This picture, taken last summer, shows sunrise in the quiet south-east corner of the Napa Valley that I call home. As of this past Wednesday, December 14th 2011, I now live in the Napa Valley's newest American Viticultural Area (AVA). Or, in this case, Antarctic Viticultural Area as Vinomaker likes to refer to our little piece of Coombsville, (not so affectionately known to him as The Tundra).The US Department of the Treasury's Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau conferred upon Coombsville the honour of appellation status, making it the valley's 16th AVA. The petition, co-authored by vintners Tom Farella and Brad Kitson, took a little over 2 years to be approved by the federal government (your tax dollars at work).
So to celebrate Vinomaker and I are going to imbibe in a little something from a Coombsville winery, a 2008 Black Cat Vineyard Syrah, and toast our good fortune in having Vinoland recognised by Uncle Sam.
Now, let's see what this does to land and grape prices!
5 comments:
Has anybody told the grapes...or skypilot?
Thud: Unfortunately, our mutual friend finds himself sans grapes these days. I shall try to find out what he thinks about this turn of events!
He will just know its a conspiracy.
TTB seems to have taken a primer course on AVA (DOC) systems from Italy!
Yes, the Italians have viticultural red tape down to a fine art.
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