Been getting to the Napa and Lodi wine areas annually the last few years. We try to do only one or two wineries per day, so we have time for leisurely lunches and time to enjoy the landscape. I scour the internet looking for wineries that are new for me to visit, and of course re-visit some favorites I haven’t been to in a while.
This time we have three full days and one half day in Napa to tour and chose to visit Trefethen Family Vineyards, Robert Biale Vineyards, Domaine Carneros, Alpha Omega Collective, Regusci Winery, Chimney Rock and Cakebread Cellars. In Lodi we will visit Acquiesce Winery and Bokisch Vineyards.
See below for some of what each offer, and then stay tuned for the special wines we discovered…in my follow-up coverage soon!
Trefethen Family Vineyards @TrefethenFamily on Instagram
Been a fan of Trefethen for at least two decades, but I think we’ve only visited twice. This classic winery is known for plenty of white varieties as well as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and more reds. Also have met and spent time with their Southwest Regional Manager, Kazia Schulhof, who I reached out to when planning this trip. https://www.trefethen.com/
Robert Biale Vineyards @BialeVineyards on Instagram
A winery I had never visited but have always been thrilled when I spy their label at a wine bar, restaurant, or being served at friend’s home. (Those friends would be Karen and Michael Perlis, our Contributing Editors.) I especially enjoy the Zinfandels from all their different vineyards.
Domaine Carneros @DomaineCarneros on Instagram
Five years ago, I met with one of the winemakers, Zak Miller, over a leisurely dinner with a few fellow wine writers. I loved their sparkling wines as well as their Pinot Noirs, but also of note is that their remarkable looking “Domaine” strongly resembles a French Chateau. The architecture is by design, specifically to remind us of their French roots, and this is an excerpt from their website, “Founded by the noble family behind Champagne Taittinger, Domaine Carneros was established in 1987 when Claude Taittinger selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, Napa Valley…” https://www.domainecarneros.com/
Alpha Omega Collective @AlphaOmegaCollective on Instagram
Visited Alpha Omega winery in November of 2019 for a tasting on their terrace that overlooks a large glittering pond and water fountain. The wines were all amazing. So, I am looking forward to visiting their downtown Napa tasting room where other wines in their collective will be offered.
https://www.alphaomegacollective.com/
Regusci Winery @RegusciWinery on Instagram
Red blends, Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons and more will be found on our visit, I hope! Only visited very briefly once before, without an appointment, so I’m happy to have the chance to taste more!
Chimney Rock @ChimneyRockWinery on Instagram
Was always curious about Chimney Rock! I’d seen their “South African winery architecture” dozens of times, on Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District. And it’s been a long time since I’ve seen that architecture depicted on their label on my table. I knew them for very good Cabernet Sauvignons, but I’m very curious as to what other wines we can taste.
Cakebread Cellars @CakebreadCellars on Instagram
The last time we visited Cakebread we took home both Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays. I’ve always had a soft spot for them as Bruce and Dennis Cakebread once came to town and I met with them at a local wine tasting bar for an afternoon of wine tasting and chat.
Acquiesce Winery @AcquiesceWinery on Instagram
Known as the “white wine winery” I fell in love with all the award-winning Rhone varieties that they make and became a wine club member. Winemaker Sue Tipton, awarded Best Woman Winemaker of 2022, has since given the winemaking reins over to Christina Lopez. We’re curious to see how Christina does now.
Bokisch Vineyards @BokischVineyards on Instagram
Have been wanting to visit Bokisch for a few years. We did finally get to have a few tastes when we visited the Lodi Wine Visitor Center (https://www.lodiwine.com/Plan-Your-Visit) and shipped a couple of their Rose wines home. Known for Spanish wines in Lodi, while Acquiesce concentrates on French wines just a few minutes away, we are interested to see how more of the Bokisch wines taste.
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
