Back Lane Wineries of Napa, Second Edition
Language: English
Pages: 256
ISBN: 1607745909
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
This updated guide to the small and "secret" back-lane wineries and tasting rooms of Napa profiles over 70 hard-to-find, authentic boutique estates that feature world-class, artisanal wines revered by locals and critics.
Beyond the crowded tasting rooms of Napa’s popular wineries, there’s an authentic, welcoming side of the valley waiting to be explored: boutique estates run by passionate winemakers who handcraft world-class wines. Back Lane Wineries of Napa uncovers more than seventy of these gems that locals and critics revere but few visitors ever see. Updated with new wineries, restaurants, and local attractions; maps; full-color photographs; and tips on wine-tasting etiquette, wine shipping services, and itinerary planning, this guide will prepare oenophiles and beginning wine-lovers alike to live the good life—Napa style.
range. From the sweeping shaded veranda of the tasting room, there are views across the valley to Diamond Mountain, and on a sunny afternoon it’s a great spot to unwind a bit before returning to the back lane tasting trail. JAMES COLE WINERY 5014 Silverado Trail, Napa At Oak Knoll Ave Tel. 707.251.9905, jamescolewinery.com Tasting daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. by appointment only IN THE BARREL ROOM at the James Cole Winery, what you see lined up along the walls is the entire vintage, and these
scent of lavender fills the air, and it’s easy to imagine you are somewhere far off in Tuscany. The best reason to come to Envy Wines isn’t the views, fabulous as they are. These are serious, small-lot wines made by two masters and at prices that are hard to beat in the Napa Valley. Nils is a winemaker with a great reputation (his son, Kirk, inherited the family winemaking gene and is the proprietor at Venge Vineyards just down the Silverado Trail, and these are beautiful releases. Not too long
VINEYARDS See maps LOCATED UP IN THE STEEP HILLS that rise above the western floor of the Napa Valley and connect California’s most celebrated wine country with its prestigious neighbor in Sonoma, the Spring Mountain District is one of the most beautiful parts of a beautiful place. The thirty-odd wineries in the appellation are mostly strung out along Spring Mountain Road, which twists and turns its way dramatically through small wooded canyons up to a high natural pass. The road then begins
very small production dessert wine, Mistelle de Viognier. Prices range from $40 to $135, with most wines in the $60 range. BARNETT VINEYARDS 4070 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena Exit Madrona Avenue southwest from Highway 29, west on Spring Mountain Road Tel. 707.963.7075, barnettvineyards.com Tasting by appointment only THE HILLTOP Spanish-style estate that is home to Barnett Vineyards is one of those special places in the area where the natural beauty of everything that surrounds you is
wines—and, in the bargain, you want to see some of the most gorgeous scenery going—Barnett Vineyards is a must. There are tours of the working winery and a chance to taste these small-production wines in an intimate and friendly setting. The fee for tasting is $40 for current vintages and $65 for library tastings. BEHRENS FAMILY WINERY 4078 Spring Mountain Road, St. Helena Exit Madrona Avenue southwest from Highway 29, west on Spring Mountain Road Tel. 707.963.1774, behrensfamilywinery.com