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.
PALMERI wines are created by Kerry and Daisy Damskey with wisdom and passion as an expression of their dedication to what they love. Partnering with such renown grape growers as Jan Krupp of Stagecoach Vineyards in Napa and Denny Van Ness of Van Ness Vineyards in Geyserville, PALMERI is ensured the choicest selection of fruit with which to begin Kerry's special alchemy.
Solitary Cellars - here you have the result of over 40 years of experience in serving in some of California's most dangerous prisons and a love for wine coming together. Stop by and share the experience of chasing the American dream of creating award winning wines and making friends all along the way. Enjoy this wineries theme while you enjoy their wines.
Rolling hills and beautiful mountains surround Gloriosa Vineyards creating the perfect combination of strong ocean breezes and warm, dry climate. Gloriosa Vineyards sits at 2,620 feet above sea level which blesses us with very nice mild weather with warm, dry summers. Vintners Mert and Gloria Thomas are passionate about crafting a legacy that will pass onto their children and grandchildren. Purely self-sustaining wine is their goal with an emphasis on quality. Power is wind generated with the sun providing a touch of power here and there.
The estate is very modest and the owners live on the property. The tour starts with a history of the brand and an introduction of the backyard. Then we were invited into the home of the owner, Robert Hunter. The tasting took place in the living room.
Caeelsta winery showcases the potential of the Templeton Gap AVA for premium Rhône, Bordeaux, and Spanish varieties while creating a sustainable, family-operated ranch for generations to come. The estate vineyard’s diversity of vineyard aspects and unique microclimates allow Caelesta to grow premium fruit. Coupled with rootstock and clone choices to restrict yield and enhance quality, we are excited to begin working with talented winemakers on the Central Coast to bring our love and dedication to this property to a bottle near you.
I found this place several years ago and at the time, they only made two wines a rare Charbono and my favorite Sangiovese. Since those days they have now added a Cab to their line up. These wines are very small production and hard to find. The Charbono is a deep ruby red wine with intense complex flavors I think it needs to be decanted for a few hours to get the best of it.
The Sangiovese is just lovely, well balanced and goes great with a bowl of pasta or nice steak.
The whole operation is a great family story and they are most welcoming.
The Shypoke story starts back in 1904, with a fellow named Michael Heitz. Michael was an immigrant from the Alsace region of Germany (now part of France). Arriving in America with his wife, Louise, they started looking for a place to settle down and raise their growing family. In 1904 they found Calistoga and took an interest in a 50-acre parcel just south of town. They situated their home at the base of a wooded hill near a small spring-fed creek, and set about clearing some of the valley floor.
We were taking to a back table in the warehouse and went through the tasting. Ask for the Passionaie (off menu) as it's quite delightful. They also have a bottle called BDX that is on the wine list at The French Laundry, but I far preferred the Passionaie. Pricey wines and a pricey tasting but totally worth the experience.
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.
Someone here is doing something right. These wines are perfectly balanced, complex, except the Rose - it's soft and subtle and perfect in its own right and give any wine drinker a good indication of what prime location and winemaker's expertise can deliver.
