Napa Valley Register ‌Napa CountyFriday, October 30, 2020 | C1 coverage: Visit us online at NapaValleyRegister.com/wine for more coverage of the wine ON WINE industry. Friday, October 30, 2020 | napavalleyregister.com | SECTION C

ON WINE How much alcohol? ome people might define me as a binge drinker. S ‌On average, I consume about two 5-ounce glasses of wine a day. Sometimes three. It varies, but I almost never exceed that average since in the course of a normal week I evaluate about 30 , expec- torating almost all of it. (I cherish my coffee.) By dinnertime, DA N I can be a bit tired BERGER of wine. As a two-glass- a-day imbiber, I know how variable the content of wines can be, so I monitor it closely. Because of my love for Ries- LISA DRINKWARD PHOTOS‌ ling, I consume a lot of it, and in Behrens Family after the 2020 Glass Fire . most cases, those I prefer have about 11% alcohol, usually less. This is a far cry from the average amount of alcohol in a bottle of California , such as Zin- fandel. You’d be hard-pressed to find one that’s less than 15% alcohol. Rebuilding a Dream I began consuming wine in the 1960s, when almost all Cal- ifornia wines were about 12% alcohol; 13% was considered late-harvested! We have a few bottles left of some 1970s that are marked on the Mountain “late-harvested,” even though the listed alcohols are well below Behrens Family just north of St. Helena, Drink- 14%! ward and Behrens watched as fire Higher-alcohol wines cost Winery and engines cut across it from High- more to make because of taxa- way 29 and disappeared on fire tion. I have long known of the the Glass Fire roads into the nearby hills. Those connection between taxes on trucks were directed to the most wine and their alcohol content. TONY POER fire locations. Until recently, the federal or the last 20 years, Lisa But for the couple and their government charged an Drinkward and Les Beh- neighbors, it meant disaster, as excise tax based on alcohol con- rens have passed by an the emergency vehicles were tent. Any wine that was under impressive Douglas fir drawn away from Spring Moun- 14% alcohol was taxed at $1.01 Fnear the entrance to their Spring tain. Not that it might have made per gallon. Wines over 14% were Mountain winery, Behrens Fam- any difference: with firefighters taxed at a rate of $1.51 per gallon. ily Winery. Shortly after the likely prevented from accessing As a result, wineries knew that Glass Fire burned through their Spring Mountain Road in the to pay less tax, all they had to do property, the tall tree was gone. first place, Behrens acknowl- was keep their alcohols under It wasn’t engulfed by flames edged that the destruction was 14%. But in the face of global but, rather, caught fire from the unavoidable. climate change, often resulting inside, an effect of the intense He told the story of another in higher temperatures, sugars heat. Because it was at risk of winery neighbor whose own ter- were rising, so wines had higher toppling over, someone thought Destruction wrought by the Glass Fire at Behrens Family Winery. rifying ordeal included driving alcohols. to cut the tree down before the down the road through flames, Wineries usually try to pick smoke had even cleared. But who band are the co-owners of Beh- avoid hearing bad news. with fire on both sides. “It was fruit based on flavor maturity. that was, according to the wine- rens Family Winery, one of more “Our neighbor got up the road not a situation where someone Since the usual alcohol was making couple, is anyone’s guess than two dozen Napa Valley win- with a firefighter buddy of his,” could go back up the road. And above 14%, many wineries had — maybe Cal Fire or a work crew eries burned to the ground or Drinkward recounted, joining then because they were fighting to resort to extraordinary tactics brought in to clean up the wreck- badly damaged by the Glass Fire. the phone call with her husband the fire everywhere, no trucks to get their wines under the ex- age on Spring Mountain Road, or The blaze that started on the last from their home in St. Helena. came up that hill. tra-tax level. just a vigilant neighbor with a big Sunday of September left a path “It took them two and a half “We know that there were Some used alcohol-removal chainsaw. of scorched hillsides and charred hours to do that 15-minute drive fire trucks all over the valley,” systems (such as Spinning Cone In a year of cruel surprises, the buildings, a scene grimly familiar because they had to chainsaw he emphasized. “They were just or ). It’s an ar- missing Douglas fir was fittingly across swaths of the West Coast trees and clear the road. working their butts off. You can’t duous and costly process, but symbolic. and now inclusive of the heart “He told me that he thought thank them enough.” worth doing because the indus- “Let’s face it: people