Category Archives: Napa Valley

James Cole Winery

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James Cole Winery

James Cole Winery

5014 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558

Website: https://www.jamescolewinery.com/

James Cole is a small, family-owned winery located along the southern end of the Silverado Trail in the Oak Knoll AVA.  It’s nestled beside the more prominent Signorello and Darioush estates.  This is considered a boutique winery run by James and Colleen Harder (the name of winery comes from a combination of their names).  James grew up in a farming community in Alberta, Canada and started in the wine industry right out of college working in sales and marketing.  Colleen is a California native who was also working in marketing and living in San Francisco when she met James. In 2000, the same year they got married, they carried out a dream they both shared and purchased the 11 acre property in Napa.  This is a winery truly built on hard work and dedication.  James Cole opened its doors to the tasting room in Oct. 2007, and the Harders continue to live out their passion while raising their daughter Marleigh and son Tyson on the estate.

James Cole Winery tasting room

James Cole Winery tasting room

If you aren’t paying attention traveling along the Sliverado Trail you could miss the winery.  There’s a small stone sign marking the entrance and what looks like someone’s house back from the road behind the vineyards out.  The tasting room is an unassuming stone building with a solar panel roof.  The tasting room is cozy with a couple of tables for seated tastings on the left.  To the right is a small wood-top bar with stools for 4-6.  There are also a couple of leather chairs up against the back wall next to a stone statue that is the same symbol on the wine labels.  The space could comfortably accommodate about 10-12 guests.

Patio at James Cole winery

Patio at James Cole winery

Off to the right of the bar is a barrel room with a long table set up for private tasting events.  Some of the family’s personality was on display amongst the barrels with a motorcycle parked on one side and a Rolling Stones pinball machine on the other.  Outside there was a little patio nook beneath a trellis with some cushioned seats for a party of eight.  Compared to many of the other larger, flashier Napa wineries, this one felt like a sort of hideaway.

James Cole produces a variety of red wines from the classic Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbet, and Cabernet Franc.  They also have a Zinfandel and Petite Sirah blend called Il Mostro.  On the lighter side, they served a dry, peachy, Provençal style rosé made from Grenache, Mourvedre, and Vermentino and a creamy Chardonnay that was reminiscent of carmel pears.  My personal favorite was the Cabernet Sauvignon that had an aroma of dark chocolate truffles and cranberry and notes of milk chocolate on the palate.  Two other wines I greatly enjoyed were the velvety Tyson red blend (named after the owners’ son) that tasted of black fruit and spice, as well as the dark, purply Oak Knoll Malbec.

There is a lot to like about this winery.  You’ll have to plan ahead because tastings are by reservation.  If you are planning a day in the lower part of Napa and wanting to avoid some of the bigger crowds with some great red wine, stop into James Cole.

 

Etude

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Etude Winery in Carneros

Etude Winery in Carneros

1250 Cuttings Wharf Rd, Napa, CA 94559

Website: https://www.etudewines.com/visit/tastings

Etude Winery is one of several gems on the Napa side of Carneros.  It was started in 1982, the year before Carneros was declared its own American Viticultural Area (AVA).  The name of the winery comes from the musical term “etude”, which signifies a short musical composition created to perfect a musical skill.  Instead of music, the winemakers at Etude are focused on perfecting their wine, which shows in their exceptional Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  In fact, the winery rang in the new century with a 98 point score from famed wine critic Robert Parker for the 1999 Etude Eden Rock Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  Their Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs have continued to earn high 90 point scores since then.  All of their Pinot Noir is sourced from estate fruit.

An interesting fact about the winery is that the tasting room was built in the former RMS Brandy Distillery.  Etude still produces small lots of brandy that is only available in the tasting room. During our tasting experience, the host surprised us by giving us a pour of the Brandy.  Although I prefer to stick to wine, it won over my husband and he brought a bottle home.  I felt that the property and tasting room had a simple elegance to it.  There is a patio area right out front of the doors to the tasting room with a few tables.  The building itself looks modest, made of gray brick with a stucco roof.

