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Cult Winemakers VIP Access 

Private VIP Tours & Tastings at 3 Winemakers' Vineyards in Napa Valley, Signed Barrel Head by all 3 Winemakers, Chauffeur, Andaz Napa Hotel 3-Night Stay with Airfare for 2

Suggested Retail Value:  Priceless

This Unique Experience Includes:

• Private VIP tour and tasting at Fantesca Estate & Winery (Winemaker Heidi Barrett)
• Private VIP tour and tasting at Gemstone Vineyard (Winemaker Philippe Melka)
• Private VIP tour and tasting at Corra Wines (Winemaker & Owner Celia Welch)
• 1 souvenir barrel head signed by all 3 cult winemakers (Heidi Barrett, Philippe Melka, Celia Welch)
• 8 consecutive hours chauffeured luxury sedan service
• 3-night stay in a classic king room at the Andaz Napa Hotel in downtown Napa
• Round-trip coach class airfare for 2 from within the 48 contiguous U.S. to San Francisco, CA
• Winspire booking & concierge service

Enjoy a unique opportunity to visit a trio of wineries and sample wines made by the finest winemakers in Napa Valley: Heidi Barrett, Philippe Melka, and Celia Welch. Between the three of them, they have earned eight perfect 100-point scores from the major wine critics.

You and your guest will receive a personal private tour at each of these wineries and taste highly allocated wines, several of which are not available to the general public.  Note: While the winemakers are often around their winemaking facilities, this experience doesn’t guarantee meeting any of the winemakers.

As a token of the good things to come, all three of these cult winemakers have signed a barrel head for you that will be shipped to your home. This handsome piece of winemaking history will look spectacular hanging in your home cellar!

Visit the Cult Winemakers’ Vineyards of Napa Valley:

Fantesca Estate & Winery (St. Helena)   

In 2004, owners Susan and Duane Hoff launched Fantesca Estate as a boutique Napa Valley winery dedicated to creating distinctive wines which, like the Fantesca character of Renaissance Italian theater, are rich with allure and excitement.  Not open to the public, the estate vineyard and winery operation encompasses 53+ acres (nine of which were planted for Cabernet Sauvignon and one acre for Petit Verdot), located in Napa Valley's Spring Mountain District just a mile above the historic town of St. Helena. Their cross-shaped wine cave, rumored to be an abandoned silver mine, stretches 298 feet through Spring Mountain’s eastern ridge and provides ample room to age Fantesca’s boutique-style Napa wines, currently housing Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay vintages. Fantesca produces just over 800 cases of Cabernet and 1,000 cases of Chardonnay each year.

Winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett:

In 2008, Fantesca proudly welcomed an exciting new addition to their winemaking team, celebrated veteran winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett, whose stellar Napa Valley resume includes winemaking stints at Screaming Eagle, Dalla Valle, and her own La Sirena. Fantesca’s  Chardonnay is the only Chardonnay that Heidi makes. Heidi is the only winemaker in the world to receive five perfect 100-point scores from the major wine writers. Wine critic Robert Parker refers to her as “The First Lady of Wine”.

Gemstone Vineyard (Yountville)

Gemstone Vineyard is a small, family-owned producer of estate wines. What began many years ago as a casual interest for founders Suzie and Paul Frank escalated into a passionate search for a place to make a very unique wine. When they found their tiny jewel-like vineyard nestled between rolling knolls in Napa Valley, Gemstone seemed the perfect name. Gemstone’s focus is on crafting richly textured red wines from Bordeaux varietals grown on their 16-acre hillside property in the Yountville appellation of Napa Valley. Esteemed winemaker Philippe Melka handcrafts their Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and an Estate Red Wine.

Winemaker Philippe Melka: 

Bordeaux-bred and mentored by the world’s most revered wine masters, Philippe Melka’s first job out of school was at Château Haut Brion. From there, he took a position with the reputable Moueix Company and was sent to Dominus Estate in Yountville to study soils. After further deepening his expertise with a stint at Château Petrus, he returned to Napa full-time. For the past 15 years, Melka has served as a winemaking consultant for some of Napa’s most highly regarded properties, including Vineyard 29, Hundred Acre, Dana Estates, Gemstone Vineyard and Lail Vineyards.  Philippe proved instrumental in thinking through the winery design, with the aim of arriving at a design that would help him produce the best wine possible. Melka is recognized as one of the wine industry’s leading winemakers. Robert Parker named him one of the world’s nine most important winemakers, while Food & Wine declared him Winemaker of the Year in 2005. In 2007, Hundred Acre’s Ark Vineyard Cabernet received a coveted 100-point score, and in 2009, Parker also awarded Melka’s Dana Estates Cabernet with a perfect score.

