Travel With Summit: Napa and Sonoma - PT 2

Travel With Summit: Napa and Sonoma - PT 2

Wineries to visit in Napa

With hundreds of wineries to choose from, what ones are the best to go to?

As I said in my previous blog entry, it depends on the type of experience you’re looking for. In this article I’m listing some of my personal favorites. Let’s start at the south end of the Valley.

 

Napa

Mayacamas – They have a tasting room right in the center of town which is a great alternative to driving up a winding mountain road to the actual winery on Mount Veeder. Their Cabernet is consistently rated in the 90’s by Wine Spectator and is a great example of what can be offered by mountain fruit in the Mayacamas mountain range- specifically, on Mt. Veeder. These wines age beautifully. The Chardonnay is also world class. They also typically have a “library wine” to taste. (A library wine is an older vintage that the winery has kept in its cellar and is now offering for sale- usually at a much higher price. However, they have done the aging and you can be confident that it was stored correctly.) https://mayacamas.com/

Jean Edwards – This is one of my favorite boutique wineries. Don’t look for them in the stores. They make less than 5,000 cases a year and offer some of the best bang for the buck you can find in Cabernet Sauvignon. Located in a new tasting room, on the outskirts of town- about a 5 minute drive from town center. Karen and her husband John are the proprietors and make several different Cabernets from around Napa. Some are mountain fruit while others are from the valley floor. They also mix in a few whites and even one-off reds here and there. I’ve met Karen personally and she is very welcoming. Make sure you try their Rutherford Cabernet and the Yate’s Vineyard Cabernet from Mt. Veeder. https://www.jeanedwardscellars.com/

 

  

 

Carneros

Carneros is not “North” of Napa, but actually a few minutes to the east, towards Sonoma. Carneros has the distinction of being part of both Napa and Sonoma, depending on whether you’re in the Eastern part or the Western part. It’s a beautiful region and worth the short drive if you want to taste some outstanding Pinot Noir without going all the way into Sonoma.

Hyde Vineyards  Larry Hyde is a legend when it comes to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For many years he has sold his grapes to top wineries such as Patz & Hall, HdV and Paul Hobbs, to name a few. This estate is where you can taste his own wines. The standouts here are the Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and especially the Viognier. If you’ve never had or heard of Viognier, this is the place at which you should try it! https://hydevineyards.com/

Saintsbury – Carneros is known for its fog that rolls in and keeps the valley cool. This helps delicate grapes, such a Pinot Noir, ripen slowly and evenly. Saintsbury is an excellent example of Pinot Noir from Carneros. While they have several “single vineyard” wines (the grapes all come from one particular vineyard site and the wine is usually more costly), their basic Carneros bottling is a great example of what to expect from a Carneros Pinot Noir. https://www.saintsbury.com/

Donum – If you are on the hunt for high end Pinot Noir, but don’t have time to venture into the Russian River Valley, this is where you want to go. Donum gets consistently high scores, is available by mailing list/wine club only, and offers a number of different Pinot Nori to choose from. The grounds are beautiful and the surrounding vineyards truly create a serene experience. If you’re into art they also have numerous sculptures throughout the vineyard and estate.  https://www.thedonumestate.com/

 

  

 

Please remember that most wineries no longer take walk-in’s. Please call in advance and schedule your tasting.

 

Stay tuned for the next entry in my Napa wine series as we work our way north through one of the most famous wine regions in the world.

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