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From the Top: Exploring the Unique Estates on Prichard Hill

Pritchard Hill, on the eastern slopes of Napa Valley, is known for producing profound, textured and compelling wines. Five vintners from the area: Chappellet, Continuum Estate, David Arthur, Montagna and Ovid Napa Valley, are pleased to offer a rare collection of 2009 vintage wines and to invite three couples to spend a weekend exploring this magical winegrowing neighborhood.

Your adventure begins when you arrive at the guest cottages at Ovid Napa Valley, a little slice of paradise with incomparable views of Napa Valley and Atlas Peak. Friday evening you’ll be among the first to get an insider’s preview of Continuum Estate’s exciting new winery. Later, head to the private home of Tim Mondavi for a quintessential Napa Valley dinner with Tim and members of his family. Chef Sarah Scott, author of The Wild Table, will prepare a feast inspired by local foraged ingredients, and Tim will select wines from his personal cellar to complement the meal.

The next day includes a visit to the charming David Arthur Winery and Montagna, hosted by David and Bob Long, followed by a superb picnic lunch under the great oaks in the middle of their dramatic vineyard. In the afternoon you’ll return to the Ovid guest quarters for some R&R. That evening, walk down the stone path to Ovid Founders Mark Nelson and Dana Johnson’s house, for a dinner party with all the participating vintners. Chef Curtis Duffy — the innovative and progressive chef formerly of Charlie Trotter’s and Avenues in Chicago and now Chef/Owner of his highly-anticipated new restaurant, Grace — will prepare a spectacular, whimsical and surprising multicourse meal. In addition, Chef Duffy will also welcome the six winning bidders in Chicago for dinner at his new restaurant when it opens this year. Naturally, extraordinary wines from all five neighbors will be flowing!

Sunday is a day of rest, so do it up in style with masseuses that come to you at the Ovid guest houses. Then head over to Chappellet Winery, where the Chappellet family will welcome you to their family home for a splendid farewell Sunday brunch and tour of their iconic winery. Also experience their incredible art collection and Molly Chappellet’s storied and stone-studded aroma gardens.

Out of 200 special barrel lots made by Napa Valley wineries, ours garnered the second highest price per bottle and placed third overall!  Ovid’s five-case Hexameter lot was purchased by Ichizo Nakagawa of Nakagawa Trading Company for $55,000, and the immediate underbidder was Darioush Khaledi of KV Mart. We thank all the attendees and bidders for their interest in and enthusiasm for Ovid’s Hexameter. This is the fourth year Ovid’s offering has placed in the top three lots at Premiere Napa Valley.

To see a video featuring Austin Peterson describing Ovid’s Hexameter lot, click here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMM-mWi6y5s)

For more information about Premiere Napa Valley 2012, check out the Napa Valley Vintners press release by clicking here  (http://www.napavintners.com/trade/tm_3_release_detail.asp?ID_News=3421127)

For general information about honey bees, click here. If you’d like to read a compendium of interesting information about bees in the Napa Valley by one of our local bee gurus, check out Rob Keller’s site at Napa Valley Bee Company. Below are some pictures of recent activities with Ovid’s bees. We will continue to post news about living with the bees throughout the year.

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Regina is moving the bees to a temporary bee box. After all the bees in the hive were collected, they were transported to Napa so that they would lose their local orientation and not return to the house. They have since been moved back to another location on the Ovid property, where they are thriving.