Love the private tours! Perfect for both families and friends. It comes with both a walk tour and a formal sit-down tasting paired with complementary cheese and chocolates. Can a girl ask for more?
I'm in particular a fan of their Cabernet Sauvignon - very bold without being overtly tannin-ridden and their Violetta dessert wine - seriously off the charts!
We have produced only 350 cases of our Rhone-style wine, which is aging gracefully in a combination of Tarransaud, Saury and L’Ermite French oak. Our vineyards are located in the West Paso Robles appellation whose sloping hills are broadly exposed to the Pacific ocean climatic influences.
"We" are John Schwartz, owner of Amuse Bouche Winery in Napa Valley, and Chef Bryan Ogden, recipient of the James Beard Award for best restaurant 2003. With our combined 35 years in the wine and food industry, we have teamed up with winemaker Guillaume Fabre.
If you are going to the grocery store wineries--then this isn't a place for you. Please only go here if you love the complex nature of what wine has to offer. This is a haven for people who really enjoy, appreciate, and want to learn more about what wine has to offer. This isn't a taste and dash. This is savor and reflection.
Not only is the wine great, but so was the tour given by Mark. I was really impressed with this winery and the friendliness of the staff. I would definitely come here again.
After a day of trekking around Yountville and St Helena I wound up at Girard Winery. Girard stays open till 7, very smart move I must say as they get the overflow of folks looking for a place to continue their wine tasting adventures or a place to grab drinks before heading off to a nice dinner. It's not a showy vineyard or winery so if you are looking for the fluff you will not find it (although it is a nice tasting room). What you will find are some REALLY GREAT WINES.
Margo Culcasi-Slaby & David Slaby chose to call their wine Slaughterhouse Cellars because of the dilapidated slaughterhouse that was located between the two 130 year old olive trees on the property. The slaughterhouse operated from 1884 until 1925 when the owners Salvatore and Rosi Curtoni ceased its operation, although Rosi continued to make her famous sausage to go along with her even more famous ravioli.
I highly recommend to make an appointment few weeks in advance if going there during weekend. There is only 1 ~ 2 tastings offered per day (except Sunday, closed) for about dozen people, so availability is very limited.
Tasting are FREE.
Jim Barbour was raised on his family’s ranch in Rutherford where he learned the life of farming, a passion for land, and the understanding that hard work breeds success. In 1992, he planted his own vineyard and in 1995 produced just 50 cases of his first vintage of his eponymous Barbour Cabernet Sauvignon. Barbour is an estate wine handmade by Celia Welch and produced from dry-farmed and sustainably grown grapes from Barbour Vineyard.
Delicious wine and sparkling views of Napa. I know there are tons of quality wineries around that have similar offerings, but Rombauer is definitely one worth visiting. Gorgeous garden space with some cute little trails to walk along while you enjoy your wine and soak up the Napa Valley air.
I prefer to go in Fall or early Spring or during the week. The servers or more relaxed and they seem to have a better time introducing you to their wines and letting you know more of the wine history. You get to sample 5 of their wines including their AMAZING chardonnay and Fiddletown Zin. These are the bottles we always end up with and they are usually priced pretty similar to what you would find in a big store (BevMo, Total Wine, etc.). Most of their pricier zins like the Fiddletown aren't sold in stores however. They give you the wine glasses as part of the tasting as well.
Don and Deedee Sodaro moved to southern California in 1966 from Chicago, Illinois, the city Giuseppe Sodaro had adopted as his home in America over 70 years earlier. Though the Sodaro passion for wine ran deep, it would be another thirty years before they would be able to realize their dream of starting a winery to carry on the family namesake in the New World. In 1996, their opportunity finally arrived, and so began their search for the perfect terroir. After an extensive nine month search through the central and north coasts, Don and Deedee came upon a magnificent property set among the hillsides and alluvial terraces of the south-east Napa Valley, and immediately they knew they’d found someplace special.
Gorgeous estate located in the Coombsville District, so its a close jaunt to downtown Napa. Fabulous views, and some of the best reds I have had the pleasure of tasting! A reservation is required, but definitely worth the planning to experience this romantic vineyard.
Conn Creek is a small but nice winery located in St. Helena. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine and estate even explaining to us the different regions around Napa, Sonoma, Rutherford, etc.
I really liked the Cabernet Franc and the Cabernet Sauvingon. If you're a big red wine fan, they have a flight tasting of just red wines if you don't want to try their mixed wines.
Tastings are $10 for the regular and $15 for the reserve.
