Scott's Vintage in California: Post 14. Who is Fess Parker ?

Hi All,

Its been a while since my last post so here I am. Who is Fess Parker I hear you ask? I'm proud (or embarrassed) to say I knew without thinking too hard. I imagine the older readers and American viewers of this blog will know but I doubt anyone else will. Have a think about it while I tell you about the previous week in California.

I was due to leave the central coast last Sunday and start at Napa South vineyards last Monday but just prior to leaving I was asked to stay another week to cover for the vineyard manager who was away for a few days. So all this week I remained at North Canyon finishing off their vintage. The last fruit was hand picked today. It will be like doing two vintages, as I worked at North Canyon from the start to the finish of their vintage and when I get to Napa South it will be early into theirs.

So it has been uneventful this last week or more. I went out for tea with two of the Techo's here and the other Aussie who is out here on exchange (who I met for the first time) at a place called Eureka, in San Luis Obispo last Thurs night. The town was packed as the students all returned from summer vacation and there was a night market on as well. It was a good night and I've included a photo of the beer taps in the Eureka, there were 30 different brews on tap, most of them brewed in California. For tea I had a burger with fries. Big deal I hear you say. Well, the burger was made from Bison meat. Boys, remember the massive Bison we saw at the Halls Gap Zoo? Well my burger was made from one of those. It tasted like chicken?? Only joking. It tasted just like an angus burger or something similar; it was good.

Beer taps at the Eureka

Last Sunday I ducked into the vineyard to make sure we were right for picking that night and on the way home I took a detour to have a look at a small town on the coast near Santa Maria called Guadalupe. There's nothing there except a heap of houses surrounded by massive flat paddocks of broccoli and strawberry's, but the Lonely Planet said its beach is worth a look as it was where the Ten Commandments by Cecile B DeMille were filmed. Its not too remarkable. Not a bad beach (photo below).

The fence is straight. Panorama on the iPhone gives it a fisheye perspective

I worked all week but I managed a Mexican lunch (see photo below). It was a small place away from the main part of town. Las Taco del Mexico (Me-hi-co). Everything was in Spanish so when I ordered I wasn't sure exactly what I was getting even though I knew it was a burrito. Its called a wet burrito and even though it looks gross, it tasted delicious. Its a burrito swimming in a salty soup with melted cheese.

Looks gross, tastes great

I will be driving up to Napa tomorrow and having tea with the manager I'll be working with. I'm staying in Yountville with two other exchange guy's (1 Aussie, 1 Kiwi). It sounds like it will be busy, which I'm looking forward to.

Have you remembered who Fess Parker is yet? In the photo below is a clue

Lookin' cool in my work clothes

OK OK, I'll tell you. Fess Parker was the actor who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on TV in the 50's and 60's. He established a vineyard and winery in the Santa Maria valley (Santa Barbara county) in 1989. I remember watching Daniel Boone in school holidays of a morning after the cartoons. It was on the way to lunch yesterday (a farewell lunch with the manager) and we stopped and tasted his wines.

Fess Parker

His top shelf wine, a Syrah

Now that's settled I will post some random photos I've taken over the last couple of weeks. The first three are photo's of gifts the manager of North Canyon gave me at lunch. I think she is trying to tell me something.

Very common head attire in these parts

The Rednek guzzler. There's a straw poking out the top

back of the box

Hmmmm. I'm all set when I go huntin' next :-) She also gave me some BBQ seasoning made here (see previous post - Santa Maria known for their BBQ's, remember). All gifts are to remind me of the Central Coast.

Ok, random photos to start now.

Now THATS a beer

Contractors doing their morning warm up exercises

Awesome way to pay for wine, by the taste, half or full glass
You help yourself with a card (see it sticking out top left).
When lunch was finished we gave the card to the waitress which
kept a record of our purchases. Very easy.