aren’t of America’s most famous wine his property and ours were OK,” Unlike at some wineries — the try knows that excess alcohol going to be super excited to have region. she said. “And then we found out ones that lost everything in the actually robs a wine of flavors. ‘2020’ on their wine,” said Les Much of upvalley is a tragi- later that day that they were on Glass Fire in terms of buildings Wines with slightly lower alco- Behrens. “It’s like, ‘Well, that cally changed landscape, but on fire. So, they didn’t burn until and wines in tank, barrel, and hols usually display better fruit. was a great year. The year of Monday morning after the Glass Monday around midday.” bottle — it wasn’t all bad news Covid and natural disasters.’” Fire began, the couple had reason The day before, from the park- Please see BERGER, Page C4 Lisa Drinkward and her hus- to believe they might narrowly ing lot at Brasswood Restaurant Please see REBUILDING, Page C3

PLA E SE THE PALATE THE WINE EXCHANGE Pinot, Pinot and more Pinot What does wine inot is an old grape that is more than 2,000 years old, mean to you? Part 2 Pyet the origin of the name is unclear. It may be because everal weeks ago, my col- nior editor of Grape Collective the clusters resemble a pine- umn — “What does wine and past Wall Street Journal cone or it may be named after a Smean to you?” — imme- wine columnist, “It just tastes place in France, Pignols, where diately generated many inter- good.” the first cutting esting and touching responses Many of the comments I re- came from. But that continue trickling in even ceived related to special times regardless, Pinot now. It must have struck a sim- where wine commemorated an is the parent and ilar chord with occasion or evoked a wine rev- grandparent to as readers as did my elation, while others expressed many as 21 off- ALLISON LEVINE PHOTO ‌ initial column — how it became a stepping-stone spring, including German wines from a recent tasting. “What was your in their life’s work. So in their AL L ISON , wine epiphany?” own words, let’s take a look at a LEVINE , Aligoté, Germany for a long time. The (Italy), Klevener (Alsace) — from February cross-section of several com- Auxerrois and Pinot grape was first brought Pinot Blanc is planted in Al- 2011, which, in ments I received from readers Melon de Bour- to Baden from Burgundy in sace, France where it is typically A LLEN some ways, was with varying levels of vinous gogne. 884 AD by Emperor Charles blended with Auxerrois. And in BALIK the inspiration interests and experience, each ‌When I am talking about III (aka Charles the Fat). And the 1980s, Pinot Blanc grew in for writing my sharing a personal memory Pinot, I am not talking specifi- in Germany, the Pinot trio of popularity in certain regions, follow-up piece a marked by wine. cally about . I am also Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), such as north-eastern Italy. But month ago. Ted Latty is a long-time wine talking about Pinot Meunier, Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris), Germany has grown to be the ‌Wine lovers and fans know collector who, with tongue- Pinot Gris/Grigio and Pinot and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) largest producer of Pinot Blanc wine elicits far more mus- in-cheek, “laughed at [Paul Blanc. These varieties all have can be found. I had the pleasure in the world. Today there are ings than other alcoholic and Frank’s] ‘just a beverage’ anal- identical DNA, yet they are mu- to enjoy four German Pinots 5,747 hectares planted. non-alcoholic beverages. Wine ogy to air — something few on tations. The inner cell layers are this week as Wines of Germany Selbach-Oster 2018 Pinot is a living thing that continues the west coast are taking for composed of a Pinot genotype, hosted a series of “Wine From Blanc, Mosel ($20) — Sel- to grow in the bottle. It is often granted these days!” but the outer layer is made up Home” events. bach-Oster is a classic, tradi- a meaningful part of import- Ted shared his own experi- of a distinctive genotype. tional producer founded in the ant moments in our lives and ence. “I have several stories on One may think of Pinotc Blan ‌ mid-1800s but with a family provides a complement to our many levels that relate to what when talking about German Also known as: Weissburgun- mealtime enjoyment. And ac- M 1 wine, but Pinot has also been in der (Germany), Pinot Bianco Please see LEVINE, Page C4 cording to John Brecher, co-se- Please see BALIK, Page C4 Napa Valley Register ON WINE Friday, October 30, 2020 | C3

