David Nip and Alan Jahns just returned from Premier Napa Valley, a two day event (Feb. 24 & 25) held at "Greystone": The Culinary Academy of America located in St. Helena, California. Each year, more than 180 Napa Valley Vintners gather in a great hall to offer select members of the trade an opportunity to barrel taste and bid on unique, personal selections. What follows are some pictures from the event:

Alan Jahns and David Nip (Partners, JMD Beverages) outside the cave entrance to Rombauer Vineyards.
 

Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages) and Ren Harris (owner of Paradigm Winery) pictured with their estate vineyards in the background. Located in the Oakville appellation of Napa Valley, Paradigm has extraordinarily deep roots in Napa Valley, dating back to 1890. The Harris' purchased Paradigm Vineyards in 1976, and began producing wine with the 1991 vintage. Since that first vintage, the wines have been made by renowned winemaker, Heidi Peterson Barrett. Heidi's father, Dick Peterson, was instrumental in laying out and designing the winery.
 

Mike Kakazu (owner, Honolulu's HASR Wine Shop), Alex Ryan (President/COO of Duckhorn Wine Company), Terry Kakazu (owner, Honolulu's HASR Wine Shop), Mark Beringer (winemaker, Duckhorn Vineyards), Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages) and David Nip (Partner, JMD Beverages) at the Open House for Duckhorn's new jewel on the Silverado Trail: Paraduxx Winery.
 

Dan Duckhorn (owner: Duckhorn Wine Company), Nancy Andrus (Premier Napa Valley Steering Committee) and Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages) at the Open House for Duckhorn's new jewel: Paraduxx Winery.
 

Ray Signorello (owner/winemaker: Signorello Vineyards) with Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages).

Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages) with Tony & Joann Truchard (Proprietors of Truchard Vineyards). Truchard is one of California's great estates --- but in many ways, one of it's greatest secrets. The people (& palates) I most respect hold Truchard's wines in high esteem --- kind of "the wine geek's winery."  The Truchard Estate Vineyard encompasses 383 contiguous acres, of which 270 acres are planted.  Only 20% of the grapes from the Truchard Estate Vineyard are reserved for Truchard wines. The wines are hand-crafted using traditional winemaking techniques, and exemplify the high quality fruit of this unique estate. They are truly: "wines with a sense of place".

Carissa Chappellet (Chappellet Vineyards) with David Nip (Partner, JMD Beverages).

Laely Heron (owner & winemaker of Heron Wines) with David Nip (Partner, JMD Beverages).

Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages) pictured with some extremely old vines in Seghesio Vineyard's "Home Ranch." Planted in 1895, on the western bench of Alexander Valley, two miles north of the town of Geyserville. The Home Ranch Zinfandels have garnered some of the highest scores in the Wine Spectator over the past two vintages (93 Points in 2002 and 92 Points in 2003).

(l to r) John Doty( Partner, JMD Beverages), Edd Lopez (Seghesio Family Vineyards), Alan Jahns ( Partner, JMD Beverages) , & David Nip ( Partner, JMD Beverages) . Pictured in front of the historic Chianti Station in Alexander Valley. It was on this site in 1910, where "Grandpa Seghesio" planted the oldest surviving Sangiovese vineyard in America, Seghesio's highly sought out "Chianti Station".
 

(l to r) Alan Jahns (Partner, JMD Beverages), Alex Aland (Haliimaile 
General Store), & Fritz Hasselbach the highly accredited winemaker of 
Gunderloch Estate in Germany's Rheinhessen. The Wine Spectator 
Magazine celebrated him as the only winemaker ever to have received a 
perfect 100 points score for not only one, but three of his wines. 
The 1992, 1996 and 2001 Riesling TBA, Nackenheimer Rothenberg were 
each awarded with 100 points.