First Annual Reader Appreciation Day on Wine-Blog: Don’t forget to comment each day with your name during this week. It’s for the drawing… a pair of gorgeous Riedel Vinum etched glasses from my PSILY stash. The winner will be announced this Saturday morning on Wine-Blog. Good luck! Just in time for Thanksgiving…

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Off the beaten path, Goosecross is definitely worth discovering, for anyone wanting an intimate, yet lively, Napa Valley experience.

When you visit, you’ll meet the proprietors… Right there, in the tasting room, “with bright, smiling faces in all the right places…” as it was written.

I learned about Goosecross as I tracked down my friend Nancy Hawks Miller. Nancy was responsible for hiring me at Robert Mondavi Winery… She and Cathy Long just about hired me on the spot, the day I walked through the archway looking for a job. No billions of hurdles to jump over. No trick questions, like my personal favorite, “What do you see as your weakness?” The answer to that, by the way, is “I’m a workaholic, and I have absolutely no personal life!” Most big corporations will give you about 10 gold stars for that one!

Today, Nancy’s working as the wine educator at Goosecross.

Classes and Tours at Goosecross Cellars
Join us for the fun and informative classes, tours, and explorations:

» Wine Basics Class

» Estate Winegrowing Tour

» Epicurean Explorations

Every winery has a reason for its name; Goosecross is no exception. Goosecross is owned and operated by the Gorsuch and Topper families in Yountville. “Gorsuch” in an old English dialect that translates to “where the Goose crossed the stream;” hence, the name for the winery.

Since 1985, the Gorsuch family has been dedicated to the wine experience at their small winery, surrounded by vineyards in the heart of Yountville. The proprietor team produces a collection of wines under the following brands: Goosecross, Goosecreek, ÆROS, and State Lane. Each is distinctive and eclectic in style, and their brand of hospitality preserves that authentic experience we all crave in Napa Valley.

Navigate around their Website, and you can learn the intricacies of how their private proprietorship is structured. It’s an interesting history. Briefly, it’s family and friends… What could be better?

Colleen pouring wine for Nancy

For the Goosecross proprietors, premium wine has always been an art and a passion, and they’re quick to say, “We’ve never forgotten that wine is meant, quite simply, to be enjoyed.” That’s quite evident in their intimate tasting room, where Colleen Topper (owner and PR director) is busy pouring wine, while winemaker and Vice President Geoff Gorsuch sits quietly in his office/lab, just off to the left as you walk in. That’s a really rare occurrence in tasting rooms, and I’m betting that most visitors don’t even realize he is who he is… He was just sitting there, quietly waiting for brix levels to meet his needs, so he could get harvest into full swing.

Geoff Gorsuch

This a great little find, among the giants that continue to be built. Goosecross is friendly, understands the importance of sharing their knowledge (hence, the educational programs), and welcomes everyone like kings and queens, without the pomp and circumstance. And, the wine’s divine, Dear!

Melanie’s writing about their Chardonnay:

Goosecross Cellars, 2005 Chardonnay, Napa Valley – Carneros ~ Dominant starfruit aromas with hints of honeysuckle and jasmine. Added lime in the back end of the bouquet. Palate exhibits lychee nut and tangerine flavors. A hint of strawberry sorbet in the clean finish. $29.00

Try this wine with satay chicken and a spicy peanut dipping sauce. Add traditional Miang Kum, an exotic finger food that combines toasted coconut, fresh ginger, shallots, dried shrimps, peppers, and lime served with a tangy dipping sauce. Wrap all those little ingredients in crisp lettuce leaves and enjoy while sipping the chardonnay. I’m salivating just thinking about it. I think I’m going to make Thai food tonight!

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