October 18 was Homecoming Day back in Williamsburg, VA at my alma mater.  I haven’t made the trip back to William & Mary for a number of years.  This year I was able to celebrate the day (and our October birthdays) with Emily Early Kehrberg!  We started the day with lunch at The Pear downtown on the Napa waterfront on this stunning day fall day (albeit 77 degrees outside!).

I’ve been wanting to go to Pina for awhile.  Everyone keeps raving about their cabs.  So we headed up the Silverado Trail but as we passed Baldacci we both commented we had been wanting to check them out.  Quick turn in to the drive and we were standing in the tasting room.  Didn’t have a reservation but like many of the lovely smaller wineries if they are not too busy and you show up “poof” you have a reservation!  One of the Baldacci sons took us through their tasting starting with their 2012 Gewurtraminer and then their 2011 Pinot Noir both from Carneros (the cooler region in southern Napa).  But it is the cabs that wineries in the Stags Leap district are known for so we were looking forward to the 2010 Black Label Stags Leap Estate Vineyard.  This will be a good one in a few years.  Couldn’t help but wonder if there was any relation to my high school friend Todd Baldacci as Chris in the tasting room told us his great grandmother was from Virginia!

Back in the car and up the road to our destination Pina!  The tasting room is a tiny space in the barrel room.  Totally unassuming home for these amazing cabs!  Janie in the tasting room and their intern who we nicknamed “Crush” kept us entertained as we started with their 2012 Oak Knoll Chardonnay.  Liked it as it was not overpowering oak (I am a girl who prefers steel).  We went on to the 2012 Cahoots which is a blend of all of their single vineyard cabs that didn’t make it into the single vineyard wines (good value at $45).  Each one was better and better from the 2011 Yountville Wolff Vineyard to the 2010 Rutherford Firehouse to our favorite 2011 D’Adamo from Atlas Peak.  They do not sell wholesale and are found at very few restaurants so make the trek to Rutherford and you will not be disappointed!

#40 at Week #42!  Cheers!