Enjoyed the tour, which walked you thru different tasting stations...two outside and three inside the cellar. Our host Brian, or the Brain as he is known iduring his tours was very easy going and taught us all about the wines development. You'll get to keep your glass at the end if you'd like to, so great extra addition to the tasting.
Howell at the Moon Vineyards and Winery is on a 21 acre rural site at the top of Howell Mountain in Angwin. The administrative area consists of a 1000 sq. foot brick farmhouse built in 1923, and a 1600 sq. foot entertainment deck, with a professional outdoor kitchen, wood burning pizza oven, and swimming pool/hot tub, that can accomadate private tastings and parties.
St. Clement is snuggled on a hillside in St. Helena, CA. They were most recently voted the best boutique winery several years in a row. The winery boasts many high-quality wines that are respected world-wide. They were recently owned by Sapporo, but recently sold to the Beringer conglolmerate. Still, they represent some delicious winemaking and artisan craft.
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.
Vine Cliff Winery was established in 1871, when 500 acres were carved out of the George Yount estate. One of the first bonded wineries in the United States, and the first in Napa to plant Bordeaux varietals on a commercial scale, Vine Cliff was one of the region’s most successful wineries through the end of the 19th Century. A series of natural problems drove the winery under in the early 20th Century, with the land remaining fallow until it was purchased by Nell Sweeney for her family in 1985. Now, under the leadership of Rob Sweeney, the family’s oldest son, Vine Cliff has regained its position as a leader in the production of superior Napa Valley wines.
Trotter 1/16 Winery has some great wines that are very limited. Meet owner and winemaker Stephanie Trotter Zachari. Stephanie's inagural wine release are something to stand up and take notice of even though they were limited to just 36 rows. Trotter 1/16 Winery just earned Double-Golds and earned some bragging rights for her Flying J's and Oak Canon Caberbet Sauvigons both 2016's. Each of the wines earned (93pts and 98pts) respectively. At this time you can order online or email for more information at info@116wines.com
Hours:
Online purchase or contact
We dropped in unexpectedly on Saturday and received excellent service with Brian.
We chose to do the Reserve Tasting and found all of the wines very good or excellent.
It was raining out so we didn't tour the grounds but the winery itself is filled with beautiful artwork.
Brian walked us though the history of the land and winery and of course the wines and we didn't at all feel rushed. He was very polite and patient with us. Their Late Harvest Chardonnay, which we didn't even know existed, is a must try, even if you don't typically like Chardonnay.
Pull up the impressive drive and you will have left Sonoma behind for a little piece of France. The winery is owned by Tattinger and the owners hold this visitor center up to the same standards as their famed winery in Champagne. Pull up the impressive drive and you will have left Sonoma behind for a little piece of France. The winery is owned by Tattinger and the owners hold this visitor center up to the same standards as their famed winery in Champagne.
I'm writing this review based on their "unofficial" tasting room that's upstairs in their main office. I know a "real" tasting room will soon open down on the main street, and I'm not sure how much the atmosphere is going to change but if you get a chance to make an appointment at their super secret tasting, do it now!
In the low-key tasting experience, you'll get to sit around a small table with a few other die-hard Orin Swift groupies and taste their entire library of wines! You'll have a friendly, knowledgable guide tell you stories about each wine, the label, the history and more. The tasting is complimentary and there's no pressure to buy any wine, though the direct prices are good and you'll find wines that are hard to get anywhere else.
The tasting is friendly, fun, leisurely, well-paced, and you get the feeling of being a true winery VIP since it's by appointment only. It's also one of the only places in town where, after the tasting, you'll be asked if there's any wine you'd like to revisit. This is SUCH a nice touch and is very appreciated. I love this tasting experience and I love their wine. It's a must-stop in Napa.
The grounds are amazing and they really help you understand the different elements that go into wine making. The tasting we arranged was private and even though it was $100 per couple it was well worth the price. I am really glad we made this our first tour because it really gave us a good foundation to build upon at the rest of the wineries.
Nickel & Nickel is located in Oakville, along Highway 29, on 42 acres that were originally settled as a farmstead in the 1880s. The Napa Valley winery’s collection of classic barns along with the site’s original Queen Anne-style home brings the historic farmstead back to life, while housing a cutting-edge winery capable of hand crafting up to 25 single-vineyard wines.
Hours, by Appointment
Monday - Friday: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
