Napa Valley Takes to the Skies: The Week Ahead

About this episode

Cole and Claire cover Delta One's new Napa-anchored wine list, the 2027 Best of Wine Tourism winners, Napa Valley Vintners' $1.2 million afterschool investment, Hayes Drumwright on wine as soft diplomacy, plus weekend picks: St. Helena sidewalk sales, the Palm Tree Music Festival, Get The Led Out at the Uptown, Grupo Folklorico Quetzalen at the Sebastiani, The Judgment of Napa at Freemark Abbey, and more.

Chapters

• 0:00 · Welcome to the briefing
• 0:53 · Delta One's new Napa wine list
• 1:43 · 2027 Best of Wine Tourism winners
• 2:32 · Napa Valley Vintners' $1.2M afterschool investment
• 3:22 · Hayes Drumwright on wine as soft diplomacy
• 4:11 · Weekend: sidewalk sales and Palm Tree Music Festival
• 5:01 · Weekend: Get The Led Out and Grupo Folklorico Quetzalen
• 5:50 · The week ahead: Judgment of Napa, Bottega, Calistoga Art Center
• 6:40 · Worth your week and outro

Full transcript

Cole: Alright, welcome to the Napa FYI briefing, your weekly rundown on everything happening in the valley. I'm Cole, she's Claire, and we've got a full one today.

Claire: Happy Saturday, everybody. October third, and the October calendar is stacked. Let's get into it.

Cole: Let's start with the news. Four stories worth your attention this week.

Cole: First up: Napa Valley takes to the skies with Delta's new Delta One wine list.

Claire: Delta begins pouring its new Delta One wine collection on October first, twenty twenty-six. The airline and Master Sommelier Andrea Robinson narrowed the list from about one thousand six hundred wines down to thirteen selections from eleven winery partners, with SkyMiles members joining blind tastings for the first time in the program's history.

Cole: That's a big one. We'll keep an eye on where it goes.

Claire: Napa Valley anchors the list. Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon pours on international Delta One routes from October twenty twenty-six through March twenty twenty-seven. Domestic Delta One serves Trefethen Family Vineyards, Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs, and Freemark Abbey over the same six months. St. Supéry's Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon run on both domestic and international routes through September twenty twenty-seven, and Sonoma's Patz and Hall joins the international list in April twenty twenty-seven. Champagne Taittinger, already served on international Delta One routes and in Delta One Lounges, expands to all Delta One experiences including domestic flights from October first. Stephanie Laster, Delta's Managing Director of Onboard Experience, said the program reflects the airline's commitment to listening and creating experiences that genuinely resonate with travelers.

Cole: Next: Napa Valley names its twenty twenty-seven Best of Wine Tourism winners.

Claire: On September twenty-ninth, twenty twenty-six, the San Francisco/Napa Valley regional delegation of the Great Wine Capitals announced the twenty twenty-seven Best of Wine Tourism Regional Award winners. The delegation includes the County of Napa, Napa Valley Vintners, and Visit Napa Valley, and a judging panel with representatives from all three selected the winners from self-nominated businesses across seven categories.

Cole: Wow, okay. Not a small story for the valley.

Claire: The winners are Okaeri Calistoga for Accommodation, Beaulieu Vineyards for Architecture and Landscapes, Lewis Cellars for Art and Culture, Bouchaine Vineyards for Innovative Wine Tourism Experiences, Robert Mondavi Winery for Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices, and Charlie's Napa Valley for Culinary Experiences. Napa Valley is among eleven global wine regions in the Great Wine Capitals Network and the only one in North America recognized for exceptional wine tourism experiences.

Cole: And one more: Napa Valley Vintners puts one point two million dollars into afterschool programs.

Claire: On September thirtieth, twenty twenty-six, Napa Valley Vintners announced it is investing one point two million dollars in local afterschool and summer programs for Napa County youth. The funding supports programs that reach eight thousand five hundred students from their early years through their teens, including the Boys and Girls Clubs of Napa Valley, giving working families a safe place for their children after the school day ends.

Cole: That's a big one. We'll keep an eye on where it goes.

