Exploring the Roots of Napa

Come join us at 7 p.m. on Friday October 2 at the Hilton Harrisburg for a fun and educational event led by PWS member Brian Grant focusing on the excellence and diversity of wines from the Napa Valley region of California and its neighbor Sonoma.

If you think this region of California is only good for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, your mind (and taste buds) will be opened to the true variety of excellent wines this region produces.

Napa Valley has ideal conditions for growing wine grapes due to its warm, dry summers, cool nights, and diverse soils. The valley’s Mediterranean climate provides plenty of sunshine throughout the long growing season to ripen the grapes, while cool evening temperatures help preserve acidity and flavor.

The mountains on each side of the valley shield it from harsh weather conditions and provide a varied topography and diverse well-drained soils that  create different microclimates and terroir allowing the region to grow a wide range of grape varietals.  Together, these features allow Napa to produce high-quality, flavorful wines with complexity and structure.

These ideal conditions together with the expertise and dedication of Napa winemakers led to the triumph of two Napa wines at the now-famous Judgment of Paris in 1976.  French wine judges tasting blind picked two Napa wines as the winners, with Chateau Montelena taking first in the Chardonnay group and Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon besting the red class.

In fact, three of the top four Chardonnays were from California, including another Napa entrant from Spring Mountain.  Napa had arrived on the distinguished wine scene with a bang and hasn’t let up since. 

For this 50^th anniversary of the Judgment of Paris, we’ll taste two recent vintages from each of the winning producers.

While the primary focus of the evening will be on Napa wines, and the variety this classic region produces, we’ll dip a little into its beloved neighbor, Sonoma.

Sonoma shares many of the same characteristics with Napa that make it an outstanding wine region – diverse geography and climate and a long growing season with warm days and nights.

To highlight the excellence and diversity of wines from the region we’ll be tasting

• 2025 Lasseter Enjoue
• 2024 Stags’ Leap Sauvignon Blanc
• 2024 Rombauer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros
• 2022 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
• 2021 Lasseter Chemin de Fer
• 2022 Stags’ Leap Petite Syrah
• 2022 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2022 Stag’s Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon

These wines will be accompanied by three small plates selected by the Hilton chefs to complement the wines:

• Crab Salad, Cucumber Cup, and Grilled Peach with Lemon Tarragon Dressing
• Roasted Pork Belly with Fig Jam, Arugula and Pistachios
• Braised Short Rib and Thyme Fondant Potato with Red Wine Reduction

For any food allergies or restrictions, contact the Treasurer and we’ll try to accommodate your needs.

This is an event you do not want to miss so sign up early in the Shoppe on the PWS website. 

The reservation deadline for this early October 2^nd event is Tuesday September 29^th, so don’t delay!

Traveling to attend?  Contact the Hilton Harrisburg here for room reservations.

Purchase reservations on the Shoppe Page of this website.

        Members—$125

        Patrons—$120

        Nonmembers—$145