Corra Wines (St. Helena)

After more than 20 years as an independent winemaker and consultant, Celia Welch launched her own brand, Corra, in 2004.  Corra Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in miniscule quantities each year, using exceptional Napa Valley vineyard sites located on the rocky slopes of Pritchard Hill, and on the western benchlands of Oakville and Rutherford.  While production may be limited, strongly favorable reviews of Corra have sent it onto the radar screens of wine collectors both nationally and internationally.  Named for the Celtic goddess representing prophecy, Corra Cabernet will age with grace and confidence.  Corra is not open to the public.

Winemaker Celia Welch:

After a number of years working in California and internationally, Celia has developed a consulting portfolio of top-shelf estate vineyards from Napa to Calistoga and all points in between.  Celia has either consulted or made wine for over a dozen of Napa Valley's most coveted brands, such as Scarecrow (100 points from Robert Parker for the 2007 vintage), Staglin Family Vineyard, Lindstrom, Keever Vineyards, and D.R. Stephens.  Celia was named Food & Wine Magazine's Winemaker of the Year in 2008.

Beau Wine Tours

You will receive eight consecutive hours of chauffeured luxury sedan service, subject to availability; inclusive of all service fees, PUC insurance, fuel and driver’s base gratuity. Located in the heart of Wine Country, Beau is the premier wine tour service in Napa and Sonoma Counties. Beau’s drivers are experts on the wine country area and can make winery recommendations based on your particular taste and interest.

Andaz Napa Hotel

Enjoy a 3-night stay in a classic king room (one king bed) at this 141-room boutique hotel located in downtown Napa. Andaz Napa lives in a city where the celebrated vineyard lifestyle is given a relaxed urban twist. Rustically elegant yet exceptionally personal, staying at Andaz Napa puts you in the center of it all, offering a treasure of historic sites, world-class wine tasting venues and gourmet California cuisine.  Take a short walk to Main Street for eclectic tastes, shopping and entertainment, including the new Oxbow Public Market, where artisan food and wine is at its best.  Centrally located in the revitalized “West End”, the Andaz Napa is within minutes to gourmet dining options, galleries, shopping and 15 local tasting rooms featuring some of the finest wines the region has to offer.

Sample farm-to-table fare and local vintages inside the Andaz Farmers Table restaurant, and enjoy a different style of wine list, one that looks to find new and upcoming wines of the region that will delight even the most knowledgeable of palates at the Mercantile Social wine bar. The Terrace is an outdoor urban oasis with an alluring fire pit, hardwood decking, porch swings and comfy loungers.  You may also enjoy complimentary access to the Exertec Health and Fitness Center, located an easy half-block away. A fresh, relaxed take on modern travel, the Andaz hotel (formerly AVIA) is part of the Hyatt family and offers the highest levels of service and a sophisticated sense of place. 

Airfare

This package includes round-trip coach class service for two from any major metropolitan airport in the 48 contiguous United States to San Francisco, CA, subject to availability.

Airfare must be booked within one year from the date of purchase. Airfare taxes and a $25 per person processing fee are the responsibility of the purchaser. Blackout dates: Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s weeks.

Business and First Class upgrades are available at the time of booking for an additional fee. Use of frequent flyer miles for upgrades is dependent on specific ticket restrictions as determined by the airline’s frequent flyer program.

Winspire Booking & Concierge Service

Winspire provides a team of seasoned travel professionals who will help you redeem your experience. All travel related details and reservations are handled for every part of your Winspire experience. Operating as a full-service travel agency, Winspire can assist with extra hotel nights, airfare upgrades, and additional guests. This service also provides you with an established network of onsite contacts who can help you book additional experiences, activities and tours.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Must be booked a minimum of 60 days in advance.  Reservations are subject to availability.  Certificates cannot be replaced if lost, stolen or destroyed.  All purchases are non-refundable.  Packages cannot be resold.  Ground transportation is not included unless where specified.

Item Special Note

Must be at least 21 years old to bid on this item.

Winning bidder will be contacted by LEAF executive director on February 27 or can call 320-253-5780 with questions.  Please be sure to read complete Item Dscription above.