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Placer & Beyond Wines

Last Weekend is as Good As it Gets at Carpe Vino (continued)

by Gary Moffat

Carpe Vino is much more than simply a business; more than our source of income. It is the sphere around which our existence revolves. It is the hub of our social life, it is where we were introduced to so many people that we count as true friends. . .not just names in a customer database. And it is the place where we first encountered those we entrust our love.

Carpe Vino is the front line from where we fight our battles, launch new ideas and struggle to survive. I had no idea nine years ago that what was intended to be an entertaining sideline would eventually define and dictate our future.

Like a real-life hand of Texas Hold’em, we are “all in” on this venture—financially, physically and emotionally—and I rue the day when the River card is turned. Despite the challenges of holding off the box stores, of convincing people to give us a chance, of staying five bucks ahead on cash flow, I love this business, this place, this time, the day-to-day.

And I never sensed that more profoundly than last weekend at Carpe Vino, when everything we have worked and planned for coalesced over a span of 24 hours. Minute by minute, hour by hour, a perfect storm of wine, food and service engulfed a restaurant packed with people who know from elegant dining and great juice.

Some 50 expectant foodies descended on Carpe Vino for what would be a virtually flawless event: a five-course dinner paired with wines from The Terraces of Quarry Vineyard, owned by Timm and Sharon Crull of the Rutherford District of Napa. Over the years we have gone through this drill on countless evenings, but this time was something special, something to savor and to remember.

I won’t attempt to regale you with descriptions of each course or entice you with vivid descriptions of the wines we served. The point is everything was perfect. . .at least from my perspective. Drew orchestrated the evening with the skill of an impresario twice his age. The Wine Mine and dining rooms were set and lit to perfection; tables laden with stems sparkling on stiff, pristine linens.

Above, the chatter ends when the chef speaks. . .Chef Alexander shares the thinking behnid his menu with guests in the Wine Mine.

Chef Eric Alexander’s menu was inspired and perfectly paired with wines from The Terraces. . .because he ventured to the winery in Napa to taste through the line-up as a prelude to conceiving his dinner plan. His execution with our kitchen staff would make his mentors from the Culinary Institute of America gush with pride. This was as good as it gets. . .in Auburn or anywhere, and this is not the boast of a restaurateur suffering from an acute case of cellar blindness. . .it is simply a fact.

And the wines, my God, the wines were beautiful, each one, the Chardonnay, Cabernet, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and a fabulous Cabernet-based dessert wine with no name. It was a struggle not to demand more than my fair share.

The food and wine were, of course, center stage. But the instructional narrative and social possibilities are elements that can elevate a simple winemaker dinner to a “happening.” I believe we achieved that on Saturday thanks to Timm and Eric.

Timm Crull is a Napa original. . .a Berkeley grad unafraid to work with his hands. He engaged his audience with humor and with a prolific understanding of vineyard management and winemaking and then captured their hearts by offering tastes of his balsamic vinegar. He is the lone maker in Napa, principally because of the 13-year process to make the stuff and a quarter century for it to achieve its full potential.

For me, the evening was elevated dramatically because for the first time ever, Chef Alexander joined us in the dining rooms to introduce each course and explain how the components harmonized with the wine. He was brilliant, in his own soft-spoken, understated style.

What riders really want. . .the AMGEN breakaway pack isn't racing for glory--they simply want to chase down an ice-cold frosty!

The building was truly alive and warm and sated. People who may have been strangers at the dinner’s start were friends at its end, some three hours later. The service was paced perfectly; the wine poured with reason. Our service staff was at the top of its game and courses flowed effortlessly from our tiny kitchen, as though it was equipped and staffed like an Ella's or The Firehouse.

It was a stellar evening to be followed by an equally grand Sunday when a small group of Carpe Vino friends and family convened on Carpe Vino’s rooftop to take advantage of some of the best seats in Auburn to view the AMGEN racers as they sprinted through Old Town. This was a huge event for the city, which bills itself as the Endurance Capital of the World.

With helicopters flying overhead and throngs clogging the roadway, riders eventually appeared—a breakaway group of four cyclists first, followed by a pack of more than 120 a few minutes later. Like the build-up leading to a heavyweight championship fight that ends in a first round knockout, the brief glimpse of riders such as Lance Armstrong was immensely exciting but left everyone wanting more.

Fortunately for us, we decided not to open the shop that day, opting instead to enjoy the event. . .which is exactly what we did with an impromptu barbeque shared in our hidden garden and patio behind the shop. Over the past two years, Drew has orchestrated the development of this little chunk of land and it truly is a remarkable transformation. It is an “employee lounge” that rivals anything Google has built.

So, yes Drew, it is amazing that we live here. On the other hand, we’ve labored for nearly a decade to help make this a better place for us to call “home”.

(Note: For a slide show of photos taken during the dinner and AMGEN event, click here. Also two photos of Carpe Vino are posted at Sacbee.com as part of its AMGEN coverage.)