I doubt very much that you’d put much time in considering the validity and purpose of a Wine County Derby in your life until this very moment. But can you possibly deny, now confronted with the reality of your circumstance, that it is not among the most vital pieces of information you now possess? That wine should bring together two celestial soccer bodies in a dance around a wine-dark star? The essence of life in one… glass? I’m running out of bad metaphors.

Yes, friends. This is our present predicament. As of 2017, a year more commonly known as The One That Sucks, there is an American Wine County Derby. Love is not dead.

For as long as the fourth-tier NPSL’s Golden Gate Conference has existed, Sonoma County Sol have been among its blue bloods. Since the conference was founded in 2004, the Sol won the entire NPSL championship in 2009 and went to the title game a further three times. Oakland’s Aguiluchos are the conference’s pack leaders this season, but Sol seems to be in the title discussion year over year.

The Sol are nestled in Petaluma just west of Sonoma, its headquarters conveniently located near a decadent truffle shop and a stone’s throw from snaking vines producing world class Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Travel east, zooming out from the slithering Highway 12 and over the wild hillsides and onto the more densely packed Highway 29 and you’ll hit Napa. The spiritual home of American wine and, more to the point, the location of one of America’s newest soccer clubs.

While MLS expansion side Minnesota United and from-the-loam-of-the-earth expansion side Atlanta United hit the American soccer radar with clanging cacophonous noise, Napa Valley 1839 FC barely pulled up a heat signature. The fourth-tier side officially opened its doors for the Golden Gate Conference’s 2017 season, which meant another club in California’s fertile north-central valley.

It also meant, gloriously, the Wine County Derby exists. And just look at this damn logo, folks.

America’s best. Bar. None.

The Wine County Derby fired up with its first edition late last month, and it ended in appropriately zany fashion. The more heavily favored Sol raced out to an expected 2-0 lead, but the game finished even behind a pair of late goals from Bryan Marin and Francisco Mendoza, who leveled the match with a dramatic 90th minute equalizer. This was the rivalry opener we all needed, and they split the grapes in the end (sorry).

Napa Valley is every bit the wine country club. Its season ticket levels are Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet. The year in its name refers to the first vines planted in Napa Valley by George Yount. From its official announcement in January, wine culture played a hugely significant role.

“Our soccer club understands the impact our wine industry has on our community and we wouldn’t be here without it,” said part-owner Arik Housley at the unveil. “We embrace our history and pay respect to the wine industry throughout the entire Napa Valley.”

In truth, the area is a bit of a blind spot for talent scouts. It lies far enough outside the Bay Area’s immediate footprint that it inevitably becomes one of those flyover regions where players wither on the vine (sorry again). Marin, the player who scored the opener against Sonoma County, was a standout high school player who spent a couple years kicking around Mexico with Chivas and Cruz Azul before returning home. If he’d been IDed earlier? Who knows.

Adroitly, Napa Valley immediately announced an affiliation with local club Napa United, which should help to create a sort of fledgling pipeline for the time being. But Napa Valley only plays eight games this year, hardly enough to truly develop, so hopefully the area’s Big Clubs take notice.

In any case, America, you now have a Wine County Derby playing official games in a real league. This is happening. Choose a varietal (so very sorry).