The wineries of Napa

As a follow on to last week's column here is a snapshot of some of the great wineries of Napa County and like Sonoma, Napa being known for wineries does not imply that there are not great "growers;" there sure are. Mostly though Napa is known for the wineries that line the Silverado trail and State Highway 29 and many of the streets that connect these two parallel routes and many of these properties are owned and run by some of the oldest wine country families.

One of our favorite wineries and winery families are the Phelps whose patriarch Joseph Phelps has been in the forefront of the wine industry for decades. The winery is one of the best properties in all of Napa County for its stunning location and views; the staff too is one of the most knowledgeable in all of wine country. The tastings and tours are by appointment but it is well worth the extra effort. While the winery facility and the wines are truly top notch this is a case where Joseph Phelps is well known as a grower too, in fact there are several varietal clones that are named after him. If you like the Phelps wines also keep in mind the le Mistral and Freestone labels which are two other projects from this same great family where Joseph's son Bill is now at the helm.

When Mary and I were early in our wine consuming days one of the first wine clubs we joined was that at Trefethen Vineyards, to this day we are still very fond of the wines and have them on the shelf from time to time in the shop. The winery located on Zinfandel Lane between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail just outside the town of Napa is run by Janet and John Trefethen. The wines are really great and most exciting is they posses all the quality Napa is known for including our oft-sighted restraint and balance, plus the Trefethens have also resisted the ever escalating prices that have been put in place by so many in "the County."

One of the great historic properties to see in the heart of Napa Valley is Chateau Montelena. Montelena and the Barrett family were the subjects of the movie Bottle Shock. The Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from the 1970s was the wine that beat the French wineries in the tasting in Paris along with the wines of Stags Leap and others, and really put the California wine industry on the map. The wines are still very good but the old Chateau is one of the most impressive properties in all of wine country.

The family too went on to other historic and innovative projects as Heidi Barrett became the winemaker of such noteworthy wines as Screaming Eagle, Dalle Valle and others.

Another famous property of truly epic proportions and producer of many great wines is the original Berringer Estate. Now owned by the Fosters Beer Empire from Australia, the winery still produces some enjoyable bottling. The facility however is as impressive as ever and worth the visit from the historic perspective.

Finally, go a little further north of the town of St. Helena to Diamond Mountain Road, head east toward the Mayacamas Mountain Range nearly to the end of the road and you will find Norm Kickin's winery Reverie. This winery like Phelps is by appointment only but the wine is truly delicious, and if Norm is around he will host your tasting in the middle of a grove of old growth redwoods, a truly wonderful way to spend an afternoon.

For a visit to any of these wineries or the ones mentioned last week located in Sonoma County give us a call here at the shop and we will make some calls to get you the "back tour" of these great wineries and vineyards. Also while we regularly stock some of these wines here at the shop if there is a specific bottling you are looking for give us a call and we will be happy to get it here for you.

If there is a topic you would like to read about or questions on wine you can e-mail George@thedinnerpartyshop.com or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d'Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner with his wife Mary Lancaster of the dinner party - a wine and table top decor shop in Coeur d'Alene by Costco. George is also the managing judge of The North Idaho Wine Rodeo, and writes frequently for the online version of Coeur d'Alene magazine at www.cdamagazine.com. His articles can also be found on the blog at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.