The "Real" Napa

Imagine it - you drive up to Napa for the weekend with a bunch of co-workers.  You're staying at a magnificant Italian-style villa taken care of by the company, overlooking the Palisade mountains and a smattering of cabernet vineyards.

The house itself is gigantic and the table is all set for what will be a decadent meal.

On site are a pair of private chefs whose first task is to make one after another of fresh-tossed, wood-burning-oven baked pizzas, before moving on to the dry-rub-aged beef.

For dinner, you've got magnum bottles of some of the world's best wines.

For after dinner, your spirits guy brings a selection of world-class single malts (in this case that's me, so I have to imagine it a bit differently). 

You swim and play bocce ball until long after midnight as co-workers bond and spend time with one another, until, one of them suddenly goes missing.  Hours go by and more people start disappearing, just like out of a slasher movie.  You try to call the police but the house has no landline and no one can get any reception on their cell phone.  In the end, only one of you survives the night and lives to tell the tail.  This is exactly the type of weekend I just had, well, up until the swimming and bocce ball part.  K&L staff from all three stores met in Napa this weekend to visit some outstanding winemakers, learn more about our craft, and come together in solidarity.  I learned much about the "real" Napa and drank some amazing wines that had the acidity and balance I never thought possible from local producers. As soon as I have some time I will write up the experience and share information about how anyone else interested can visit and organize their own trip.

-David Driscoll