In 1974 Bill Smith and his wife Joan fell absolutely in love with the ancient La Jota Winery on Howell Mountain. They decided to purchase the property and make a go of creating their own wines. It wasn’t an easy start-they planted two acres of vines all by themselves, stomped their own grapes, and hand bottled wine for years with the begrudging assistance of their 6 kids. Don’t worry though-they were paid 2.50$ an hour!
Bill was quite literally a pioneer-he helped to map out the boundaries and do the necessary legwork to establish Howell Mountain as an AVA. And finally in 1982 they produced their first Vintage. Bill went on later to become the winemaker for W.H. Smith Winery, and remained there until his passing in 2017.
Though Bill is no longer with us, his legacy lives on. His daughter T’Anne teaches an exciting class at the Wine Tasting Room in Calistoga – THE WINE SENSORY EXPERIENCE- where you learn to recognize the nuances of wine aromas, wine profiles, soil characteristics, and how they affect the wines. Included in the sensory is 36 different types of fruits, herbs, spices etc. that can be identified in red and white wines through the entire wine process.
The class presented 8 experiences:
1) Poster Aromas: different smells/notes that make up wines
2) Barrel Aging Characteristics
3) Sensory Experience- American vs French Oak
4) Bottle Age Characteristics
5) Characteristics of Pinot Noir
6) Characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon
7) Wine Glass Comparison
8) Chocolate Tasting
The classes are by appointment only, and they’re delightful, so book your spot sooner rather than later.
Howell Mountain is known for their big bold Cabernets, and that was Bill’s original passion as well. In his later years he started to appreciate the softer, lighter Pinot Noirs, so he started sourcing grapes from Sonoma County to create his own Pinots’, and that is why this winery can boast of amazing Pinot Noir andCabernet.
If you enjoy going off the beaten track, finding unexpected gems, and coming up close and personal to a little bit of wine cultural history, then definitely check out W.H. Smith Wines while you’re in Napa. It’s a special place that harkens back to a special time. -Lea Gourley
