Category Archives: Napa Valley

Hagafen Cellars

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Hagafen Cellars

Hagafen Cellars

4160 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558

Website: https://www.hagafen.com/

Hagafen Cellars is a small family owned winery located right off the Silverado trail between the Stags Leap and Oak Knoll districts.  This winery could be easy to drive right by if you are not looking for it because the winery is pretty modest looking compared to many of the other prestigious places in Napa Valley.  It looks like a refurbished farmhouse. Hagafen has been around since 1979 with the first vintage released in 1980. Owner Ernie Weir is both a grapegrower and winemaker for their two vineyards in the eastern benchland of Napa Valley.  I’ve visited the winery a couple of times and one of the things that I really like is that they produce a wide variety of small lot wines. There is truly something for everyone. The varietals range from reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel,Tempranillo, and Merlot, to whites that include Sauvignon Blanc, Roussanne, and Riesling.  They also produce a sparkling brut wine and a few late harvest dessert options. All of the wines at Hagafen have been certified as kosher wines. The winery has won many awards internationally and their wines have been served at the White House on several occasions.

Hagafen Cellars Tasting Room

Hagafen Cellars Tasting Room

The tasting room is located in a small, stone-walled building off to the side of the main winery.  It’s the size of a small cottage. Right outside of the tasting room is a colorful garden of bushes and flowers with a stone path leading to the entrance.  The entire property is surrounded by vineyards. We parked our car beside the vines and moseyed on over to the tasting room. Between the tasting room and winery is a large covered patio.  Guest are welcome to picnic on the patio.

The first time I visited Hagafen they were open to the public without reservations.  They now require reservations for a tasting. On both occasions that I visited there was a tour that stopped in at the same time.  I suspect that the need for reservations may be related to the fact that this is a common stop for tour groups. Inside, the tasting room is relaxed with a wood paneled bar and ceiling.  It’s very casual with lots of wine competition medals hanging around the room. Cases of wine are stacked up along the walls. The space is comfortable for a few small groups of 2-4, but it gets crowded quickly if there is a tour group.  On both occasions that I visited the staff was very friendly despite the crowd. I really appreciated getting to sample different selections of wine that you don’t usually see in Napa Valley. I enjoy their sweeter style wines. However, they have some great reds with a reasonable price tag, like the Oh! Bordeaux Red Blend and Don Ernesto’s Clarinet.  There are some higher end and pricier reds on their menu too.

I’d recommend stopping in for a visit, but try to make a reservation for a time that may not be as popular with tour groups.  I typically find that mornings right after the wineries open are quiet. It’s a great opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and sample some wines that may not be as familiar to you.Odds are you will find something you like with all of the selections available to try.

Hagafen Cellars Patio

Hagafen Cellars Patio

 

Silver Oak Napa Valley

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Silver Oak Napa Valley

Silver Oak Napa Valley

915 Oakville Cross Rd, Oakville, CA 94562

Website: https://www.silveroak.com/visit-us/

After ten years of trips to Napa Valley and not having been to Silver Oak Winery I felt like I was missing out on something big.  Silver Oak is known for making only one varietal, Cabernet Sauvignon. There is almost a cult following for their yearly releases.  The winery was started in 1972 by a handshake between two friends Raymond Twomey Duncan and Justin Meyer. The original winery was in a dairy barn.  Duncan and Twomey decided to focus solely on Cabernet Sauvignon produced exclusively in American oak barrels. Justin Meyer retired in 1994, turning over his portion of the winery to the Duncan family.  The winery is still run by the Duncans today. They are truly committed to continuous improvement stating that they haven’t produced their best wine yet and strive to get better with each vintage.

Carved Water Tower picture behind the tasting bar at Silver Oak Napa

Carved Water Tower picture behind the tasting bar at Silver Oak Napa

Many people recognize the winery by the iconic water tower on their label.  There is a story behind the water tower. It appeared on first label as an ode to the owners’ favorite wine Chateau Latour and was also a symbol of California agriculture in the 1970s.  Bonny Meyer, wife of Justin Meyer, researched all kinds of water towers before landing on the one became the symbol of the winery. The symbol became an real life water tower in the early 1980s.  Unfortunately the original winery was struck by fire in 2006 and had to be rebuilt. The Duncans recently opened a second state-of-the-art facility in Alexander Valley. The same family also owns Twomey in both Napa and Sonoma.

