Tag Archives: California

Stags’ Leap Winery Review Napa Valley

Posted on May 23, 2016 by waywardwine

Back to beginnings this week with one of Napa’s originals: Stags’ Leap Winery (not to be confused with Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars).

The Chase family built the stone Manor House in 1890 and planted vineyards in 1893.

Stags Leap PatioOur visit feels part historic home tour, part winery tour. We enter and get a glass of 2014 Viognier (dry, pale, soft pear, white peach, lemon blossom: very good 4 of 5 $32). Stags’ interior oozes Victorian oak and moodiness. I feel like I forgot my top hat, pipe, and misogyny.

Stags Leap Victorian StaircaseIn 1913, widowed Mrs. Frances Grange bought and turned Stags’ into a resort for Hollywood elite. Prohibition halted wine-making but didn’t halt Frances. She sold fruit to other producers and turned Stag’s basement into an underground speakeasy with a trap door.

Stags Leap Prohibition CellarTo absolve patrons’ sins, both lawbreaking and religious, widow Grange built a non-denominational church. Today, church Grange serves as winery: Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged cabernet, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, drink, historic home, Napa Valley, Stag's Leap, travel, Victorian era, We started our 8th anniversary with Freemark Abbey (read here). Like Stags' Leap, Freemark shares fame for breaking the French 40 years ago this Spring at the 1976 Judgment of Paris. Since then, both , wine | 4 Comments

Winery Review Mumm Napa Valley

Posted on May 16, 2016 by waywardwine

These weekly(ish) recaps of our Napa Valley, eighth anniversary, wine whirlwind tour continue to Mumm. We already enjoyed a light breakfast of Pinot Noir at Etude (read here), but actually hungry now, and already late for lunch reservations, we bomb North. Then something surprises our bleary eyes… Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged California, Champagne, chardonnay, France, grapes, mumm, Mumm Napa, Napa Valley, pinot noir, Sparkling wine, travel, wine | 4 Comments

P2 Day Tour Howell Mountain Napa Valley Spire Wine Collection

Posted on April 25, 2016 by waywardwine

Let us continue our completely undeserved tour of Napa Valley’s Spire Collection: Kendall Jackson’s cream of the buttercream of the creme fraiche of the crop. A Monday or so ago, Wayward Wine posted our morning visit and ridiculous picnic at Mt Veeder in Napa’s Southwest (read here).

Plump on mountain Malbec, local cheeses and charcuterie, we pop back into the company Mercedes and roll North across the valley. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anniversary, bakery, cabernet, California, Howell Mountain, merlot, Napa Valley, travel, wine | Leave a comment

P1 Day Tour of Cardinale: Mt Brave Mt Veeder Spire Collection Napa Valley

Posted on April 11, 2016 by waywardwine

Buckle your seat belts. We continue our tour of Napa Valley. After a palette-staining day at Pine Ridge, Lewis Cellars, and Black Stallion, a single day visit to Cardinal sounds lenient. Yet Cardinal is the tip of an ice berg. It provides locus for hospitality services of the Spire Collection: the creme on top of the cream of the crop of Kendall Jackson’s holdings. Wines and wineries that rarely make it to your local shelf huddle under this empire’s gilt umbrella. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Cardinal Winery, malbec, Mt Brave, Mt Veeder, Napa Valley, Red wine, wine | Leave a comment

Black Stallion Winery Napa Valley

Posted on March 29, 2016 by waywardwine

Our Napa Valley tour keeps rolling. Our morning snuck around Pine Ridge (read here). Our mid-day got blasted by Lewis Cellars’ monster wines (read here). By now, our palates feel numb. Our teeth look black. But ever the professional, high-functioning alcoholics, we head South on the Silverado Trail to Black Stallion.

Past the big metal horse, the winery campus feels vast, dry-scaped with olives and citrus, and recalls a mission. Here 32 acres served as Silverado Horseman’s Center until 2007, when it became a winery. Continue reading →