switched gears, grabbed several bottles of wine and hosted an amazing tour and tasting that took us from the Crush Pad deep into the Barrel Cave and then out into the forrest.  They brought in the last of their Estate-only grapes earlier in the month! Plenty of cellar work to do on the juice though.
Ted Lemmon, who is one of the most respected winemakers in Califronia and makes some of the best Burgundian-style wines around, is the consulting winemaker. 
Reverie's Cabs are cult status but they also make an array of fun varietals not usually seen in Napa Valley - Barbera, Tempranillo, Roussane - six barrels or so of each. The Merlot, Petite Verdot and Cab Franc should not be overlooked either. But, the Cabernets are truly the spotlight at Reverie! 

That's my sister Debbie, the newest member of the Reverie Dream Team wine club!