The “Hunter” Connection

 For years my husband, Greg, hunted in Wyoming with an outfitter who also had clients who were a very well-known wine family from Napa Valley.  Because most of the outfitter’s hunters return year after year he gets to know them pretty well; this is especially the case with this wine family who has hunted with him for many years..

Napa Valley had long been on our list of places to visit so, one year we decided the time had come.   Before we left home, the outfitter gave Greg the phone number of the winery owner who hunts with him saying “give him a call while you’re out there, he’ll be glad to hear from you”.  

Our first day in Napa, as we were deciding which wineries to visit that day, Greg pulled out the  piece of paper with this hunter/winery guy’s name on  it, and said he was going to give him a call.  I was adamant that he should not; I thought it would be a  great imposition.   Greg had met the guy a couple of times, but in my mind it just didn’t seem right for us to call a guy that he had met only briefly and expect him to say “oh, yeah, come on over”, but to my great astonishment –  he said “oh, yeah, come on over” and invited us to a “little” luncheon he said he was having with his architect at his new facility.   I was speechless and amazed, and had to shamefully eat some crow! 

What is it about “hunters”?  It’s like a  they are all part of a sacred brotherhood, they don’t have to know each other  – they just have to “hunt”, and they’re in.  I don’t get it!

When we arrived we were met by our host – the hunter/wine guy – who took time to give us a private tour of his new building (which, by the way, was incredible!), then he led us to an outdoor courtyard where we quickly realized that this wan not the “little” luncheon he had said it would be.. about fifty people were milling around, whom we later learned were winery affiliated,- most with Italian surnames.  

The setting was  beautiful. Servers decked out in black and white attire were attending long tables  filled with an array of food and wine.  White linen table cloths covered the dining tables with white umbrellas shading the diners from the afternoon sun… it was all so surreal – a scene straight out of The Godfather.  

We sat at the table with our gracious host, and were entranced by stories of his family and the winery.  There was no indication whatsoever by our host that this was a special event, but I had a feeling it was…why would all of these wine families be here?  What’s the deal? –  my inquiring mind wants to know!  We were soon to find out…

As everyone was finishing their meal, our attention turned to our host who stood, and gave a toast and tribute to Robert Mondavi, in honor of his 80th birthday!  We had been sitting at a table right beside him the whole time and didn’t know it until that moment.

I am still amazed to this day by our host’s hospitality in including us –  two people he really didn’t know –  to such a remarkable event.  What an amazing experience it was! 

Before this, I never knew the extent of the bond that “hunters” share, but that was the day I became a believer in The “Hunter” Connection!