CHAPTER 20
ARI
“There it is,” Zach announced, slowing as we approached a pair of weathered stone gateposts. Wrought-iron gates hung between them, firmly closed, the metal hammered into twisted vines. On a small wooden sign, the letter D curled into a bunch of grapes.
D for Dionysus, Greek god of wine, pleasure, and festivity.
Zach pressed a button on the intercom, and after a pause, a woman spoke. “Can I help?”
“Zach Torres to see Nolan.”
Another pause, longer this time. “Please take the right-hand track and continue to the house.”
I’d looked the place up online, of course. Nolan de Luca’s name was rarely mentioned, but his winery had become one of California’s most celebrated boutique producers, taking the wine world by storm with a Robert Parker score of ninety-six on its first bo
