Tag: Napa Valley

Quintessential fall red wines featured photo

Looking Forward to Fall Wines: Cabernet, Malbec and Petite Sirah

Summer feels like it’s beginning to slip into fall. The days are getting noticeably shorter and mornings are damp and cool. The smells remind me of walking to school in the mornings during my grammar school years. And after a summer of sipping mostly white and pink wines I’m beginning to think of sipping a few more red wines. Any […]

Black Stallion featured photo

An Introduction to Black Stallion Estate Winery

Black Stallion Estate Winery is situated not far from the Napa River along the southern end of the Silverado Trail in Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District. The winery makes its home in what was a large equestrian center called the Silverado Horsemen’s Center. There is more history to tell about the family that owns Black Stallion Estate Winery and the […]

Flora Springs featured photo

Recent Releases from Flora Springs

We’re sipping more white wine than usual this time of year and Flora Springs has us covered with several recent releases that hit the spot. And Merlot is always a welcome red wine even in summer. We received these wines as tasting samples. Flora Springs is a name that is familiar to most wine enthusiasts who are at all familiar […]

Smith-Madrone featured photo

Smith-Madrone: Elegant Wines from Spring Mountain District

Stuart Smith knew he needed to look to the mountains of Napa Valley, not the valley floor, to find a site that would allow him to make the elegant, balanced, acid-driven wines he enjoyed drinking. He found what he was looking for in a 200-acre property on Spring Mountain. The property had been home to a small vineyard in the […]

Ehlers Estate feature photo

Spring Releases from Ehlers Estate

This is the time of year we wine drinkers begin to step up our search for white and rosé wines for summer enjoyment. Cue the spring winery releases. We recently received these two new wines from Napa Valley’s Ehlers Estate as tasting samples and we are happy to share them with you. Ehlers Estate is tucked away in Napa Valley […]

Flora Springs New Release featured photo

New Releases from Flora Springs

If, like us, you are on winery mailing lists you have received emails announcing spring release wines. It’s a welcome bright spot, especially this year when so little is normal for most of us. Today we are sharing two recent releases from Flora Springs that we received as tasting samples. Spring wine releases this year will be especially important to […]

Experience the Hess Collection Winery

Hess Collection Winery sits above Napa Valley on Mount Veeder. The drive to Hess from Napa takes you through residential neighborhoods that eventually give way to mountain forest. As the winding road narrows the sights and smells of forest replace those of Napa’s valley floor and it is no longer obvious you’re in wine country. Once you arrive at the […]

Sipping West Coast Cabernet Franc for #CabFrancDay

December 4 is #CabFrancDay, a celebration of one of my favorite grape varieties. Because I am such a Cabernet Franc lover, I’m especially happy to participate in this year’s Cab Franc Day celebration. We received two wines, one we know well and the other new to us, as tasting samples. Cheers to Cabernet Franc on December 4 and everyday! Why […]

Flora Springs All Hollows’ Eve Cabernet Franc

Flora Springs in Napa Valley’s St. Helena goes all out for Halloween and with good reason. Their beautiful stone winery is considered one of Napa’s ghost wineries, which means it was built between 1860 and 1900, was abandoned for a time and then rescued and renovated to become part of the modern winery at Flora Springs. Today we’re getting in […]

Sipping Flora Springs Soliloquy

The story of Soliloquy, a Sauvignon Blanc clone unique to Flora Springs and a wine of the same name made using those grapes, is a story of family and perseverance. California Wine Month is the perfect time to tell it’s tale. We received this wine as a tasting sample. Flora Springs Winery is a family-owned winery that sits at the […]