When Kory Koehler acquired the property in 1997, all of the estate grapes were being sold to local wineries. Koehler soon recognized that some of the best wines in the valley were being produced with grapes harvested from her own vineyard so she made the resolved to launch her own winery and tasting room. From the start, Kory Koehler's vision was to create a world-class winery committed to making premium wines at affordable prices.
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2500 ft up the mountain from the "flatlands" of St. Helena. Very different feel from the wineries down on the valley floor. Small family owned and operated winery. We did not get a tour but had a very pleasant tasting.
We were treated to a sit down personalized tasting with about 7 different wines. Andy our host was super nice and informative and gave a great tour. Their Viognier, Rock Pile Zin and Cuvee were nice. Their Cab Franc and Cabernet were really delicious as well.
One of the oldest wineries in Napa and so down to earth! We had a great visit chatting with the hostess. We discovered things about the history of the local wine industry from her that other places were not sharing. Very personable.
Today, James Ontiveros represents the ninth generation of the Alta California Ontiveros family, continuing the tradition of farming in the same valley that his ancestors have cherished for centuries. For wine lovers who enjoy California wines and visit its wineries, the wines crafted here tell a compelling story about the resilience of truth, the people, and the land itself. In the face of a cold, windswept coastal desert, the vines stretch deep into the earth, seeking water and nutrients from the depleted soil. Coupled with intentional farming practices in the cool Mediterranean climate, Santa Maria produces exceptional raw materials for winemaking. The singular goal at Ranchos de Ontiveros is to create wines as complex and rich as the story of their heritage.
In 2003, Covenant founders Jeff Morgan and Leslie Rudd were inspired to bring a new California perspective to a 3500-year-old winemaking tradition. What started as a 500-case Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon project has now grown more than ten-fold. Today, Covenant’s 9,000-square-foot urban winery is situated in Berkeley, California, also home to other urban wineries.
The pourer is very knowledgable and passionate about their wines. I give the wine maker a lot of credit for his focus on single vineyard, single varietal wines. I thought all the wines were well made. The place is located in like an office facility / storage unit looking type building, so if you're looking for like rolling hills with neat rows of grape bushes, you have come to the wrong place. (Shouldn't be a dealbreaker necessarily in my opinion-- but I feel it's worth noting.) They also do a little tour of their facility where they show you some of the machines that are used to make the wine.
The first vintage of Tom Eddy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was 1991, but Tom’s experience in the wine industry goes back farther than that. He earned the U.C. Davis degree in 1974, did his requisite stint in a few big wineries, then settled into the North Coast as general manager and winemaker at Souverain Winery in Geyserville. The accolades for his wines started to follow, for everything from North Coast French Colombard to Sonoma County Zinfandel.
Beautiful vineyard and land. Frey produces organic and biodynamic wines- and is the oldest organic winery in the country. The Frey family, 10 out of 12 children run the vineyard and live on the 90 acres. The wine was tasty. I haven't had a lot of organic wines but I liked the organic Zin and biodynamic Petite Syrah.
Painting by Agata Zaborowski women enjoying wine
If you are going to the grocery store wineries--then this isn't a place for you. Please only go here if you love the complex nature of what wine has to offer. This is a haven for people who really enjoy, appreciate, and want to learn more about what wine has to offer. This isn't a taste and dash. This is savor and reflection. Not only is the wine great, but so was the tour given by Mark. I was really impressed with this winery and the friendliness of the staff. I would definitely come here again.
