Since Dick’s passing, property sale, closure of the winery, moving of the packaging business, and everything else that has come along with the transition for NWC, one thing still remains very clear.  Mr. Naylor loved the wine industry. His passion for supporting others along their own journeys has become even more apparent after browsing through old notes and letters these past few years.

Of course, he loved wine as well, and perhaps even more than that he enjoyed sharing his wines with others. So, to pay tribute to him we thought it would be fun to highlight one of his most beloved possessions.. his personal wine collection.

What makes his library of wines so unique is that nearly every bottle has a story behind it and was saved for that reason. Now it’s unfortunate that many of these library wines have since gone downhill, but we’re in it for the history.  Not the contents.

First up.. 96′ Chambourcin Reserve – It’s only appropriate that the first bottle we highlight is from Dick’s favorite wine grape, Chambourcin. At one time, Naylor Wine Cellar’s had the largest Chambourcin block in the country!!  Crazy, right?

There’s plenty of more history surrounding Dick’s involvement with this variety which we’ll touch on with future posts.

“A pioneer needs not to reach his ultimate goal … He needs only to know he’s going in the right direction… So dear Lord, please no more rain on my Vignoles.”