08/04/2026
A Week She’ll Never Forget 🍷
This past week, Kayla Trimble had the privilege of attending SOMM Camp in Napa Valley hosted by the SOMM Journal and Tasting Panel Magazines, and it’s safe to say it exceeded every expectation.
This wasn’t your typical wine trip. It was an invitation behind the scenes of some of Napa’s most respected wineries, vineyards, and winemaking families—experiences that simply aren’t available to the public.
Over the course of the week, Kayla had the opportunity to:
• Walk vineyards alongside legendary growers while learning firsthand how vineyard blocks, clones, soil composition, farming practices, and microclimates shape a wine before it’s ever made.
• Taste eight Sauvignon Blancs with Tom Gamble at Gamble Estate, comparing how subtle differences in vineyard location and farming create completely different expressions from the same varietal.
• Participate in an extensive Cabernet tasting with Cuvaison, comparing vineyard-designate wines from some of Napa’s most coveted sites while discussing why certain vineyards consistently produce world-class fruit.
• Tour production facilities from grape reception through fermentation, barrel aging, bottling, and blending, gaining an even deeper appreciation for the thousands of decisions that happen before a bottle ever reaches the table. Outstanding library pulls included the 1967 Louis Martini, 1995 Beaulieu Vineyards, and 2000 Louis Martini, to name just a few.
Then came an experience she’ll probably spend the rest of her career talking about.
Dinner was held inside the B Cellars wine cave, where Kayla had the opportunity to dine with legendary vineyard owner Andy Beckstoffer, whose vineyards produce fruit for many of Napa’s most iconic wines.
To finish the evening, guests were served a 19th-century Quinta do Vallado Port—a wine so incredibly rare that only 213 bottles were ever produced, and three of those bottles were opened specifically for the dinner. Sitting in a cave carved into volcanic rock, drinking history alongside some of the most respected people in the wine industry, is an experience Kayla will never forget.
Beyond the incredible wines, what impressed Kayla most was the generosity of the people. Every winemaker, vineyard manager, and owner was eager to share decades of knowledge, proving that the best in this industry never stop teaching.
Kayla is incredibly grateful to have been invited to experiences like these. They reinforce why she loves this industry and why she’s always chasing the next opportunity to learn.
Now it’s her turn to bring that inspiration, wine knowledge, and a few incredible stories back to our members!
Cheers to continuing to grow, one glass at a time.