Away in California's Vineyards by Anthony Dias Blue A typical morning in the Oakcross Vineyard. It's still early and the Napa Valley is just beginning to awaken. A hawk circles high in the sky above, riding thermals along the valley's edge. Grapes hang in bunches from their trellised vines as Cabernet and Chardonnay slowly mature.
Mist lingers over the neatly planted rows.
Look down to its source, and there is a lone smoker enjoying the solitude. Groth is typical of the small but devoted cadre of wine-country cigar smokers. Most have been smoking for years. Many prefer to smoke alone, enjoying cigars in reflective, relaxing moments. There doesn't seem to be a common denominator.