Eagle & Rose Estate is in Pope Valley, tucked in the Napa Valleys legendary eastern hills. Founded by Norman Alumbaugh, the winery was built, extensive caves dug and the first vines were planted in 1995. Admiring the eagles which soared above their wild rose-covered valley, Alumbaughs wife, Evonne, suggested the name Eagle & Rose Estate.
A boutique winery and grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot on our 13 acre Napa Valley Vineyard & Olive Ranch. Eagle Eye is our wine brand. Blends are our specialty. AlphaWOLF Olive Oil is made from our Tuscan orchard.
The main reason behind EDGE is to give their customers a premium Cabernet Sauvignon, without the premium price. EDGE is the most reasonable North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon that one will find on the shelf, which does not compromise on quality.
Blended by a notable winemaker, EDGE Cabernet Sauvignon drinks wonderfully now, and will age well for five to eight years. Edge spent 16 months in French and American oak barrels, of which 30% were new. It is a blend of Cabernet and a small amount of Merlot to round out the edges.
One of California’s top consultants makes his own wine on the run. He had worked as an assistant winemaker for Merryvale Vineyards. He had made Wine Spectator’s 1997 wine of the year, the Cabernet Sauvignon Elevation 1147, for David Arthur Vineyards. So in 1999, Bob Egelhoff decided it was time to hang out his own shingle and establish Egelhoff Wines. But that shingle doesn’t hang in one place; Egelhoff’s operation is mobile and international.
I had my first taste of Ehlers Merlot At Twisted Vine in Fullerton and fell in love. I drove down hwy 29 visiting various wineries and we saw Ehlers and had to make a stop. We stepped into their tasting room and was greeted by their friendly staff behind the counter. She asked if we had an appointment and we told her we no. They were closing up in half an hour by the time we stepped in but was they very accommodating, instead of turning us away, she squeezed us in for a tasting.
This small family winery is spectacular! The love and care that goes into producing a bottle of pinot is a testament to the pride that the owners have for this vineyard which has been in the family since 1938.
Bravo!!Their vineyard is in Rutherford and they only make two wines, a Pinot Noir (yes a Pinot Noir) and a Chardonnay. These are both serious, and not inexpensive wines. That said, they are elegant, have wonderful cherry and raspberry flavors and will reward cellaring. I am a big Russian River Pinot fan, but these are very nice wines. Worth seeking out. Can't wait to sip again!
Patrick and Linda were great hosts and the wine was as good as any we tasted on our trip. The Late Harvest Cab is especially interesting. Beautiful location on Atlas Peak. Great conversation enjoying wonderful wine and a gorgeous view....life doesn't get much better than our visit to Elan.
The best part about the tasting room is the staff. I enjoyed someone taking the time to talk to me about what I was drinking. Also, there is an adorable outside patio where you can sit and sip your wine. Plenty of buttery breadsticks and fresh water refreshed our palates between sips. Such an experience helped us to trust our own responses to the wine. Bryanna allowed us to explore the wines without overloading us with facts about the grapes or winemaking process. She responded to our questions with sensitivity and no hint of arrogance. All of us came away from the experience with a heightened awareness of the care with which Elizabeth Spencer wines are sourced and crafted. The reds we tasted were distinctively delicious, each proudly representing its appellation and the winemaker's skill.
I really like the atmosphere of their tasting room. It is very small and intimate and you are often the only people in there. We had very generous pours for the tasting and I think we tasted 7 or 8 wines. I preferred the reds as always and lkiked their the zin. They sell a lot of fresh juices here too which is nice.
Elkhorn Peak is a great little find in Napa! It is definetly off the beaten path. It is off of Jaminson Canyon Road. First to greet you are the winery dogs, Maggie and Monty. Ken is the owner and grapegrower, farmer, wine maker and tasting host, he does it all and does it well. The view from the tasting room is so WOW! The lower Napa Valley and the San Pablo Bay.
He makes four delicious wines. Rose' of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a wonderful dessert wine. It's considered a small wine business, but well worth the visit. Ken was very informative and gave really helpful tips regarding wine tasting. If you are able to visit his winery and taste some of his wines, make sure to taste the Desert Wine. It's really good.