The Ferm

Dear A. Rafanelli,

We hope this letter finds you well. More importantly, we regret that in recent years we haven't spent as much time together.

We opened a bottle of wine tonight and thought of you. Your Zinfandels are absolutely fantastic.

It is inexcusable, but the last time we visited Dry Creek Valley was the summer of 2006. Several months before our visit, the itinerary started taking form. This process consisted of choosing our favorite stops, making some appointments, and positioning the subsequent visits to line up efficiently from a driving perspective. A. Rafanelli was certainly a must stop.

Our itinerary will filling quickly, but you told us when we called that you do not take advanced appointments – something we could respect – and to call back closer to the visit date.

Persistence is often essential to success, and we were persistent. Having previously enjoyed your wines, usually opened up on only the most special of occasions, all our unanswered calls were not a bother. You may want to check on your answering machine though, because it very rarely picks up. Fixing the answering machine is not imperative, since we both know you don't return calls anyway. Who of us isn't the same at our work!

We flew from Texas to California with you penciled in to the itinerary… not exactly penned in, but maybe erasable-penned in. Your wine making is brilliant. It is easy to look past the high cost and very limited distribution of your wines. Each sip is a reminder that it is all worth the trouble. Having previously visited and being on your "list" (wine clubs are for wineries of the pedestrian sort), we feel visiting wineries is as much about soaking in the experience as it is getting access to limited releases, so this was a stop we did not want to scratch off the itinerary. The day before we were to visit, we still had not made contact.

It was the fourth of our four day stay. We began the morning with breakfast at our Healdsburg, CA hotel and a phone call to you. No answer. Ferrari-Carano served as our breakfast stop that day and Quivera our brunch stop. By noon, we were still unsuccessful making contact with you; nevertheless we headed to your property. Surely as previous visitors, customers, and passionate admirers we would not be stood up at the gate.

But there we were, parked at the gate to your winery and still no answer.

We thought of that moment at the gate while we began writing this letter. We understand a certain level of pretentiousness when you produce the kind of wines you do with a small and family owned business. As we mentioned, your Zinfandels are truly fantastic, but you are a**holes.

Today is not a special occasion. We are casually enjoying a glass of Lambert Bridge Viognier (Dry Creek Valley Bevill Vineyard, 2008). After being snubbed at your gate, we needed to go somewhere to settle the disappointment from your indifference to us. With Gary Farrell scheduled for later in the afternoon and now a hole in our itinerary, we headed south and pulled in to the next closest winery. This winery was Lambert Bridge.

What a find. Similar to your business, they too make wines that are not widely distributed because of their limited production. Their wine tasting was not free, but we were impressed enough to move to the Reserve Tasting Room. We were served by an unforgettable wine steward named Dean. His Boston accent was contradictory to Lambert Bridge's elegant tasting. We immediately nicknamed him Boston Dean, which I understand stuck based on conversations with the winery in recent years.

After several outstanding wines and possibly as a rebound from your "visit," we joined Lambert Bridge's Liquid Assets Club. Only seconds after merely vocalizing our intent to join the club, Boston Dean reached under the desk and brought out additional glasses and wines that were not even available for purchase. In a moment etched in all our minds, Boston Dean said "you are family now" as he set the new glasses down on the bar. We are family now. Nice.

As we finish off this bottle, we just wanted to thank you for introducing us to Lambert Bridge. You indirectly made a love connection that summer of 2006. While we never connected that trip, we still have one thing between us. You may be a**holes, but you make fantastic Zins.

Cheers!

The Ferm