Napa Valley
As a Calistoga dweller for the past decade, I’ve seen my hometown morph many times over. At first, the changes were subtle—a new store here, a wine tasting spot there. Yet with each passing year, trinket shops turned trendy, wine tasting outposts multiplied, a restaurant “scene” emerged, and the cowboy-town roots that once defined Calistoga vanished. As we turn to 2022, more changes are imminent courtesy of global French vintner, Jean-Charles Boisset (JCB), who aims to redefine the town even further, with grand plans for the 153-year-old Calistoga train depot.
In August, the Calistoga Planning Commission approved Boisset’s proposal to create an upscale café, artisan grocery, brewery and spirits tasting room. In a letter to the city, Boisset stated the project will preserve the charm and elegance of the original train depot while creating a unique and curated experience for visitors and locals alike. Calistoga Depot Provisions, as Boisset plans to call it, will be fashioned after the Oakville Grocery, (another JCB venture) and will carry everything from gourmet wine and food to gifts. In addition, in a space dubbed the Great Hall, there will be a microbrewery and the Depot Distillery, where aging spirits will be on display and available for tasting. The six adjoining rail cars, which date back to the 1920s and ’30s, were refurbished by the Merchant family in 2016 and will add to the “experience” as home to a diverse set of retail shops. The foodie within hopes that one of those cars will house a killer sandwich shop, which to this day, is a void, yet to be filled.
For a good cause
In some glass-raising news, not even COVID stood in the way of the V Foundation for Cancer Research’s July fundraising efforts, which drew more than $12 million in support of cutting-edge immunotherapy research. The weekend-long event took over the V Marketplace in Yountville with a gala dinner, live auction, cancer symposium and Rock the “V” party, where local vintner’s and chefs got to flaunt their stuff with a BBQ smackdown. One auction lot, Legend’s Last Legacy, Duke vs. UNC, reached $1 million levels and offered the lucky bidder a once-in-a-lifetime trip to join Duke’s Coach K for his final home game at Cameron Indoor stadium. Other lots included 40-Love of Wine & Tennis, at Wimbledon in London with Vintner Beth Nickel of Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel. Another called, A Feast Fit for the Gods, featured Michelin-decorated chef Michael Mina and his award-winning MINA Group team, who offered up a feast of Mediterranean dishes. The following day brought a launchpad preview of the Sonoma Epicurean weekend, set to sail into town in the spring of 2022. The weekend will feature curated experiences that bring together Sonoma Valley vintners and farm-focused cuisine, prepared by Chef Dustin Valette, all of which will support the V Foundation for Cancer research.
COVID causality
For more than a decade, every November brought my yearly coverage of the Napa Valley Film Festival, which caters to thousands of film fiends from around the globe. The annual event became infamous for serving up not only a bevy of films but an economic boost to the valley during a time that would otherwise be considered the “off-season.” After the in-person event was tabled in 2020, thanks to what I like to refer to as the “c-word,” I had high hopes that 2021 would mark not only the event’s 10-year anniversary but a return to its original format. But a “comeback” was not in the cards for the coveted fest when it was announced in July that the event would go “virtual.” But all is not lost. Diehard fans can stream flicks from the comfort (or is it still the confines?) of their home, with three pass options, each offering different degrees of film viewing. The experiences range from an all-access pass that grants unlimited access to the slate of more than 60 films, down to individual screenings for $10 per film (as available). As for this film fiend, I can only hope that next year marks the return of the “real” event. The cynic within wonders if such a hope will be realized, or dashed.
Unplugged
Over Labor Day weekend, BottleRock put the vaccine mandate to the test when it required all attendees, who hoped to gain access to the mega event, to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID test results. The rock weekend marked one of the Bay Area’s first large-scale music festivals since the onset of the pandemic. Safety measures were taken to the extreme, including popup testing, a slew of onsite hydration and sanitization stations (thank you, Kaiser Permanente), and cashless pay wristbands. On Day 1 of the fest, more than 96% of the attendees showed proof of vaccination, with the other 4% presenting negative test results. While countless events either shuttered down or “streamed” in lieu of the real deal this year, it is promising that the “show must go on,” sentiments still stand in certain circles, and hopefully, many more to come 2022.
