It was vacation time for Jhannel Townsend, Betco Premier Limited’s brand manager, and while in most other professions you try to get away from work, when you love wine and food as much as we do, a vacation in the wine country is always a winning, enviable choice. Townsend shares her experience in California wine country with us:

Christopher Reckord (CR): Which region did you visit ? Was it your first time there?

Jhannel Townsend (JT): While on vacation in California, I visited Napa Valley and Sonoma County. The lifestyle at these locations is inspired by food and wine, two of my favourite indulgences. It was my first time, but certainly not my last.

CR: Do you think it is important for people in the trade to visit the vineyards or the wineries?

JT: Visiting the vineyards and the wineries definitely provides individuals in the trade with the opportunity to experience the world of wines before they are bottled; to meet the hands behind the fantastic wines distributed; to discover the rich history, defining moments of wine production, exquisite atmosphere and impeccable wines.

CR: Which properties did you visit?

JT: I got the chance to visit the premier Beringer Vineyards, Stags’ Leap Winery, Caymus Vineyards and the Signorello Estate in Napa Valley, Etude Estate and Gloria Ferrer in Sonoma.

CR: Please share the highlights of each.

JT: Beringer Vineyards -The magnificent castle-like structures, enjoying the impeccable taste of the 2013 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon right from the barrel, and the tasting in the private tasting room located in the caves was an amazingly breathtaking experience.

Stags’ Leap Winery – Touring the estate and being captivated by the stories of the property’s transition over the years between owners. It has an extremely lively history. I sampled 2012 Barrel Selection, Chardonnay; 2011 Winemaker’s Muse, Malbec; 2011 Block 20, Estate Merlot; 2011 Twelve Falls, Estate Red Wine; and the 2011 The Leap, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Caymus- Really enjoyed tasting the Caymus Zinfandel 2013 and the Emmolo Merlot 2012.

Signorello Estate – Located on the Napa Valley hillside overlooking the 42-acre vineyard, this property was magical, had lunch by the poolside which overlooked the vineyard where I indulged in five estate wines: 2013 Seta, Estate; 2013 Hope’s Cuvée Chardonnay, Estate;

2012 Pinot Noir, Las Amigas; 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Estate; 2012 Padrone, Estate.

Etude Estate Vineyard – Extensive tasting of the notable Chardonnay, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. We enjoyed 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon; 2012 Heirloom Carneros Pinot Noir; 2012 Chardonnay Carneros; 2014 Pinot Gris; 2013 Pinot Noir Estate; 2014 Pinot Noir Rose.

Gloria Ferrer — My favourite tour! Luscious landscape, amazing tour guide, one-on-one tour to view the bottling facilities, going into the cave and being wined and dined for almost two hours. Finishing my trip with bubbly was simply divine. Our tasting included their Sonoma Brut, Blanc de Noirs, Blanc de Blancs, Royal Cuvée, and the Carneros Cuvée.

CR: With so many wines, what were your absolute favs and why?

JT: I enjoy drinking medium to full-bodied red wines with earthy notes, flavours of black currants, plums and dark cherries. My favourite wines from each winery were:

Beringer – 2012 Knights Valley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Stags’ Leap – 2011 Winemaker’s Muse, Malbec

Caymus -2013 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

Signorello Estate – 2012 Padrone, Estate

Etude Estate Vineyard – 2012 Etude Heirloom Carneros Pinot Noir

Gloria Ferrer: Royal Cuvée

CR: What were your best moments?

JT: (1) Sharing a tasting session with my Aunt Yvonne at Gloria Ferrer while sipping on the Royal Cuvée and gasping at the magnificent view we had before us. Straight out of a dream!

(2) Touring Beringer and being able to walk the vineyards, touch the grapes, drink wine from the barrel and basking in the glory of finally being able to witness first-hand what I have been reading about.

CR: Where would you love to go next?

JT: A wine tour in Europe.

Christopher Reckord – Entrepreneur & Wine Enthusiast. Send your questions and comments to creckord@gmail.com. Instagram: @chrisreckord Twitter: @Reckord