White wine Napa wineries to visit?

[Kirk.Grant]

I’ll 4th or 5th Stoney Hill…and Scholium Project is one tasting I’d like to attend the next time I’m out there too.

[D_Wirsig]

Failla is a good visit for Chards and Pinot.

[Thomas_Bougetz]

You should really look up Fantesca on Spring Mountain. Their white wine (Chardonnay) is the only white wine made by Heidi Barrett. Quite impressive!!!

[DougS]

I didn’t know Scholium Project had a tasting room, but I’d be going there if I were in the area. Like it or not (and there will probably be some of each among the different wines), it’s guaranteed to be one of the most interesting tasting experiences you’ll have. For Napa, almost definitely the most interesting.

[Jason_Jardine]

@craig v

Hanzell just over the other side of the Mt in Sonoma. The 2012 old vine estate Chardonnay is fantastic. The setting is cool as Hanzell is one of CA original cult producers specializing in PN & Chardonnay in the late 50s/60s before many others caught the fever.

http://www.hanzell.com/

Thanks Craig!

Brian, congrats on your wedding and we would love to have you visit Hanzell. Just PM me and let me know.

Jason

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

Resurrecting this thread, with a new challenge!

We went to Stony Hill during this trip that I had originally posted about, and loved it. Now my wife and I are planning to go back out to Napa in June. Still not sure if we’ll be there just a day or maybe a couple of days. Thought we’d check out Robert Sinskey since many of you recommended it, and it is very close to Kapcsandy and Cliff Lede which I personally would love to visit. For anyone who has visited the latter two, any comments on the tastings there?

Second question: Are there any wineries making good white wines near Calistoga or Howell Mountain?

[CJ_Beazley]

@Kyle Schlachter

+1 on Matthiasson

Coquerel makes some nice chard, sauv blanc and a fun verdelho.

Can’t forget Massican. Dan is the winemaker for Larkmead, but he only makes four whites under his own label: Annia: 45% Tocai Friulano, 32% Chardonnay, 23% Ribolla Gialla
Gemina: 71% Greco, 29% Pinot Grigio
Sauvignon: 100% Juliana Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Hyde: 100% Hyde Vineyards Chardonnay

Didn’t the Gemina used to be 100% Chardonnay?

[Sean_Malloy]

Brian: I’ve been to Cliff Lede, just as a walk in to the tasting bar, not one of the appointment tastings. It’s a nice place if you like the style. They have a music theme to the wines and the tasting room, as the owner is a big rock fan. The wines are very high test, but pretty well made for that style. For example, the Napa Cab is a big style version. Then they have rock theme Bordeaux blends that go even more high test. One of them is actually based on the spinal tap “this one goes to 11” theme, so they aren’t hiding from it. Great looking place, nice patio, etc. You just have to like the style. They also have a sister label, Fel, which does Pinot among other things. Same style, which in Pinot for me was way too over the top. I liked the Bordeaux stuff much better, but in small doses. Staff was nice and fairly well informed. Overall a good experience but the AFWE crowd should stay far away.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

@Sean Malloy

Brian: I’ve been to Cliff Lede, just as a walk in to the tasting bar, not one of the appointment tastings. It’s a nice place if you like the style. They have a music theme to the wines and the tasting room, as the owner is a big rock fan. The wines are very high test, but pretty well made for that style. For example, the Napa Cab is a big style version. Then they have rock theme Bordeaux blends that go even more high test. One of them is actually based on the spinal tap “this one goes to 11” theme, so they aren’t hiding from it. Great looking place, nice patio, etc. You just have to like the style. They also have a sister label, Fel, which does Pinot among other things. Same style, which in Pinot for me was way too over the top. I liked the Bordeaux stuff much better, but in small doses. Staff was nice and fairly well informed. Overall a good experience but the AFWE crowd should stay far away.

Didn’t realize Cliff Lede was that big in style. I usually go for something more middle of the road.

[Robert_Dentice]

@Brian S t o t t e r

Resurrecting this thread, with a new challenge!

We went to Stony Hill during this trip that I had originally posted about, and loved it. Now my wife and I are planning to go back out to Napa in June. Still not sure if we’ll be there just a day or maybe a couple of days. Thought we’d check out Robert Sinskey since many of you recommended it, and it is very close to Kapcsandy and Cliff Lede which I personally would love to visit. For anyone who has visited the latter two, any comments on the tastings there?

Second question: Are there any wineries making good white wines near Calistoga or Howell Mountain?

Look up Dan Petroski of Massican:

Winemaker of the Year: Dan Petroski

Someone else mentioned Smith Madrone, this is a fascinating tasting and the best Riesling in Napa.

I would also include Ric Forman in St Helena (about 20 minutes from Calistoga, Old school Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.

[Mel_Knox]

There used to be a winery on the Silverado Trail that only made white wines. Their logo was a picture of Lenin with a diagonal red line across his face and the logo: No Reds!!

They went out of business.

Question: if it is all about whites, why visit Cabernet country?? Why not Sonoma, Monterey or Santa Barbara counties??

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

@Mel Knox

There used to be a winery on the Silverado Trail that only made white wines. Their logo was a picture of Lenin with a diagonal red line across his face and the logo: No Reds!!

They went out of business.

Question: if it is all about whites, why visit Cabernet country?? Why not Sonoma, Monterey or Santa Barbara counties??

It’s more like I’m just hoping to find one place to visit that does good white wine so I’m not dragging my wife around while I taste Napa cabs all day.

[Mike_V_e_r_h_i_l_l_e]

Aubert’s tasting room is on the Trail near Calistoga. Appointment needed but a first class tasting.

[Mike_Kuller]

@Andre M

Mumm and Rombauer are 2 that I can think of right now.

Those would be the ones my wife would want to visit. Nothing like sitting our on Mumm’s outdoor patio on a nice day tasting champagne.

[Howard_Cooper]

I have just the place for you - Napa Royalty. Chateau Montelena near Calistoga is now mostly known for their Cabernet, but what first put them on the map was their Chardonnay. Their Chardonnay won what probably is the most famous blind tasting in history- the Judgement of Paris. Show you wife the movie of Bottle Shock.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

@Howard Cooper

I have just the place for you - Napa Royalty. Chateau Montelena near Calistoga is now mostly known for their Cabernet, but what first put them on the map was their Chardonnay. Their Chardonnay won what probably is the most famous blind tasting in history- the Judgement of Paris. Show you wife the movie of Bottle Shock.

We’ve actually been to Montelena before, and seen the overly dramatized Bottle Shock

[Jeremy_C]

Brian, the Kapcsandy tasting is very good, particularly with Lou Jr. hosting. However, if you’re not in their top (Grand Vin) club the fee is rather pricey, FYI.

[Brian_S_t_o_t_t_e_r]

@Jeremy C

Brian, the Kapcsandy tasting is very good, particularly with Lou Jr. hosting. However, if you’re not in their top (Grand Vin) club the fee is rather pricey, FYI.

I just saw on their site. I’ll take a hard pass…

[Nathan_Smyth]

The early rumors were that the Sinskey operation was getting hammered in the fires.

What did the damage look like once the smoke cleared?

[Robert_Dentice]

@Mike Kuller

@Andre M

Mumm and Rombauer are 2 that I can think of right now.

Those would be the ones my wife would want to visit. Nothing like sitting our on Mumm’s outdoor patio on a nice day tasting champagne.

That sounds great and nice to know you can BYOB.