Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir

Mount Eden Vineyards

friends sharing wine

Mount Eden Vineyards, a historic gem, perches at 2,000 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation, offering breathtaking views of Silicon Valley, about 50 miles south of San Francisco. Established in 1945, this pioneering boutique winery specializes in small lots of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon. With the longest lineage of estate-bottled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in California, Mount Eden's vineyards, planted in the austere, infertile Franciscan shale of a cool, exposed mountaintop, have produced world-class wines for over half a century. In 2007, the vineyard expanded by acquiring a 55-acre estate in the Saratoga foothills, known as Domaine Eden.

In addition to their estate wines, Mount Eden Vineyards crafts non-estate Chardonnays from the Central Coast, notably the Edna Valley. Their Chardonnay from the Wolff Vineyard is particularly acclaimed, consistently earning accolades.

Since 1981, Jeffrey Patterson has been at the helm of Mount Eden's winemaking and grape growing. His philosophy prioritizes wine growing over winemaking, with a fervent commitment to gentle and natural handling of the grapes and wines.

Twomey Cellars

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Enjoy the laid-back vibe at our Napa Valley tasting room, located just off Highway 29 a mile south of the charming main street of downtown Calistoga. Surrounded by ornately landscaped gardens, our modern farmhouse-style tasting room opens onto a sun-filled courtyard framed by lush vineyards and views of the Calistoga foothills.

Calistoga is a sublime place to taste our Napa Valley/Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc alongside our expressive Pinot Noirs. Fun fact: Some of the fruit selected for the white varietal is from the adjacent estate vineyard.

Seghesio Family Vineyards

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The tasting room is a very casual and welcoming place. It doesn't boast the best gift shop, but they offer enough to let you feel like you've gotten a shopping fix. But you're really coming for the Zins, each one better than the last and most at very affordable prices.

Charles Krug

wine splashing in the glass - Pixabay

Krug is an incredible piece of Napa history but the wines don't take second seat to this fact. Their tasting room is relaxed, low-key and not overdone. They don't need to distract you from their great wines and great staff. 

Dehlinger Winery

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It is by appointment only, but they do host two open houses a year. Beware that if you go to Dehlinger Winery you run the risk of going broke because you'll want to buy all their wines. A small price to pay for happiness in a bottle, though. Be sure to try their Pinot Noir.

Lookout Ridge Winery

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Grey Stack makes bold, unrestrained Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from Bennett Valley, a small appellation in Sonoma County. Grey Stack harvested it's first grapes in 2005 and released its first wines in 2007 - the 2006 Rosemary's Block Sauvignon Blanc and 2005 Marie's Block Syrah from Dry Stack Vineyard. Since then, Grey Stack continues to make Rosemary's Block - one of the most acclaimed and respected Sauvignon Blancs in the new world - along with outstanding examples of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from several distinct vineyard sites in Bennett Valley.

Kokomo Winery

wine cellar

"Bodies in the sand, tropical drink melting in your hand We'll be falling in love to the rhythm of a steel drum band Down in Kokomo... That's where you want to go to get away from it all, down in Kokomo" Actually, this winery doesn't have anything to do with The Beach Boys and their song, but this winery. definitely does have good wines. Actually, Kokomo pays homage to the winemaker's (Erik Miller) origins, Kokomo, Indiana. Kokomo Winery consistently win awards for their wines, most notably their rose.

Tercero Wines

Tercero Wines Santa Barbara County

tercero wines is the brainchild of Larry Schaffer, owner and winemaker. He began the brand shortly after graduating with his Masters Degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis – but this was well after he had completely switched directions in life and charted a new and exciting path.

Larry started his college career at UC Davis as an undergraduate, but had no interest in wine. The idea of getting into wine was something he had considered in the past – but more on the sales and marketing side because of his background. After graduating with his degree, he joined the winemaking team at Fess Parker Winery, where he stayed for nearly a decade before it was time to branch off and concentrate 100% on his own brand – and he could not be happier today.

Larry is adept not only at winemaking but at explaining the process in a very user-friendly manner. Visit his tasting room or follow him on social media to see for yourself.

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