By Mary WebbOne need only take a visit to Adastra vineyards in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, California to become intoxicated with beautiful views, hospitality and spectacular wine. Having visited Adastra on previous occasions, we were more than thrilled to have the opportunity to stop by again this fall. With pumpkins abounding, the Adastra team was getting ready for the annual “Holiday in Carneros” wine tasting event. We were greeted by owner, Dr. Chris Thorpe, out in the historic Redwood Adastra barn. It is here, sipping the newly released 2009 Syrah, we admired the chronological photos, clippings and artifacts that illuminate the Adastra barn.Dr. Thorpe and his wife, Naomi, purchased the thirty-three acre Carneros property in 1983, and so the farming journey began for the Thorpes. Grapes were not grown initially, in fact the Thorpes ranched Angus on their newly purchased land. As a practicing vascular surgeon during this time period, the Thorpes juggled ranching, surgeries and wine classes in order to take the Adastra Angus era to the Adastra vineyard era.Dr. Thorpe and his son-in-law, Edwin Richards, were fastidious and persistent to learn all they could about rootstock, enology and organic farming. This involved several trips to the library and overseas visits to France and Chile, to name a few foreign excursions, continually educating themselves to the wine-making process. With Richards as general manager, Adastra established their vineyard to incorporate Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.A serendipitous meeting of Pam Starr as wine maker was an ideal match for Adastra. Starr’s devotion to making wines, coupled with her experiences in viticultural practices, has brought about the complex, estate-grown boutique wines being produced from Adastra grapes today.Chris Thorpe pours us a glass of Adastra 2009 SyrahThe Adastra vineyard was Certified Organic in 2005, this makes for healthier soil and a healthier working environment. Cover crops are planted between rows, to maintain the nutrients in the soil and prevent erosion from occurring. Not only do these cover crops serve a practical purpose for farming, they are also aesthetically stunning in the vineyard landscape.In addition to grapes, the Thorpes grow several vegetables on their property, most notably tomatoes in the summer. It is a welcome sight to visit Adastra on such occasions when the property is full of so many delightfully-colored fruits and vegetables dotting the property. You will find something delectable growing on any instance you may happen upon Adastra for a tasting experience.It was the richness of colors on the land we remember most on our first visit to Adastra a couple years back. We were able to call ahead for a private tour and wine tasting for the afternoon. It was more than we could have imagined! Chris took us throughout the vineyard and even across a small bridge to the “island” of the property, where a gorgeous Weeping Willow tree is surrounded by a pond. It was enchanting to look out to the clusters of grapes along the vines under the umbrella of the Willow.After stopping to pluck some fresh cherries right off a tree, we were invited inside the main house around a wonderful wood table in the kitchen, encompassed by views of the vineyard outside the bay-window. I enjoyed thinking about all the visitors before us who were afforded the opportunity to partake of the experience, sitting at the same great table. We began our tasting with oaked and unoaked Chardonnay. The citrus, melon and lemon undertones of the Chardonnay were a refreshing way to begin our tasting session. Moving on to the Pinots, we enjoyed the gamut of plum and cherry flavors on the palette, directing us towards an enjoyable mix of blueberries and spice when we tried the Syrah. We finished our sitting with various Merlots that were delectable flavors of chocolate and dark fruits. It was a charming addition to have some carefully selected hard cheeses to accompany our tasting. If you have a chance to book a tour and tasting at Adastra, you can be sure to catch a sampling of these enjoyable gems.Historical Adastra barn is delightful to visitThis recent trip to Adastra brought pumpkins galore. Giant pumpkins, too, and Chris was eager to share the growing seeds with us. We are excited to grow our own giant pumpkin in our yard next year. Currently the Adastra barn is housing a one-hundred pound pumpkin that popped up recently! We enjoyed the Thorpe’s clever use of the pumpkins on the property, such as the “pumpkin pi”, a dexterous and fun construction of pumpkin art.So it is, with a sip and a savor of the 2009 Syrah we say farewell to Adastra vineyards, a perfect finish to a glorious day; brilliant people hard at work producing stellar wines!www.adastrawines.com