Etude Tasting Room

Etude Tasting Room

The interior looks a bit like a lodge with wood floors and paneling along the walls and bar.  Up above are circular chandeliers.  One one side of the room is a display with samples of the different types of soil (or terroir) the grapes come from plus some high top tables for guests.  At the opposite side of the room is a lounge area with a chaise sofa, a marble coffee table, and some leather chairs.  The tasting bar is at the front of the room with a lit-up display of neatly aligned rows of more than 200 wine and brandy bottles.

Etude Tasting Bar

Etude Tasting Bar

You’ll have to plan ahead to visit this winery because they are by reservation only.  They offer a few different types of experiences that includes a traditional tasting of 4 wines in the tasting room, a garden tasting paired with small bites, and a couple of private tasting experiences.  I really enjoyed my tasting experience.  Compared to some other wineries in Napa, the cost of the tasting was very reasonable to be able to sample some award winning, single vineyard limited production wines.  The host provided us with lots of education on each pour and gave us personalized attention.  I was enamored with all of the wines, but the most exceptional to me were Forté Pinot Noir with velvety red fruit, 2015 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon that reminded me of chocolate covered blueberries, and 2015 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon with a dustiness typical of that area.  I definitely recommend taking the time to visit here.  While you’re at it, you could make a day of visiting other nearby wineries in Carneros.

 

Madonna Estate

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Madonna Estate

Madonna Estate

5400 Old Sonoma Rd, Napa, CA 94559

Website: https://madonnaestate.com/

In Carneros, tucked into a corner off highway 121 and Old Sonoma Road is the historic Madonna Estate winery.  This winery is overshadowed by the touristy Domaine Carneros, Artesa, and Cuvaison properties up the road, but it’s well worth a visit.  We pulled into a small parking area right off Old Sonoma Road and followed a gravel path leading to the front of the winery and tasting rooms.  In the center of the walkway is a small marble fountain and a few metal café style tables and chairs. I was intrigued by this winery for its history, variety of wine, and commitment to natural farming.  Madonna Estate has been run by the Bartolucci family since 1922. They are proud to share that they are the second oldest winemaking family in Napa. In their early years they made wine for the Church, hence the origin of the name.  Founding father, Andrea Bartolucci, built the first winery in Oakville. Unfortunately it was devastated by fire. Andrea rebuilt in 1933 and continued running it with his son Louis. The Oakville property was sold in 1970, but third generation and grandson Andrea “Buck” Bartolucci wanted to carry on the family tradition.  So, he bought 160 acres in Carneros and built the current estate winery in 1977. Today the fourth generation is involved in operations, with plans to continue onto the 5th generation.

The Bartoclucci family is committed to growing wine naturally and meshing traditional and modern techniques.  All of the wine is estate grown and dry farmed on 120 acres. They make an impressive range of varietals to suit many palates from bold red to sweet whites.  Their Estate wine list includes Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Barbera, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Muscat Canelli.

Tall cypress trees flank the doorways to the two tasting rooms – the Main room and the Reserve room.  The Main tasting room is open to the public daily. When we arrived there was a tour group wrapping up, thus we were only in the room long enough to check it out.  The room is a little narrow but has a long marbel tasting bar along the wall on one side to serve a large group of people at a time.

Madonna Reserve Room

Madonna Reserve Room

I’d highly suggest splurging a little and making a reservation ahead of time to do a tasting in the Reserve room.  The Reserve tasting fee is very reasonably priced compared to other more popular wineries in Napa, and it includes a tasting of 5 wines. Walking into the Reserve room was like being invited into an Italian family’s cozy living room with big leather chairs and a sofa in one corner.  The floors are tiled with a couple of throw rugs and two dining room style tables that seat four. There were also a couple of high top tables for couples. I am not ashamed to admit that I was excited about trying the sweeter wines, while my husband opted for the red wines. Our host was great, providing educational information about the winery and tailoring to our tastes.  I loved the off-dry style Gewürztraminer and the Rosetto. On the red side I personally enjoyed the Estate Merlot and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon the most, but their Italian varietals Dolcetto and Barbera are worth a try too. Our experience was very pleasant and I would definitely return.