The Nine North Wine Company is a unique portfolio of small handcrafted wines from Napa Valley as well as California's North Coast appellation that specialize in offering exceptional quality, worth and value. The portfolio can usually be found in fine wine shops and restaurants around the country. Twenty Bench Cabinet is one of the wines in The Nine North Wine Company portfolio.
Seven Angels Cellars, a charming family-owned boutique winery nestled in the heart of Paso Robles, California! This delightful winery kicked off its winemaking journey in 2009 with a small batch of Petite Sirah and has since expanded to produce around 3,000 cases a year. At the helm is Greg Martin, the passionate owner and winemaker, while Pamela Martin expertly manages social media, food pairings, wine clubs, events, and their website. The name “Seven Angels” is a heartfelt tribute to their blended family, which includes seven wonderful children.
Greg’s love for wine began in rural California, where he spent his childhood learning the ins and outs of winemaking from his neighbor, who grew grapes. His passion continued during his time in the US Coast Guard, stationed in the Bay Area, where he had easy access to the fabulous wineries of Sonoma and Napa. Pamela, on the other hand, hails from a family of foodies and wine lovers. With a background in winemaking courses and experience as a home economist on a cooking show, she’s developed an obsession for pairing food and wine to create delightful culinary experiences.
Married in 2008, the couple dove into winemaking the following year. Specializing in Rhône blends and single varietals, Greg is hands-on in every step of the process, from vineyard to bottle, while Pamela brings her expert palate to the blending process.
Seven Angels Cellars has made quite a name for itself, with many of their wines earning impressive ratings in the 90s from Wine Enthusiast, along with numerous gold medals at California and international wine competitions. Recently, their 2024 Orange County Wine Society and Central Coast Wine competition recognized their new whites, awarding gold medals to the 2023 Chardonnay, 2021 Estate Chardonnay, and 2022 Viognier. The accolades continue with a Double Gold for the 2019 Merlot and gold medals for the 2019 Chosen One, Petite Sirah, Mourvèdre, and Syrah.
The winemaking philosophy at Seven Angels is simple: “less is best.” They focus on minimal manipulation and embrace natural methods, with Greg experimenting with different types of oak in their barrel program. Their wines are designed to be food-friendly and approachable, both in flavor and price.
Epiphany finds its identity and passion in the production of esoteric Rhone-based varietals and blends from some of the finest vineyard designates in California.
Bart and Barb Obrian's property is a 33 acres of vineyards, a bonded winery, and their home. When you visit, you will be treated to an intimate experience in their backyard sitting at picnic tables under oak trees. Tour and Tasting – a 60 minute tour and tasting experience. Your tour starts outside at a picnic table overlooking hundreds of acres of vineyards. Then you will visit the main fermentation and barrel storage room of the winery and learn about how wine is fermented in our 500 to 3,000 gallon stainless steel tanks and then aged in French oak barrels. Your tour will conclude in our bottling line room, where you can see thecrusher/de-stemmer, must pump, and bottling line. $20 per person; fee waved with the purchase of 1 bottle of wine per person or wine club signup per couple.
2500 ft up the mountain from the "flatlands" of St. Helena. Very different feel from the wineries down on the valley floor. Small family owned and operated winery. We did not get a tour but had a very pleasant tasting.
The original riding area now houses prized wines, instead of prize-winning horses. However, Black Stallion Estate Winery carries its heritage forward. The estate’s legacy honors the world-class terroir of Napa Valley, the pioneering spirit of the Silverado Trail, and the Indelicato family’s warm hospitality and generations of wine expertise.
From the late 1800s to the early 1900s, The Silverado Trail was home to cattle and horse ranching. In the 1950s, Richard Tam and Ben Hardister built the Silverado Horseman’s Center covering 32 acres along the southern end of Silverado Trail. The original facility featured an equestrian center with an indoor riding track, 36 horse stalls, and a grandstand for indoor riding events. The property also included an outdoor arena with a grandstand that sat 3,000 people, a half-mile race track, recreation buildings, a private paddock, riding trails, and a stallion breeding center. The center thrived until the 1990s.
Helena View Johnston Vineyards is located on Highway 128 just five minutes north of Calistoga in the eye of Mt. St. Helena in a fertile area noted for producing exceptional red wines. Helena View specializes in bordeaux style reds, namely Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. The winery is open for special events and tours by prior arrangement during the week and by appointment Saturday and Sunday, 10 am - 5 pm. Picnic facilities are available and include a covered redwood gazebo and a tree shaded deck overlooking vineyards.
THE PROMISE OF GOLD
California was founded on the promise of gold, a standard that 1850 Wine Cellars upholds to this day. Inspired by the state's breathtaking natural beauty and a spirit of discovery, 1850 Wine Cellars exemplifies the gold standard in winemaking. By sustainably farming and sourcing grapes from vineyards primarily in Amador County, Fair Play, El Dorado County, and other Sierra Foothill growing regions, they craft high-quality wines designed to complement every adventure.
MEET THE WINEMAKER: BRIAN DARWAZEH
Winemaker Brian Darwazeh has deep roots in California agriculture. Raised in a small farming community in Northern California, and with a grandfather who worked the land, Brian's connection to California-grown fruit is personal. For him, working with local harvests and experiencing the rhythm of the land and seasons is a labor of love. Brian is drawn to the Sierra Foothills for its diverse microclimates and the wide variety of grape varietals that thrive there. His passion lies in creating fruit-driven wines that express the true character of each varietal, with minimal intervention.
Begun in 1992 by Bruce and Barbara Neyers, Neyers Vineyards produces about 15,000 cases of wine annually. About 25% of Neyers Vineyuards' production is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on their 50-acre, organically farmed Conn Valley ranch. Neyers is far from the Napa Valley floor of over-run wineries. This winery requires a reservation; the reservations can be difficult to get but it is worth it. You will get a tour of their facilities and sample their high quality wines. The offering is three Chardonnays, three Syrahs, two Zinfandels, two Cabernet Sauvignons and one Merlot.
When British ex-patriots Perry and Carolyn Butler moved to California in 1982, they never dreamed they would own 42 acres of prime vineyard land in the heart of Napa Valley. They arrived in California as high-tech pioneers and founded their own computer company in the San Francisco Bay area. After routine 80-hour work weeks, the couple relaxed during weekend trips to Napa Valley, where they were bitten by the wine bug. Dreams of high-tech dominance soon turned to thoughts of returning to the land and grape growing. Our tasting included the 2006 Perry's Blend at $75, a blend that has more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 which has more Cabernet Sauvignon and sells for $80. The 2006 is 47% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, with only 665 cases produced. The 2007 is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, with 672 cases produced. The 2007 was described by the winery as possessing a "tremendous aromas of flowers, blue, red and black fruits, graphite and forest floor" but both of us got an even better nose from the 2006. The 2006 was softer with cherry and chocolate on the palate and good but soft tannins. The 2007 was bigger with more tannin, but also very well balanced. Both wines were very drinkable now but should cellar well. I later shared a bottle of the 2006 with friends, and it was even better at home after being given some time to open up.
