Napa Insider
A different taste By Christina Julian
I n a land where wine tasting reigns, there is new tip-and-sip opportunity set to make a splash, just in time for the onslaught of summer visitors. In my world this translates into a revolving door of wayward friends and family who arrive with ambitious plans to tackle six or more wineries a day. As the consummate buzz kill of my tribe, I endeavor to reel them back to reality as soon as they hit the Sonoma County airport strip. In the past, some heed my warnings and back off the boozy plans, while others chide me and vow make the most of their Napa Valley visit, or else. When my travelers inevitably hit the wall by day two, I try to refrain from saying, “I told you so,” and offer alternatives for toning it back. Enter the Irish Whiskey LAD (Lover And Drinker), known also as Andrew Healy, who is poised to shake and stir up my crowd with his latest venture, the Irish Coffee Masterclass.
comes down to connection and purpose. “As independents, we are all trying to elevate Irish whiskey, and personally it felt like it was time to get back to my homeland. The Irish Coffee Master Class is an opportunity to do something fun that benefits our community and where I’m from.” Class in session In other groundbreaking news, Napa Valley College broke literal ground this spring with Phase I of its new Wine Education Center and Complex, which includes the Wine Spectator Center, which will house the college’s viticulture and winery technology program. The space will include two sensory classrooms, and accommodate up to 80 students, paired with plans to upgrade to the existing laboratory classroom with 28 lab stations. The May groundbreaking also marked the
kickoff of a $4 million capital campaign to fund Phase II, the Wine and Hospitality Training Center, which will offer end-to-end training with winery food programs, direct-to-consumer sales, wine club membership, tasting room management, tourism and wine culinary training. In addition to a demo kitchen and tasting bar with movable sit-down seating, to emulate various tasting room scenarios, the center will also have an event space to host industry training, educational events, guest lecturers and wine industry professionals. “Our new winery chef certificate will meet a growing trend in the industry by combining wine and hospitality skills into one complementary degree the industry is asking for aimed at the direct-to-consumer market,” said Dr. Torence Powell, superintendent and president of Napa Valley College, in a media release. When completed, the two-phase project will nearly double the existing facility space and span more than 10,000 square feet. All of which is sure to further extend the cache of the current Napa Valley College Viticulture and Winery Technology Program, which has been named one of the largest in the world with job placement rates among VWT students having consistently exceeded 80%. With new development throughout the valley expected to create as many as 2,272 new jobs by 2028, the need to educate and train the up- and-comers of the wine biz remains as important as offering the ever- growing pool of tourists, unique experiences and settings. g 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.
Native to Dublin, Healy is no stranger to Napa Valley, having landed here in 2008, at a time when digital marketing in the wine biz was an oxymoron. For Healy, this industry turning point afforded an opportunity to be forerunner in the space and also draw on his experiences in the food halls of Harrods, where he worked in the wine program, and his days working harvest in New Zealand and Santa Ynez Valley. After years of assisting Napa wineries and brands with digital- marketing programs, co-curating TEDx Napa Valley, and hosting more than 200 virtual tasting experiences during and beyond the pandemic, Healy was prime for another pivot—to Irish Whiskey educator. His latest career act came into focus around St. Patrick’s Day in 2022. “I found visitors were looking for non-wine experiences,” he says. “After a couple days, there are only so many cabs you can taste before fatigue sets. I also wanted to offer something for those who aren’t as interested in wine tasting.” In order to open minds around whiskey, Healy realized early on he needed to elevate the tastings and change perspectives. He started with whiskey and chocolate tastings, and then added cheese pairings. Before long he was getting tapped to create Irish coffee bar activities at events throughout the valley. “It came about because people were asking how to make coffee a more hands-on experience. With the masterclass, we taste a couple whiskeys and talk about coffee, whiskey and cream. It’s not a boozy drink so it’s a great way to start the day.” Healy hosts experiences for groups between four and 20, in a restaurant and bar location in downtown Napa, or wherever groups want to play, be it at hotels, private venues and event spaces, or at tee-off on the golf course. Standing out among the crowded wine-scape of more than 400 wineries remains an uphill climb in this valley, but for Healy it
July 2024
NorthBaybiz 37
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