NAPA VALLEY, CA—The weather is changing here in wine country. Summer hung on longer than expected but, in Northern California, when fall descends it does so like a cold slap in the face.

Last Saturday, was a gloomy November 5. An urge overtook me; a compulsion to drive around and take in the changing seasons. For that, locally, there’s no better place than Napa Valley. The grapevines generally blast their seasonal message broadly. It’s an ever-changing show. Those first tiny lime buds of spring; the broad green leaves of summer; pumpkin colors of the fall; their hard-bitten nudity in winter. The cycle is simply nature’s calendar.

A storm had drifted in from the West. Yellow and orange hues were gently spreading now from the Mayacamas to the Vaca Range.

Just outside Whitehall Lane Winery I found this amazing example. Soon all the vineyards will follow suit.

Young vines seen here in this mid-valley location. (Can’t recall exact location.)

First stop of the day… a landmark on Highway 29. You can’t miss it. The entire building is this color. Ah. You’ve guessed it: Provenance Vineyards.

It’s a comfortable tasting room where they pour their flagship Cabernets. Tom Rinaldi, director of winemaking and founding winemaker, was also the founding winemaker at nearby Duckhorn Vineyards. Over the past several years, I’ve had some wonderful wines from Provenance. (Yikes! What intricate green tattoos the server has running down her arms!)

Provenance wasn’t too crowded for a Saturday. Here’s what they are currently pouring:

-2010 Rutherford Estate Sauvignon Blanc (91 Points — Wine Spectator)
-2006 Beckstoffer Las Amigas Merlot
-2007 Three Palms Merlot (90 Points — Wine Spectator)
-2008 Malbec
-2008 Cabernet Franc
-Winemaker’s Reserve (Red) Blend (91 Points — Wine Spectator)
2006 Rutherford Estate Cabernet (91 Points — Wine Spectator)
2007 Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard (92 Points — Wine Spectator)
2008 Three Palms Cabernet (92 Points — Wine Spectator)

An impressive list. It should remain fairly consistent over the next few weeks.
Tastings here are currently $20 for your choice of four wines.

Folks were enjoying themselves. Most visitors never look down…

But they should. It’s one of my favorite parts of this tasting room. The floors are handcrafted from nine hundred of the winery’s barrels. Look for the cooperage marks.

I continued heading north until I came to Whitehall Lane Winery — another favorite stop. (Look at the sign in the right corner. Apparently, they’ve named that street after this famed winery!)

Here are their current releases are being served:

2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
2009 Chardonnay, Carneros
2008 Pinot Noir, Carneros
2007 Merlot, Napa Valley
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
2007 Reserve Cabernet, Napa Valley
2010 Belmuscato, (Dessert Wine)

Current Fees: You can choose 4 out of these 7 wines for $15. As with many local wineries, there are also upscale flights, and library wines, that can be tasted. Inquire at the tasting room. Whitehall Lane has a superb reputation. There wines are consistently excellent. My philosophy: taste, taste, taste. The more you taste the better you will train your palate. (It’s very okay to spit — but, please, into the provided bucket at the tasting bar.)

By the way, I have always found Whitehall Lane Winery to have great hospitality. That usually encourages me to linger. The Leonardini family owns the winery and approximately 125 acres of prime valley-floor vineyards located in the Rutherford, St. Helena, and Oak Knoll districts.

Even the vineyards adjacent to the Whitehall Lane tasting room have begun to turn.

I’ve run out of time for now and must take a break. There will be several other installments to this post but due to my production schedule I may not have the time to continue until the weekend. Your patience is much appreciated. By the way, that comment about the server’s tattoos was just to see if you were paying attention. The silly crack about the street sign was as well. ;)

In the next post I’ll cover Heitz, Harvest Inn, Mumm, and more…