Martin Ray Winery's Founder Courtney Benham acquired the historic Martini & Prati winery in July, 2003. The tasting room structure, which dates back to the 1900's, used to serve as a stable and bunkhouse where Italian immigrants stayed during harvest.
I came here on Sunday at 11am and it was empty! I was so glad we could get personal service. Ryan was friendly and knowledgable. I love the merlot but after the estate tasting, I fell in love with the Altruist as well. As mentioned by others, the exterior of the building is beautiful but the interior looks like a highway rest stop. While sipping our last wine, we were able to browse the gallery containing rock and roll photos which used grace the cover of Rolling Stone. Like other Napa wineries it can get busy in peak season.
Since 1927, when John Pedroncelli, Sr. purchased vineyard and a small winery in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley, two elements remain unchanged: the exceptional place the Pedroncelli family farms vineyards, and the family's dedication to making fine wines.
Rooted deeply in the history, winegrowing, and agricultural heritage of Napa Valley, a visit to Spottswoode offers an intimate experience that highlights the winery’s dedication to producing exceptional wines that authentically reflect their time and place.
Estate Tasting
Spottswoode eagerly welcomes guests to experience their current release wines. Visits are available by appointment only, with tastings potentially held outdoors, weather permitting. Due to their use permit with the City of St. Helena, reservations are limited. It is recommended to inquire about availability as early as possible when planning a visit.
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.
Curious name, Serious wine!
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.
The Georges de Latour name has become a wine legacy. When André Tchelistcheff joined Beaulieu Vineyard in 1938, he tasted the de Latour family’s private wine—known as "Private Reserve"—from the 1936 vintage. This Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine was so remarkable that Tchelistcheff insisted it be bottled and sold as the winery’s flagship offering. In 1940, Beaulieu Vineyard released the first vintage of Private Reserve, naming it in honor of the winery’s founder. This marked the debut of Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine destined to become Napa Valley’s first “cult” Cabernet. Over the past 70 years, Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has set the standard for Napa Valley Cabernet and remains one of the most highly collected American wines.
This place specializes in Zins and they make it very well here. It's actually on the jammier fruit forward side rather than the peppery notes of some zins you may have but it was very good. Enjoyed their white wines as well. There was only two that they make I believe and even the rose was pretty good.
Lava Cap is a family-owned winery in Placerville, California. The Jones family planted their first vines in 1981 and opened the winery in 1986 on a special site in the heart of the Sierra Foothills. The family of geologists specifically selected this location for its prime volcanic soil that is particularly well suited to growing fine wine grapes. They named their new business after this unique "lava cap," where their grapes flourish in the volcanic soil, warmed by the foothill sunshine and cooled by gentle Sierra night breezes.
