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DAY THREE
... then on to Togni
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Our bus nearly didn’t make it up Spring Mountain Road to the Togni estate. It is not visible from the road, but we, of course, had the address, and the combination to the gate lock. We were greeted by
Philip Togni, and his wife, Birgitta, and learned that they had not permitted a group this large to visit the winery in five years. |
Philip and Birgitta Togni |
Philip Togni is a man who, merely by his presence, commands respect. He is soft spoken and articulate. He and his wife have chosen a somewhat reclusive lifestyle, far away from the glitz and hype of the valley floor. Here, they tend the vines, and craft their wines by hand, with only one fulltime employee. He is a man of strong passions and beliefs, and has no problem expressing them – but always with utmost courtesy and respect.
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Mr. Togni |
He talked with us about the vineyards, and the challenges of disease and replanting, as well as the painstaking effort that goes into every aspect of this very "hands-on" operation. He then escorted us to the barrel room, and thiefed us a sample of his
1997 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
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Mr. Togni, Victoria and Russell |
After we had a chance to taste the wine, he invited us to return any untasted wine to the barrel, referring to this as "good husbandry". I had never heard of this before, but it made immanent sense to me. We thanked him for the opportunity to visit, and were assured that he and his family would be joining us for dinner, then headed downhill for dinner.
Mr. Togni is a most impressive and elegant gentleman, and I feel privileged to have met him and tasted his wine.
