Red Wines

Red Wines

Carter Cellars

glass of wine - Pixabay

Carter Cellars produced their first vintage in 1998 with the help of veteran Winemaker Nils Venge. Since then they have had a string of fantastic releases and highly rated wines. Their focus has long been big Napa Cabernet, Merlot and Blends. They now focus on Vineyard Designate Cabernet Sauvignon and Red Blends from the famous Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville and the steeply terraced Hossfeld Vineyard in Soda Canyon. The Carter Cellars wines are all deeply extracted and highly nuanced with bright fruit and intense structure that can be appreciated young, but will reward patience in the cellar.

Vouchaine Vineyards

grape cluster - Pixabay

Located off the beaten path and decidedly unpretentious, an afternoon visit to Bouchaine is a favorite. Their wine is quite good, especially considering the mostly modest bottle prices. Their riesling is crisp and wonderful, perfect for a warm sunny afternoon. Their pinots are excellent. There is a self-guided tour through the vineyards that offers great views of the southern Napa Valley.

Bethel Road Distillery & Winery

people enjoying wine - painting by wine artist Agata Zaborowski

The path to Bethel Rd. has been one of passion, experimentation and homage to the tradition of spirit making from around the world. Since Niels Udsen’s time living in Italy, making Italian-style Grappa has been something he dreamed of. After acquiring one of the first distilling licenses in the county and an Arnold Holstein Bavarian still, the dream has finally become a reality.

In its first phase of production, Bethel Rd. has created two outstanding Grappas, a Gin and a two-year barrel aged Brandy that is both rich and complex. You will also find top notch small batch wines made from Estate Grown Organically farmed grapes. This is only the beginning of the journey and many more spirited experiments are in the works.

The distillery and winery is run by the Udsen family of Castoro Cellars, who are pioneers of Paso Robles wine country. Creativity and community are at the center of the Bethel Rd. mission with the goal being to manifest a space that is both inviting and inspirational.

Thursday - Monday: 11:00am - 5:00 pm
Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Spirit Tasting Flight $20
Wine Tasting $20
Club Members Taste Free!

people enjoying wine - painting by wine artist Agata Zaborowski

Villa Creek Cellars

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They were brimming with passion for wine and the industry, arriving with a cellar filled with inspirational wines from around the globe. They launched their Villa Creek label in 2001, gaining a deeper understanding of the environment, the winemaking process, and the interplay between the two. Now, with 22 years of experience, their second label, MAHA, has gracefully come into its own.

Calafia Cellars

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t’s not often that fine examples of Napa Valley red wine manage to stay “under the radar” for 30 years! But Calafia has managed that rare feat.

Randle Johnson has been working in Napa Valley for 35 years, and is currently a winemaker at Hess Collection. Calafia Cellars is the personal brand of Randle and his wife MaryLee. Made from their own estate grapes blended with small quantities of grapes from other vineyards, Randle uses his extensive experience and knowledge to create a fine example of what Napa Valley, and St. Helena in particular, have to offer.

Taste for yourself this labor of love for a master Napa Valley winemaker.

Ramona Winery

grape cluster - ai generated - Pixabay

Winemaker Micole Moore embarked on an epic quest to unveil the wonders of Ramona Ranch Winery, where eco-friendly farming harmonizes with picturesque vineyards, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and the embrace of Mother Nature. Visitors can immerse themselves in the handcrafted wines, lovingly made to satisfy both wine connoisseurs and nature enthusiasts alike at San Diego’s only Certified Sustainable Vineyard & Winery.

The wines are produced from estate and local Ramona vineyards, each personally selected for their high-quality grapes, reflecting the meticulous hands-on attention of the growers. Each glass of their award-winning wines—frequent Gold Medal winners including Estate Tannat, Estate Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and others—captures the care and commitment to the land. These wines have been recognized in prestigious competitions such as the Sunset Magazine International Wine Competition, Toast of the Coast, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Sonoma Grand Harvest Wine Competition.

The winery invites visitors to follow their journey in this emerging wine region, believing that guests will come to know and love the little valley of Ramona, which they proudly call home, along with the friends they consider family.

Ramona Ranch Winery is open Thursdays and Mondays from 1 to 5 PM, and from 11 AM to 6 PM Friday through Sunday for outdoor wine tasting, available by the bottle and by the glass. For those in a hurry, a quick stop for a bottle to go or an online order is also an option.

Boyd Family Vineyards

grale cluster - Pixabay

The history of Boyd Family Vineyards began in 1998 with the purchase of a property on Big Ranch Road in Napa, driven by a vision to create exceptional wines and memorable experiences. Since then, over 20,000 vines of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Cabernet Sauvignon have been planted, tended, nurtured, harvested, crushed, and transformed into fine wine.

Situated in the Oak Knoll District of the Napa Valley, the vineyard benefits from the area's slightly cooler climate and heavy clay soils, which are ideal for producing ultra-premium Merlot and Syrah. These conditions contribute to the creation of some of Napa Valley’s most sought-after wines.

Today, while Boyd Family Vineyards continues to sell over 50% of its grapes to other premium wineries, it also produces limited quantities of ultra-premium wine. These wines are crafted with meticulous attention to the best materials and practices, aiming to reflect a full-bodied style that showcases the finest attributes of the land.

Waterstone Winery

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In this time of multimillion-dollar vineyard estates and celebrity winemaking consultants, when it seems that financial backing has replaced skill as the key to success in enology, it is rare that a simple idea can give birth to wines that stand out for flavor and balance, rather than pedigree alone. Waterstone Winery was formed in 2000 with the simple concept of creating luxury wines at affordable prices. Bringing together previously established relationships with Napa Valley growers and vintners, the winery set out to develop balanced wines of varietal character through intelligent sourcing. Preferring to focus on the wine itself rather than the accumulation of land and facilities, Waterstone owns no vineyards, nor does it own the facility where its wines are made. Dedicated winemaking, strong relationships with top growers and long-term grape contracts are the keys to Waterstone’s quality and success.

Passaggio Wines

Passaggio Wines tasting room in Sonoma California

Passaggio Wines

Cynthia is the owner and winemaker at Passaggio Wines. Cynthia's focus is small lot boutique wines that include unoaked chardonnay, pinot grigio, rose altogether about 10 varieties of wine. Cynthia went from cop to artisan wine crafter, not a typical journey by any stretch. In 2004, Cynthia left a 15-year Law Enforcement career to pursue that passion and family tradition of winemaking. It has been enjoyable to watch Passaggio Wines grow and see Cynthia follow her dreams. Passaggio's tasting room is gorgeous for either tasting, having wine by the glass, or for a special event. The tasting room staff and winemaker are very friendly and accommodating and make you feel right at home.

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