Bird’s eye view of Napa
It takes all kinds of interesting people to make a company thrive. That same concept can apply to Wine Country. To make Wine Country an exceptional destination for a small luxury corporate meeting, it takes diverse interests and personal commitments to customers.
Gabe Gundling was born in Napa, attended high school in Napa and earned a history degree at UC Santa Cruz. He lives in Napa because, “I like the smells, the sounds and the people who live and work here. I can’t think of any place I would rather live and I can’t imagine doing anything other than what I do; fly balloons and bringing a sense of awe to our guests as they float quietly above and absorb the majestic views of the gem we call home.”
Gabe’s experience with Napa Valley hot air ballooning started about 25 years ago when he was a boy. With his younger sister Julia as an accomplice, he spent most early mornings in the open field behind their Napa home with a handmade sign that read- “Balloons Land Here”. “We would yell up to the balloon pilots and passengers welcoming them to land.” Almost immediately the balloons started landing and his passion for ballooning was born.
Today Gabe is a pilot and partner in Napa Valley Balloons, Inc. joining the pilots he yelled up to as a child. With 1,200 hours in his log book and being 29 years old, he knows right where he wants to stay.
Ballooning is and early morning adventure and since balloons are navigated using the winds, flight distances and times can vary. Typically, balloons in the Napa travel around 3 miles during the approximately 1 hour aloft. “Each day comes with new winds, a new challenge and a new adventure” Gabe says of piloting a balloon.
The peak season for ballooning in Napa starts in May and runs through the October harvest. Roughly 80% of their business is during this time period. With 5 balloon companies in Napa Valley, it is competitive so they are focused on maintaining their equipment and providing service that exceeds customer expectations. With a stellar flight safety record they enjoy a fantastic reputation.
Around the time her father finished his presidency; Chelsea Clinton made a trip to Napa and wanted Napa Valley Balloons Inc. to give her a ride over Napa Valley. “The Secret Service did their research. They did personnel background checks, equipment checks, our FAA records checks, the whole thing.” Gabe elaborated. They have had Matt Lauer, MSN, Oprah and other notables onboard for ballooning over Napa.
Some facts about hot air balloons:
-A balloon’s life span is about 700 hours.
-A balloon envelope is made up of 2 different fabric’s, the lower portion is fire treated material.
-Without passengers, the weight of one of their balloons can be as much as 1,800 pounds.
-Passenger capacities range from 2 to 16.
-Balloon costs are approximately $110,000.
-Largest balloon manufacturer is Cameron Balloon’s in England.
Gabe is one of the many good guys in Wine country who loves the thrill of ballooning over Napa Valley.
A balloon experience, as part of a corporate meeting, will consume approximately 4 hours; 1 hour actual flight time and the remainder is taken up by transportation to and from the launch and landing sites and the post-flight champagne breakfast held at Domaine Chandon’s Etoile restaurant. Figure this will cost approximately $240 per person.
All flights depart in the morning when the air is cool and still so you will want to be flexible about early meetings. Better yet, just schedule events/meetings for the afternoon.
After landing, guests are returned to the pre-flight meeting location, Domaine Chandon for a champagne breakfast at Étoilé. Breakfast is simple but tasty. For a real treat, feel free to return later for lunch or dinner. The young and eager locally born chef has led the restaurant to much acclaim. Michelin Rated and highly recommended by Michael Bauer an acclaimed food and wine critic for the San Francisco Chronicle Etoile Restaurant celebrates it’s position as one of the Valley’s finest.
This is not meant to be a sales pitch, but if this sounds like one please forgive me. A recent report from the local newspaper claims that the biggest draw to the Napa Valley is food not wine.
As everyone appreciates, Domaine Chandon has made some outstanding sparkling wines for over 30 years from the 1,000 acre vineyards they own. Just another opportunity to experience all that Wine Country has to offer.