Napa

Napa

Kuleto Estate Family Vineyards

grape clusters in the vineyard - Pixabay

Located on the eastern edge of the Napa Valley in the hills above Lake Hennessey and the town of Rutherford, this extraordinary mountaintop estate features 82 individual vineyard blocks, three distinctive soil types, and a range of elevations and exposures. From this rich and diverse palette of fruit, Kuleto Estate produces a small portfolio of exceptional estate grown wines.

Kuleto Estate wines are 100% estate-grown, produced and bottled. With 82.9 acres of vines planted between 800 and 1,450 feet, each of the 100+ micro-blocks must receive individualized treatment to maximize their potential. Winemaker Giovanni Verdejo has been working at Kuleto since 2002 and has mastered the art of cultivating the unique personalities of each block into some of the finest mountain estate wines in the Napa Valley.

Far Niente Winery

bottle of wine and grapes - Pixabay

Far Niente is consistently acknowledged as a benchmark producer of Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, embodying an unparalleled commitment to time-honored winemaking traditions.

Every aspect of Far Niente reflects a deep passion and precision. From the moment guests pass through the gates to their first sip of the wines, they are transported to an experience that is unmatched in excellence.

Jericho Canyon Vineyard

grape clusters in a vineyard - Pixabay

The Cabernets were the standout, but don't miss the surprising Sauvignon Blanc. If any bottles of the 2005 Cabernet remain, it's an absolute must. The winery is off the beaten path, but well worth the trip; beautiful setting with gorgeous views from the vineyard. The wine tasting room is really elegant and is housed in their cave.

Elyse Winery

wine barrels

It was back in 1987 that Ray and Nancy Coursen crushed 4.5 tons of Zinfandel from the Morisoli Vineyard in Rutherford to craft 286 cases of their first wine. While the portfolio has grown over the last 25 years, the focus remains on creating vineyard driven wines that pair well with food. Total production is currently 10,000 cases and the wines are nationally and internationally distributed.

Levy & Mcclellan

wine corks and a glass - Pixabay

Bob Levy is the winemaker for Harlan Estate, and his wife is the winemaker for the Sloan Estate. Both of them have made wines that have scored perfect 100 point ratings. They bought a 6 acre lot in the Diamond Mountain area, and the case production for their 1st and 2nd vintages is 400 cases or less. Robert Parker gave their 1st vintage, the 2004 vintage a rating of 96-98 points, and their 2005 vintage a rating of 95-97 points. What a great way to start off. Their wines look to have excellent cellaring life. Their maximum estimated case production, given their current vineyard of 6 acres is around 500-600 cases at best. This is less then half the production of Harlan and about the same as Screaming Eagle. On average, Levy & McClellans case production will be less then that of Screaming Eagle. As of right now, there is no waiting list to get into Levy & McClellan. But, I will say this right now, given the great history of these 2 great winemakers, it will not take long for their list to fill up and a very long waiting list to form. The Wine Levy & McClellan produces the following wine varietals: Bordeaux Blend and Cabernet Franc.

Conundrum

wine and cheese - Pixabay

It all began at the dinner table. Charlie Wagner Sr., who co-founded Caymus Vineyards in 1972 with his wife, Lorna, and their son, Chuck, would experiment with blending wines to find the ideal pairing for his meals. At that time, blending wines was unconventional, making his experiments quite revolutionary.

In 1989, this experimentation led to the creation of Conundrum White, which quickly gained popularity with its enigmatic tropical notes and remarkable versatility. Conundrum Red, which is both serious and approachable, was introduced in 2011. Today, it is Charlie’s grandson, Charlie Wagner II, who continues to maintain the original essence of Conundrum.

Morlet Family Vineyards

red wine swirling in the glass - Pixabay

We tasted three pinot's a syrah and two cabs. The three pinot's were from the same vineyard in Sonoma but from three different blocks. Three distinctly different wines. All very Burgundian in crafting but with that amazing Sonoma Coast fruit. My favorite style...French winemaking but with CA fruit! The Syrah was amazing. Once again, very French. Northern Rhone in crafting but with Bennet Valley fruit. The Cabs...well, they were quite simply amazing. Two totally different wines from two different AVA's.

Lokoya Winery

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Lokoya Winery specializes in premium small lot wines (100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon) exclusively from Napa grown hillside fruit from select locations. These are very limited production terroir driven concentrated wines. The name Lokoya is a tribute to the Native American tribe that inhabited what is now known as Mt. Veeder in the Mayacamas mountains towering above the western side of Napa Valley. Lokoya's tastings are by advance reservation only, are for serious wine enthusiasts/collectors and are held at the estate of Cardinale in the Oakville region of the Napa Valley. Lokoya is owned by Kendall Jackson who already owns a healthy portfolio of Napa based wineries. Lokoya is their premium holding. They produce Cabernet Sauvignons from Diamond Mountain, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder and more recently Spring Mountain.

Grace Family Vineyards

red wine pouring into wine glass - Pixabay

It's too bad they aren't open to the public or have a tasting room. This is about as good as Napa Cabernet gets. Big and Bold as the way Norcal Wine Country should be. It's definitely on the pricey side, but as a person that doesn't usually drink Cabernet by default and usually only if I have food, this was still tremendous standalone. Kudos to our sommelier who was not only highly entertaining, he definitely hit it out of the park as a recommendation. The "Blank Vineyard" cabernet is truly a great wine. I hear that they also make olive oil. Grace Family Vineyards can be reached by fax at: 707-963-5271. Or via email to Marna Farver: beoptimystic2 [at] aol.com Grace Family Vineyards regrets that the winery is not open to the public, nor do they have a tasting room.

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