I feel like this winery is a mix of modern and rustic.  To get to the tasting room you drive past rows of olive trees and  can see the mountains on both sides of the valley. The walk up to the entrance is very picturesque surrounded by acres of vines.  There are some benches outside the entrance for guests to sit down and take in the views. Many visitors will take a photo opportunity in front of the famous water tower before heading inside.  The exterior is made all of limestone with big oak doors leading inside. The stone continues on the interior.

The Glass House Library at Silver Oak Napa

The Glass House Library at Silver Oak Napa

The tasting room is rather spacious with a long wood bar that can accommodate several small groups at a time.  On the left side of the tasting bar is a glassed in area with wine bottles floor to ceiling that is called the Glass House Library with bottles dating back to the 1970s vintages. Within the tasting room is also a History Gallery with pictures of the original winery.

Silver Oak takes walk in tastings which I found a little surprising considering their level of popularity.  A lot of the more popular wineries now require reservations to limit the crowds. When I visited, the winery was busy but not over crowded.  I suspect that they can get very really busy during peak visiting times. Silver Oak offers a few other tasting options as well including tours, food and wine pairings, or a vertical tasting of library wines.  I was satisfied with the walk in tasting that includes a taste of both the Napa Valley and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon plus a library wine (we tried a 2006). The Cabernet Sauvignons are marvelous! I found them to be so silky and well balanced.  Our hostess was also very welcoming and knowledgeable.

I’m glad I can now say I’ve been to Silver Oak.  I’m interested in seeing the new facility in the Alexander Valley as well.  This winery is worth a stop to try the acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

Trefethen Vineyards

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Trefethen Vineyards

Trefethen Vineyards

1160 Oak Knoll Ave, Napa, CA 94558

Website: http://www.trefethen.com/

Trefethen is a casual winery tucked away at the southern end of Highway 29, not far from downtown Napa.  Due to its location, the winery is not as busy as the other wineries located further north. This allows for a quiet, one-on-one tasting experience.  The entrance to the winery is located off of Oak Knoll Avenue. As we drove through the gate onto the driveway that leads up to the winery, we were surrounded by vineyards on both sides.  John Trefethen used to land his plane on the same driveway in the middle of the vineyard.

In 1988, Trefethen Winery was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for being the only 19th-century, wooden, gravity-flow winery still in existence in Napa.  The original winery was built by a Scottish sea captain named Hamden McIntyre in 1886.  McIntyre also designed other famous wineries like Inglenook, Far Niente, and Greystone (now the Culinary Institute of America).  Trefethen Winery was named Eshcol back in the 1880s. The winery shut down in 1940 until the Trefethen family bought the property in 1968 and set to work on restoring the historic building.  Trefethen was one of the wineries impacted by the 6.0 magnitude earthquake in August 2014 and suffered some significant damage.  Fortunately the family was able to bounce back and restore the historic structure after 33 months of renovations.

The fountain in the center of the courtyard in front of Trefethen Winery

The fountain in the center of the courtyard in front of Trefethen Winery

The one thing that I really like about this winery is that it is sophisticated but not flashy. Between the parking lot and the winery is a courtyard with a small fountain in the center. There is a cork tree out front.  After stepping through the entrance to the winery building, there is a a barrel room on both sides that can be viewed through glass enclosures.   During the most recent renovations the tasting room was moved to the second floor.  When my husband and I visited there were only a few people in the tasting room at the same time and we were able to get personalized attention at the tasting bar. The server was friendly and willing to answer questions. Trefethen grows nine different grape varieties, which includes Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Viognier. Most of these were available to sample on the tasting menu.  I appreciate this winery for its history and the family’s dedication to maintaining that history.