2007 Hall Napa River Ranch Merlot

The dominant language in my house for the next month is French. Nathalie's family arrived last night and will be staying chez nous through August - which means I have a lot of learning to do. And a lot of patience to maintain in sharing my bathroom with five people.

I went with Nathalie to pick them up in San Francisco yesterday evening, my second trip to the "city" in two days. Thursday night I decided to live on the edge, turning down an industry party up in St. Helena in favor of a wine tasting at the oh-so-exciting Walt Disney Family Museum. Which I nearly missed.

Christina invited me to the event, which featured the wines of seven Napa vineyards, and started at 5 p.m. She assured me that we didn't need to be there for the full event - I could meet her at work and we'd drive into the city together.

"There's never traffic going over the bridge at this time," Christina told me. Famous last words. After my very slow journey to meet her in Corte Madera (it took 35 minutes just to leave Napa!), we hit bumper to bumper traffic going over the Golden Gate, making it to the tasting just in time for the last half hour.

Which is why we were all the more pleased when the representatives for Hall willingly gave us their near-full bottle of 2007 Napa River Ranch Merlot to bring to dinner at the end of the event.














My second journey of the week to San Francisco saw less traffic, but a very stressed French girl who was hoping to beat her parents to the airport to give them a classic movie welcome. Naturally, they landed early. It didn't work.

But, we did go for a traditional American meal, where my French companions cut their hamburgers with a fork and knife, and washed them down with Budweiser. You have to love them for trying.

Today, we have already exercised another American tradition: the barbecue. Nathalie, her family, Dan, Gary and I enjoyed a barbecue (them - meat, me - burnt aubergine) in our backyard, complete with a salad pulled entirely from the garden (yum - the first tomatoes of the season). Les francais began with Budweisers, yet again. Fortunately, Dan curbed that by bringing out the wine.

He asked Nathalie's father if he wanted some.

"We are French. But, of course, we want wine," he laughed.

Not a bad way to begin their visit - the French really know how to start the weekend.