Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blanc

Justin Vineyards and Winery

corks and wine glass

NOTHING but the best to report to about JUSTIN. The Vineyard and Wine Tasting Room are very nice, almost like being in another country. Peaceful and serene. The wine tasting room is relatively new, I believe we were told they opened about 6 months ago (from their prior location). The room was modern, tasteful, and chic. JUSTIN offers dinning in a beautiful dinning room that overlooks the vineyard. Of course, plan on making reservations ahead of time. The wine tasting was a success. We discovered their 2011 Right Angle and their 2011 Reserve Malbec. Both are AMAZING.

Blackstone Winery

Rows of wine barrels - Pixabay

“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.”

Ladera Vineyards

wine pouring into a glass - Pixabay

Ladera Vineyards is the home of estate grown and produced hillside Cabernet Sauvignon in Howell Mountain Appellation. Their beautiful historic 1886 building was restored and renovated stone winery, they make their wines from the top floor for crushing, to first floor for fermenting, and than store it in the underground barrel caves.

Moondance Cellars

wine and cheese - Pixabay

Great winery conveniently located next to a chocolate shop. Moondance offers wine and port tasting for $5 apiece. In addition to wine, they also have mustard, olive oil, and balsamic samples for you to try. They are in a mutually beneficial relationship with their chocolate selling neighbors. They offer chocolate samples as a pairing with their wines.

Fieldbrook Valley Winery

Wine swirling int the glass -- Pixabay - Saman Teher

Over the past 30 years, Fieldbrook Valley Winery has grown from a garage based operation to an efficient facility with separaate production and storage areas. Although Fieldbrook's equipment is capable of producing greater volumes of wine, Fieldbrook Valley limits production to less than 2000 cases a year. Their goal is to emphasize regional diversity and varietal intensity.

Vina Castellano

Grape Cluster

Longtime Placer County residents, the Mendez Family, broke ground on their Auburn vineyard in 1999, with no illusions of simplicity. When Viña Castellano was started the family knew it was going to be a labor of love, with a strong emphasis on “labor”. Teena Wilkins, who co-owns and manages the vineyard and winery, is the youngest of Gabe and Carolyn Mendez’s four children. She and her father, along with her husband Craig and their vineyard & winery foreman, Victor Brambila, oversee the weekly work at the winery, but the entire family contribute to the winery in some form or fashion.

Tobin James Cellars

women enjoying wine

Tobin James Cellars is not your traditional estate with vineyards, but definitely a fun winery to visit and often the place to stop by many that are escaping the heat of the Central Valley. If you are even slightly intimidated about your knowledge of wines, come here - they will put you at ease!  The staff really wants to talk about things other than tannins, oak, and other terms so common in wine articles.  If you are serious about your wine, the owners - Jobin James, Lance and Claire Silver - are completely open and passionate about the wines they make. But if you are a "grape-nut" like me who would like to have fun while tasting great wines without being judged by condescending staff members - this is the place to be.  It is a pleasure to have this sterling place in our wine directory.*

Hours:

Daily - 10:00AM to 6:00PM

 

Windsor Oaks

wine corks and glass - Pixabay

Windsor Oaks estate is open to the public only eighteen days a year. They do offer limited VIP tasting and tours.In an wine tasting event that sadly has become increasingly all about tour buses, limos, bridal parties and frat boys guzzling Coors Light in the parking lots, many wineries struggled to find the right balance of paying attention to those that were there to focus on the art of winemaking, and those that were there to party. The folks at Windsor Oaks rose above and created a memory for all in attendance. Special thanks goes to winemaker Julie Hagler Lumgair, who climbed atop a second tier barrel, and from above, shared a taste of yet another wine "off the list"...her passion, expertise, warmth, and generosity.

Juslyn Vineyards

wine and cheese - Pixabay

When British ex-patriots Perry and Carolyn Butler moved to California in 1982, they never dreamed they would own 42 acres of prime vineyard land in the heart of Napa Valley. They arrived in California as high-tech pioneers and founded their own computer company in the San Francisco Bay area. After routine 80-hour work weeks, the couple relaxed during weekend trips to Napa Valley, where they were bitten by the wine bug. Dreams of high-tech dominance soon turned to thoughts of returning to the land and grape growing. Our tasting included the 2006 Perry's Blend at $75, a blend that has more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 which has more Cabernet Sauvignon and sells for $80. The 2006 is 47% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot, with only 665 cases produced. The 2007 is 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, with 672 cases produced. The 2007 was described by the winery as possessing a "tremendous aromas of flowers, blue, red and black fruits, graphite and forest floor" but both of us got an even better nose from the 2006. The 2006 was softer with cherry and chocolate on the palate and good but soft tannins. The 2007 was bigger with more tannin, but also very well balanced. Both wines were very drinkable now but should cellar well. I later shared a bottle of the 2006 with friends, and it was even better at home after being given some time to open up.

Envy Wines

red wine pouring into wine glass pixabay

The origins of Envy Wines trace back to the mid-1980s, with the construction of the historic Carter House Victorian. As the small bed and breakfast attracted a growing number of guests from cities across the West Coast, the addition of the Hotel Carter and the highly regarded Restaurant 301 became necessary to accommodate the demand. To enhance the dining experience, Mark Carter began assembling what would become a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list. His curation included some of the world's finest wines, from first-growth Bordeaux to top Napa Cabernet and lesser-known gems, making the list truly exceptional. The restaurant's acclaim and its impressive wine list allowed Mark to host winemaker dinners featuring prominent figures such as Dan Duckhorn and Nils Venge.

During these events, Mark and Nils developed a close friendship, united by their deep passion for exceptional wines. Mark's ambition to create his own wine label, Carter Cellars, aimed to produce the best Napa Cabernet possible. Nils Venge, renowned for earning the first “perfect score” on a domestic wine from Robert M. Parker Jr. in 1985 while at Groth, was seen as the ideal partner for this pursuit of excellence.

In 2006, Mark and Nils found a permanent home for Carter Cellars and established Envy Winery on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. The 17-acre property focuses on estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Over the years, Envy Wines has grown steadily and now produces nearly 2,500 cases annually, utilizing grapes from their estate vineyard as well as select vineyards throughout Napa Valley.

Like many of the smaller Napa vineyards, this one had a distinct personality. From the beautifully appointed tasting and event rooms to the hip staff and owner to the funny little chihuahua statue (I'll let you find him) the message was clear: we're serious and knowlegable about good wine but we also know how to laugh. Very different from some of the huge vineyards which can be awfully serious. Definitely make this stop when checking out Calistoga. The 2010 Calistoga Estate Cabernet Sauvignon at $48. This is 100% Cab. An appealing bright purplish in color, it had a very nice aroma of black cherry, smoke and vanilla. Smooth and fresh on the palate, it was mostly black cherry with some vanilla. The finish was quite long with cherry, lingering tannins and spice.

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