Vintners Collective showcases wines from 18 winemakers - all of which do not have Napa tasting rooms. The tasting flight differs everyday and that is part of the appeal of this place - you never know what types of wines they will be pouring and with a selection of 18 small wineries they have quite the variety. Unless you are really into Napa wines, you probably will never have heard of any of the labels that are being poured - this is not a bad thing! These wines are from small winemakers who typically have a maximum production of under 1000 cases and do not have tasting rooms themselves. These are winemakers whose entire focus has been narrowed down to producing limited quantities of high quality wines.
If a winery builds their own tasting room Vintner's Collective will typically remove the wine from its inventory. This is Napa boutique at its best! They try to cater to your taste so you get to pick wines based upon what you like from what they currently have open. The collective is located in Napa's oldest stone and surviving commercial building (used to be a brothel, saloon & a deli). Reminiscent of the buildings' "brothel days" you might see a few "Position of the Day" books lying around - for strangers standing next to each other at the bar, this book can be an exotic erotic conversation starter!
The inside of the building is beautifully decorated and each winery has their own plaque at the tasting bar. Friday afternoons are a great time to hit this place; regardless of when you visit, the staff is always friendly, attentive and quite knowledgeable (they do a great job keeping track of many different wines from all their vintners). The owners of Vintner's Collective also make their own wine under the Las Bonitas label. This wine is always very small production and the types of varieties vary each year depending on availability. Vintner's Collective is within walking distance of the historical downtown Napa and there is ample street parking in the area if for some reason you cannot find space in their own good size parking lot. Private tastings and pairings are held upstairs in their "vintner's room" by appointment only.
In addition to being a hub for tasting wine from small producers, Vintner's Collective also can secure special rates on hotels, can help with private winery tours and reservations and provides exclusive access to La Casita Bonita, a Cottage under their same ownership located in historic downtown Napa. This is a small 2-bedroom home built in 1927 and is located within walking distance of many of the tasting rooms and restaurants. Large plasma TV, gourmet kitchen and even hens producing fresh eggs are all part of the experience. Well received press from a variety of well-known newspapers and wine guides has made Vintner's Collective one of the hottest places to visit in the downtown Napa area.
