Vine Cliff Winery The Estate
Vine Cliff Winery was established in 1871, when 500 acres were carved out of the George Yount estate. One of the first bonded wineries in the United States, and the first in Napa to plant Bordeaux varietals on a commercial scale, Vine Cliff was one of the region's most successful wineries through the end of the 19th Century. A series of natural problems drove the winery under in the early 20th Century, with the land remaining fallow until it was purchased by Nell Sweeney for her family in 1985. Now, under the leadership of Rob Sweeney, the family's oldest son, Vine Cliff has regained its position as a leader in the production of superior Napa Valley wines. - See more at:
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Ep 26 Napa Valley Wine Tasting - Darioush Winery - Vine Cliff Vineyards - White Collar Vagabond
Jennifer & I celebrated our 1 year anniversary with a trip to the San Francisco Bay area and enjoyed our special day with a trip to Napa Valley with wonderful friends and a wine tasting at the Darioush winery and a fabulous picnic at the Vine Cliff Vineyards.
The Darioush Winery story is wonderful and Frank shared it with us:
The Darioush Story
The opening of the new winery and visitor center is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting moments in my life. Ever since I was a young man, when I began my passion for great wine, I dreamt of this day.
Darioush Khaledi grew up in Shiraz, one of Iran's prominent wine-growing regions. His father was a hobbyist winemaker and as a young boy, Khaledi used to sneak sips from the barrel; as a young adult he became a devoted collector of fine wines.
Trained as a civil engineer and with a career in construction, Darioush left Iran in the late 1970's and emigrated to Southern California where he was faced with the challenge of rebuilding his life. Darioush and his brother-in-law pooled their resources and purchased a failing grocery store in the city of Los Angeles. Now thirty years later, together they operate one of the most successful independently owned grocery businesses in the United States, which alone employs over 1500 people.
As the success of his grocery business grew, his passion for fine wine transformed from collector to producer. No longer was Darioush interested solely in collecting the world's finest wines he was driven to create hand-crafted wines with the highest quality standards.
Darioush is the culmination of the worldwide search for the ultimate vineyard estate. The Darioush Estate's ninety-five acres are planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay and Viognier.
Nestled in a quiet canyon above the Silverado Trail in the world famous Napa Valley stand the breathtaking vineyards of Vine Cliff Winery. Known for rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignons from the treasured Oakville Appellation and bold Chardonnays from the acclaimed Carneros District, Vine Cliff Winery prides itself on small lots of intensely flavored, hand-made wines.
Not a bad day starting and stopping in Yountville
With the massive amount of rain that California experienced, Domaine Chandon's creek was overflowing. From Yountville to St. Helena enjoying the rich history of the Beringer Winery - then off to Alpha Omega and ending the evening at Villagio in in Yountville.
Laura Barrett of Clif Family Winery Napa Valley
Rose, Cabernet, Pinot or Gewurztraminer, all are a pleasant take along for a nice long bike ride and picnic. Clif Family Winery knows all about bike rides. Clif Family is owned by Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford best known for the famous Clif Bar. Laura Barrett is winemaker for Clif and we managed to catch up with her at the tasting room Velo Vino in the heart of Napa Valley.
Learn more by visiting cliffamily.com
Bjornstad Cellars Pruning
Greg Bjornstad demonstrates pruning to the Bjornstad style in a new vineyard that he is working with.
Tasting the Fresh and Fruity 2015s in Napa Valley
The JamesSuckling.com team did not expect the 2015s in Napa Valley to include such fresh and fruity reds. In total, the team tasted almost 700 California wines so far this year, including 2015s in Napa and other vintages from other AVAs in the state. Most of the 400 2015s that we’ve evaluated were rated 90 points or higher. Click here for the full coverage: In this video, you’ll find exclusive snippets of our tasting sessions at various leading wineries, including Colgin, Paul Hobbs, Realm Cellars and Bryant Family Vineyard. Enjoy!
