Napa Insider
The business of connection—from bike trails to people
By Christina Julian
W hen I first moved to the valley over a decade ago, my daily work commute was the stuff movies like Under the Tuscan Sun were made of, as I made my vineyard-strewn bike ride from Calistoga to St. Helena. Armed with only my beach cruiser and a helmet, I was so sucked in by my surroundings I failed to notice the inherent dangers of biking along the Silverado Trail with no discernible bike path. I happily rolled along in oblivion for about a year until the novelty wore off and the perilous nature of the ride became more apparent with every pedal stroke.
over” (or out to a winery, restaurant, event space) to share some wine. MacNeil shared at a media event how she conceived of the idea to counter the negative representation of wine in the news. “I am disappointed that the narrative around wine has increasingly devolved to a discussion solely about alcohol. To me, wine is more than alcohol. Wine is woven into a rich tapestry with nature, spirituality, art, cuisine, religion and culture. And as we all know, if all you wanted was alcohol, there are cheaper and faster ways to get it than by having a glass of wine with dinner.”
Just as the Beatles “Come Together” anthem felt like a battle cry of the times, so too does COO feel like one now. One thing most can agree upon is we are living in divisive times from all angles. MacNeil spoke about how the campaign is also meant to honor and celebrate the 9,000-year history of wine as a communal beverage. The newly minted campaign falls under the umbrella of the mission- driven company Come Together—A Community for Wine, which MacNeil formed with her partners, all of whom are donating their time to the company and campaign. The endeavor has garnered support around the globe from trade groups including Wine America and the Napa Valley Vintners to the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation, Wines of Chile, the Chianti Classico Consortium, Wines of South Africa, the Champagne Bureau and others who are all amplifying the message and inspiring people to host events in October. While MacNeil errs on the side of flowery, over-the-top (if not poetic) descriptions of the wines she deems worthy, she is not wrong to point an arrow at the media’s sensationalizing of the industry at every turn, with all the flamboyant proclamations flying around about how wine is dead, and spirits and mocktails are hot. None of which has stopped those same publications from donating ad space to promote the campaign. But in spite of—and because of—all of the above, this brilliant, if not simple marketing scheme has success written all over it—because economic woes, COVID surges and election mud-slinging be damned, people are ready to reconnect and raise a glass, which stands to give humankind and the wine biz a well-needed boost. u After years in the technology and advertising trenches, Christina Julian traded city life for country and unearthed a new philosophy— life is complicated, wine and food shouldn’t be. Her debut novel, a romantic comedy called The Dating Bender , is now available. Learn more at christinajulian.com . You can reach her at cjulian@ northbaybiz.com.
Around this time, talk of the Napa Valley Vine Trail (NVVT) started to surface and my excitement mounted at the prospect of a bike trail that would run the entire length of Napa Valley. My husband, for his part, tossed out one too many “never- gonna-happen” sentiments for my tastes, detailing how wineries and homeowners would never grant easements of their land. My I-told-you-so moment came 17 years later when 25 landowners did just that—a fact that made our ride at the grand opening of the new St. Helena-to-Calistoga leg of the trail oh-so sweet this summer. The mostly flat trail follows Highway 29, ducks through Bothe State Park and passes vineyards and wineries with signs that read "Bikers Welcome!" The 5.5-mile leg between American Canyon and the Vallejo Ferry Terminal trail is expected to open this fall with the entire NVVT projected to be fully connected by 2028, cementing the business of biking in Napa Valley. The sprint to the finish won’t be an easy one, given the final St. Helena-to-Yountville segment could cost as much as $3.5 million per mile and will require easements from 55 private landowners. But the potential payoffs of increased tourism, a bike-to-buy boon for tasting rooms, and the shift to safer, more eco-friendly rides could be worth it. As for this scribe and rider, I have no doubt that the NVVT will dramatically change the way we do business and leisure in the Napa Valley. A case for connecting As the Vine Trail logistically connects valley dwellers and businesses in new ways, the inaugural marketing campaign, Come Over October (COO), is ready to reunite wine lovers and restore the art of in-person connections this month. COVID and ye old smartphones may have tainted the fruits that only in-real-life (IRL) connections can bear, but COO founders Karen MacNeil (author of The Wine Bible ) and communications and PR pros Kimberly Charles and Gino Colangelo are on a mission to overthrow the status quo of screen time and cozy slippers with a movement that beckons people to come over in October. The campaign calls on drinkers across the country to invite a friend, colleague, family member or neighbor down the vineyard block to “come
October 2024
NorthBaybiz 41
Made with FlippingBook. PDF to flipbook with ease