Ding Dong, the bells are ringing!

Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year. This is when we dust off the boxes and take out the old ornaments, each wrapped carefully the year before. Memories come flooding in, kids handprints, first Christmas, homemade Christmas Tree Angels.

It's the time of giving. Yes, we give all year, but during this season, we step it up. More money for church, the Bell Ringers, people in need. We give anonymously because we know it's more about the gift, and less about us. It feels good!

(I had to include the above picture- after all, they weren't allowed to ring their bells in front of a certain barber shop. I love that they were creative with this and waved pictures of bells!)

Families playing together make the best memories of all..

..the sunsets this time of
year can be amazing!

Segway Napa donates to many fundraisers. If you see a gift certificate at
one of these, you can get a pretty good deal. A recent one was a Yountville Wine & Cheese tour for 2. They bought it for $75. Normal price would be $180! These do expire as they are a donation.

What does not expire are Gift Certificates that are purchased directly from us. So you needn't worry if your loved one doesn't use it right away. They can wait until Spring, or Fall- whenever they choose! Our Seasonal special is Buy One Tour, get One 1/2 Off. It's a great deal and makes a great present if you want to save it for later. Judging by how many people have bought one this
month -it's a hot ticket item! :)
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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
Cheer!
Gale
Segway Napa

White Hot! Wines for summer

I wrote this a while ago for another publication, but thought it bears repeating....

Napa's Respectful White Grape History

I asked quite a few winemakers in the valley- "what was the first white varietal planted in Napa?" Many puzzled over the answer, and guessed- mission grape. Well, I did my research before I asked the question - I already knew the mission grape was a red varietal- albeit a flabby, weak flavored wine with not much substance, its color was "light" maybe why so many winemakers mistakenly call it white. George Yount first planted the mission grape, he was given the vines from General Vallejo. In 1888 there were over 4000 acres of mission vines planted in Napa Valley. You would think that the mission grape would gracefully go away due to its lack of, well, taste. However, it fought for its place in history, grew angels wings and became a very popular dessert wine - Angelica. You'd be hard pressed (no pun intended) to find one grown and bottled in Napa today- maybe Heitz Cellars still makes one? If you do find one, buy it and enjoy some Napa history!
Dig a little deeper - and along comes the riesling grape. First planted in Napa Valley in 1861 - as far as I can tell, it is actually the very first white varietal planted in our valley. The German immigrants thought the steep hills of the valley were much like what they left behind, and felt riesling would do well here. They were right! (By the 1880's you could find a few whites, riesling, muscat and chenin blanc, etc.) The riesling grape held its own, surviving even Prohibition. It wasn't until the 1980's that riesling and these other whites were eventually pushed aside in the valley for Chardonnay - the queen, and Sauvignon Blanc, But be on the lookout for some whites that deserve your attention- viognier, roussanne, colombard, gewurztraminer, maybe some pinot grigio! Many small produces still grow these respectable whites - check with Small Lots Big Wines for advise on your next white wine tasting trip to Napa Valley!
Tour more than just wineries on your next trip to Napa..do a Segway Napa Tour and make a happy memory!

these little guys are waiting to be pollinated.

Below is a picture from the springtime - of "flowering" when the grapes get pollinated

this is what some zin grapes looked like today in Calistoga..

- August 25th

Calistoga Grapes, Guns and Geysers

After a cold spring, it looks like summer is finally here.
Today we expect a high of 94 in Napa. That's nothing compared to how hot it got in Calistoga - around 105! You can always catch a cool breeze on a segway!

This is Jan, or Young - not sure. I use to see him riding his bike up and down Hwy 29 - he'd sit on someone's stone fence with his shirt off, getting a nice tan. He no longer does that - he now keeps his shirt on, says he needs protection from the sun. You can see him often in the mornings on Lincoln Ave in Calistoga. If you see him, be sure to say "hi" to this delightful Dutchman!
We are very excited to introduce our newest tour - Grapes, Guns and Geysers. It's a 3 hour tour and includes a very tiny "cult" winery where one can relax for a few minutes before getting back on the segways.

The grapes in the valley are growing fast! Here are some pictures of Spring and Summer grapes.

Hope to see you all soon!

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Spring Break= Bud break – how’s that for a segue !

Breaking it! Spring or Bud? This time of the year in Napa Valley is known as Bud Break. Tiny little florets of green, red and yellow spring up all over on the once dormant vines. The contrast of 50 year old wood and newborn leaves are a sight to see. Blue skies, puffy clouds, rainbows, as many different colors of green as the eyes can see- all of this is what you get in April.

We’re had a great time showing visiting families the town of Historic Napa; and the vineyard lined streets of Yountville with Spring taking a prominent place as buds break on the gnarly vineyards- getting ready for vintage 2010. Soon we’ll see tiny grapes forming with the promise of new beginnings.

Speaking of new beginnings- a very romantic way to stay in Napa is to be at one of our many historic Bed & Breakfast’s. This is a photo of McClelland Priest B&B – a Queen Anne style Victorian with beautiful rooms.

Stay there and visit Uncorked!@ the Oxbow to taste the wines Celeste and her husband Bruce make for Ahnfeldt and Cartucci. Where else can you get a really good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for only $22? Definitely worth a visit.

Tired of paying those high taxes? Every little bit helps, this month we are running a tax break special, because we think you deserve it! Take 10% off all tours for the month of April, and, like Sam and Jessica, you'll be happy you did.

Last month we had a guest who wasn’t able to walk long distances- you can see by this smile that Faith has discovered that, on a Segway, she can easily get around and attend a comprehensive tour about Napa. That’s what I love about these personal mobility devises, it helps those who cannot easily get around to feel liberated and free. We cover a lot of ground on our tours. A normal walking tour might get to 3 major stories in about 1 mile distance. On a segway, you’ll cover around 4-6 miles and learn a lot more – almost like being on a bus tour. Except – on a segway you see more, feel more, and just plain ol’ smile more!

We hope to see you soon!
Cheers!

Segway Napa

Contact: 707-254-9773

http://www.segwaynapa.com/

segwaynapa@aol.com

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Segway to Summer Happiness!

mmm, summer, fresh berry pies, sun kissed cheeks, 4th of July, baseball, hot August nights, ah - segways! A new family tradition! Our Summer Family Special is a big hit with families making Napa their vacation destination - we have more kids riding segways this year then ever. Talk about making a memorable family experience! Brings back fond memories of our family vacation two years ago in San Antonio. Segwaying around the Alamo! We had a big family get together with 11 people - the youngest was 2- too young for a segway - so dad rented a bike with a trailer and came along for the fun! If you plan to visit Napa this summer, be sure to experience some of our down home events: Parades, Fairs, Farmer's Markets, Free Concerts in the Park, Town & County Fair, Movie nights outdoors in the Park, etc.




We've been keeping a close eye on the grapes - they are starting to turn a beautiful deep purple. The sparkling wine grapes will probably be picked this month. Most of harvest is Sept-Oct. We have a boutique winery that we visit during harvest that allows guests to participate - it's fun to punch down the grapes in the bins! Get your hands stained - great reminder for a few days of the fun you had!







Small Lots, Big Wines finally re launched their site. Want to go to some fantastic hidden secrets of the Napa Valley? Small Lots will point the way. I recently scheduled a tasting at Bourassa Cellars. At first I had misgivings, I mean, seriously, going to a Corporate Park? But once you're inside you're beamed into a small, intimate winery, the ambiance makes you feel very special - and the wines are amazing - I can't wait to go back!!