EMH’s vineyard is situated on the valley floor near Pickett Road in Calistoga, just east of the Silverado Trail. Pocketed by the Palisades Mountains to the north and Diamond Mountain to the south, the tiny vineyard of just under an acre produces outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon fruit.
A family winemaking tradition in the Santa Clara Valley since 1925, Guglielmo Winery is a fourth-generation, family-owned establishment that produces a diverse range of award-winning varietals from approximately 50 acres of California estate vineyards, as well as from other premium wine-growing regions within the state.
Today, Guglielmo Winery (gool-yell-mo) produces over 40,000 cases annually across three labels: Guglielmo Private Reserve, Tre, and its oldest label, Emile’s. Despite its growth, the winery remains committed to its family philosophy of creating natural, high-quality wines to be enjoyed with family and friends, with family members overseeing every phase of the winemaking process.
“Wine is a traditional part of our culture and one of life’s simple pleasures to be shared with family and friends.”
In 1994, Cheryl Emmolo founded Emmolo Wine Company for two key goals: to fulfill a lifelong ambition to make her own wine and to extend her family’s legacy to her three children, Charlie, Joey and Jenny Wagner. It is no surprise that Cheryl was able to secure from her father the crème de la crème of his Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot grapes for her small production. On the first day of harvest for Emmolo's first vintage, in 1994, Cheryl and her three children celebrated their new family enterprise by picking grapes and trucking them to the crush pad together. Starting with just 400 cases of Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc and 90 cases of Merlot, Cheryl has carefully expanded Emmolo’s production with the help of her sons and winemakers, Charlie and Joey Wagner. With the 2000 harvest, she seized the opportunity to acquire Sauvignon Blanc from Caymus Vineyards’ program, allowing her to extend her distribution in selected national markets.
Bret and Elainea Engelmann started Engelmann Cellars in 2000 in an old raisin shed that his grandfather built on the 200 acre family vineyard back in 1957. Together Bret and Elainea have brought wine prduction up to 3,000 cases with 85 % sold directly to winelovers in the tasting room or online.
Don't miss Enkidu amongst the cluster of newer tasting rooms in Kenwood. The staff is always friendly and always willing to open anything you may want to try, Don't miss the 07 Humbaba, 08 Sangiovese and the Tin Barn Chardonnay.
The origins of Envy Wines trace back to the mid-1980s, with the construction of the historic Carter House Victorian. As the small bed and breakfast attracted a growing number of guests from cities across the West Coast, the addition of the Hotel Carter and the highly regarded Restaurant 301 became necessary to accommodate the demand. To enhance the dining experience, Mark Carter began assembling what would become a Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list. His curation included some of the world's finest wines, from first-growth Bordeaux to top Napa Cabernet and lesser-known gems, making the list truly exceptional. The restaurant's acclaim and its impressive wine list allowed Mark to host winemaker dinners featuring prominent figures such as Dan Duckhorn and Nils Venge.
During these events, Mark and Nils developed a close friendship, united by their deep passion for exceptional wines. Mark's ambition to create his own wine label, Carter Cellars, aimed to produce the best Napa Cabernet possible. Nils Venge, renowned for earning the first “perfect score” on a domestic wine from Robert M. Parker Jr. in 1985 while at Groth, was seen as the ideal partner for this pursuit of excellence.
In 2006, Mark and Nils found a permanent home for Carter Cellars and established Envy Winery on Tubbs Lane in Calistoga. The 17-acre property focuses on estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Over the years, Envy Wines has grown steadily and now produces nearly 2,500 cases annually, utilizing grapes from their estate vineyard as well as select vineyards throughout Napa Valley.
Like many of the smaller Napa vineyards, this one had a distinct personality. From the beautifully appointed tasting and event rooms to the hip staff and owner to the funny little chihuahua statue (I'll let you find him) the message was clear: we're serious and knowlegable about good wine but we also know how to laugh. Very different from some of the huge vineyards which can be awfully serious. Definitely make this stop when checking out Calistoga. The 2010 Calistoga Estate Cabernet Sauvignon at $48. This is 100% Cab. An appealing bright purplish in color, it had a very nice aroma of black cherry, smoke and vanilla. Smooth and fresh on the palate, it was mostly black cherry with some vanilla. The finish was quite long with cherry, lingering tannins and spice.
Epiphany finds its identity and passion in the production of esoteric Rhone-based varietals and blends from some of the finest vineyard designates in California.
Robert Pepi who came up with the cleverest, most tongue-in-cheek name for his new winery after his first venture — Robert Pepi Winery — was sold and the rights to his name with it. Shaw, Taylor and Pepi aren’t alone. When American winemakers start a winery, many proudly name it after themselves. And not just using their last name. Often, they add their first name and sometimes a middle name or initials as well — about as eponymous as a winery brand can become. But these winemakers may not have considered what happens if they are forced to sell their winery because of one of the dreaded Ds of disaster: death, debt, or divorce. Because generally, their name is sold with it. Not only does this mean they no longer use their name commercially; the new owner might employ their birthright in embarrassing ways.
While updating Equinix we encountered website difficulties. Come back and we will try to have it updated for your pleasure.
Kent is knowledgable, passionate, and an easy-going host. We showed up late, and he was very gracious - asked us to hang while the (on time) folks finished up, and then spent a couple hours with us. He climbs up the racks to steal tastes from varoius barrels, walking you through the parietals, methods, barrels,etc. Then to finish up, he brought out bottled versions so demonstrate the difference. Simply a great tasting experience. Bring a sweater. It's about 55 F.