Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon

CAB HOUSE at Hansen Vineyards

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski

The Cab House at Hansen Vineyard & Winery is known for excellent, award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon Wines. Taste with winemaker Bruce Hansen in the winery he built in 1993.  Bruce oversees everything with extreme attention to detail, from planting, growing, and harvesting, to barrels, fermentation, and bottling. Nothing escapes Bruce’s obsessive desire to use the best methods, the best barrels, to be the best Cabernet Sauvignon anywhere.

Painting by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski

Elan Vineyards

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Patrick Elliott-Smith, owner and winemaker at Elan Vineyards, was born in the United States to a French mother and an American father. His appreciation for fine wines began early, influenced by his grandfather René's extensive wine cellar filled with pre-World War II Bordeaux wines. As children, Patrick and his siblings were allowed just a few drops of red wine in their water—a practice that led Grandmother Madeleine to exclaim, "René, you will make them drunk!" This early exposure cultivated Patrick's taste for fine wines.

After completing high school in France, Patrick returned to the United States and earned a B.A. in philosophy. He found that his philosophical studies provided an excellent foundation for addressing the climatic challenges of agriculture. Following college, Patrick was drawn to Napa Valley by its resemblance to southern France, with its familiar topography and climate evoking fond memories. Deciding to make it his home, Patrick and his brother Dennis, an artist, acquired a parcel of land. Over the next four years, they raised horses, sheep, and goats; produced goat cheese; and grew gourmet herbs and vegetables for upscale Napa Valley restaurants. They also explored French intensive gardening techniques and bio-dynamic farming, which takes organic farming to an advanced level, sharing the 1960s ideal of living off the land.

In 1979, Patrick discovered his ideal property at the top of Atlas Peak Road. Situated about 2,100 feet above sea level—roughly 1,900 feet higher than the average Napa Valley vineyard—the site was perfect for viticulture. Patrick entered the wine industry by developing vineyards for prominent wineries such as The Hess Collection, Liparita, Dominus, and Beaulieu Vineyards, along with various private hillside estate vineyards. In 1980, he constructed a small stone house on the property and lived in a teepee on the future winery site while clearing manzanita brush from five acres. He planted Cabernet Sauvignon on 110R rootstock using a French-style trellis, which was uncommon in California at the time. For the first seven years, Patrick sold the fruit to Caymus Vineyards.

Mitchella Vineyard & Winery

In the eighties, after indulging in a fair amount of White Zinfandel, Angela and Darren Mitchell were converted by a bottle of 1987 Eberle Cabernet Sauvignon, sparking their passionate quest for fine red wine. By 1993, Darren, frustrated by the high costs of their new hobby, decided to take a winemaking class taught by local Zinfandel legend Charles Poalillo at Cuesta Community College. What began as a cost-saving measure evolved into a deeper pursuit of wine knowledge and production, leading to more classes at institutions such as UC Davis, Allan Hancock, Aspen School of Wine, Copia, and Cal Poly, as well as investments in equipment and supplies. Ultimately, this journey returned Darren to his farming roots with the establishment of their own vineyard.

In 1997, seeking greater control over the quality of their grapes, the couple planted their first crops: 10 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and 10 acres of Syrah on the hilltop overlooking the old adobe farmhouse where Darren had grown up. They realized that to give the grapes the attention they deserved, they needed to move onto the property. What was intended to be a temporary two-year stay turned into a nearly nine-year adventure, culminating in the construction of the home and tasting room that exists today. Since then, their passionate endeavor has involved updating, cultivating, and nurturing the vineyard, producing small lots of truly handcrafted wines, and enjoying the fruits of their labor with friends, family, and customers.

Located just off Highway 46 East behind Robert Hall Winery, this family-owned estate winery features a rustic, Tuscan-style tasting room that extends from the main house. Visitors can enjoy award-winning estate wines in a welcoming, elegant, and relaxing atmosphere. Whether you choose to taste inside the tasting room, outside on the patio by the fountain, or within the enclosed patio, you will be treated to continuous views of the vineyard throughout your experience. It's an ideal spot for a picnic paired with a bottle of Mitchella wine. Additionally, a selection of non-alcoholic beverages, cheeses, crackers, and other small edibles are available for purchase.

Martin Ray Winery

glass of wine - Pixabay

What is nice about this place is its secluded and private. You can also bring a picnic and enjoy it with some wine in their lawn/patio area. Tasting is free (imagine that) for their Angeline line, and has a nominal fee, waived with purchase, for their Reserve. We got about 5 or so pours of the Angeline line, including a Sav Blanc, a few Pinots, and a cab. The staff was friendly -- always a plus when tasting.

Blackstone Winery

Rows of wine barrels - Pixabay

“Sonoma County is one of the most fabulous places in the world to live and make wine,” says Gary Sitton, Blackstone's winemaker. “There’s no place like it. The immense diversity—from the coastline to the mountains, valleys and rivers—still leaves me in awe. For me, tapping into this range of growing conditions is fundamental to making beautifully expressive wines.”

Wing Canyon Vineyard

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Wing Canyon has played a major role in the evolution of Mt. Veeder as a prominent wine-producing region. From vineyards to carp farm, popular resort to a camp for the blind Wing Canyon has been home to valley pioneers and visitors for over a century. Captain Stalhan Wing produced the first Mt Veeder wine, which he entered into the Napa County Fair in 1864. He was also known for his carp, thousands of which he raised in man-made ponds amongst the vineyards.

Foot Path Winery

people sharing wine

This place is adorable!! Extremely down to earth, wonderful wines and amazingly knowledgable service! The owner of Foot Path Winery is super nice and friendly. Four horses welcome you as you pull up in front of the tasting barn. Yes, I said barn. The owner's daughter was the only person serving while we were there as it was fairly early in the day still. She was absolutely a joy to talk to and was very open and honest about all of the wines. I would recommend this place to any Red wine lovers that visit Temecula Wine County for their wine tasting.

Vina Robles

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

With 25 years of farming experience in the region, we take a ground up approach to quality, integrating it into every aspect of wine production, from our six SIP Certified sustainable vineyards to our premium hospitality offerings. Vina Robles Vineyards & Winery is built upon the core values of sustainability, hospitality, and quality.

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