I was finally able to get out to Napa for a few days and visit some of my favorite wineries. Although I intended to write this report immediately after returning, a busy work schedule delayed my plans. While I didn’t keep detailed tasting notes during most of the trip, I did jot down my impressions of the wines I tried.
Greer
The Greer team was gracious enough to host me at their barn, which sits right in the heart of the Greer Vineyard. Visiting Greer’s Barn is a truly memorable experience (one I won’t soon forget). Although Rob and Cyd were traveling in Europe during my visit, Jason, another member of their team, was an excellent host and made me feel right at home. The tasting began with a glass of Champagne before we moved on to two different Greer vintages: the 2017 and the 2019. Rather than a formal tasting, the experience felt more like a relaxed, down-to-earth conversation among friends.
We started with the 2017 Greer. Despite the challenges of that vintage, the wine was still delicious, offering a slightly rustic, aged character. While it didn’t quite match the 2019 in terms of vibrancy and depth, it was still very enjoyable (in fact, my girlfriend actually preferred it over the 2019). Next, we tasted the 2019 Greer. Although still youthful, the wine was truly impressive. Jason mentioned that he had double decanted it for over five hours before our tasting, and the extra care was evident in the glass. The 2019 was spectacular and easily ranked among the top three wines of my trip.
Inglenook
In the afternoon, this part of our trip stood out as a bit of an outlier compared to the rest of our tastings. My girlfriend and I wanted to experience a larger, historic winery - something more representative of the classic Napa Valley experience.
We opted for the library selection tasting, which featured the 2012 Inglenook Blancaneaux, 2012 Inglenook Rubicon, 2016 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2012 Inglenook Syrah RC Reserve. While all of the wines were enjoyable, none truly stood out to me, with the possible exception of the 2012 Rubicon. Even so, I felt it didn’t quite reach the level of the Greer wines we had tasted earlier in the day.
Despite this, it was still a lovely afternoon spent exploring the grand estate, taking in the museum, and learning about the rich history of Inglenook. The visit was pleasant and worthwhile, though not the most memorable of our trip, especially in light of some of the exceptional wineries we would visit next.
001 Vintners
The following day, we had the pleasure of meeting Jack Bittner, the manager of the renowned Ecotone Vineyard for lunch in St. Helena.
001 doesn’t need any introduction on the board because of the vineyard and winemaker. I know the wines have previously received lower scores from critics, but I think many on the Board would disagree with those scores.
For our lunch, Jack brought along the 2020 and 2021 vintages, as well as a barrel sample of a non-cabernet 2023 blend that’s set for release next year. Both the 2020 and 2021 are Bordeaux-style blends, and it seems the composition will vary from year to year depending on the vintage. In my previous experience, 001 wines are typically quite powerful and require significant time to open up (often needing 8-10 hours or more of double decanting). Surprisingly, the wines we tasted at lunch were much more approachable right from the start.
We opened the 2020 and 2021 side by side. Initially, I assumed Jack had double decanted them earlier that morning, given how open they were/seemed. However, due to an issue at the vineyard, he wasn’t able to decant them before. Even so, both the 2020 and 2021 001s were delicious straight out of the bottle. While additional time will only improve their complexity, with proper decanting, they already show beautifully.
The real highlight, though, was the 2023 non-cabernet barrel sample. It was truly extraordinary and one of my favorite wines of the entire trip. Jack noted that, aside from himself, my girlfriend and I might’ve been the first to taste it. This wine promises to be something special when it’s released. I don’t want to give too much away (i.e., spoil 001’s announcement), but I would recommend keeping an eye out for those emails.
MOWE
It’s hard to add much that hasn’t already been said about MOWE. Since trying their '22 cab, I have been in love with their wines. MOWE wines will likely remain the easiest purchase for me every year. Dustin was very welcoming and opened a 22 cab sauv and 23 cab sauv and sauv blanc.
I missed out on the 2022 sauv blanc previously, but I won’t make that mistake again. The 2023 sauv blanc was simply outstanding and has an unbeatable value. It’s a wine that will age beautifully, assuming you can resist drinking it right away. It was, without question, my girlfriend’s favorite wine of the trip.
The 2022 cab sauv stands out as my wine of the 2022 Napa vintage and, frankly, my favorite wine of 2024. Its depth, balance, and character are remarkable. It again didn’t disappoint and showed beautifully that afternoon.
Dustin then shared a barrel sample of the 2023 cab sauv, and it’s clear this will be a truly special wine. As Roy Piper and others have noted, the 2023 vintage has the potential to be legendary, and MOWE’s offerings are poised to be among the best. Although the 2023 cab wasn’t yet bottled at the time of our visit, its promise was already evident.
Visiting MOWE was likely my highlight of the trip. You can tell how much the wines mean to them and tasting with Dustin and Renee feels special even though it is simply people sipping wine and chatting about wine, food, and life. These type of tastings is what makes visiting & supporting certain Napa producers so rewarding and easy to do.
