Over the past 15 years I have been tasting up and down the cozy confines of the Napa Valley - from valley floor to hillside. With well over 1,000 Napa Valley wineries and producers visited with to date, my journeys have taken me into some of the most luxurious, secret and coveted spaces. Coming up with top lists is always challenging especially with our ... [Read More]

Of all the bad winery and vineyard news that has been reported from the Glass Fire, from a historical point of view - the loss of La Perla hurts *the most*. I mean this was a significant loss, not only for Spring Mountain Vineyard but for all of the Napa Valley. The winery was storing number of old wooden carriages up there dating from the late 1800s, ... [Read More]

The following are active Napa Valley based wineries or producers with oldest continuously operating vintage listed - and their first vintage listed if different (IE if there was a period of inactivity). Quite a few Napa wineries originally founded decades ago are again producing wines after long absences, often these are restored ghost wineries but are ... [Read More]

This is a guest post from Igor Sill, Napa vintner and winemaker Merlot is a variety that has a great deal of its own signature nuance, its own way of expressing itself and I believe it resonates well while listening to George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue—a profoundly remarkable pairing of sensations. Our très Merlot and Rhapsody in Blue come together in ... [Read More]

In 2019 we revisited and updated reviews for 250+ Napa Valley based wineries, brands and tasting rooms - continuously updating our existing reviews. Due to all of our revisits and travels seeking Napa Valley around the state of California, the country and internationally, we visited and reviewed only 32 'new' Napa Valley based producers this year (well below ... [Read More]

Editors note: this is a guest piece from Igor Sill, proprietor of Sill Family Vineyard on Atlas Peak. Vineyard Microbiology – native, indigenous wild yeast, which surrounds the vineyards, pervades the world of wine. The role of naturally occurring yeast is the most singularly important ingredient that gives birth to fine wine. As much as I would like to ... [Read More]

Well respected vintner, author, artist, professor and lawyer, Richard Mendelson has written the heavyweight on the history of Napa Valley's appellations. He and his wife Marilyn first visited the Napa Valley in 1979 - a few years before the Napa Valley would be granted viticultural status in 1981 which was followed by 16 more viticultural area ... [Read More]

This is Dr. Richard Peterson's first book - and you wonder why it took him so long to write a book - until you finish it. Then you will understand perfectly. Throughout his career he has done everything but sit idle. If one grows up with a connection and appreciation of the land, one keeps that throughout his entire life. Dick's upbringing was during the ... [Read More]

The stage was an unseasonably cold (for April) Friday in the northern part of the valley at Solage Calistoga where the Calistoga Winegrowers' Grand Tasting showcased wines from 30 of Calistoga's wineries and producers. Long time names such as Chateau Montelena and Larkmead were present along with a number of relative newcomers to the north valley wine scene ... [Read More]

Fifteen of Yountville's finest wineries were represented this year as part of a trade tasting through Premier Napa valley. This event as always was held in the historic barrel room in the Vintage 1870 Shopping Center. Highlights included red wines from Blankiet, Kapcsandy, Dominus, Gemstone & Rocca. With most of the producers offering Cabernet Sauvignon ... [Read More]