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In memory of my Grandfather

11/30/2013

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My grandfather passed away Wednesday night peacefully in his sleep at 6:38pm. He was 92 years old. He was the most amazing grandfather and nicest person to me.

It is so important to spend time with those that we love.  I cherish the time that I was able to spend with him. He was also a P.O.W in WWII. I am thankful for his service and thankful for all the lives that he touched. You will be missed and I will always love you. May you rest in peace, Papa. 


Some kind words from my Uncle:

Long time auto dealer Joe Boccalero died of natural causes this past Wednesday at Verdugo Hills Hospital, near his home in La Canada, CA.

Joe was the President of Domenich Basso Inc., Chrysler Jeep in Los Angeles for 40 years and worked at the family owned business since 1941.

Joe was born in Globe, Arizona in 1921, the son of a copper miner, a fact of which he was very proud. His family moved to Los Angeles and settled near what is now the USC Medical Center, northeast of the civic center of LA.

After graduation from neighborhood Lincoln High School he was admitted to attend Loyola University to study medicine until he was called on for a little 'time out' to serve Uncle Sam in WWII, where he fought in the European Theater with General George Patton's battle group.

Joe fought at the Battle of the Bulge and was captured and survived as a POW for 5 months until the end of the war. He received the Bronze Star for bravery and the Purple Heart for wounds received in battle.

After the end of the war, Joe returned home to continue to work at the family automobile business started in 1921 by his father in law, Domenich Basso, an Italian immigrant who obtained his first De Soto-Plymouth franchise in 1932.

Joe worked in every department of the dealership and specialized in fleet sales as he assumed responsibility for the new car sales department Joe recognized the opportunities in supplying fleet vehicles to business' as well as bidding on city, county and state fleet offerings.

Joe assumed the presidency of the dealership in 1963 on the passing of his father in law and continued to grow the business for his family and for Chrysler Corporation.

Joe had great relations with both the local zone office of Chrysler in Los Angeles, as well as establishing liaison with the VP's and Presidents of Chrysler in Detroit. His attitude of 'getting it done the Italian way', had many field managers and local zone VP's shaking their heads at his wise Genovese logic.

Loyalty to customer, product and the factory were Joe's guiding tenants.

Joe and Domenich Basso Inc. were recognized as the 'municipal fleet' supply dealership of Los Angeles for many decades from the 1950's through the 1990's.

When Joe retired in 2003 after his wife Alberta experienced a severe stroke, he became the last of the breed of old time dealers in Los Angeles, who suffered through the Great Depression, fought in the second Great War, became a member of the 'Greatest Generation' and brought all those experiences with him as he established his business career in the automobile industry.

We salute the old soldier as he passes in review.

Mike Nickoloff

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Napa Valley Wine Tour

11/6/2013

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The Napa Valley Wine Tour.

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Touring Napa Valley wine country is a fun and exciting experience.  However, if you're not careful it could be a very expensive experience. If you do proper research and prepare, though, there are opportunities to save money. Just remember, with over 400 wineries in Napa Valley you will not be able to see them all. 

On my recent visit to Napa Valley we were able to see 10 wineries in Napa Valley and one in Paso Robles on the way home.  Napa Valley is very different than Paso Robles. One disadvantage is that you can be expected to pay at least $15-$20 as a tasting fee at most wineries.  Some wineries offer tours from $19-$125 that also include tastings, visits to the wine cave, or even a castle tour, which are quite unique. 

Spending a little time researching before your trip will help you save some money.  The good news is that if you really like the wine, most tasting rooms will waive the tasting fee if you spend a certain amount to purchase their wine.  However, some wineries require you to join their wine club in order to waive the tasting fee.  The wine clubs in Napa Valley can cost at least $100 per shipment and sometimes as much as $600 or more to join.  This is in sharp contrast to Paso Robles, where the wine club I joined cost nothing up front and I will only be charged when the wine arrives at my house.  Furthermore, I was offered a 30% discount on the four bottles that I purchased just because I joined the wine club.

Before you arrive in Napa, it is beneficial to download an app or obtain some sort of magazine that lists all the wineries in Napa.  There are also brochures or apps that offer discounts.  Not all wineries require you to make an appointment but many do, and these brochures and apps will list them.  I do not believe it is necessary to purchase a pricey guidebook, as brochures and wine guides are free and readily available throughout Napa, at hotels, restaurants, and even the wineries themselves.  Some of the free magazines list the wineries under the varietal they are most known for, which can help you focus on specific wineries that sound unique or offer the type of wine that you would like to try.  A printable map is available at www.napavalley.com that lists these wineries.   If you are in town when it is busy or you have a large group it is advised to call ahead.  If you choose and plan wisely, you can visit a good number of wineries and still manage to stay on budget.

I have made a list below of the wineries that we visited on our recent trip to Napa Valley.  I have included pictures and a short description of the wines that I recommend at each destination, although, of course, your taste and preference may vary. 

Believe it or not, there are plenty of camping options near Napa Valley.  This is great because lodging in Napa Valley can cost as much as 300 to 500 dollars per night and some places may cost even more.  If you would rather stay in a hotel, I would recommend looking for somewhere outside the city of Napa, like in Fairfield. 

