Schramsberg general manager Hugh Davies
Napa Valley Wine Calendar
Winemakers in Napa Valley brave all for their new calendar. Ever since those cheeky, middle-aged British women posed in the buff in 1999, nude calendars have become a popular source of fundraising. French winemakers released a nude calendar in 2004 to promote the wines of Bordeaux.
Now, for the third year, the Napa County Farm Bureau has published the Napa Uncovered calendar to raise money to help draw attention to the issue of dwindling farmlands as well as show a lighter side of the Napa scene. All men, the group is comprised of wine grape growers, ranchers and other members of the farming community. Al Wagner, the vineyard manager for Clos Du Val, is the man behind the project.
The 2009 calendar sold out in 2 months. The 2010 calendar is now available at the bureau’s website.
big bottle
Nudity and wine is not a new concept. The centuries old practice of jumping into wine vats naked to mix the fermenting juice is still practiced in smaller wineries around the world. This has always been a dangerous practice and every year winemakers are killed by suffocation from the carbon dioxide fumes produced by the fermenting grapes.
On the plus side, grapes are high in antioxidants which are great for the skin. (See Vino Therapy entry.) I bet the guys on the calendar look very healthy.
Tags: Add new tag, California, Napa, wineries
