Merlot

Merlot

Beaulieu Vineyards

corks and wine glass - Pixabay

The Georges de Latour name has become a wine legacy. When André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyard in 1938, he tasted the de Latour family’s private wine—known as "Private Reserve"—from the 1936 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so remarkable that Tchelistcheff insisted it be bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering. In 1940, Beaulieu Vineyard released the first vintage of Private Reserve, naming it in honor of the winery’s founder. This marked the debut of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine destined to become Napa Valley’s first “cult” Cabernet. Over the past 70 years, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has set the standard for Napa Valley Cabernet and remains one of the most highly collected American wines.

Hallcrest Vineyards

woman and child in flower garden

Appropriately named by the Hall family back in the 1880s, Hallcrest is at the crest of a small hill above the old town of Felton nestled in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It was a retreat for the Hall family until 1941 when Chaffee Hall, a prominent business attorney from San Francisco acted on his obsession with wine and planted the first vineyard. At the time, it was one of only three wineries in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the only one producing varietal wines from estate vineyards.

Chatom Vineyards

Harvesting Viognier Grapes - Randy Caparoso

The vineyard of Chatom Vineyards is nestled in the breathtaking Esmeralda Valley of the Sierra Foothills in Calaveras County. The valley was originally planted with low-field crops, fruits, and nut trees. When Gay Callan, owner and native San Franciscan, purchased the property in 1980, her vision was to plant a vineyard. Her first varietals were planted in 1981, totaling 21 acres of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Today, the vineyard boasts 13 varietals planted on 65 acres, including Chardonnay, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Sangiovese and 5 Portuguese varietals. Image - Harvesting Viognier Grapes - Randy Caparoso

Trecini Cellars

grape cluster - Pixabay

Reserving a tasting time was simple, I called in the morning and was able to reserve a tasting time for the afternoon for myself and my guests. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by a very gracious host who was very knowledgable in wines and we were served with delicious wines.

Hourglass Wines

small bites and wine tasting - Pixabay


Taste with Hourglass
Tastings are by appointment only and are complimentary for our active mailing list members. There is a $125 per person tasting fee for new guests. The fee is waived with a three bottle purchase per person within the group. 

Please continue to contact us at tnt@hourglasswine.com to schedule a tasting.

Bargetto Winery

Glass of wine

Soquel Bargetto has the prettiest tasting room and patio overlooking a creek and wilderness. Getting to the wines, the Sauv Blanc and Pinot Grigio are pretty good and well balanced, the Chard not my preference. The reserve reds are quite delicious and the sweet wines are good if you are into the sweeter wines.

The winemaking heritage of Bargetto began with brothers Phillip and John Bargetto, who emigrated from Castelnuovo Don Bosco, a small town in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. Bringing with them years of winegrowing experience, they established BARGETTO WINERY on the banks of Soquel Creek in California.

Some History 

Phillip was the first to leave Italy in 1891 at the age of seventeen. In 1909, John joined his brother in San Francisco.

The original Bargetto family winery was located in San Francisco from 1910 to 1917, operating under the name South Montebello Vineyard and Wine Company. With Prohibition on the horizon, the winery was closed, and the brothers relocated to Soquel in 1917.

In 1918, Phillip and John purchased the current site of BARGETTO WINERY and began producing wine in an old barn on the property. During Prohibition (1919-1933), the brothers continued to make wine for family and friends while selling produce to local customers and growing apples at their family ranch in Soquel. When Prohibition ended in 1933, they devoted more time to the wine business, expanding into a wholesale operation while maintaining their produce sales.

Phillip Bargetto passed away in 1936, leaving John as the sole owner of the business during the 1940s and 1950s. John continued to produce and sell wine both wholesale and retail, with the support of his sons Ralph and Lawrence during these years.

Four Gates

purple grapes - Pixabay

Four Gates Winery: A Unique Kosher Wine Experience

Thirty-three years ago, a dedicated winemaker embarked on a journey to plant a small vineyard with the intention of crafting wine for Shabbos and Yom Tov. Having made his own kiddush wine for years, he recognized the promise of the vineyard site, located in the renowned Santa Cruz Mountains wine-growing region of California. Though small, this area has a long-standing reputation for producing quality wines. Nestled on a south-facing slope and surrounded by majestic oak and redwood forests, the vineyard overlooks a stunning valley that stretches down to the Pacific Ocean. Interestingly, the land had been planted with wine grapes in the 1880s, but the original vines were removed during Prohibition.

Four Gates is likely the smallest kosher winery in the country, with just 3.5 acres dedicated to growing Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. The vineyard's grapes are certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), and the vines are not irrigated, leading to small yields that are concentrated in flavor. Additionally, the wine is estate bottled, ensuring that one individual oversees the entire process, from grape cultivation to wine production.

The winery operates as a one-man show, evoking the charm of an old-fashioned one-room schoolhouse, where all equipment and barrels await their turn, much like students of varying ages. This personal approach allows for meticulous attention to detail, resulting in wines that reflect the unique characteristics of the Santa Cruz Mountain environment.

The wines themselves benefit from this small-scale production. The Chardonnay is a full-bodied white wine aged in American oak barrels, making it an excellent pairing for flavorful dishes such as roast chicken, baked salmon, or Orah's spicy baked tofu. Meanwhile, the Merlot offers a substantial red wine experience, perfect for complementing holiday brisket or a savory roast.

Four Gates Winery invites wine enthusiasts to explore its artisanal offerings and experience the dedication behind each bottle.

Burrell Winery & Vineyard

picture of winery's logo

Burrell School's origins date back to 1854 when Lyman J. Burrell settled the rough wilderness that is now home to Burrell Winery & Vineyard. Carrying on the more than 130 year old tradition at the School, David and Anne Moulton began development of the Estate Vineyard in 1973. At 1,600 foot elevation, the site faces the southwest. Soils are a complex mixture or loam and shale due to the close proximity of the San Andreas Fault. Nearby Monterey Bay brings warm days and cool nights The result is a unique microclimate, perfect for long, slow ripening of the grapes in the vineyard.

T-Vine Cellars

grape cluster - Pixabay

T-Vine was founded in 1992 with a passion for making small lots of big juicy wines – specializing in old vines: Grenache, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah.  Highly recommend calling in your reservation, but walk-ins are welcome.

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