Hopefully you can find an awesome friend (in my case, my amazing girlfriend) to be your designated driver.  There are transportation options in Napa but they can be expensive. 

Finding delicious food in Napa Valley is very easy but finding something within your budget is a little bit of a challenge.  For food, I would recommend the deli or barbecue area at V. Sattui or Gott’s Roadside Burgers.  You can always pick up something at a local market to bring along to snack as well.  Most wineries do not have their own restaurants, as in certain circumstances this violates local winery rules.  I would also recommend drinking plenty of water throughout the day as numerous samples can lead to dehydration. 

Do not be discouraged by the price of certain items, because if you plan carefully, you can have an awesome trip and save money.  Take a look below for a list and some pictures of the wineries that we visited on our recent wine tour of Napa Valley. 

Other awesome places to visit in downtown Napa are the Oxbow market and the new Lucero Olive Oil store.  Napa Valley is not just the city of Napa, it also includes small towns such as Yountville, Rutherford, St. Helena, and Calistoga.  Napa Valley is only about 5 miles wide and 30 miles long but contains over 400 unique wineries. 

Our recent trip to Napa was fun, exciting, and a tad expensive, but I came home with over 18 bottles of wine and a ton of new knowledge so I do not regret the experience.  With careful planning you can save money in Napa but do not expect to spend less than a weekend of camping.

Also, after visiting Napa Valley we made a stop in Paso Robles and visited one of my favorite wineries:  Pear Valley.  I discovered Pear Valley back in June at the Wine in the Pines event.   I found four wines that I really liked and even joined the wine club, as mentioned earlier. 

Camping Fantastic now offers a private adventure club for dedicated members and we will be visiting Paso Robles in the near future for a complete tour.  For more details follow us on Facebook.

Maps, Magazines, and Apps to help you navigate Napa Valley:

www.napavalley.com

www.preiserkey.com/

www.napavintners.com/wineries/

www.winecountrythisweek.com

Winery Finder or Wine Country app (search on Google play or Apple store)

Wineries we visited: 

(Wines listed are my favorites although your preference may vary)

St. Supery

www.stsupery.com/

2011 Virtu (60% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc)

Peju

www.peju.com/

Provence (red and white blend)

Beaulieu Vineyard

www.bvwines.com

2010 Reserve Carneros Pinot Noir

V. Sattui

www.vsattui.com

2011 Napa Valley Syrah

Sterling

www.sterlingvineyards.com

2012 Malvasia Bianca

Castello di Amorosa

www.castellodiamorosa.com

2012 California Rose Wine La Fantasia

2012 Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley

2011 Chardonnay Napa Valley

2011 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer Anderson Valley

Ceja Vineyards

www.cejavineyards.com

2008 Napa Valley Dulce Beso (Sweet Kiss)

Domaine Chandon

http://www.chandon.com

Carneros Pinot Meunier, 2011

Reserve Blanc de Blancs

Reserve Carneros Chardonnay, 2011

Silver Oak

www.silveroak.com

2008 Napa Valley Cabernet

Inglenook

www.inglenook.com

2010 RC Reserve Syrah  (my favorite Syrah of the Napa trip)

Pear Valley  (Located in Paso Robles)

www.pearvalley.com

2010 Tom’s Oak Chardonnay

2011 Orange Muscat

2009 Cabernet Franc

2009 Distraction 

Food:

Gott’s Roadside (St. Helena and Napa)

Burgers and more at affordable prices

http://gotts.com

V. Sattui winery

Picnic grounds, deli, Bbq on weekends

http://www.vsattui.com/

Buckhorn Grill (Downtown Napa)

Sandwiches, Burgers, and Bbq

http://www.buckhorngrill.com/

Oxbow Public Market (Downtown Napa)


http://oxbowpublicmarket.com/

Camping:

Bothe-Napa Valley State Park

http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=477

Napa Valley camping

http://gocalifornia.about.com/od/canapasonoma/a/Camping-in-Napa-Valley.htm

Skyline Wilderness Park

http://www.skylinepark.org/

Napa Valley camping

http://napavalley.com/lodging/camping_rvlistings.html

Good Sam Club campgrounds


http://www.goodsamclub.com/travel/campgroundsandrvparks/SearchResults.aspx?city=Napa&state=CA

Calistoga Campground

http://www.calistogacampground.org

Parks/Trails

www.napaoutdoors.org

Lodging in Fairfield:

http://www.visitfairfieldca.com/fairfield-ca-lodging-accommodations-and-hotels/

Nearby activities:

http://www.visitfairfieldca.com/things-to-do-in-fairfield-ca

Wineries I didn’t visit but I want to:

Beringer

www.beringer.com

Del Dotto

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/

Silverado

http://www.silveradovineyards.com/visit/tours

Grgich Hills

http://www.grgich.com/

Mumm Napa

http://www.mummnapa.com/

Acacia

http://www.acaciavineyard.com

Rombauer Vineyards

http://www.rombauer.com/

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