Saving Napa Valley’s Roots

By Alexa Poteet

Once the lifeblood of Napa County, small family farms are being pushed out of business by regulations that favor large wineries.

Imagine you’re at a bucolic family vineyard in Napa Valley. The owner is guiding you down the rows on a sunny day, explaining each choice she made to help her father’s vines produce world-class grapes. Then when you ask to taste the wine, she abruptly walks you a quarter-mile off the property. She informs you that if you want to buy a bottle, you will need to do so on an iPad next to the main road.