Dias The Craft, Luck, and Romance of Wine OLIVIA BRION WINERY copl teavaing to Napa Vly tenor Prien we eee rt clr that mere bt, bt as for ry utenti eageense Davi 2sth vintage, and hs lente secs, Ka allot, deiveron both tematic, par ck an part romance” expanse, whose que Dino “Nun, Chardon. and Came Saumgnon are feted many of Naps bos resturants and ine shops snd under the distinc Osa ron aed Palla branis “ow these factors iter tet iso ofthe ky tomaing rest es The ora star wih selecting rapes from vineyards that conte thet spe something the ter that speaks fo the Spec sol and environment in which the rapes ave grown, Matfey and Ballo fre that having ment pk the moet important deiion In Winemaking "De esis ferent depending on vel he iil, ost ad temperate. Thats where Ick eomer hte jus the beginning” adds Balt, wn has tom vintages ender he bl in Suing memger of winemaking rscreh St Alphe"Omegs Wines. We combine a iow iach, handeon approach with scenic precision to coax the bust characteristies out ‘of our wines.” ‘Then theres the romance, Over the 18, Mahaffey refined his farming methods toward a long-term sustainable model to ‘conserve natural resources, protect wildlife, and reduce the climate footprint - deep values shared by Ballotta. Both Mahatfey and Ballotta love their time in the vineyard, ‘observing closely as the vines express the ‘rapes to full maturity. And of course tasting the wines at each stage in their di velopment is just part of the day's work. Story-teling is also integral to the process, “T’ve always taken my winemaking seriously, but I reserve the right to have some fun with my wine labels,” says Mahaffey. Hence the story of Olivia Brion, a young sul- fragist from cumn-of-the-century Europe who ‘ured the world on its head with her dazaling feats and exploits “Olivia is based on real women of the time, often overlooked by history, who made great strides demonstrating the strength, resilience and irrepressible spirit of women, says Ballotta. Over the past few years, as the Olivia Brion brand has grown to include "Taguine,” a new aromatic white wine blend, Rosé, and this year’s “Les Vagabondes” Tempranillo from the famous Shake Ridge Vineyard, the story of Olivia Brion’s triumphs ‘has continued to expand as well. Mahaffey and Ballotta share barrel tastings and stories with visitors. from around the world at the Palladian winery in Si. Helena, a stone's throw from Meadowood Resort, where Mahatfey makes the Palladian Estate| Cabernet Sauvignon, “When receive visitors, we like to show folks what winemaking is like at a human scale—a scale they can relate to,” says Mahaffey. In this way, he and Ballotta help wine lovers fe bit more connected to, and develop a true verence for, this 7,000 year old trade hyy Mia Luton von ebrion com ff 707-287-2870