401 St. Helena Hwy, St. Helena, CA

Website: http://www.hallwines.com/

In relation to many of the other wineries in Napa Valley, Hall is one of the newcomers.  Craig and Kathryn Hall opened the state-of-the art facility in 2005.  Although, the property itself has a history that dates back to 1885 and was formerly the site of the Napa Valley Co-op, one of the primary winemaking facilities in Napa in the last century.  The St. Helena winery is located right off of Highway 29 and is open for drop-in tastings.  There is a second Hall winery in Rutherford that offers a more elegant tasting experience by reservation only.  The Rutherford winery includes 14,000 feet of caves built by hand and showcases select works from the Halls’ art collections.

Everything about Hall Winery from the owners, to the facilities, to the wine screams out “high society”.    Owners Craig and Kathryn have very impressive business backgrounds.  Some of the most notable achievements in Craig’s career were being part owner of the Dallas Cowboys; forming one of the first stock savings and loans in Michigan; founding one of the first for-profit HMOs in the country; and participating, along with Time, Inc., in growing the nation’s largest chain of health and sports clubs. He has also written 5 books.  Kathryn and her family (the Walt family) have been grape growers in Mendocino County since 1972.  However, probably the most highly acclaimed period of her career was serving as the United States Ambassador to Austria from 1997 to July 2001.  The Halls carried over their prestige and passion for wine to their 2 ultra-premium winemaking facilities.  This winery is dedicated to making single vineyard and limited production wines.  In 2008, the St. Helena facility became the first winery in California to become LEED Gold Certified by The U.S. Green Building Council.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, which means that the winery has taken various measures to be environmentally friendly.  Their website provides details into how they have achieved this certification.  The Halls own more than 500 acres of estate vineyards that produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc.  All of these factors combined make Hall a “high end” winery which is also reflected in the price of their wines.

 

What I found most alluring about Hall Winery in St. Helena is its art collection.  From the moment my husband and I pulled off of highway 29 into the winery we were greeted by artwork.  On each side of the entryway are large butterflies atop poles.  As we drove toward the end of the driveway and turned into the parking lot, there were a couple more unique, large red metal sculptures.  There is additional artwork strewn throughout the outdoor seating areas, and even the topiaries at the front entrance look like art.  There is a red theme to all of the art.  Inside, the tasting room looks rather modest at first glance, as the walls, ceiling and floor are all wood.  Across from the entryway is an L-shaped tasting bar, also made of wood. 

 

The most eye-catching part of the room is all of the tear-dropped shaped glass bulbs hanging from the ceiling.  Visitors have the option of stepping up to the bar for a tasting, moseying around the tasting room, or going to the outdoor seating area.  The place was rather crowded when we visited but we were able to get a spot at the tasting bar.  Our server was courteous and took the time to explain each wine as he was pouring for us, even though he was busy keeping up with everyone else there as well.  Unfortunately the other server next to us wasn’t as courteous.  As I was sipping my wine and listening to all of the chatter around me I overheard a customer ask for a recommendation for other wineries in the area to visit and the server told her to avoid the winery across the street.  I found that to be rather unprofessional. 

Prior to coming to the winery, I was aware that their wines have been given high scores by Wine Enthusiast.  Of the four Napa Valley Collection wines that I tried, I enjoyed the 2007 Hall “Darwin” Proprietary Red the most because it was smooth and had a rich berry flavor.  The one issue I had with the winery is the price of their wines.  The red wines range from $55 to over $200 a bottle.  Although I liked the wines, I wasn’t won over enough to pay that much for a bottle. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I took the time to visit this winery.  I would recommend it for anyone who has a fondness for art.  The outdoor seating areas are really nice for taking a break and socializing on a sunny day.  It is also a great opportunity to sample a few premium wines that you may not want to take the risk of buying on your own.  For guests who are interested in learning more about the LEED Gold certified state of the art facility, Hall St. Helena offers tours and other private experiences.  Check their website for details.