Our guide, Aida, was very welcoming, non-pretentious, and warm. She poured generously for our tasting and provided us with detailed history of the vineyard, and the couple that started it all. Still owned by the original family, this winery is beautiful, rustic, and definitely a place to stop by for good wine and some wonderful scenery.
Make an appointment even if it's the same day.
Tudal Winery lies just a grape's throw off Hwy 29 on the northern edge of St. Helena along the Napa River within the shadow of the eastern mountains. Visitors of any age can find something to explore, whether it is the array of Napa Valley wines; our bocce court, the enticing flower and produce gardens or the collection of historic farm tractors, tools and bygone novelties that make up a fascinating agricultural retrospective.
Tulocay was one of the "new" wineries to start up in the early 1970's, and the owner, Bill Cadman, is still at it and still making great Napa wines, in the traditional style. This means that his wines are very well-balanced and play well with food - they don't dominate, they enhance and compliment, good meals. They also age very well.
Another plus is that the Tulocay wines are generally very well-priced compared with your average Napa wine - many if not most of his wines are in the 20 to 30 dollar range.
his is the perfect small-scale vineyard with just the right amount of unique character that makes wine tasting so charming and fun. Art, history, and vino. This is a triple threat of a vineyard. The tasting room is very simple but certainly warm and welcoming with lovely artwork on the walls and big french doors opening onto the winery with rows of grapes as far as you can see. The moment you pull in, you face a huge, regal barn and immediately feel welcomed by the beautiful grounds.
Rob and Amanda led our tasting and both were very friendly and down to earth. Rob was very generous with his pours, giving a taste of the Cabernet Franc to both of us at the mere mention of the wine - the Cab Franc was a wine on the reserve tasting list, which was not the list we were tasting from.
29 Songs is a bottling of 100% Syrah produced from a single 1.7 acre block of vines located at the southern end of the Napa Valley. The vineyard was planted in 2001 for the sole purpose of making this wine.
The Nine North Wine Company is a unique portfolio of small handcrafted wines from Napa Valley as well as California's North Coast appellation that specialize in offering exceptional quality, worth and value. The portfolio can usually be found in fine wine shops and restaurants around the country. Twenty Bench Cabinet is one of the wines in The Nine North Wine Company portfolio.
Twomey specializes in pinots from pinot-hotspots around the state. They have 5 or 6 of them, and they all have very different flavor profiles. It's really a great educational experience for people who are new to wine-tasting or to pinots to taste so many very different wines from the same varietal. Some were light and fruity; others were rich and smoky. The Santa Barbara pinot in particular had a lovely smoky finish.
This place can get very busy on weekend but sometimes they do special things like a BBQ or music. They also have a nice selection of cheeses and meats to enjoy on the picnic tables outside. The employees are really nice and are very willing to talk to you more about the wines. There is also a deli inside the main building which serves some very good cold and hot sandwiches! They also have some side dishes that you can try such as Ravioli or mozzarella balls as cherry tomatoes. Next to the deli inside there is a cheese bar where you can buy froma. Huge selection of cheeses!
This winery is located along Highway 12 near the gateway to Napa. The current tasting includes 6 wines: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. The tasting room is located upstairs and allows viewing into the production area. Great experience here!
They are now re-branded as Reata.
That being said, this place makes some of the most delicious dessert wines I have ever had the blessing of putting on my tongue. The late harvest cabs and the Semillion are to die for if you are into sweet wines and you're willing to pay $125+ for a bottle. The love and care that goes into their late harvest wines is exceptional. If its a bad season, the grapes don't get picked and the late harvest wine isn't made that year. If you only prefer fancy wineries, then this place isn't for you, as it's an old tiny shack looking thing. However, if you prefer amazing wine, then this place is so for you.