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f a l l 2 0 1 8 | 5 3 sparkling conversation and seems as at ease with his staff as he is with finance moguls and other wine-world luminaries. Over dinner as elsewhere, the ebullient Jean- Charles conceives at least one new idea every three minutes. Director of Marketing Patrick Egan, JCB's de facto right-hand man, busily takes notes, some of which will no doubt lead to future campaigns and projects. During our lei- surely five-course meal, prepared by Chef Justin Drake using produce from the on-site garden, we glide through food and wine pairings featur- ing no fewer than eight selections from the Bois- set portfolio. ("You must indulge!" Jean-Charles commands mischievously.) Standouts wines include the daring JCB No. 3, a unique creation that blends Pinot Noir from three top vineyards in Burgundy with Pinot from five Boisset vineyards in the Rus- sian River Valley. Yet another label that blurs the lines is Château Buena Vista, a magisterial Napa Valley Cabernet from Rutherford grapes made by Boisset's Sonoma-based winery. "People don't realize that the Count [Hungari- an-born Agoston Haraszthy, founder of Buena Vista] was also largely responsible for Napa Valley," Jean-Charles explains. Raymond Vineyards, a microcosm of the world according to JCB, is somewhat of a reveal- ing summary of Jean-Charles' accomplishments. When he purchased the property less than a decade ago, its core was a simple ranch house belonging to the Raymond family, Napa Valley pioneers who crushed their first vintage in 1974. Today, however, the property has been trans- formed to reflect Jean-Charles' singular vision. Our tour begins with the demonstration garden—or, in JCB parlance, the five-act "The- ater of Nature"—created on a former parking lot under the supervision of Joe Papendick, Garden & Landscape Manager for all Bois- set California properties. Visitors can witness The crystal pendulum included with The Alchemy of the Senses can be used to "program crystals with intention," according to Jean-Charles. "I can feel the energy," he says.