The wild, wild — vintners

By Register Staff

The Napa Valley Vintners, having raised          $5.7 million at Auction Napa Valley, are off to Vin Expo in Bordeaux where they’ll be hosting a “Best of the Wild West” barbecue. Twenty-four Napa Valley wineries, including Bennett Lane, Cain, Cakebread, Chapellet, Cuvaison, Hendry, Duckhorn, Emblem, Joseph Phelps, Merryvale, Napa Cellars, Pejul, Rocca, Rubicon, Mondavi, Viader, Freemark Abbey, Heitz, Newton, St. Supery, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Waterstone and Schramsberg, will be pouring their wines “until the cows come home.”

Guests at the grand French event are advised to “grab your Stetson, bring your appetite, and prepare to dance the two-step … and prizes will be given for “the biggest belt buckle and the best cowboy dudes.”

Despite the uncertain economy, the Vintners had pledged to give at minimum of $5 million back to the community this year, and they exceeded their mark with the money raised at the live, barrel and e-auctions at the annual event, chaired this year by the Trefethen family.

But getting the French to dance the two-step in their Stetsons might be an even bigger feat.

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