Sonoma - Wine Tasting 10-5 Daily , Larson Family Winery, Day 14, USA California 2015
How to open Oyster,
Sonoma - Wine Tasting 10-5 Daily , Larson Family Winery,
Point Reyes, USA
Deer cross the road,
Petalume, CA
Oysters farm in Petaluma, CA
Pride Mountain Winery & Vineyards in the St. Helena Mountains (Napa Valley)
Pride Mountain Winery:
Designated Driver / Wine Tour Guide:
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One of my favorite areas to visit in the Napa Valley is the Wineries on Spring Mountain Road in the Hills (Mountains) of St. Helena. Because of the Windy Road I suggest you spend the day visiting at least 3 of these Wineries if you can schedule it. All of the Wineries on Spring Mountain Rd require appointments with some requiring quite a bit of notice in advance (especially for groups of 4 or more people).
Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy Pride Mountain Vineyards secluded picnic area that combines the views of rugged Mountains with beautiful vineyards. In my opinion Pride Mountains picnic area offers the best views in the entire Napa Valley.
On this trip to Pride Mountain Vineyards we pulled up in the Limousine to find a cart being pulled by two Belgium Draft Horses. One of the Winery Tour guides said that the Belgium Draft horses can pull the load of two Clydesdale Horses. I spoke to one of the guys steering the cart and he told me they generally drive the cart around the vineyard between 10:00am and Noon (weather permitting). Plan your appointment early for you best chance of seeing these beautiful horses.
While my clients went in for a tasting I shot this video of the Winery grounds & vineyards. What a view.
Unique Napa Wineries with Wine Country @ Work TV
For the November episode of this 'behind the scenes' show Ralph & Lahni look at wineries that are distinctive for their beauty, history or story. It is narrated by Ralph and it includes Artesa, Truchard, Ceja, Monticello, Trefethen, Swanson and Kelham.
Five Fun Napa Valley Wineries to Visit
Looking for something a little different in a Napa Valley getaway? Here are five fun wineries we like to visit when we travel to the Napa Valley.
Tres Sabores Winery is well off the beaten path at the base of the Mayacamus Mountains in St. Helena. Julie Johnson is the owner & winemaker and she produces fine Cabernet and Zinfandel from her certified organic vineyards. The winery is rustic with no formal tasting room, just a homey welcoming atmosphere.
Up the road is Corison Winery. Many call Cathy Corison the queen of Napa Valley Cabernet. She has been at it for many years and her Cabernets reflect the old school Cabs of the Napa Valley. These are restrained Cabernets loved by many. The beautiful barn style Corison winery is setback from Highway 29 in St. Helena
At the Smith Madrone winery, The two Smith Brothers are a throwback to a different era of the Napa Valley. There is no fancy state-of-the-art wine making equipment or a lavish tasting room. All the tasting is done in the cellar room and chances are Stu or Charlie will be doing the pouring as they did when they started the winery on Spring mountain in 1971.
Buehler Vineyards is across the Valley from Smith Madrone and about 4 miles east of the Silverado Trail at the base of Howell Mountain. Buehler began in 1976 so along with Smith-Madrone one of the older wineries in the Napa Valley. John Buehler runs the show here and his son Page Buelher tends to the tasting room and visitors. Two Cabernets and a Zinfandel have brought notoriety to this hidden gem.
Casa Nuestra is on the Silverado Trail, near Calistoga. The tasting room is a kick, mostly cluttered with memorabilia. Years ago Elvis Presley shot a scene for one of his movies in the Casa Nuestra vineyards so there is good collection of Elvis items in the tasting room. You will like the funky atmosphere
You can use our handy trip planner to find these wineries on the map and print your directions and itinerary. Happy travels.
