Merlot

Merlot

Madonna Estates

Painting of two friend enjoying wine

Since 1922 the Bartolucci Family has consistently created a perfect marriage of grapes and wine at Madonna Estate. Located in the world-renowned Carneros region, an area known for its fertile lands and cool climate, the Bartolucci family has found success with their organically grown grapes and Estate Bottled wines. In addition to practicing natural farming methods, they also combine traditional and modern winemaking techniques. As the third oldest winemaking family in the Napa Valley, it is important to them that they continue the commitment to farm naturally and preserve the winemaking traditions of past generations. Art work by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski - Agata Art Gallery 

Westerly Vineyards

Committed to progressive winegrowing and inspired by artful winemaking, we specialize in limited-production wines that express the unique imprint of the vineyards and region. in Happy Canyon, on the eastern perimeter of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley, the ancient, stony soils, warm afternoons and reliable Pacific breezes are particularly suited to classic Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. From these varietals, our mission is to craft wines of uncommon depth, distinction and elegance.

Frog's Leap Winery

They have very spacious grounds which allows for people to pick and choose their own spots to sit down, chat, drink, and eat, whether it was on the porch of the quaint house, or outside in the garden. We bought some crackers and cheese along and did the wine tasting ($15/person--possibly since we had a large group/booked in advance?) for 4 or 5 different wines. I lost track since we had been to two already before this one. But this was the last one of the day so we just relaxed here under the shady trees, with barely budding cherry blossoms, next to a little pond.

Rutherford Grove Winery

The winery is beautiful and is a wonderful place to go on a nice day to enjoy the scenery, its history, and to bring family. Though not a large, famous winery compared to its 'Rutherford' cousin, it produces some splendid wines which make the trip well worth it by themselves. However, the experience would only be excellent if it were rounded out by commensurately skilled and friendly staff. A standout here was Bonnie, who, despite seemingly overwhelmingly large numbers of clients to serve, managed to serve them all--as far as I could tell-- with warmth and friendliness, a big smile, and an incredible amount of enological knowledge--both about this winery, but about wines in general. She seemed excited to share this information, and her joy in wines, and not just be a server.

wyatt Oaks Winery

With over 25 years of experience as an arborist, Gavin McClain and wife Stacy started Wyatt Oaks Winery in 2009, naming their enterprise after their first son. Since then, both their family and vintages have expanded, so that the wine collection now features both Aubrie's Reserve and Weston's Estate. In addition to growing their own grapes, Gavin's expertise also allows them to purchase the high-quality grapes other local vintners have brought to fruition, producing a greater variety within their collection.

Switchback Ridge

Switchback Ridge produces handcrafted estate grown wines sourced exclusively from the Peterson Family Vineyard in Calistoga. The property has been in the Peterson family since 1914 and encompasses nearly 100 acres located at the mouth of Dutch Henry Canyon. Varietals grown and produced include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Sirah. The rich, rocky soils of this beautiful vineyard property consistently produce low yields of intensely flavored fruit, resulting in extremely concentrated, fruit driven wines that are the hallmark of Switchback Ridge.

Blackstone Winery

“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.”

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

We made an unplanned stop here and were greeted by Aaron. We had a tasting of the estate wines and they were all excellent. We learned a lot about the grounds, the wine itself and the process. We also got to tag along for an impromptu tour of the grounds and the cave when someone stopped by to see the space for an event. We got to taste maybe 3 or 4 other wines that weren't even on the tasting menu. All in all, a very nice experience.

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