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ike a movie plot, Napa Valley Distillery’s origin story starts in the backroom of an W BY CA RR IE DO PH OT OG RA PH ED Italian restaurant in Hollywood, California. WR ITT EN AN D Theo Alexander, senior hospitality coROM ordinator for Napa Valley MATIC RISE F A R D ’S Y R E L IL LEADER Distillery, described how it A CALIFORNIA DIST O INDUSTRY T T E B R E K O P all went down during a night HOLLYWOOD with Arthur Hartunian, the “So everybody tries it. The guy says, ‘What do distillery’s founder. you think?’ And Arthur says, ‘Meh, it’s fine, I guess.’ “Actually, it was a poker bet that got way, way, Of course, being a proud Italian, the guy says, ‘Ok way out of hand!” laughed Theo. “It’s 2009 in a wise guy. Put your money where your mouth is. If restaurant in Los Angeles. Arthur is having dinner you think you can do better, I’ll buy it from you and at a friend’s restaurant. They’re all a bunch of guys serve that in my restaurant. What do you say?’ After smokin’, laughin’, jokin’ around and [the restaurant a few more rounds, some handshakes happen.” owner] brings out some limoncello for the boys to “Now [Arthur] had been hobby making infusions try.” Theo leans forward lowering his voice. “It deand liqueurs before that,” Theo went on. “Not dispends on how much we’ve had when telling this stotilling at this point, but blending. He mixes up some ry, but occasionally that limoncello has been made organic Meyer lemon peels, some beautiful sugar, by Danny DeVito.” Theo straightens up and continues.
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