You have three stars...use them!!!
From another thread about Sonoma and Napa.
OK, here are some more thoughts:
The Sonoma post was geared towards your friends’ tastes with pinots and syrah. Those wineries are pretty darn good and they should be very pleased with the quality, experience, and scenery. You’ll score points with them and it return, it’s time to get selfish and taste what Napa excels at…cabernet sauvignon.
As we all know, Highway 29 wineries can get touristy and you said you wanted to stay away from that but there are still some hidden gyms along the road, so I’ll discuss those first.
- One of my favorites is Karl Lawrence in St Helena (right in front of Dr. Crane vineyard). They do one Napa cabernet, a blend, and a few single vineyard designates. Having said this, they will be ceasing operations at some point in the future so you need to get there while you can! (and I need to order more)
-Alpha Omega can get crowded but they make some pretty good wines. It is one of the few “clubs” that I belong to. If you have a break in the day, swing by there as it is a drop-in winery. Be sure to ask for the ERA, Stagecoach, and To Kalons which are behind the counter and that will make the stop very worthwhile.
-Bello just opened up a tasting room in St Helena, right off the highway. Aaron Pott is the winemaker, and as I’ve mentioned before, he has a lot of my respect for what we can do with a grape. The tasting room is almost like a club…very swanky. I can see this being a touristy place, but it is good wine. You can drop in here or possibly schedule a private tasting.
A few more on the valley floor:
Wolf Family
Crocker & Starr
Envy – a custom crush facility in Calistoga, do the Carter tasting and ask if there are any Myriad or Quivet wines open. Across the street is an Old Faithful Geyser. I have a 4 yr old so it's cool!
OK, so let’s move to the hills. So my employer thinks I am actually working today, I must be brief:
Howell Mountain:
Outpost - sure you can get it sometimes at Costco but not all the wines are available here…and the experience and views are awesome.
Lamborn – appt only, you meet with the owner at his house (which is next to vineyards)
Summit Lake – next door to Lamborn
Spring Mountain:
Behrens and Hitchcock (and Relic) – great wines, unique setting. A must stop. Be sure to schedule a back to back tasting of Relics wines, which your group will like.
Pride – good tours, good wines, good views
Barnett – good wines and the tasting room manager, Jackie, is an Ag…a very good looking one at that.
Vineyard 7&8 – pricey, but very good and personal
Trespass (near the bottom, a good cab franc)
Smith madrone
Keenan
Also, if you are in Stag’s Leap area, check out Quixote.
If I think of more, I’ll add them.
