The full title is A Perfect Score – The Art, Soul and Business of a 21st Century Winery.
We enjoyed A Perfect Score and wish there was more to read. We’re clearly into wine, you’re reading our second wine blog. So, let us share why you might enjoy this book beyond the subject of wine.
You might enjoy A Perfect Score if:
- living in wine country and the lifestyle is your dream
- you have an entrepreneurial spirit
- people taking risk, working hard, appreciating others and ultimately succeeding is something you appreciate
- you know a few things about the history of the Napa Valley and understand the constant struggle between preservation and progress
If any of this appeals to you or you just like/love Hall, The Perfect Score is well worth your time.
“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows …” – Rocky Balboa.
From the outside, business at Hall Winery looks like all sunshine and rainbows. Kathryn and Craig Hall share their story and it includes plenty of humility and honesty.
The economic environment of 2008 and 2009 was a challenging period to maintain the status quo, much less make progress on a project like the St Helena winery. The Hall’s and their team adapted, fought and were creative in this challenging time.
The push-back against Hall Winery from some in the valley is/was real and I’ve experienced it firsthand. I receive updates and newsletters from winemakers throughout valley. I recall one such communication that was an editorial rant about change in the valley. It was a direct assault on many things, but the biggest target was the Bunny Foo Foo sculpture at Hall St Helena, just off of highway 29. I believe the quote was something like: “a mascot for all that is wrong in Napa.” Bunny Foo Foo, your BFF or the Darth Vader of Napa Valley? My vote is below (yours truly on the left).
Now for a couple light-hearted disclosures:
1) 90% of the time when I say I’ve read a book, I’ve really listened to the book. I listened to this on Audible.com. The total length was 5 ½ hours and it was read by Kathryn and Craig, which I consider a bonus.
2) We were Hall Wine Club members for around five years. Obviously, we enjoy the wines, but also the hospitality and the extraordinary wine experiences they’ve shared during our visits to their Rutherford, St Helena and Sonoma (Walt) properties. Simply put, we are biased 😊
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