Happy holidays from Napa Valley Features
By Tim Carl
NAPA VALLEY, Calif. — As 2023 draws to a close, we extend our deepest gratitude to our 45 founding members and 695 paid subscribers. Your support keeps Napa Valley Features an ad-free, subscriber-funded platform that's locally owned and operated. Your contributions sustain our work and share it with more than 1,900 nonpaying subscribers. If you haven't subscribed yet, consider joining for just 14 cents a day, or $50 a year. For those who can, consider becoming a founding member with a $250 contribution. Current paid subscribers who are able might also consider donating a subscription or gifting one to someone who would appreciate our in-depth, local reporting.
We hope you're enjoying the countdown of our top-read stories of 2023. Many, especially those on the wine industry, have reached a wide audience, often being amplified by other publishers. But our coverage extends beyond vineyards. With 30+ contributors delving into topics from gardening and the culinary arts to culture, health and wellness, we reflect the diverse experiences of our community. These stories are crucial to our mission, showing the full scope of life in the Napa Valley.
Your engagement strengthens our community. Thank you for your support. Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season.
Find below some of my personal favorites from our contributors, showcasing the breadth and depth of our coverage. If any of these stories has touched you, or you feel another deserves more spotlight, please let us know in the comments.
Adrienne Boudreaux (Writer): Reluctant gardener’s chore becomes rewarding experience
Jane Callier (Writer): Pollinators need the help of local gardeners
Dana Cronin (Copy editor): Look at Dana’s copy editing skill, here!
Dan Dawson (Writer): Dan Dawson’s wine suggestions are out of this world
Diane De Filipi (Writer): A summer cabaret in Napa combines wine, dance and magic
Eduardo Dingler (Writer): Similarities & differences between sake and wine
John Dunbar (Writer): Under the tent at Napa Expo’s Town & Country Fair
Aime Dunstan (Writer): Luxury home tours will benefit Calistoga Art Center
Anne Ward Ernst (Writer): Miranda Forni gives new life to the family’s famous produce
Zak Fennie (Writer): Mama Said on playing BottleRock and Uptown: ‘We manifested it’
Genever Fox (Writer): Protect your children, pets by reducing exposure to toxic plants
Paul Franson (Writer): Rosé seminar at Napa Valley Wine Academy
Alan Goldfarb (Writer): Dan Berger: The curmudgeonly dean of American wine writers
Bonnie Graves (Writer): Napa now: Exploring the Los Angeles wine market
Mariam Hansen (Writer): The Dowdells: from Emerald Isle to St. Helena in 1869
Rosemarie Kempton (Writer): Art walk returns to showcase Calistoga
David Layland (Writer): Good reasons to grow a garden for food
Loni Lyttle (Writer): The 2023 growing season: Napa Valley edition
Bob McClenahan (Photographer): Bob McClenahan captures Napa Valley’s story
Nic Meerholz (Photographer): Napa County artists at The de Young Open 2023 (photos)
Many UC Master Gardeners (Writers): Finding stories in a garden
Rob McMillan (Writer): May your next disaster be your greatest success
Jeni Olsen (Writer): Supporting youth mental health: Listening is a superpower
Penny Pawl (Writer): Mulch materials can help your garden grow
Sasha Paulsen (Writer): The grapes and other blessings
Tony Poer (Writer): The winemaking career of Ted Edwards
Kathleen Reynolds (Writer): ‘Tiki Dreams’ in Yountville
Kathleen Scavone (Writer): Hiking Bothe-Napa Valley State Park
Dave Stoneberg (Writer): A life in newspapers: ink in my veins
Evy Warshawski (Writer): The Napa Quake Mosaic to be completed in 2024
Cindy Watter (Writer): Napa Valley in bloom
Polly A. Webber (Writer): Napa Valley's pathway to citizenship: a community effort
Glenda Winders (Writer / Copy Editor): Grateful for flawed Thanksgivings
Tim Carl is a Napa Valley-based photojournalist.