Petite Sirah

Petite Sirah

Titus Vineyards

wine and cheese - Pixabay

f you can get an appointment here, I highly suggest doing it. A lot of the valley wineries are commercial and push sales and have tons of tourists - not here! This is a laid back, family owner, quality one on one experience. We arrived and were the only ones there and were greeted by our tour guide and his dog 29 (aptly named after the highway that runs through Napa). We sat on a bench outside the old house that serves as their headquarters and enjoyed many of their wines and their homegrown olive oil. A small family winery on the Silverado Trail. Just love their reds. Great Deal ! ! Wines are underpriced at least 30%, and no charge for tasting. You need to call for an appointment and it is a little hard to find but worth it.

Rutherford Grove Winery - now (Pestoni Family Estate Winery)

glass of wine - Pixabay

Bob and Sylvia Pestoni
In the mid-1990s, Bob and his wife Sylvia were presented with a rare opportunity. A small winery adjacent to their family´s Rutherford property had become available for purchase. Over the years, Bob and Sylvia had always grown grapes on their land, but they had always sold their fruit to other wine producers. They hadn´t been interested in becoming vintners before, but the acquisition of this new property renewed Bob´s admiration for his family´s business – and for his heritage. In 1994, they opened the doors to Rutherford Grove Winery and resumed making the single vineyard, hand-crafted artisanal wines Bob´s father and grandfather had created there for more than a century before him.  In 2017, in celebration of their 125th anniversary of Napa Valley winemaking, the winery was renamed Pestoni Family Estate Winery.

Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards

corks in a wine glass - Pixabay

The vineyards of Lucas & Lewellen are located in the three principal wine grape growing regions of Santa Barbara County: the Santa Maria Valley, the Los Alamos Valley, and the Santa Ynez Valley. These valleys all run west from the coastal mountains to the Pacific Ocean, allowing warm days and cool nights to produce a long, gentle growing season.

Varozza Vineyards

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Varozza Vineyards is owned by Jack and Dianna Varozza. A couple that took over Jack's father's winery. The couple is absolutely amazing and nice. Great down home feel to this tour. Dianne can answer any question, comfortable atmosphere. Free tour you will feel like you need a bottle of wine to take with you.

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

Watkins Family Winery

corks and wine glass - Pixabay

The beautiful terraces of Nuns Cliff Vineyard arise at 1400 feet, high above the cliffs overlooking Nuns Canyon. The west facing vineyard slopes are planted in red volcanic soils, considered by many winemakers to be the best Cabernet Sauvignon ground on the Mayacamas Mountain Range dividing Sonoma Valley and Napa Valley. Blue/black in the glass, this wine exhales a heady perfume of juicy black fruits, toffee, and spicy notes of peppercorn and sage.

Raymond Vineyard & Cellar

glass of wine - Pixabay

Raymond Vineyards, founded in 1970 is one of Napa Valley's great estates. Through the years, Raymond Vineyards has built an enduring legacy for elegant wines with beautiful balance, finesse, power, and complexity. Five generations of the Raymond family imbued the winery with a sense of its deep roots in the Napa Valley and a commitment to honor those roots through every wine produced. Today, Raymond is an integral part of Boisset Family Estates. Raymond Vineyards is renowned for its 100% Cabernet Sauvignons made with grapes from the most prestigious Napa Valley appelations.

Poetic Cellars

couple embrassing

Poetic Cellars was established in 2005 with one thought in mind; that of combining the passionate excellence of their winesand with exquisite and original poetry on each varietal. This interesting Santa Cruz Mountains winery is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains on 33 Redwood studded acres. Just minutes from Highway 17, it is only about 40 minutes from San Jose and 15 minutes from Santa Cruz. Bring a picnic Lunch to enjoy the views along with a bottle of Poetic Cellars wine.

Michael David Winery

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Michael and David Phillips represent the fifth generation of growers in Lodi, and things are changing. With 650 acres of premium wine grapes, there is plenty of room for experimentation and innovation.

The Phillips Family and Lodi have a long history together. They have been farming the soil since the 1860s and cultivating wine grapes since the early 20th century. The founders, brothers Michael and David Phillips, are 5th generation grape growers who raised their families in the vineyard. Now, the 6th generation has joined the team with Mike’s daughter, Melissa. The Phillips Family, more than most, understands the importance of leaving the land better than they found it for future generations. Their family legacy and love of Lodi drive their focus on sustainability.

Cockerel Family Wine Estates

gape cluster - Pixabay

It began as a dream to produce a superb Sauvignon Blanc in the Napa Valley modeled on the best traditions of the incredible Bordeaux blancs of France. In 2005 we were fortunate to locate a beautiful estate vineyard in Calistoga which was planted over 50 years ago on St. George rootstock. Back dropped by the Palisades, the old vines thrive in this dry-farmed vineyard which has deep soil that is well suited to growing Sauvignon Blanc. The result -- our first estate grown wine Terroir Coquerel, followed by Le Petit Coquerel, and in 2008 Cockerel Family estate grown late harvest Sauvignon Blanc, La Douce Revanche. Each wine is distinctive and delicious, reflecting individually the terroir of their original Calistoga vineyard and of the elegant flavors unique to Sauvignon Blanc.

The Cockerel Family's vineyards and winemaking operations are centered around their estate vineyard, "Walnut Wash," located in the afternoon shadows of the Mayacamas Mountains at the northern end of Napa Valley, within the Calistoga AVA. This site benefits from a warm and protected environment, with a mix of deep clay and stony soils. The vineyard currently encompasses seven acres planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Verdelho, Petite Sirah, and Tempranillo. In 2014, four additional acres were planted with Cabernet Sauvignon. Under the stewardship of winemaker Christine Barbe, the vineyard is meticulously managed to achieve low yields and high quality, resulting in exceptional fruit each vintage due to the unique conditions and favorable terroir.

In the realm of winemaking, Christine Barbe has significantly influenced the quality and style of Coquerel wines. Each bottling is crafted by hand in small lots to ensure character and authenticity. The white wines are noted for their brightness, crispness, elegance, and structure, while the reds are characterized by their intensity, aroma, harmony, and lushness. Complexity, concentration, balance, and minerality are the defining features of their wines.

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