AficioNada

I'd like him even if he didn't love Johnny Cash...

Bryan Page may not have a vineyard to call his own, but he does have a warehouse in downtown Napa stacked with barrels, a dog named Edith (that's Eh-Deet, as in Piaf, one of the greatest songstresses to come out of France), nearly every poster from Willie's Wine Bar from the past two decades and parents who aren't afraid to get in there and lend a winemaking hand. Although I'm pretty sure Dad's been banned from punch-downs.

Oh yeah, and he has great wine. Page Wine Cellars makes one of Napa Valley's most elegant, aromatic and slightly herbaceous cabernet francs in the valley. His Proprietary red is one of the few cab franc blends from the Napa Valley that brings out the deliciously savory "herbaceous" qualities of this red grape while keeping those sour, bell pepper flavors at bay. It's a pretty dense wine, but it's still elegant, with soft sage and violet scents and rich caramel and blackberry/raspberry flavors.

While most people go gaga over The Stash, Page's signature cabernet sauvignon, I tend to lean away from this big boy red and stick with the Proprietary blend. Or, I go for one of Page's shockingly good white wines. His sauvignon blanc is actually a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon that is round and complex, with a beautiful crushed rock and apricot nose. And his new unoaked chardonnay, Le Nu, is...well, enough about his wines. This is about Bryan Page.

You know those people who have lived about six or seven different lives? The ones who make you feel like a lazy underachiever? Meet one of the guys who's making the rest of us look bad. Before he was a winemaker, Bryan worked as a professional chef, a college professor, a world traveler and I'm sure there are a few jobs he hasn't gotten around to telling me about yet. The man has contagious energy, a penchant for Disney movies and a real passion not just for creating phenomenal food and wine but for sharing it with friends and family. He is the poster child for living life abundantly.

Which is why I knew he would embrace Christmas and this Christmas-themed questionnaire - like everything else - with uber-enthusiasm (Only he could make emoticons seem cool again). And why I knew he wouldn't mind if we crashed his party for a few minutes.

Was Mr. Page naughty or nice in 2008? Come on! Bryan doesn't do anything at half mast. Read on to find out more about holidays at the Page household...

1.     Alright, so naughty or nice this year?  Always “naughty” when I’m nice  ;-)

2.     Most beloved Christmas tradition.   I would always cook a traditional X-mas dinner from some other culture…i.e. a traditional Basque X-mas Dinner or one from Italy…with wines to match of course!

3.     The holiday routine at the Page house?   Midnight Mass at the Cathedral,  Sleep (not very well…too excited)…in the morning we open the presents in our stockings…the Bfast, usually Eggs Benedict, one of the few things my brother Kevin can prepare…Hollandaise Sauce recipe is from Julia Child… TV would have on a Parade or any of the Christmas specials…TV off for the rest of the day cause we played the Xmas albums of Neil Diamond, John Denver, Barbara Streisand, and Barry Manilow over and over…(sometimes we could get the Chipmunks album on)….presents are opened late morning around the tree….then I continue cooking and we eat an early dinner that lasts 3 to 4 hours…Nice!!!

4.     Who would you “not mind” crashing your Christmas?  Elvis and/or Johnny Cash!!!  Who Else???!!!

5.     Most “outside the box” gift you’ve ever given or received.  Me giving a lap dance…ouch!!! 

6.     The wine equivalent of Victoria’s Secret Million Dollar Bra…(other than yours, of course).  Bubbles!!!  (Vintage Krug or Vintage Gosset in their Rose form) Cause what’s in the bottle is almost as fun as what’s in the Bra!!!

7.     If it’s not wine, it’s… Bourbon, Bourbon, Bourbon with my family…in all its forms…Manhattan, Olde Fashion, on the Rocks…etc.

8.     Best bubbles for holiday toasts?  See Bra answer 6….

9.     Any traditional toasts in your family? No toasts..just how do you want your Bourbon…See answer 7

10. Three foods no holiday should be without.  Ummm… THE three B’s: Bourbon…Bubbles…Burgundy!!!  

11. And the wines you’d pour with them…is this a trick question?

12. Winter Wonderland or…Fiji?  Right here with my family…snow, sun, rain…it’s all smiles!!!

13. If you chose Fiji and were en route and your plane went down and you found yourself stranded on a tiny desert island AND …two cases of wine suddenly floated ashore, what would you pray were in those cases?  See answer 10

Last two, and they’re only loosely holiday related. If at all.

14. Two common misconceptions about winemakers?   That winemakers tend wear underwear when they stand under the mistletoe (Commando only baby!)

15. And...The Nebuchadnezzar. Obnoxious or ‘He#@ Yeah!’?  So long as we have enough people to finish it in one evening… H…E…double toothpicks yeah!!!

By the way, if you ever get the chance to help Bryan Page finish 20 liters of wine, don't refuse. There's bound to be fabulous folk to help you out and some fabulous food to soak it all up. His blinis are potato and caviar bliss, although he grills a mean lamb burger, too.

And, if you missed yesterday's Q&A with Cyril Chappellet, click on page 2 for some additional holiday jollies.

Only two shopping days left wine lovers! And, don't forget to stop by Vinography.com and ChezPim and take part in the Menu for Hope raffle/auction. Click on Page 4 to read about one great prize (Note: a Six-year Vertical of Bryan's Proprietary Red is part of the package) and for more details!