HB Paul Draper

Today (Tues) is Paul’s BD(#91 for those counting).
Tell your PaulDraper stories here:
He was doing a Petite Sirah panel up at an Aspen Food&Wine Festival. He & Maureen had been out mountain biking just before. As Paul stood up to speak, his fly was unzipped, splayed wide open, & his tighty/whiteys open for all to see. Sitting in the front row, I wrote “zipper” on a sheet of paper & held it up to my chest. He saw it, gave me this $hit-eating grin, and calmly reached down & zipped up, not missing a single beat in his delivery. He, of course, thanked me afterwards.
He & Maureen no longer live up top of MonteBello Ridge, but down in PaloAlto, where they attend mostly to their grandparent duties. But he still comes into work frequently.
If you haven’t met Paul Draper, you’ve missed out. He is the epitome of “gentleman”. I’ve known Paul since we first met in '75 (another story there). It’s been a good run… and it’s not over yet!!
Tom

Today (Tues) is Paul’s BD(#91 for those counting).
Tell your PaulDraper stories here:
He was doing a Petite Sirah panel up at an Aspen Food&Wine Festival. He & Maureen had been out mountain biking just before. As Paul stood up to speak, his fly was unzipped, splayed wide open, & his tighty/whiteys open for all to see. Sitting in the front row, I wrote “zipper” on a sheet of paper & held it up to my chest. He saw it, gave me this $hit-eating grin, and calmly reached down & zipped up, not missing a single beat in his delivery. He, of course, thanked me afterwards.
He & Maureen no longer live up top of MonteBello Ridge, but down in PaloAlto, where they attend mostly to their grandparent duties. But he still comes into work frequently.
If you haven’t met Paul Draper, you’ve missed out. He is the epitome of “gentleman”. I’ve known Paul since we first met in '75 (another story there). It’s been a good run… and it’s not over yet!!
Tom

The only photo hanging in my wine cellar is one of myself, my wife and four friends together with Paul Draper, taken at the Monte Bello winery ca. 2005. He's one of my favorite American winemakers (along with Steve E, natch).

10 years ago a great friend had a birthday celebration at Ridge. PD spend the whole day with us (in the facility and then an amazing tasting (25-30 wines) that went back to the '71 MB and Eisele .It was truly amazing his recall of the weather, harvest, and characteristics of basically every vintage he spent at RIdge