SUMMER'S THE TIME TO LET IT DRIFT

Pace defines summer far more than temperature in Wine Country. The fog so

integral to the grape-growing cycle is a fickle influence here, sometimes

stealing the season's heat and chilling the nights just when we're hoping

they'll linger warm and still.

But the slowing pace is something much more reliable. It seems as though

the rhythms of everyday life, like those in the vineyards, allow time to wait

for the ripening. Gone is the purpose-driven discipline of shopping from a

list. The best summer meals come from taking the time to wander the markets,

deciding in the moment what looks best from the gardens that day. Whether

corn, tomatoes, berries, peaches or melons, there's time to let an impromptu

arrangement dictate the meal.

Even driving is best done without a destination this time of year. Head to

Napa, where there's new life along the river. Take in some jazz by the water,

along with the food and wine. Perhaps along the way you'll glimpse that

perfect porch for watching summer float by. Or catch a whiff of lavender. Or

find the ultimate ice cream cone.

To feel the true heat of summer, drive through Stags Leap, that legendary

winemaking region where the softest Cabernet Sauvignons are coaxed from the

rockiest soils. Hot and bright, the light radiates off those sheer dark

palisades so you can almost see the stag leaping across the chasm as the

legend would have it.

Wherever you wander, appreciate the pace. For all this ripening will end

with the start of the harvest frenzy, when the luxury of time to drift will be

just a memory.

Catherine Barnett

Executive Editor