Downtown Napa celebrates recovery

Downtown Napa is having a belated New Year's party the weekend of Jan. 27-28 to let the world know that it has fully recovered from the flood and is ready to ring in 2006.

More than 20 Napa merchants -- including shops, galleries, restaurants, cafs, hotels, inns and cultural attractions -- will offer visitors special packages and dining and cultural experiences.

Parking is available but the free trolley service and your feet are even better ways to get around.

For more information about the weekend celebration, which is sponsored by the Downtown Napa Association, visit www.NapaDowntown.com/Celebration.

Mark your calendars for the Auction Napa Valley

Auction Napa Valley will be held June 1-4 this year with the Cakebread family chairing. Last year's inaugural Friday festival was such a great success bringing the local community into the auction that it will be back again this year.

And, no, you can't buy a ticket yet. We'll tell you when you can Š

New corkage policy

at Napa Valley Grill

Here's some great news for local residents and vintners: Napa Valley Grill is initiating a new policy and charging no corkage for local wines from Napa and Sonoma valleys. For other wines, the corkage is $15.

That policy appears unique in Napa Valley.

Of course, a few local restaurants don't change corkage for any wines, and most do forgive one fee for every bottle bought.

Innovative vintner dinners being offered at Press

Many wineries and restaurants hold winemaker's dinners, but Press is taking an interesting approach: It is limiting its Vintner Dinners to only seven guests for an intimate experience.

They're seated with the host vintner at the grand center table in the dining room. They're being held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday except Valentine's Day and Feb. 23.

Guests just order from the menu while enjoying wines provided by the host vintner and maybe library wines, too.

The cost is $25 plus dinner.

Call 967-0550 for the latest schedule.

Kelley's reopened

Though badly flooded, Kelley's No Bad Days Caf has reopened and reports all is well. The local favorite serves dinners Tuesday through Saturday from 5 p.m.

No Bad Days Caf is at 976 Pearl St. For information, call 258-9666.

Depot reopening

The Depot restaurant was severely damaged in the flood over the New Year's weekend, too, but has been repaired and will reopen Wednesday with Early bird dinners for $11.95 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Early Bird specials will also be available Thursday.

The Depot is at 806 Fourth Street, in Napa. The phone number is 252-4477 and Web site is www.thedepot-napa.com.

Artist at Rocca Wine Salon

The Rocca Wine Salon on Main Street also made it through the flooding, and they're showing metal art by Jeff and Lisa Jacklich through January.

The wine tasting salon pours tastes and glasses until 6 p.m. Monday through Wednesday and until 8 p.m. on Thursday and Saturday.

Rocca Wine Salon is at 1130 Main St., between Cole's and Annalien in Napa. The phone is 257-8467 and web site is www.roccawines.com

Learn how to taste wine

George Vierra will teach a non-credit class in wine tasting, Sensory Evaluation of Wine at the Upper Valley Campus of Napa Valley College Mondays from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Jan. 23 to March 27. It's $135 plus a $35 material fee for bread, cheese and wine.

Pre-registration is required by the 24-hour voice mail registration at 967-2900 or 253-3070.

Lede takes a big approach to concept of BYOB

Cliff Lede Vineyards has a new "Blend Your Own Barrel" program, a high-end, three-day wine country extravaganza featuring the opportunity for five couples to each blend their own barrel of wine alongside winemaker Michelle Edwards and proprietor Cliff Lede.

BYOB participants receive 10 cases per couple of their own wine after bottling in 2007.

The program includes a two-night stay at Lede's luxurious Poetry Inn, wine, and all transportation and meals during the program for $15,000 per couple. For information, call Jack Bittner at 944-8642.

Cliff Lede Vineyards is at 1473 Yountville Cross Road in Yountville. For more information, please visit cliffledevineyards.com, poetryinn.com or call 800-428-2259.

Fantesca launches quarterly cooking series

Fantesca Estate & Winery is hosting its new Saut, Swirl and Sip series of quarterly cooking classes taught by some of Napa's top chefs at the home of the winery's owners.

Greg Cole of Cole's Chop House and Celadon will be the guest chef on Saturday, Feb. 11 with James Corwell of Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant, on May 20, Chris Aken of Stomp on Sept. 16 and Jude Wilmoth of Cook on Nov. 11.

The classes are $100 per person.

Fantesca Estate & Winery was founded in 2004 by Minnesotans Susan and Duane Hoff.

For more information, call 968-0890 or consult www.fantesca.com.

Unified Conference in Sacramento next week

Next week is the annual Unified Wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento. It's the American wine world's leading trade show for winemakers and features seminars and exhibits on growing grapes and making and marketing wine.

If you'd like more information, visit www.unifiedsymposium.org.

Take a Danube cruise with

Jan and Mitsuko Shrem

Proprietors Jan and Mitsuko Shrem of Clos Pegase are leading a cruise for eight days on the Danube River through the Central European wine country starting Oct. 23, and if you book before Feb. 26, you get a discount of $250 per person.

The cruises are organized by Doctor Travel (www.doctortravelinc.com).

Schweiger Vineyards and Cuvaison also sponsor cruises with the same company.

ZAP coming up

The 15th annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers (ZAP) Festival takes place Jan. 25-28 in San Francisco.

It consists of smaller events leading up to the huge 15th annual Zinfandel Advocates & Producers Tasting at Fort Mason Center on the final day. About 275 wineries and more than 10,000 attendees are expected to attend. You can get details and tickets at www.zinfandel.org or (415) 345-7575.

Send news to paul@napalife.com.