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Prager Winery &
Port |
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To call this winery unique would be to damn it with faint praise,
or at least that is what the majority of visitors to this small
St. Helena property would say. To begin with, when is the last time
you visited a port works, especially in this part of the wine world?
The building itself, part barn, part small (and unique) tasting
room, part barrel and bottle storage, and part this and that, is
tucked away on a small lane youre likely to miss if you dont
look closely. Locals remember to turn left as soon as they go past
the Sutter Home retail center and Victorian house if they are headed
north on Route 29; if youre coming from the other direction,
its the right turn right past the manicured grounds and Tudor
mansions of the Harvest Inn.
For years Jim Prager, the patriarch of this small family empire
dedicated to the grape, was known only for his fine Port, and to
many people it remains that way. The Noble Companion 10 Year Old
Tawny and the Royal Escort LBV were the bottles took home, carefully
rationing out a sip or two to close friends. At times there was
a rare white Port, and today the Alyssa Golden Dry Port is available
to astonish your friends back home. Or try the new Muscat Port,
soft and spicy with hints of hazelnut at the end. The Summer Tawny
is a refreshing drink to sip at the end of the season and the beginning
of harvest.
These days, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chardonnay hav
e joined the roster, along with a refreshing Riesling called Sweet
Claire and a lightly fortified Late Harvest Riesling named Madeline.
All are worth your consideration, but whatever you do, dont
leave without a bottle of their Port. Youll be the envy of
all your friends, and youll have tales of the winery itself
to tell over small sips of vintage Napa Valley Port.
Prager Winery is open every day from 10:30 AM until 4:30 PM.
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Storybook
Mountain Vineyards |
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They call themselves the Napa Valley Zinfandel specialists,
and few people would dispute the claim. Going back to the early
1880s, grape growers on what is now known as Storybook Mountain
Vineyards have planted the red clay-loam hillsides in the Mayacamas
Range to this varietal.
Then winerys sought-after estate wines are carefully hand-crafted
from select grapes grown without the use of herbicides or insecticides.
Then theyre aged for a minimum of a year in the combination
of American and French oak barrels. The century-old caves where
this aging occurs are dug into the mineral-rich volcanic rock that
helps produce the stunning flavors coming from the grapes growing
above. Gather together an informal (or formal, if you feel the need)
tasting panel and certain characteristics are bound to stand out,
among them the distinctive notes of black cherries, raspberries
and spice.
Located north of Calistoga on the winding road heading towards
Knights and Alexander Valleys, the vineyards and winery command
a spectacular position among the trees in a climate distinct and
beneficial, as well as an eastern exposure. The pattern of precipitation
and the winerys proximity to Mount St. Helena (think microclimate
here) also play key roles in the production of Storybooks
Zinfandel.
The winery welcomes visitors by appointment only, but the result
is well worth a phone call and a drive to this unique part of the
Napa Valley.
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Stryker
Sonoma Winery and Vineyards |
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Stryker Sonoma Winery and Vineyards
Open barely two months, the tasting room at Stryker Sonoma in Alexander
Valley may be the most taster-friendly spot we can recall visiting.
Elevated just high enough to look over the vineyards, but close
enough to feel a part of them, this winery was designed for the
enjoyment of the visitor. How well did they do? Their hardest task
may to get visitors to leave at the end of the day; the easiest
will be to get them to enjoy their wines.
This is a user-friendly winery in every respect, from the deck
that is cantilevered above the crush pad, to the open spaces and
windows onto the barrel room. Karen and Craig MacDonald watch over
the day to day. Their partner is Pat Stryker, hence the name. At
5,000 cases a year, it is large enough to be a commercially viable
winery, but small enough to produce small batches of wine, all of
it available only at the winery. Their permit would allow them to
enlarge their production significantly, but theyre in no hurry,
even though they have a total of 31 acres, with 27 of them planted,
some with 90 year old Zinfandel vines.
The wines include a Russian River Chardonnay and a delightful
Gewürztraminer. Red wines include a smooth, soft Sangiovese,
a couple of startlingly good Zinfandels (one from those old vines)
and a Two Moon Cuvee that is a blend of two-thirds Merlot and a
third Cabernet. All are well-crafted and balanced and the fact that
they are available only at this gem of a winery makes them all the
better.
Stryker Sonoma is open Thursday through Sunday from 10:30 AM until
5 PM, and other days by appointment.
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Husch Vineyards |
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Its hard to pass by this small winery between the tiny, little
Mendocino County towns of Navarro and Philo, such is the charm of
the place. Founded in 1971 on the 60-acre Nunn Ranch, it was once
known for fruit trees and grain fields, but the new owners, Gretchen
and Tony Husch began their move into the wine business by planting
a cool, south-facing eight acres. In 1979 the Oswald family bought
the winery and today three members of the Oswald family are still
actively involved.
Husch Vineyards was the first bonded winery located in the Anderson
Valley appellation, and all wines are still made from grapes grown
only on family owned vineyards. For a small winery they produce
a wide range of wines, some of them available only at the tasting
room. They include a subtle Sauvignon Blanc, a nicely spiced Gewürztraminer,
a Chenin Blanc, two Chardonnays, a Pinot Noir, an increasingly rare
Carignane, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a couple of others.
As nice as the wines are, part of the attraction of a visit to
Husch is the rustic wood tasting room, once a farm animal and grain
storage shed. With the encroaching vines, the lawn beyond, the trees
towering and the pleasant deck, it is a perfect place to sip wine
and perhaps enjoy a picnic with a bottle of Husch. The winery is
open to the public daily from 10 AM until 6 PM (5PM in the winter).
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