Archive for the ‘Napa Valley’ Category

Dec 23, 2019

Wine Caves and the Reality of Elitism

The reason the “Wine Cave” attack by Elizabeth Warren on Mayor Pete Buttigieg in the last Democratic debate was so effective was that wine is still viewed by most as a symbol of elitism, snobbishness and privilege in the United States. Moreover, this is one of those cases where the symbolism reflects reality. The attack was also made more memorable by the use of the term “wine cave”. It has a strange and memorable ring to it. But to make…

Sep 26, 2019

Napa’s Leaders Need to Embrace the Obvious On Winery Tourism

A recent story details that in Napa Valley there appear to be more winery visits than are permitted. Lewis Perdue gave the details—to the extent they can be determined, in a post on September 12: “In 2018, 3.85 million people visited Napa County. Each of them visited an average of 3.7 wineries according to survey research conducted by Destination Analysts on behalf of Visit Napa Valley. That makes for an estimated 14.25 million winery visits. However, Napa County Use Permit data indicates that…

Feb 4, 2019

A Life Described Through Wine and Books

Despite the transition to a digital age, I’ve never left my books go. And there are lots of them. There are many reasons I want books on display in my home. First, I want Henry George surrounded by them. He needs to know that you can go anywhere, be anything, know anybody through books. But on a more personal note, having a home that is filled with books reminds one of where they have been, marks the intellectual paths down…

Jan 25, 2019

Wine Country Economics — The Part-Time NIMBY Edition

Bill Hocker is a part-time resident of Napa Valley. He recommends my services as a marketer, while at the same time displays a remarkable misunderstanding of economics. Plus, he says, “Good riddance”. Napa wine marketer Tom Wark is joining the exodus to Oregon. After residing in Wine Country for the last 25 years Mr. Wark has decided that he can’t afford to live here anymore.  Of course he bears some responsibility for the high cost of housing. As one of many…

Jan 18, 2019

My Exit Interview From Napa Valley Wine Country

Think of this as my exit interview from Napa Valley. My family and I are leaving Napa Valley for a new home in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in a few days. We leave behind too many friends to count. An environment so beautiful it’s sometimes hard to catch your breath. And we leave behind a local wine industry in which we have actively participated and truly love deep in our hearts. Our boy was born here. He’s only four and a…