about the other lost . Rebuilding “After the abundant and also From C1 high quality 2018 vintage, we were very pleased by the for the couple. Behrens said flavor profiles, texture and that with their robust insur- structure that were pre- ance, they’re covered from senting in the 2019 … All the that end. And, he noted with components were there for pride, they have the history a really wonderful vintage.” of the Behrens Family brand Together, over the phone, on their side. Drinkward and her husband “Because we’ve been in came across as upbeat, con- business for so long, we have sidering what has happened the good fortune of not hav- since those fateful days last ing to release our month. They seem to be right away.” taking everything in stride Another positive was the — losing sleep, for sure, glut-inducing 2018 vintage, but also putting their sit- now proving to be a godsend uation in perspective. The after they lost virtually all of would-be promise of the their 2019 and 2020 wine in 2019 vintage is superseded the fire. Behrens explained by the actual promise of a that, with more than 7,000 rebuilt future. cases of production that Sean Behrens, Les’ son year, they made nearly dou- from his first marriage, will ble the amount of wine they continue in his longtime role would in a normal vintage. as Behrens Family’s assis- “We still have one ’16 and tant winemaker. Sean’s son, some 2017s to release,” said Ethan, was working at the the winemaker. “We proba- winery and is going to be out bly have several years’ worth of a job for a while, according of wine to release. Busi- to his grandfather. ness-wise, even as we’re LISA DRINKWARD PHOTO ‌ The couple’s son and rebuilding the winery, I More of the aftermath of the Glass Fire at Behrens Family Winery. daughter-in-law, Rudy think things will be as nor- Behrens and Liz Noth, lost mal. The problem will come their jobs in Los Angeles that we’ll have to make it up back in March and had been somewhere because of the living in the winery guest loss of the ‘19 and the ‘20. house, which also burned. So, there’s going to be an The Southern Californians interruption.” have an infant son who was As married owners of born about seven weeks ago. a small winery, Behrens “He’s the bright spot in our and his wife share much lives right now,” Behrens of the load in running it. noted proudly. “We’re con- But the future challenges centrating on that.” of back-to-back missing He continued, “We’ve vintages will also get tack- been saying this a lot, and we led by Schatzi Throckmor- mean it sincerely. That is, in ton, their longtime general the end, we think we’re cov- manager. November will ered financially. But emo- mark her 20th year at Beh- tionally, that’s a whole other LISA DRINKWARD PHOTO ‌ SUBMITTED PHOTO ‌ rens Family Winery. The issue. But there are so many industry veteran has been The Behrens winery, before the fire. Lisa Drinkward and Les Behrens people who don’t have any involved in every aspect of kind of means to get through the business except for the will accordingly come into going to have to come out. and co-wine buyer — at Fo- operation,” the importer re- it. You know, it’s the people itself. play with the Behrens Fam- We’re thinking this would be lie Douce. The three remain called with a laugh. that have lost their jobs, and “You know, there’s a lot of ily Winery reconstruction. a great opportunity to plant close friends to this day. Not long after the cou- they didn’t have enough rebuilding and a lot of work Behrens and his wife more vines.” From his home-office, ple moved to Napa Valley, money to get through the for us here in the near term. purchased their rugged, Back in 1997, when the Diggins recounted Les Beh- Drinkward started her own end of the week. Those peo- At the same time, we’re in- 20-acre Spring Mountain couple moved down to Napa rens’ first forays into wine- winemaking project with a ple, it’s just like, oh, my god, credibly lucky right now be- property in 1998 and over Valley from Arcata, they’d making, which involved a friend and business part- our hearts go out to them.” cause we do have insurance,” the years built it up to a seized an earlier opportu- lot of driving from Arcata to ner, Françoise Peschon. The Then he reflected on Throckmorton said on a sep- multi-structure winemak- nity to pursue winemaking Napa and Sonoma to pick up Drinkward-Peschon label the fire damage on Spring arate call. “We hope to good- ing and hospitality com- and . As the chef grapes. has paced Behrens Fami- Mountain and what comes ness that we don’t have any plex. While the winery itself and owners of “I remember especially ly’s development over the next. issues with that. And if that’s burned, the tank barn and Folie Douce, a popular bis- the first . Les would last two decades in terms of “Was it a smart place to the case, then, you know, we crush pad did not. Nor did tro in the Humboldt County be getting these phone calls prestige and collectability. build a winery? I’m not sure. can rebuild and come back the tasting room, a brand- college town, Drinkward and from grower friends saying, Sadly, those 2019 and 2020 I think that going forward, just as strong.” new building made from Behrens were exposed to ‘Hey, we’re picking at five in wines, which were made at when we rebuild, we will be With her winemaker concrete and stone. Like some of the great California the morning. Get your butt Behrens Family, were also rebuilding in an incredibly husband, Mike Hirby, she the Relic design, wines of the ‘80s and ‘90s down here!’ He had a half- lost in the Glass Fire. fire-safe way. Our tasting also owns and operates fireproof materials made all that made it up to their cor- ton picking bin in the back of The ’20 vintage, such as it room survived, and what- Relic Wine Cellars on Soda of the difference. ner of the state in wine sales his truck, and he’d go down is with smaller yields around ever we build next, I believe, Canyon Road. The Glass The Behrens property also reps’ bags or were brought in and get the grapes. In the Napa Valley and the ev- would survive a fire, because Fire was not Throckmor- contained one of wine coun- by wine-loving customers meantime, I’d be getting ev- er-present threat of smoke now we have hindsight.” ton’s first go-around with try’s built-in firebreaks: a and friends. erything ready to accept the taint from the many North Of the dead trees Drink- disaster. In 2017, the Atlas . Sean Diggins, an - grapes back at his house.” Coast fires, may never see ward mentioned needing Fire wreaked havoc on Soda Drinkward described how land-based importer with Behrens and Diggins used much light or become via- to be removed, maybe that Canyon and other outlying their vineyard sits on a slope Banville Wine Merchants, a small basket press that sat ble to consumers. 2019, on missing Douglas fir rep- parts of Napa. of the property, just below attended Humboldt State as in the budding winemaker’s the other hand, was looking resents the first step towards “It just blew straight the tasting room. Below an undergraduate and after- driveway. “I remember wait- promising to vintners like creating space for the next through the canyon and in- that, she said, “there was ward hung around the small ing for Les to come back. And Drinkward. version of Behrens Family cinerated all of our neigh- a stand of trees and a lot coastal city long enough to then we’d get the grapes and “We were overall very ex- Winery. In which case, the bors. We were one of the few of heavy brush. That must become one of their cus- crush them. You know, it was cited about the quality of the surprise wasn’t so cruel, af- buildings left standing,” she have gone up like a torch. We tomers — then an employee just a real hands hands-on ’19s,” she wrote in an email ter all. said, then compared that have just over half an acre of dire situation three years vineyard. It got completely Green Mountain ago to the Glass Fire. torched. There’s maybe five Pellet Grills “Our hearts are truly percent at the top that still breaking for some of our has green leaves.” Spring Mountain neigh- But as her husband Portable Spas & Swim Spas bors, too. I mean, I’m not pointed out, the half-acre Splash Pools Up To sure how they are going to of vines sacrificed them- BBQ’s & Accessories $250 OFF move forward.” selves for the greater cause FD2099 Throckmorton credited of saving the tasting room, the ingenuity of Lundberg a years-long permitting Design, the San Francisco project they’d counted on Napa valley memorial park architects who built Relic’s for future revenue. Their 2383 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa, California 94558 largely fireproof, concrete- scorched rows of vines have and-steel cave into the side now helped expand the cou- Serving Napa Valley since 1902 of a hill on their property. ple’s concept of defensible After the Atlas Fire, it al- space. Complete Funeral, Cremation lowed Hirby and her to con- “We’re going to put vine- and Cemetery Planning tinue uninterrupted with yard all around the build- SERVING NAPA SINCE 1976 their winemaking. As GM, ing,” Drinkward predicted. VISIT OUR SHOWROOM 707-226-1828 Throckmorton’s experience “All of those dead trees are 2746 Jefferson St. • Napa • (707) 252-2441 • www.nvht.com

Locally Family-Owned Senior Residential Care Facility Offering: • Comprehensive personalized care services. • Assistance with activities of daily living, dressing, bathing, toileting and transfers • 24 hour trained, professional care staff. • Medication supervision. • Meals and snacks, hydration program; Peace of Mind… special diets offered. • Activity program. • Secured memory care. • Housekeeping and laundry services. • Hospice Care. • Respite Care. • No Community Fee. • Affordable Rates. • Emergency Call System. We look forward to meeting you! 2300 Brown Street I Napa, CA 94558 • (707) 252-9037 RCFE License #286801095 Exceptional Infection Control Measures in Place!

M berkshireassistedliving.com 1