Hidden high in the Santa Cruz Mountains lies a unique winery and vineyard operated by founder/winemaker Jerold O’Brien. Established in 1979, Silver Mountain Vineyards is located at an elevation of 2,100 feet and enjoys a spectacular view of Monterey Bay and the surrounding redwood forest.
The day was gorgeous and couldn't have been more perfect. Both indoor and outdoor surroundings were beautiful. The architecture and the courtyard were very impressive. There were plenty of shaded lawn areas that were perfect for picnics or for the guests to simply sit and hang out at.here were just a few cars in the parking lot when we arrived, and the tasting room was warm and inviting. There's a really cute patio and fountain outside, so if the weather was nicer I can see that being a great place to relax with some friends and a glass of wine. We found a spot to stand at the counter/bar and ordered 2 tastings to share. They are a red only producer, so we tasted 4 different vintages from the Alexander Valley.
Silver Stag Winery sits on a prime piece of Tulocay acreage in the heart of Napa Valley, just east of the town of Napa and about three miles from the Bay. Planted in plums back at the end of the nineteenth century, the soil is rich enough—and distinct enough—to have earned it consideration as an official viticultural appellation. The vineyard is defined by a gentle swale that sits at the foot of Mount George. Its microclimate, comparable to "cool Bordeaux", is a bit warmer than Carneros, but it still feels the marine intrusions flowing up the path of the Napa River. The effect is to extend the time on the vine, yielding smaller berries with less tannin and far more concentration than the Napa average. Silver Stag has planted the majority of its land in Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. Visits by appointment.
At Silverstone, our winemaker has selected 2-year old American Oak barrels with just a hint of toasty oak influence to enhance the flavors of the wines and highlight the delicate character. Our winemaking regime is attentive with top quality always in mind, starting with vineyard selection, gentle fermentation technique and just the right amount of barrel and bottle aging. Each individual lot of wine is tasted throughout its maturation in the barrel to determine what will be the best blend for the final wine.
Who would have guessed that a kid from Amherst, Massachusetts, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Sciences (Pre-Veterinary) and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Italian from the University of Massachusetts, would end up in Santa Barbara County as an up-and-coming winemaker? Benjamin Silver did just that after catching the wine bug in 1993 at a summer job at Chicama Vineyards on Martha’s Vineyard.
This is a scenic winery with nice views and good wine. You can almost miss the road up the hill to the winery - as the winery is set on the hill. Nice wine sampling - Go for a wine tasting; be sure to soak in the view.
A family-owned winery located in Redwood Valley, CA—the heart of Mendocino County. Silversmith is named after the family's ancestor, Patrick Cunningham, who worked as a silversmith upon arrival in America in the 1840's.
Wow what an inviting tasting room. I felt as though I had mistakenly walked into someone's living room. It is beautiful and cozy comfortable. Very upscale but not stuffy. The staff was incredibly wonderful and knowledgable of wine in general and guided me through the tasting with tidbits of information on the family, the vineyards and the tie into all the movie posters on the walls from all the movies Mr. Silvestri has written and composed. Quite an artistic wonder with the artistic driven musical passion combined with wnderful production of all his full bodied wines. A tasting room not to be missed.
“As we focus on evolving SIMI into a leading premium consumer lifestyle brand, we have made the decision to cease hospitality operations at SIMI Winery early next year,” wrote Alex Wagner, Constellation's vice president of communications in the wine division.
SL Cellars is one of the smaller wineries in the Sonoma Valley and just sits right off of the 12. SL is an old school house transformed into a Wine Tasting Room. It has a nice come here and sit for a while feels and a nice little park area that you can go to for a light lunch. SL Cellars specializes in Sparkling Wine. They had some of the betters ones I tasted this weekend. The had an almond and raspberry sparkling wine that is worth the stop and tasting.