First, thanks to everyone for the outstanding suggestions for our upcoming visit to RRV. I’ve already taken steps to establish one appointment (the advice was nearly unanimous) and we’re awash in outstanding recs for the second visit. As Todd noted, paring down the options is an infinitely difficult task.
Now, how about Napa?
This is kind of ridiculous, I know. When my wife and I travel, we tend to leave many days to explore one wine region. It allows for discovery; it allows for taking the advice of locals and uncovering previously unknown spots. That’s the ideal scenario.
We don’t have that option with Napa. Our upcoming visit is part pleasure, part business. Thus, one free day in RRV, and one free day in Napa. On a previous trip to Napa we enjoyed a tasting and tour at Darioush, among others, but when we recently opened some of those wines I was deeply disappointed. Heavy oak, pretty banal wines.
So now, I’m looking for the unique, even the quirky, of Napa. Greatness is nice, but individualism is better. Is there a Lopez de Heredia of Napa? Or perhaps a Biondi-Santi to counter the Casanova de Neris?
Got time for two visits. Cheers and thanks for any thoughts.
Evan - If you are looking for the unique and quirky, I would suggest heading up Spring Mountain and seeing the Smith Brothers at Smith Madrone. I personally love their wines, particulalry their riesling and they are unique characters. They have been making wines the same way for decades and seem impervious to all the trendy Napa around them. Bring some lunch and ask to use their picnic spot - the definition of rustic ( I think two folding chairs and a patio table), but a spectacular view of the valley.
Wolf Family: close to ignored by the board, but many 91-94 scores by the RP, excellent wines, all between $40-80 in price, beautiful place. Open by request only. If you wanna go, write me and I will get you their contact info.
apt for sure…you will be tasting in their house with nancy/john. they make their wine at pride and most likely taste only 2 wines…they don’t taste their chard since they only make 2 barrels i think
Evan - This is not technically in Napa but based on what you are looking for I would highly recommend a visit to Scholium Project. Tasting with Abe is absolutely one of the most educational and interesting experiences one can have in the Napa area. Be prepared to go through lots of barrel samples.
You can also talk to Abe about his NY project (Red Hook).
Alpha Omega is still largely unknown, not sure this will be for long. A really quirky place is Quixote. The winery is built with not a single straight line. Apparently the artist who designed it used to walk the vineyards naked for inspiration. Amusing as hell story. The winery looks like something out of Dr. Seuss and it hides in the mountain (its got trees planted on the roof.) Kick ass Pettite syrah too.
Some seriously fascinating ideas here. As with RRV, kicking myself for lack of time available. Love these ideas - each reply has delivered something that has piqued my interest. Damn damn damn, too little time…
I would second a vote on visting Mayacamas- they are also making wines exactly as they did in the early '70s when they were one of the big guns in Napa. Wine fashions changed, but Bob Travers did not. They are very friendly to visitors, but you do need an appointment, and there are generally 6 or 8 wines to taste and a goodly selection of older wines available for sale as well. To my mind they continue to make one of the finest cabernets in Napa, and their merlot (a shockingly grown up and serious example) and chardonnay (old school- no malo and modest oak) are very good as well. And you will not find the cabernets over-oaked- they spend two years in 1,000 gallon casks that go back to when Bob Travers bought the place in 1968, before a six month stage in about 20% new wood to finish off their elevage.
I also very much enjoy visiting Stony Hill if you want to go old school on the white wine front. The folks are very welcoming here, and you will probably get a good range of older wines to taste as well. They continue to make reference point chardonnay in their traditional, non-malo style, with very good riesling and gewurtz as well, and a new cabernet that is just getting started and promises to be a great new addition to the Napa firmament, as it is low octane, with little new oak and lots of soil tones. You’ll need an appointment here as well.
So many have taken the time to post thoughtful ideas and advice on this thread, and I want to make it clear that I am deeply appreciative and I’m researching each idea individually. Mayacamas sounds like exactly what we’re seeking, but then, so do the other suggestions. Perhaps I’ll negotiate a few extra stops on this outing.