Claire: The investment is part of the vintners group's Youth Wellness Initiative. It follows a September first, twenty twenty-six announcement of one point eight million dollars in giving for student wellness programs on school campuses, and the organization says it will announce additional investments supporting children and families in October.

Cole: And last, a big-picture thought from a Napa winery owner.

Claire: Hayes Drumwright, co-owner of Momento Mori in Calistoga and of Vida Valiente and Edge Hill in St. Helena, told the drinks business this week that fine wine has always been, in his words, "a bit of soft diplomacy." It represents the region on the world stage, no matter what is going on in the news.

Cole: He was talking trade, too. He said national and international politics play a massive role in running a winery, with tariffs always top of mind. California's Wine Institute just called 2025 the most catastrophic single-year trade disruption in the history of U.S. wine exports.

Claire: A reminder that what is in the glass starts long before harvest.

Claire: Okay, from news to the calendar.

Cole: Alright, the calendar. Here's what's actually worth your time, from this Saturday through next weekend.

Cole: October second through October fourth at Main Street, Downtown St. Helena, Annual Sidewalk Sale. Downtown St.

Claire: See organizer. Free. I love that.

Cole: Helena shops bring the bargains out front for the annual fall sidewalk sale.

Claire: Friday and Saturday, October second and third at Blue Note Summer Sessions, The Meritage Resort and Spa, Palm Tree Music Festival. Two day outdoor festival at the Meritage Resort with live performances, bars, and food vendors.

Cole: Doors one thirty P M, show three P M. See the official site for details. Put it on the list.

Claire: Single day and two day passes; G A eighteen plus, V I P twenty-one plus.

Cole: October second through October fourth at Historic Shopping District, St. Helena Sidewalk Sale. Three days of seasonal sales through the Historic Shopping District, with wine and dining along the way.

Claire: Store hours vary. Free. Classic valley weekend material.

Cole: The town's twice-a-year excuse to walk Main Street with a glass in hand.

Claire: Today, Saturday at Uptown Theatre, Get The Led Out: A Tribute to Led Zeppelin. Touring Led Zeppelin tribute recreating the studio recordings live, down to the details.

Cole: Eight P M. Tickets through A X S. I love that.

Claire: A reliable Saturday night rock show in the eight hundred sixty-three seat room.

Cole: Today, Saturday at Sebastiani Theatre, Grupo Folklorico Quetzalen: MICTLAN. Folkloric dance performance at the Sebastiani Theatre.

Claire: Three P M. Check the ticket page for prices. Say less, I'm in.

Claire: Heads up: Tickets via A X S.

Claire: Monday, October fifth at Freemark Abbey, The Judgment of Napa. A blind tasting pitting Napa Valley wines against the world's best, honoring the fiftieth anniversary of the nineteen seventy-six Judgment of Paris.

Cole: Ten A M to four P M. One thousand five hundred dollars+. Put it on the list.

Claire: Twenty featured wines at Freemark Abbey.

Cole: Wednesday, October seventh at Bottega Napa Valley, Bottega Cellar Series with Peter Michael Winery. An evening with Peter Michael Winery hosted by owners Paul and Emily Michael: a curated progression of wines from the California estate paired with a seasonal multi-course menu by Bottega Executive Chef Alex Espinoza.

Claire: Six P M. Three hundred fifty-seven dollars. Say less, I'm in.

Cole: Price inclusive of tax and gratuity.

Claire: Wednesday, October seventh at Calistoga Art Center, Earring Workshop (benefits Ukraine). Jewelry class with Mara Adelman: basic tools, earring composition, and easy to make designs using U S A made metals.

Cole: Ten thirty A M to twelve thirty P M. Forty-five dollars. That's a good-looking one.

Claire: One hundred percent of the teacher's fees go to Hands On Global for medical supplies to Ukraine.

Cole: Before we go, the one thing worth your week.

Cole: Mine is Annual Sidewalk Sale, October second through October fourth. And it's free, which never hurts.

Claire: Strong pick.

Claire: Mine is The Judgment of Napa, Monday, October fifth.

Cole: I can get behind that.

Cole: That's the briefing for this week. Details for everything we mentioned are on napa.fyi.

Claire: We'll be back next Saturday. See you out there.

Mentioned in this episode