FUN FACT ~ This is an “old-school Napa” wine tasting experience…with winery owner Bill Cadman most likely in the kitchen. Perhaps it be best be described as “derriere-gard.”      

No tasting fee!

Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel and Chardonnay

Witzelsucht is loosely defined as a mental condition that causes one to tell poor jokes, bad puns and relate pointless stories, intensely amusing only himself in the process. Or so says Bill Cadman, the owner of Tulocay Winery and self-diagnosed sufferer of the disease. But don’t believe him. This virtual fountain of Napa Valley lore is the real thing, a treasure of information about wine as well as a witty, humorous and thoroughly entertaining gentleman.

At his unassuming Tulocay Winery, buildings that once were part of an old chicken farm circle a large patio shaded by oak trees. A little, yappy dog will loudly announce your arrival. “The next person who comes here will receive a free dog with or without a purchase of wine,” Bill offers as he shushes Buddy for the 1000th time. Next, you’ll be escorted to the deck of Bill’s home or to his kitchen table, as the weather dictates, for one of the most low-key and friendly wine tasting experiences you will ever enjoy. Nowhere else could you sit down with someone as knowledgeable or as approachable as Bill Cadman. He simply does not have a pretentious bone in his body. But generosity is something that he has in abundance. In this day of $30 tasting fees, Bill still charges nothing to sample his fine wines. He does not maintain a pour list, but will politely ask what you like and open bottles accordingly. If he likes you (and he likes just about everyone), he is apt to dive into his “cave” (a 40-foot container, complete with a stuffed bat) for some amazing older vintages. This is a man who sincerely enjoys sharing the bounty of his life.

It is a life of living large that begin in 1972 when Bill brazenly bought the old chicken farm and began pestering the local wineries for a job. With no experience whatsoever, he jumped at a chance to operate the crushers at Charles Krug. From there he went on to enjoy a long career in the industry, working for the likes of Robert Mondavi, Joe Heitz and other giants of the winemaking world. In 1975, after consuming copious amounts of wine one evening, he made the presumptuous decision to open a winery himself. “My friends looked at the old chicken coops and declared them perfect for a winery. In my altered state, I agreed!” What ensued was the creation of a Pinot Noir that would, as his very first wine, receive glowing accolades and launch his career as a winery owner. He has been enjoying the heck out of life ever since.

And so will you when you sip his marvelous wines. If you simply must, you can hold your glass with your pinkie at a rakish angle, but any other attempts at snobbery will not be tolerated by Bill or Buddy the free dog.