Napa

Napa

Crane Family Vineyards

beautiful clusters of grapes - Pixabay

Crane offers some excellent reds in a beautiful, unassuming, and unpretentious format. Your proprietor, Tom Crane, a second generation owner/grower, will sit out on the lovely porch and describe each one of his wonderful wines. No pressure to buy here; the wines sell themselves. Tom offers a Cab, Merlot, a Bordeaux blend called Allison's cuvee (named after the winemaker), and a Port all at good prices. While the estate is small and lacks the flash and polish of larger operations, the hospitality and great wines more than made up for it. If you are the adventurous type and want to go off the beaten path for a warm Napa afternoon at a boutique winery, by all means give Tom a call.

Robert Keenan Winery

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Keenan is a nice, friendly, down-to-earth tasting. It was interesting to taste and informative about the vineyards and region, which was particularly useful to put their wines in perspective of the valley. 

Keenan's Summer Blend is a white wine crafted primarily from Chardonnay, with a portion of an aromatic white varietal added to enhance its fruity character. The aromatic varietal in the blend accentuates the wine's nose, while the Chardonnay provides structure and additional aromatic complexity. The lighter body of this blend inspired the name "Summer Blend," making it an ideal choice for warm summer evenings. The wine offers aromas of ripe peach, lemon zest, and pineapple, complemented by concentrated floral nuances. This medium-bodied wine features crisp acidity and mouth-filling flavors.

The 2018 vintage marked the 20th consecutive release of Keenan's "Mernet" (mare-nay), their proprietary blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. The name "Mernet" reflects the blend's composition, part Merlot ("Mer") and part Cabernet Sauvignon ("net"). The resulting wine is a seamless fusion, highlighting rich, high-toned fruit with a subtle depth and structure. It can be enjoyed immediately or aged for decades to come.

Showket Vineyard

glass of red wine - Pixabay

The Showket Vineyard is situated on the Oakville Hillside overlooking the Silverado Trail and Oakville Crossroad. I would like nothing more than to write about the vineyard’s soils, but it is actually the propertys lack of soil that makes it so unique. The ground is a mix of red volcanic rock and limited amounts of clay loam. The conditions at Showket are so extreme that each plant receives up to ten gallons of water weekly, and yet a day after watering, there is no trace of it.

The other key factor is the vineyard’s virtually ideal orientation. It faces almost due west, so it receives sunlight from the dawns first light until the sun sets over the Mayacamas Mountains. From the Showket Vineyard we source Cabernet Sauvignon, clones 7 and 8, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, both of which predate individual numbered clones for their varietals.

The owner, Kal Showket, personally manages the vineyard. During the growing season he never leaves the property. Each day he rides through the vineyard and makes watering decisions based on what he sees, smells and tastes. The vineyard guides his choices, not a preset schedule..

Discover potential and create excellence at Bevan Cellars. Since its founding in 2005, the winery's philosophy has been consistent: the journey is as significant as the result. Each vintage is an opportunity to seek out hidden gem vineyards and craft wines that embody their unique origins with intensity and balance.

The team at Bevan Cellars embraces a sustainable approach both in the vineyards and the cellar. This meticulous, hands-on process fuels their passion to produce wines that are not only exciting to enjoy upon release but also worthy of aging for years. They are driven by the excitement of discovery and invite others to share in the experience.

Schweiger Vineyards

2500 ft up the mountain from the "flatlands" of St. Helena. Very different feel from the wineries down on the valley floor. Small family owned and operated winery. We did not get a tour but had a very pleasant tasting.

Hall Wines

grape clusters - Pixabay

One of the very best wineries in the Napa Valley for visitors; conveniently off of highway 29, the Hall team produces superior wines- Cabernet Sauvignons from their Napa Valley bottling to the Kathryn Hall Reserve, the wines stand as some of the best in USA. Don't miss their Sauvignon Blanc as well, it is racy and bright and very varietal with its beautiful ripe melon and dry citrus flavors.

Behrens and Hitchock

barrel room at the winery - Pixabay

Behrens Family Winery is a boutique winery in the truest sense. Owned by Les Behrens and Lisa Drinkward, who’ve made wine under the Behrens & Hitchcock label since 1993, Behrens Family Winery produces small lots of six or seven wines a year at its winery perched high on top of Spring Mountain in Napa Valley. Each wine is a low tech labor of love: crushed into one-ton T-bins, punched down by hand, gently transferred to barrel, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. One only has to look at Les and Lisa’s hands during harvest to know their wines are truly “hand-crafted.” The couple also gravitates toward small, interesting and low-yielding vineyard sites, working with growers who they know, like and trust, and who are as obsessive about quality as they are. For Les and Lisa, it’s all about letting the vineyards steal the show, and allowing the wines to speak for themselves.

Nichelini Winery

grape clusters in vineyard - Pixabay

A visit to the Nichelini Family Winery offers an experience of the Napa Valley the way it used to be: serene, rustic, and independent. Get away from the crowds and travel the 8 miles up into the hills east of the Silverado Trail, past Lake Hennessy and through the scenic cliffs of Sage Canyon Road. It's a small production, historic, pre-prohibition family winery. One is welcomed in almost immediately as family and greeted with a line of fine, well crafted wines that reflect the care and thought that went in to their creation. Winemaker Amy is passionate about her job and the staff are genuinely happy to play host to visitors Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 5pm, or Monday through Thursday by appointment.

J. Davies Vineyard

wine cellar - Pixabay

The J. Davies Cabernet Sauvignon is produced from the historic hillside vineyards on the Schramsberg estate. Ranging from approximately 500 to 1,000 feet in elevation, these are the southernmost vineyards in the Diamond Mountain District AVA and are flanked by two cool creek canyons. Surrounded by dense coniferous and deciduous forests, the vines produce late-ripening, richly concentrated fruit with yields of only two tons per acre.

Quixote Winery

wine pouring into wine glass - Pixabay

Quixote is truly magical with astonishing architecture that is highlighted by vibrant colors and unorthodox design concepts such as no straight lines. In addition to the beautiful, grounds, the fun atmosphere and the charming hostesses, the wine was excellent! 4 stars for the architecture designed by Hundertwasser - colorful and whimsical. Lots of fine details - the wonderful wood floor in the tasting room and by all means do not miss the bathroom with a great tiled shower and tile framed mirror, even the loading dock is artful. This is a must see place. Make an appointment and don't forget your camera.

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