Category Archives: Napa Valley

Inglenook Estate

1991 St Helena Hwy, Rutherford, CA 94573

There is a lot of history behind the Inglenook Estate. It has gone through several owners and a few name changes over the years. The original property dates back to the 1870s when it was owned by a bank manager named William C. Watson. Watson called the property “Inglenook” which comes from a Scottish expression meaning “cozy corner”. In 1880, a Finnish sea captain and wealthy Alaskan fur trader named Gustave Niebaum purchased the Inglenook property, along with 200 acres of farmland. He wanted to fulfill his dream of becoming a winemaker and produce world-class wines. In 1887, he began construction of the Inglenook Chateau that still stands on the property today. Niebaum succeeded in creating premium wines that were consumed internationally before he passed away in 1908. His wife continued operation of the winery after his death until Prohibition began in 1919. Then his wife’s grand-nephew, John Daniel Jr., took leadership of the winery after Prohibition was repealed until 1964 when he sold the property and 1,500 acres of the estate to Allied Grape Growers.

Today the property may be better known for its current owner Francis Ford Coppola. In 1975, Coppola came upon the property while he was looking for a summer home where he could also make a little wine. He and his wife Eleanor purchased the Inglenook Estate including the Chateau in 1975. At the time the “Inglenook” name was owned by a different wine company. Coppola instead named the place Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery representing the winery’s history. Since that time, Francis Ford Coppola spent 25 years reuniting the Estate’s original vineyards and restored winemaking to the Chateau. In 2006, Coppola renamed the property to Rubicon Estate in honor of its flagship wine. Then in April 2012, the Inglenook brand name went up for sale and Coppola purchased it returning the property to its original name.

Cafe at Inglenook Estate

This winery is a big tourist attraction. The Chateau and grounds are beautiful with the fountain out front and the grand staircase that greets guests immediately upon entering the Chateau. Inside the Chateau there are two tasting rooms, the Mammarella European café style wine bar, and a retail room that sells unique merchandise from locations that Francis and Eleanor have visited around the world (some of them collector’s items). On the top floor, there is a Centennial Museum with artifacts from the Inglenook winery. Inglenook Estate also offers several different tours. I have visited this winery twice. The first time was in 2005 and I took the Legacy Tour. The tour guide took us for a walk around the grounds while talking about the history of the estate. We finished with a seated tasting. Although I found the tour informative, I felt like this winery was a tourist trap. It was extremely busy and felt gimmicky focusing on Coppola’s career and wealthy lifestyle. Since that time, the winery has shifted from being open for drop in tastings to requiring reservations. I think this has greatly improved the crowds and lines of tour groups because all guests now need to check in before getting through the gates.

Heritage Tasting in the Library Room

On my second visit my husband and I made a reservation for the Heritage Tasting experience. We were ushered into a quiet tasting library where we were seated at our own table and served by a host. We got to sample five wines, including the acclaimed Rubicon. The wines were accompanied by a plate of bread and cheese. I enjoyed this intimate experience much more than my first visit. I appreciate the strides Francis Ford Coppola has made to bring back the history of the winery, but some of the “stardom” of Coppola’s life still remains. The wines are premium, being produced by French winemaker Phillippe Bascaules who came from one of Bordeaux’s top 5 estates Chateau Margaux. The prices reflect that. Although, one could argue that the prices are still reasonable compared to other Napa cult wines.

If history is what interests you, Inglenook is worth a visit. If you are a big Francis Ford Coppola fan, I recommend making a trip to the Francis Ford Coppola winery in Sonoma. That winery produces the more common Coppola wines and also houses a museum with memorabilia and awards from Coppola’s movies.

Sutter Home/Trinchero Family Estates

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Sutter Home Napa Valley

277 St Helena Hwy, St Helena, CA 94574

Website: https://www.sutterhome.com/

The origin of Sutter Home Winery dates back to 1874 when a Swiss-German immigrant named John Thomann established the winery and distillery in St. Helena. The Sutter Home Visitor’s Center is located on the original site. In 1947, the Trinchero family purchased the winery. Each of the Trinchero family members took on a key role in the winery from keeping the books, working the bottling line, and cleaning out tanks and barrels. Their hard work and dedication made Sutter Home into the successful winery it is today. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Sutter Home became one of the most widely known household names and the second largest, independent family-run winery in the United States. The Trincheros have added many other wine labels to their portfolio, including Folia à Deux, Napa Cellars, Ménage à Trois, and Newman’s Own.

