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Gathering at the Pingitore Home

By Fran Benevidez

After nearly two years of reclusive hibernation and closet sipping brought on by the pandemic, thirsty members and guests of the San Francisco/Bay Area KOV Chapter were ebullient when called into action by Pat Pingitore, our fearless leader and Master Commander who, joined by his lovely Lady Linda, arranged a delicious in-person gathering in March at their beautiful new home in Napa.

For a few of us, the thought of mingling in real time with in-the-flesh wine lovers was almost too much to fathom. For a few of us (ok, me) there was some trepidation that all-but-lost social skills and two-yearold stale wine-speak would fall on deaf palates. Virtual tasting had become the norm and I had grown complacently comfortable sipping wine with my better half, Isaac, as we joined a host of two-inch squares of other heads online while washing a load of clothes off camera.

Son of a Bacchus, was I wrong!

From the moment we stepped into the Pingitore Family home, it was as if no time had passed; like we had just wined and dined together the week before! And Wine and Dine we did…A delicious array of hearty appetizers, crudites and pastries were provided by Marks The Spot Fine Food, a popular Napa Valley catering company.

Imagine, if you will, how many vessels of delicious wine have been stored at the Pingitore’s KOV wine cellar over the course of two years, just waiting for a select few to be given their freedom at a KOV event such as this! Let’s just say there was plenty to be enjoyed, including wines produced by KOV members!

As invited guests began to trickle in, there was quite a buzz surrounding a “Special Guest” who would be joining the gathering, and Pat certainly did a great job at keeping the Big Reveal under wraps! So much so that their arrival went unnoticed as the Guest covertly arrived and seamlessly blended in with our cheery group before anyone knew who it was. Pat then gathered the group to introduce his “neighbor from literally next door”, Napa legend, Joanne Dickenson DePuy! Ms. DePuy’s actions irrevocably changed the trajectory of Napa Valley and California wine. Period.

Included in this issue of The Arbor is an in-depth article written by Nan McCreary who interviewed this phenomenal woman. I was lucky enough to steal a moment with Ms. DePuy to hear her enthralling story and connection to the 1976 Judgement of Paris. This is a story not to be missed!

The afternoon gathering was a huge success and it was beyond wonderful to rejoin with fellow friends while making new ones too, which is always a terrific benefit of KOV membership! In looking back, my all-butlost social skills and twoyear-old stale wine-speak did not fall on deaf palates. Bacchus made sure of that! He also taught me a spicy Zinfandel pairs pretty darned well with folding a load of towels.

You can thank me later.

Joanne Depuy flanked by husband Rue Ticker and Pat

Dick Bransford & Linda with Dick Bransford & Linda with her homemade Alfajores her homemade Alfajores

Gordon White with some Lodi gems from the KOV Chapter cellar

By Pat Pingitore

NALLE WINERY EVENT

In late June, Vice Commander Dick Katz arranged for an “old fashioned at the Vineyard” tasting and lunch at Nalle Winery in Healdsburg in the historic Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma County. Doug Nalle met Dick on the golf course and the “game” was on! Doug’s son Andrew is the current wine maker.

Nalle Winery sits on land the family has owned since 1917, overlooking the old vine Zinfandel block planted in 1927 by Andrew Nalle’s great-great grandparents, Fred and Ruby Henderlong, during prohibition. Occupying prime bench land, the old vines are dry-farmed and head trained, yielding intense fruit flavors, balanced acidity, and structured tannins. Soils here are welldrained, gravelly clay loam that help to impart layered notes of raspberry, strawberry, violet, and rhubarb. Like stepping back in time… elegant, old fashioned Zin flavors reflect the rich history of this land that has been cultivated for winemaking for over 90 years.

Since their debut vintage in 1984, Doug has gone his own way as a boutique winery making about 2,000 cases a year of mostly Zinfandel, but it hasn’t always been easy.

Doug, a spry 74 years old, still works the vineyards along Dry Creek Road that wife Lee’s great-grandparents, planted. The vines might have been ripped out long ago if not for Gallo, which used the grapes for Hearty Burgundy for years. You can say the same for many old Zinfandel vineyards throughout Northern Sonoma. While the family makes other wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Nalle is a house that Zin built. Weary of the extracted, ripe, monster Zinfandels of the 1970s, Doug and other winemakers in the 1980s dialed it back and produced claret-style reds with 13.5 percent alcohol instead of 15 or 16 percent. If there were ever such a thing as elegant Zins, these were they.

By the late 1990s, however, the popular style of Zin was shifting back to bold and ripe. “Many other winemakers led the way and, frankly, they made some impressive wines,” says Doug, but slowly the alcohol level edged up to nearly 17 percent and his enthusiasm dimmed. The Nalle Zins lost favor over time, and there were a few lean years in the early 2000s.

Jill Pingitore & Meg Scrofani enjoyung Nalle Winerey

A funny thing, though, as Doug puts it, “The worm has turned. Super-ripe wines are falling out of favor again.” Business is good for Nalle. If the 2019 Nalle Zinfandels are any indication, we can see why. We tasted them!!

As the 25 KOV members and guests gathered to sip the wines and partake of a catered lunch from KIN Smoke Barbeque, the quality of Nalle wines showed very well. From the Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir, the refreshing Old Vine Zin Rosé, the well-balanced Ranch Red Estate Blend (Cab/Zin) to the delectable 2019 Old Vine Zins, the pairings were perfect. Judging by the amount of sales made that day, everyone left very satisfied. No fear for those of you who couldn’t make it! We have purchased a variety case for you to taste at out holiday celebration later this year!

It was great to see members from the Chancellery Chapter in attendance including the Kayes (Jim & Glenys), the Siegals (Steve & Claudia) and the Deas (Steve & Jane). Hope to see many more of you at future SF/Bay Area Chapter events!

ABOVE Paul Villierme, Steve Siegal, Doug Nalle, Claudia Siegal, Anne Villierme & Linda Pingitore TOP RIGHT Golfing buddies, Dick Katz & Doug Nalle BOTTOM RIGHT Prospective new member Gary Ettinger with fiancee Ingrid on left, Lin Nalle & long time member Francisco Cabrito