To Our Friends, Clients, Property Owners, Members, and the Scout Napa Valley® Community,

For more than twenty years, Scout Napa Valley® has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life and work.

What began as a simple idea grew into an extraordinary journey—made possible by the trust of homeowners, wineries, hospitality partners, businesses, photographers, filmmakers, and countless friends throughout Napa Valley, the San Francisco Bay Area, and beyond.

Together, we celebrated the places, people, and stories that give this remarkable region its character, depth, and enduring sense of place.

Although Scout Napa Valley® proudly carried the name of Napa Valley, the relationships we built and the places we represented extended well beyond its borders. Every assignment, every collaboration, and every friendship became part of a story far greater than I could have imagined when this work began.

To everyone who welcomed Scout Napa Valley® into your homes, wineries, vineyards, businesses, and lives—and entrusted us with helping tell a small part of your story—thank you.

This archive is offered as a lasting record of Scout Napa Valley®’s journey, preserving not only the work itself, but also the creativity, trust, relationships, and community spirit that brought Scout Napa Valley® to life.

After nearly three decades in California, I returned home to Wisconsin, where my story began and where family roots run deep. The transition happened quietly, and many who were part of the Scout Napa Valley® journey never had an opportunity to hear directly from me about where life had led next. This letter is, in part, an opportunity to express my gratitude and reconnect with those who shared that journey.

Today, Scout Napa Valley® exists primarily through this archive, while my own journey has entered a new chapter centered on documentary storytelling, historical preservation, and legacy development.

That next chapter has led me to Seashells and Balloons: The McGuire Legacy Project—a feature documentary I am honored to help develop. Set against the familiar public story of legendary Marquette basketball coach Al McGuire and the 1977 NCAA Championship, the film tells the deeply personal story of the life he and his wife, Pat McGuire, built together beyond the public spotlight—grounded in family and unmistakably their own, with Pat’s New York wit, independent spirit, and steadfast loyalty woven throughout. Guided by the memories of their youngest son, Robert McGuire, the film offers a perspective only he can provide—a son’s understanding of the family, values, humor, faith, sacrifice, and love behind one of basketball’s most unforgettable figures.

Basketball provides the backdrop.
Family is the story.

For me, this work represents a natural evolution of the Scout Napa Valley® years—a continued commitment to preserving stories of place, character, family, and legacy.

Stories connect us.
Places inspire us.
Shared experiences become our legacy.

For over two decades, Scout Napa Valley® celebrated the remarkable character of a region. While the focus of my work has evolved, the principles at the heart of that work have endured: to honor, document, preserve, and share stories that deepen our understanding of the people, places, and communities we call home.

My hope is that future visitors will discover in this archive not only photography, remarkable locations, and memorable stories, but also a glimpse of the creativity, generosity, collaboration, and spirit that defined Scout Napa Valley® throughout its journey.

Most importantly, thank you.

Thank you for believing in Scout Napa Valley®, for welcoming me into your lives, and for allowing me to become a small part of your own stories. May this archive honor the past, celebrate the people who made it possible, and carry forward the spirit of Scout Napa Valley®, Northern California Wine Country, and the communities it served for generations to come.

With sincere appreciation,

Patrick J. Sprinkel
Founder
Scout Napa Valley® LLC