Richard Hedrick of Bremer Family Wines (Napa, CA)

We read about Bremer Family Wines in one of Eric Asimov’s blogs so, we decided to seek them out. When we couldn’t find Bremer on any of Napa’s tourist maps, we had a feeling we were onto something good.

At first we thought we were lost when our GPS “drove” us to an unassuming house along Deer Park Road. Fortunately, our U-Turn was cut off by a look from the friendly and gregarious Richard Hedrick that said – No, you’ve come to right place.

Once inside their intimate tasting room, Richard was curious about how we learned about Bremer Family. “We don’t advertise or do any marketing,” said Richard. Bremer’s a place that lets their wine do the talking. (Rumor has it that the Bremers will ask map publishers to remove their winery from the map.)

We loved hanging with Richard as much as we enjoyed drinking the wine. His job is to pour the wines and educate his guests. He’s an exceptional storyteller and a gifted teacher – as we discovered after asking questions about their wine making process.

As we sat with Richard and drank their fabulous wines, we asked what brought him to Napa. A retiree, he explained that this is his third career, and even though he loved working in education and the corporate world, Richard decided to finally relax and enjoy the slow pace and rewards of living in the Napa Valley.

Although Richard is unique, his story is not. The one thing we hear over and over in wineries all over the world is that people are there because they have finally decided it’s time to do what they love. And you can see it in their relaxed, cheery and warm body language. These people are infectious.

You can schedule a tasting with Richard by calling 707-963-5411. Or, you can visit him at his regular hangout – Bistro Jeanty restaurant in Yountville.

As for the wine… our favorite was their ’04 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. We especially love its description as being “rugged and manly” and “ready to drink, but willing to wait.” ($85)

-Taylor