FINE WINE ONLINE Napa Cabernet Dalla Valle
Bottle Preview Dalla Valle Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Bubbles, Brix & Buzz IV at Ram's Gate Winery
Women for WineSense Napa | Sonoma hosts its annual networking event at one of Sonoma's finest wineries in Carneros. Join us for an evening of bubbles, great conversation, great networking and wine education. Details & Tickets:
LARKMEAD - WINE TASTING NAPA VALLEY
Larkmead in Calistoga has existed in the Napa Valley for several decades, flying under the radar and gaining few accolades. In the last few years, the winery has undergone a serious revamp, including a brand new state of the art winemaking facility, a tasting room designed by Howard Backen, label redesign, and of course, a new winemaker Dan Petroski. Dan has been making waves in the valley since he started at Larkmead a few years ago- garnering 100 point scores and establishing the brand as a major force in the industry. The tasting experience is a serious one, at $100/person they ensure nothing short of perfection. The staff and zalto glasses are both perfectly polished, and the effortlessly chic decor makes for an elevated wine tasting experience for the serious connoisseur.
Winemaker Dan Petroski takes us around the property and through the current releases. He's a little camera shy so don't look for him in the video, but be sure to listen to the I'll Drink to That Podast with Levi Dalton that he was recently featured on in May for some additional info about him and his own label - Massican.
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Wine Review: Napa Valley Meritage | Italics Winegrowers #NoDumpBucket
888 282-1353 Alright, it is Friday! And if it's Friday, it must be #nodumpbucket. Now, I look pretty casual today because I have my Florida shirt on. Last week it was Texas because of Harvey. This week it's Florida because of Erma. Next week I do not want to be wearing a Louisiana shirt or a Georgia shirt. This is in honor of all the folks where Erma is crashing down on them very very quickly. I have family, friends down there. I would like you all to take every caution you can.
Let's talk about what we are tasting. It is Cabernet! There are so many Cabernets right now on the site at cellarangels.com. You cannot go wrong. This is the first time we've ever featured Italics. First of all, an incredibly cool bottle. It's etched. It is called Fifteen. Now, it is a 2010 but its call Fifteen because they've used all fifteen sub-appellations in Napa Valley. Unheard of. Very, very cool. The folks at Italics know what they are doing with wine. They have Steve Reynolds as the Winemaker, from Reynolds Family Wine. Steve has been in the business a long time and a descendant of a father who is a serious collector and a serious wine person, so Steve grew up in it naturally. But he's also a managing partner at Italics.
This is a southern Coombsville AVA located winery. The Angel Bonus Offer is a private cave tour with case purchase.
Specifics on the wine: 799 cases. Since they are blending 15 appellations, they are big believers in luxury boutique wine. Luxury Bordeaux-style wine. 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 6% Cab Franc. A hint, 1% Petite Verdot. First I need you to see this color. Dark, beautiful, beautiful almost violet. Deep dark violet. Bright red rim, which defies its age. It has seven years of age. Gorgeous. Not bright cherry but dark cherry. Good tannins. Not gripping tannings, but soft. You can taste them. Long finish. I'm going to have to have another sip of this. It also has dark ripe plum. Alright, that's ridiculous. Hints of vanilla. Hints of cocoa. And also a hint of cedar. The vanilla from the oak but not overpowering. If you've ever walked into a humidor and you walk in and get the gorgeous tobacco smell, a little bit of that. Or if you open up a cigar box with a cedar inlay, also a little bit of that.
Let's talk about why I'm wearing this shirt. Because it is hurricane relief at Cellar Angels the entire month of September. Thought we were only going to have one hurricane. Turns out we have two, and hurricane season is just beginning. Hurricane relief is amazing and here's what's happening. Michael Dell, worth more than Cellar Angels, but we are catching him. He's already pledged $36 billion dollars. J.J. Watt, football player, his Go Fund Me campaign is off the charts, he's at $27 million dollars. He was trying to raise $200,000. J.J. Watt you are amazing. Michael Dell you are amazing. Cellar Angels, you can't see our contribution just yet, but don't feel bad Angels. You can't see Mark Cuban's contribution yet either. You can't see Chris Sacca's contribution. Two of my favorite people because they are entrepreneurs, risk takers, they are compassionate.
