GREAT EATS HAWAII: TAMBER BEY WINERY

TAMBER BEY WINERY

CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA

TAMBER BEY

SUNDANCE RANCH

1251 TUBBS LANE

CALISTOGA, CA 94515

707-942-2100

707-942-2104 FAX

EMAIL: wine@tamberbey.com

www.tamberbey.com

Life has its unexpected moments. Some good and some bad. When we arrived at the home of the owner of Tamber Bay little did I know that it would be one of life's coolest moments. All I could think of is how I wish my Dad could be with me to experience the moment in time and experience. As we entered the private estate of winery owner Barry Waitte we were not at the Ranch that is the home to his winery and tasting room, but at his residence which is nestled amongst 11 acres of vineyards. Barry greeted us himself holding the coolest little wine holder filled with three glasses of wine for his guests. We knew nothing about Barry and figured he was just a wine salesmen making us comfortable before the pour. I don't think he even mentioned that he owned the house, land and vineyard but we soon figured it out after he graciously walked us through his vineyard and explained the grape growing process and fact that he had purchased 11 acres here and another 60 acres up the road in Calistoga. Barry guided us to his back porch that was set amongst one of the most beautiful backyards you could ever imagine. There was water and trees that looked like great fireworks exploding in the perfect Napa weather on a February afternoon. Everything here was perfect. The landscaping, the weather the table and the decor. Barry proceeded to pour his wines one by one. Each one was a banquet of flavor. He demonstrated a new wine opener that reseals the bottle to preserve freshness and we walked slowly through the story of how be came to Napa and became a wine maker. Turns out Barry met a guy named Steve Jobs and took a job with Apple. From Apple he started his own business and then sold it to an Internet company called AOL. All the time Barry followed his love for horses and traveled the world doing endurance horse racing. He became quite famous and good at the sport and met his lovely bride while purchasing a horse in Los Angeles. They both raced horses and had a love for wine so they did what anybody would do and bought a 60 acre horse ranch in Napa and established their own wine brand and also created a wine making facility that can make wine for dozens of other small vinery owners. What a story and here we are drinking wine with Barry at his home. On his back porch, in his back yard on the most perfect of Napa days. As the sun began to set I did not want this day to end. Luck for us Barry invited us to his ranch the next day for a private wine tasting with about six other wine makers.

Click link below to visit the Tamber Bey Winery and Ranch

http://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2014/03/tamber-bey-winery.html