Napa

Napa

Sjoeblom Winery

pouring a glass of red wine - Pixabay

Crafting and producing state-of-the art wines is the undisputed mission of Sjoeblom Winery. Founded in August 2000, the winery is located in Napa, California, one of the most prestigious and progressive wine-producing regions in the world. Sjoeblom Winery's philosophy of producing first class, quality wine, is based on old-world craftsmanship, time-honoured traditions and modern, scientific practices. Sjoeblom strives for a synthesis of classic European practices, experimentation, and up-to-the-minute winemaking science.

Clark-Claudon Vineyards

wine and cheese - Pixabay

In 1974, shortly after their Peace Corp assignment in Colombia, Tom Clark and Laurie Claudon came to the Napa Valley, new baby boy in tow. Immediately caught up in the infectious energy, they were ready to take their place among a small group of visionary grape growers and winemakers. Together, that group of pioneers laid the foundation for the unrivaled status of today’s Napa Valley.

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.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines

bottles, glasses of wine and grapes - Pixabay

The best part about the tasting room is the staff. I enjoyed someone taking the time to talk to me about what I was drinking. Also, there is an adorable outside patio where you can sit and sip your wine. Plenty of buttery breadsticks and fresh water refreshed our palates between sips. Such an experience helped us to trust our own responses to the wine. Bryanna allowed us to explore the wines without overloading us with facts about the grapes or winemaking process. She responded to our questions with sensitivity and no hint of arrogance. All of us came away from the experience with a heightened awareness of the care with which Elizabeth Spencer wines are sourced and crafted. The reds we tasted were distinctively delicious, each proudly representing its appellation and the winemaker's skill.

Beringer Vineyards

corks and a wine glass - Pixabay

Beringer Vineyards is a large winery in St. Helena, California. Founded in 1875, Beringer Vineyards is "the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley", and is a California Historical Landmark. There reserve Cab is one of my favorites. The tour is informative and interesting so if its your first time I recommend it. But for regular visitors to Napa then the tastings and select wines are what you'd come here for.

School House Vineyard

wine barrels all stacked up - Pixabay

John and Mancy now offer 4 wines: Chardonnay Pinot noir Zinfandel Mescalanza (a blend) Syrah Mescalanza ( a blend ) All 4 are great. You will be tasting at their house, by appointment only. It is a wonderful intimate experience. The Pinot is amazing.

Newton Vineyard

drop in the glass of red wine - Pixabay

First things first...when you book your tour here make sure Ashley is your guide! Very personable and super knowledgable about all things Newton and the region in general. Gorgeous property and epic views of the valley atop Spring Mountain. We loved the wines here and the UF Chardonnay and Merlot were delicious with the food pairings. Newton Vineyard is about sixty-five miles from San Francisco. On Highway 29 follow signs north to St. Helena. Turn left on Madrona Avenue and continue until you arrive at the end of the road. Turn right at the stop sign and follow signs to Newton Vineyard at the top of the hill.

Merus Wines

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Sold only on allocation, Merus Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Napa Valley's most sought-after wines. Those fortunate enough to taste it understand why.

La Jota Vineyard Co

drop in a wine glass - Pixabay

La Jota wines are handcrafted at their original 1898 fieldstone winery and hillside cave. From the low yielding vines of 28 mountain acres, La Jota produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and our crown jewel, the annual Heritage Release Cabernet Sauvignon. La Jota Vineyard was made world-famous by W.S. Keyes who founded this Howell Mountain region in the 1890s and pronounced it as the ideal source for bold, full-bodied and long aging wines. The volcanic soils of La Jota, high attitude and elevation a well as the cooler climate of this unique vineyard site has continued to yield wines of great fruit intensity, structure and aging potential. La Jota Vineyard Company continues to craft Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlots from Howell Mountain that are exceptionally bold, long-aging and full-bodied wines.

Shypoke Winery

wine corks and wine glass - Pixabay

Shypoke calls the Calistoga AVA home, with its Estate vineyard nestled in the northwestern corner of the world-famous Napa Valley. The dirt-to-bottle journey began in 1904 when Peter Heitz’s great-grandparents, having immigrated from Alsace, planted roots and established bonded winery #130 for the production of fine wines. Over five generations of grape growers and winemakers, the Heitz family has continued the vision and efforts initiated in 1904. Each wine honors the traditions of a family working together to farm heirloom vines and handcraft the resulting fruit into uniquely elegant and honest wines that reflect their place and vintage.

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