When Mike and Kara Dunn decided to make a wine of their own, they knew that they wanted to honor the history of the vineyard as well as the efforts of those that made the opportunity possible.
The historic Park Muscatine vineyard on Howell Mountain was chosen in part because Mike has known this vineyard since his childhood, pruning the vineyard in winter, and harvesting the fruit in the fall. And with its scant ton per acre production, this vineyard is a gem.
In 1983, Gustav and Naoko Dalla Valle began planting vines on the hillside east of Oakville, overlooking Napa Valley. Their vineyards produce excellent quality grapes, resulting wines of great intensity, complexity and balance. Gustav passed away in 1995 and Naoko Dalla Valle continues the legacy of Dalla Valle wines.
Dalla Valle Vineyards produces two wines; Maya- Proprietary blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
Dalla Valle Vineyards wines are on a waiting list.
It began as a dream to produce a superb Sauvignon Blanc in the Napa Valley modeled on the best traditions of the incredible Bordeaux blancs of France. In 2005 we were fortunate to locate a beautiful estate vineyard in Calistoga which was planted over 50 years ago on St. George rootstock. Back dropped by the Palisades, the old vines thrive in this dry-farmed vineyard which has deep soil that is well suited to growing Sauvignon Blanc.
The result -- our first estate grown wine Terroir Coquerel, followed by Le Petit Coquerel, and in 2008 Cockerel Family estate grown late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, La Douce Revanche. Each wine is distinctive and delicious, reflecting individually the terroir of their original Calistoga vineyard and of the elegant flavors unique to Sauvignon Blanc.
We visited many wineries during our stay in Napa and thought that this was one of the best tours for the money. The location was beautiful and if you have nice weather, pack a picnic and plan to eat your lunch in their picnic area. Its located in an olive grove high on the hillside. Bring a camera.
While collectors have made Marilyn Merlot one of the fastest-appreciating wines on the market, it is wine enthusiasts with a sense of humor who have long enjoyed the playful spirit behind Marilyn Merlot wines that are now also seeking the Marilyn Merlot because of the emphasis on making a notable wine from prized Napa Valley grapes. While the concept and engaging label of these wines has given these bottles a degree of fame, it is the wine in the bottle that merits the enthusiasm of those who seek it out every year.
On a hillside overlooking Stags Leap District of Napa Valley in 1997, the Husic Family set out to realize a lifelong dream. Moving endless rocks and sculpting narrow terraces that cling to the mountain's edge, we planted three small vineyards which peacefully coexist with the region's wildlife. These rugged, rocky growing conditions, combined with careful farming methods, have yielded a limited amount of magnificent fruit.
LOVED Del Bondio Wine Company. My friend and I walk in, and the owners invited us in with them like we were family. We sat down at a table, and they graciously offered us tastings (no fee!). We just talked about wine, the town, their family, and before we knew it, the gracious wife brought out grapes, salami, and crackers for us to snack on.
The Del Bondio Family’s Napa Valley vineyards are located on the rich lands they have owned since the late 1800s. A twenty acre Oakville vineyard with Estate Syrah and Chardonnay has been farmed for more than one hundred years and a thirty-one acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in Rutherford for half that time. The love and care for the land is of utmost importance to the family and with the completion of the Winery in Rutherford, the family has realized their dream of producing organically grown estate wines from the amazing fruit they’ve been farming for more than a century.
Norman and Gino rented a small farm building in the Carneros region of Sonoma County. They purchased winegrapes, some 50-gallon oak barrels and a redwood vat. Three hundred cases of Pinot Noir and a small amount of White Riesling represented ZD's first commercial vintage in 1969. The grapes were purchased from the Winery Lake Vineyard, which had been planted a few years earlier by René di Rosa. ZD's 1969 Pinot Noir carries the historical significance of being the first wine to have a Carneros designation on the label. It states, "Made in Sonoma from grapes grown in the Carneros region of Napa." The Chardonnay winegrapes from Winery Lake Vineyard were not in production until 1971, which is the first vintage of ZD Chardonnay.
In 1994, Voss Vineyards was conceived and founded by Australian Robert Hill Smith, the fifth-generation proprietor of Yalumba Winery in Barossa Valley, as well as Nautilus Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. With 160 years of Australian winemaking heritage and experience behind him, Hill Smith approaches wines in Australia, New Zealand and California with a focus on adventure, innovation and a strong respect for matching variety with terroir. With Sauvignon Blanc the priority is to craft wines that are pure and expressive.
Great wine! Really nice people working in the tasting room as well. A definite must stop if you are doing the Napa