Cellar Angels is not going to give to one charity in particular, we are going to give to three charities that we pick at the end of September, but Angels, we need to catch them. Get online and buy wine at cellarangels.com.
Hope everyone is safe. Everyone be good to one another. Cook someone a meal like our friends at Mangia TV say. Bring the a bottle of wine. Can't do any of this without you. Thanks so much everyone for your support!
Welcome to the inner world of wine wanderlust! Become a complimentary Cellar Angels member and enjoy exclusive access to Napa and Sonoma’s highest caliber, limited production wines rarely available in the market while supporting your favorite charity with each purchase.
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The Big Wine Tour Episode, Wine Country
This is a behind the scenes look at what goes into bringing a large professional or corporate group to wine country. With hosts and tour guides Ralph & Lahni de Amicis they explain the ins and outs of the process and the episode includes extensive views of Napa in the beautiful, colorful Autumn season. This is part of the TV show Wine Country @ Work produced in association with Napa Valley TV and shown on numerous stations in California and across the nation.
Measuring Vineyard Sustainability - Cliff Ohmart
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon | Winemaker Kate Boyle MacDonald
888 282-1353
When talented wine makers are outdoor enthusiasts, they live in the Sierra Foothills. When it is time to make a world class Cabernet Sauvignon, they look no further than Napa Valley. Today we interview the team behind Boyle MacDonald Wines – Kate Boyle and Craig MacDonald.
Kate was first intrigued with wine as a young girl when she lived in Germany and France. Her parents were avid wine drinkers and would drive to vineyards, knock on door and ask to taste wine. The German families would open the door wide and welcome them in for dinner. Many times they would receive unlabeled bottles or wine straight from the barrel. This fantastic lifestyle left an impression on Kate.
Craig grew up with Italian mother and Italian immigrant grandparents. At an early age he discovered how wine really changed the flavors of the food when paired together.
Kate worked on enhancing her palate, while Craig worked as a kayak and rock climbing instructor. In 1999 Kate tasted around all the wineries in the Sierra Foothills area – only nine at the time – and decided to pursue work at the one winery where she liked everything they poured.
Boyle MacDonald's estate vineyard in Napa Valley has densely planted rows so the vines throw the best fruit possible. Each vine is competing with each other.
Kate states that their wine is done in a European style, but with California fruit. “It’s almost like cheating. We get incredible fruit in California every year. The point is not to say, as the winemaker, I need to make decisions about the vineyard. The vineyard will do its thing. Check the chemistry. Check for some flavors. But really just listen to the vine.”
The number one thing she has learned is that it is pretty incredible to be able to take grapes and produce so many layers of character – blackberry, pepper, banana, rosemary – all these crazy things that you’d otherwise have to go to the individual fruit or herb to taste. It is important to keep in mind that it is just fermented grape juice. Enjoy it. Just drink it. Don’t save it or revere it so much that you miss it.
We love sharing these unique stories of these small production wine growers. The childhood experiences and adult passions of Craig and Kate MacDonald are so evident in every glass of Boyle MacDonald Wine. Be sure to visit cellarangels.com to get yours and thank you for the support!
Welcome to the inner world of wine wanderlust! Become a complimentary Cellar Angels member and enjoy exclusive access to Napa and Sonoma’s highest caliber, limited production wines rarely available in the market while supporting your favorite charity with each purchase.
Connect with Cellar Angels on our social channels:
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
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Buy Wine Online:
*Learn more about Boyle MacDonald Wines:
Ride to Defeat ALS Napa Valley
Team Wang's Napa Ride to Defeat ALS on September 27 2008, in honor of KK Wang
Caymus Tasting Room Napa.MOV
This very popular winery was always by appointment and not an easy one to get. Now they have a walk in tasting room that for the moment still closes quite early. They expanded their parking and have picnic tables for their guests. Part of the Napa Valley Wine Tour Apps from AmicisTours.com