Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

Mitchell Katz Winery

red wine swirling in the glass - Saman Teher - Pixabay

Mitchell Katz Winery has been a family affair from the beginning. With help from his wife, Alicia, production has grown to 8,000 cases a year. The winery was started in 1998 in memory of Mitchell's grandfather who passed at the age of 96. Mitchell also named one of his creations, a blended wine, after his youngest son, Wesley. Mitchell and Alicia consider their venture to be a living memorial to the man that devoted more than a half century to home winemaking.

Image- Saman Teher - Pixabay

Saxon Brown

wine barrels  - Pixabay

With Saxon Brown, owner/winemaker Jeff Gaffner has parlayed his longstanding grower relationships, developed as a consulting winemaker, into a line of small, site-driven bottlings that celebrate his favorite vineyard sites.

Jeff began his career at Chateau St. Jean, under the tutelage of renowned vintner Richard Arrowood, who Jeff credits with teaching him the importance of being as passionate about growing the grapes as making the wine. While at Chateau St. Jean, Jeff was part of the winemaking team responsible for the winery’s celebrated 1996 Cinq Cepages, which was named Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator Magazine.

In the years since, Jeff has become one of the most sought after winemakers for artisan labels, having gained critical acclaim and a loyal following for his site-specific focus and restrained winemaking style. The Wall Street Journal has said that they “love his vineyard voice”, while the Wine Spectator has lauded his winemaking as “deft”.

Terra Valentine

glass of wine - Pixabay

Just ten minutes up from Highway 29 and you have the view - of Napa Valley. Then, if you book a tasting tour, instead of standing at a bar, or a cold cellar, you will be seated in a room streaming with sunshine. From there a generous sampling of their current releases will be poured, alongside a nice place of cheese, nuts and chocolate. Time to consider the tasting...and what you will buy to have at home. I know that one of my Cabernet favorites.

Midnight Cellars Winery

wine corks and glass

Their wines were good, and actually moderately priced. The one that really stood out was their Gemini a Zinfandel-Syrah blend?  We also picked up a bottle of their Full Moon a Zinfandel, Syrah and Cab Franc blend. Worth a stop if you are in Paso.

 

Midnight Cellars had its origins in a slightly tipsy, laughter-filled moment on the back patio at Domaine Carneros during the summer of 1993. While enjoying a family getaway to Napa and Sonoma and after several winery visits, Rich made a whimsical statement that would later prove to be life-changing: "Hey old man, when you retire you should buy a place like this and have us run it for you."

Initially laughed off and soon forgotten, the idea resurfaced years later when Robert, ready to retire early from his career as a patent attorney, still brimming with energy and passion, recalled Rich's suggestion. He approached Rich with the proposition, "If you were serious about this winery idea, I'm in."

At the time, Rich was newly married and living in Chicago with his wife Michele, and their first reaction was a firm "no way, Dad." However, after considerable reflection and several glasses of wine, Michele and Rich decided to embrace the unconventional plan. They sold their new house, one of their cars, and made the move to California to start anew. Despite how improbable it sounded, they followed through with the plan. They arrived in California on July 31, 1995, and immediately immersed themselves in country life—one that lacked bars, restaurants, and shopping. The city dwellers from Chicago experienced a significant culture shock.

Each family member took on a specific role and began learning their responsibilities: Robert and Mary Jane focused on the overall operations, Michele managed the tasting room and later took on bookkeeping duties, while Rich learned the intricacies of planting, maintaining, and harvesting the vineyard, as well as winemaking.

After 29 years of steep learning curves, the family remains committed to making wine accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone.

Oso Libre

looking at the moon through a glass of wine

Good wines, friendly owners, fun animals. A field full of alpacas greets you as you enter Oso Libre. The husband and wife owners were absolute gems, but let's face it, unfriendly people simply don't own alpacas. They shared a lot of interesting info about the winery and animals which made for an entertaining conversation. The wines were tasty and the term “wine farm” setting of Oso Libre is a great experience.

Rutherford Wine Company

grape cluster - Pixabay

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.

Francis Coppola Winery

Swirling wine n a glass - Pixabay - Saman Teher

What a beautiful estate! This was my first time to Francis Ford Coppola and I was in awe! I don't even know where to start, but the grounds are beautiful, the tasting room was fun, the memorabilia was nostalgic, and the cellar was amazing as well!All of the staff was ever so friendly, welcoming and helpful. You wouldn't expect anything short of greatness, when you learn that Mr. Coppola is heavily involved in the operations of the winery and visits periodically to ensure that everything meets his standards.

Barefoot Cellars

Glass of wine - Pixabay

It Started in 1965...

When Davis Bynum created Barefoot Bynum Burgundy—the first ever Barefoot wine—in his garage in Albany, California.

And Then in 1986...

We changed our name to Barefoot Cellars, created the famous footprint label and quickly captured the hearts of our fans.

Finally in 1995...

We struck gold. Jennifer Wall, winemaker extraordinaire, joined our team and sprinkled her magic dust on our line of fun, delicious wines.

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