I can’t recommend both the wines and the people behind them highly enough. If you’re planning a trip to Napa, make sure to prioritize a visit to MOWE.
The French Laundry
Somehow my girlfriend scored a reservation to celebrate my birthday. A truly special dinner and evening. They pulled out all the stops. Two wines stood above the rest - the 1994 Trefethen Chardonnay and 1981 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon. I think I will be chasing the high of tasting the 1994 Trefethen for the rest of my life. I’m not sure I’ve tasted anything remotely like it, and I had difficulty noting why that was the case. The 1981 Robert Mondavi really showed how great Napa wines can age and is one of the older bottle I’ve had.
Tench Estate
I’ve been ordering wines from Margaret for a few years, so finally visiting her at Tench Estate was a real treat. Although Margaret wasn’t able to host us herself due to other commitments, she still spent some time with us to catch up about the winery. We were then warmly welcomed by Diego, Tench’s production manager. Tasting through the four different wines they produce, along with an older vintage of the Bromfield, made for a memorable experience. Each wine was beautifully crafted, showing impressive complexity and clear potential for aging.
For those unfamiliar, Tench Estate is situated in a prime spot in East Oakville, surrounded by some of Napa’s most iconic vineyards (e.g., Screaming Eagle is just a stone’s throw away). One of the most fascinating aspects of Tench is the diversity of its soils, which allows them to grow a range of grape varieties and produce four distinct wines.
Diego guided us through a tasting of five wines, starting with the 2023 sauv blanc. This wine was a standout. It might represent some of the best value in Napa for a super high-quality sauv blanc. It is grown very very close to SE and is sold for around $65. I immediately ordered more on the spot.
Next, we tried the 2018 Tench Estate Bromfield, now known as Lilian John. It was a pleasure to taste a Tench wine with a bit of age, even though it’s still quite young. The Bromfield was elegant and promising, likely to reach its peak with a few more years in the cellar, though a long decant already brings out its best qualities.
The 2022 cab franc followed, and it might have been my favorite of the Tench lineup. The cab franc grapes seemed to have handled the heat of the 2022 vintage particularly well, and it was showing beautifully that day.
We then moved on to the 2022 cab sauv. Margaret had mentioned in her email to the mailing list that the 2022 vintage would likely be more open and accessible than the 2021s or 2019s. This wine certainly lived up to that. Despite little decanting time, it wasn’t too closed off.
Finally, we tasted the 2022 Lilian John, which was the least open of the five wines. Comparing it to the older Bromfield was interesting, as it offered a glimpse into how gracefully these wines can evolve with time.
From other friends who have visited Tench and tasted with Margaret, they have noted that she is gracious and generous with her time. I highly recommend reaching out to her if you are interested in the wines and planning a trip to the valley.
Bergman Estate
Finally, our trip concluded with meeting Brett at the Bergman Estate and trying a few of their recent wines.
Due to their vineyard’s location, their wines are a bit different than wines you may see on the valley floor. The estate and the wine cave are incredible, and it was amazing to explore the land/vineyard with Brett. I think their chardonnay has some of the best potential in Napa Valley and will age incredibly. Similarly, their red blend will be a wine that every enthusiast should seek.
Brett started us with the '21 chardonnay while we toured the facility and vineyard. Everything we saw at the estate showed Bergman’s commitment to quality. The chardonnay was a bit different than other Napa chardonnays that I’ve had before. I can’t wait to age these and see how they evolve.
Brett then brought us to a lovely table nestled by the garden & forest and poured us the '21 red blend from a 375ml bottle. It was showing exceptionally well that day. I kept telling Brett that their wines make me think of “elegant complexity” when I try them. There is a lot going on with their wines, and they’ll continue to get better with age.
Finally, Brett poured us the '22 vintage from a 375ml bottle. The '22 red blend was really good, and you could not tell it was a wine from the '22 vintage. Like with MOWE and Tench, Bergman’s '22 release is much better than you may believe with how difficult the vintage was. Clearly, some producers in Napa created outstanding '22 wines, and people should seek them out.
Although Pam was in LA and couldn’t join us, tasting with Brett was a highlight of the trip. You can tell how much he breathes, drinks (no pun intended), and sleeps wine & winemaking. It was special being able to meet someone at a similar age (albeit a little younger than me) who is that enthusiastic and dedicated about the wine and making it properly so people will enjoy it.
I have no doubt that Bergman Estate is in excellent hands for the future, and I look forward to staying in touch with Brett in the years ahead.
Concluding Thoughts
As has been stated on this Board before, there are some exceptional '22 wines out there. If you know and trust the winemaker/winery, then you shouldn’t hesitate purchasing their '22 wines.
The trip to Napa Valley was truly one of a kind. Although there were still a few producers I hoped to visit, the ones mentioned above were some of the main ones I wanted to experience and learn more about. I am excited to follow what each producer creates in the coming vintages, especially in 2023. One thing is certain: each wine will be unique and special in its own way.