Historic Victorian home at Sutter Home Estate

Sutter Home may be most well-known for the creation of the popular, pink colored White Zinfandel. The White Zinfandel came about as an accident when some surplus juice from their regular Zinfandel wine didn’t fully ferment. Bob Trinchero, the winemaker in the 1970s, was trying to make a dry white wine from the juice, but the fermentation process stopped halfway through leaving a slightly sweet wine. It got its pink color from coming into contact with the skins of the Zinfandel grapes. Not wanting to discard all of the excess juice, the Trincheros decided in 1975 to sell the wine as White Zinfandel and it became a big hit. The wine became a best seller in the late 1980s and is said to have given Sutter Home its “claim to fame”.

The Sutter Home Visitor’s Center is located off Highway 29 in St. Helena, across the street from the Louis M. Martini tasting room. The tasting room is in the original winery building. The Victorian house that gave the winery its name still sits on the property. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the White Zinfandel Garden. Inside the tasting room, there is a gift shop and two separate tasting areas. One area provides a complimentary tasting of the Sutter Home wines that are commonly found at local grocery stores or wine merchants. The other section provides a Reserve tasting for a fee. I opted for the Reserve tasting and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the wines. To be honest, I was familiar with their popular brands and wasn’t expecting a lot from the Reserve wines, but I did enjoy the Trinity Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon and Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir.

This winery is a very popular stop, probably because so many people recognize the Sutter Home name. However, there isn’t a whole lot to do or see besides snap some pictures of the Victorian home and property and sample some wines. I was expecting more of an experience from such a famous wine brand. However, they do provide a complimentary tasting, and I was able to sample some of their other wine labels that I didn’t even know they owned. If you are looking for a more personalized, upscale tasting experience, you can head a little north to the recently renovated Trinchero Napa Valley Winery, but you’ll need to call ahead for a reservation.

Sutter Home gardens

St. Supery

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St. Supery Winery

8440 St Helena Hwy, Rutherford, CA 94573

Website: https://www.stsupery.com/

This is a fun, unpretentious and educational winery. I have been to the winery a couple of times. The first time was on my honeymoon and I enjoyed a self-guided, educational tour. Since that time I have had several friends who have visited the winery and told me that it was one of their favorite places in Napa. They also became wine club members because they enjoyed it so much. The winery has changed hands in the past couple of years but they still offers a variety of educational experiences. Tastings are now by reservation. Check their website for the various options.

The historic Victorian house at St. Supery Winery

St. Supéry is located in Rutherford. It was a family owned estate from the 1970s until 2016. Chanel purchased the winery in 2016. This winery is 100% certified organic. They are most widely known for their Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. When I arrived at the winery, the first thing I noticed was the beautiful white Victorian house with a huge farmer’s porch located on the property. The house dates back to 1882. To the right of it is the pathway leading to the picnic area and winery. To the left is a demonstration vineyard where visitors can see the grape vines up close.

Along the pathway to the winery entrance is a nice area with trees, tables, and chairs. There is also a pétanque (otherwise known as bocce ball) court. As compared to the Victorian house up front, the winery is a simple stone building with wooden doors and plants surrounding the entryway. There is a variety of tasting areas available to go along with the various experiences. The main tasting lounge is located on the first floor just to the right of the entrance. It is a large, bright open space with windows on the front side looking out at a patio. The L-shaped tasting bar is big enough to accommodate large groups of people at one time. It is made of slats of wood with a white marble top and pendant lights hanging from above. On the second floor there is a gallery of paintings and other tasting areas.

Both times that I visited, the staff was very friendly and helpful with explaining the different wines they were pouring. I really enjoyed the wines as well. Their Elu and Virtu estate wines have artistic labels that I adored so much that I took home a poster of the label and framed it. Now it’s hanging on my wall at home. Overall, visiting St. Supery was a very pleasant experience.

Demonstration vineyard at St. Supery

Wine Tourist

My journeys in wine country.

Category Archives: Napa Valley

Inglenook Estate

Sutter Home/Trinchero Family Estates

St. Supery