Napa Valley Life Magazine

 February/March 2011

Salute Santé! Makes Liquid Gold

 

"Turn trash to gold"?Some call it that. Napa resident Valentin Humer, co owner with his wife Nanette of Salute Santé! Grapeseed Oil, likes to think he’s keeping the Napa wine industry green.  He  uses their biggest waste item – pomace – to produce grapeseed oil, sought out by chefs and home cooks everywhere. He calls it “liquid gold.”

 

In a 1993 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, grapeseed oil was shown to be the only food to significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease - by simply incorporating two tablespoons into your diet daily! With heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 500,000 every year, Valentin felt this oil must be made here in America.

 

A Napa Valley grapeseed oil fits in perfectly with the resurgence of interest in eating local food.  That, and the popular Slow Food movement, are convincing food retailers as big as Wal Mart to meet new standards. It’s as green as you can get:  made from a local by-product, and requiring no water or land resources.  Even the ‘cake’ of pressed grapeseeds will be turned into flour, good for all  sorts of baked goods. Valentin’s journey started in 1990 with meetings with the best European- trained chefs and health professionals, researching equipment in Europe and, finally, presenting his idea to prominent Napa winery owners. His hope was that producing grape seed oil from Napa-grown grapes would produce the highest quality.  When financing proved impossible for the little-known product, Valentin imported a European-produced grapeseed oil instead.  His  Salute Santé! Grapeseed Oil, has created an American market that is finally ripe for a locally-produced version.

 

This past fall, Valentin reconnected with a German equipment manufacturer called IBG Monforts. Valentin asked them back in 1991 to come up with a press just for grape seeds and they perfected the process using his California seeds. They remain to this day the only equipment manufacturer able to process grapeseeds. Familiar with the success that cold-pressed grapeseed oil was enjoying in Europe, IBG Monforts was impressed with Valentin’s continued dedication.  A plan was drawn up to offer Napa wineries the special presses and the know-how. Inspired by Robert Mondavi’s phiolosophy that “all boats will float when the river fills”, Valentin sees this as a win-win approach.

 

Anyone who has talked to Valentin about his goals for a Napa grapeseed oil production, will tell you he is passionate about his plan and a perfectionist who explores every possible detail. 

 

What changed since those early days when Valentin tried to convince vintners to begin a new industry? “The seeds” says Nanette Humer, Valentin’s wife and business partner. “As much as I would have loved this to happen years ago, the timing wasn’t right. We couldn’t get anyone to take on the task of preparing seeds to Valentin’s quality specifications. Now we are talking to many potential seed sources who see the value in the effort”. She describes their challenge like a puzzle. “Years ago, there were too many pieces missing – but now, with buzz words like ‘green’, ‘sustainable’, ‘local’ and ‘resource conservation’, wineries recognize the wisdom in doing in transforming one of their by-products into a premium resource.” Now the puzzle pieces are on the table and all Valentin has to do is put them together.

 

Historically, grapeseed oil emerged during war times when resources were scarce. Since there was always wine produced, there were always grapeseeds available.   It’s no surprise that today, with the difficult economy, wineries are exploring their options.

 

Delicious, full flavored and with heightened health benefits, the first cold pressed grapeseed oil is flowing out of IBG Monforts presses right downtown!

In the meantime, Salute Santé!  To your health!  And the healthy, green economy of the Napa Valley. 

 

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