Howell Mountain, Napa - W.H. Smith Winery

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

Napa - Howell Mountain AVA

For this week’s AVA we’re going off the beaten track to Howell Mountain. If you’re partial to the big, bold, rich, lush Cabernets, this is a region you’ll want to check out. The road itself to Howell Mountain is an unexpected treat-instead of the rolling hills of grapevines that make up most of Napa, you’ll find random thickets of trees.  If you’re not looking for it, you might miss it. A hidden gem within a hidden gem…

Howell Mountain AVA History

Howell Mountain is named after John Howell, a blacksmith from St. Helena.

Way back in the 1870’s two guys, Jean V. Chaix and Adolf Brun planted some grapes on the very affordable land of Howell Mountain. Their industrious investment paid off in 1889, when they won a bronze medal at the Paris World Competition with their “Nouveau Medoc”. After that they were off and running, producing up to 750,000 bottles a year.

La Jota Vineyard Company was the first winery on Howell Mountain, established in 1898. If you want to feel like a time traveler for a few hours, go visit La Jota. Not much has changed here since Frederick Hess, an immigrant from Switzerland, built his stone winery from volcanic ash from the property. His first fermentation tanks came from the property as well, in the form of glorious coastal redwoods.

In 1983 Randy Dunn, along with WH Smith, Mike Beatty, Bob Brakesman, and Mike Lamborn helped to establish Howell Mountain AVA, the first sub-AVA of Napa Valley. 

Howell Mountain Climate & Soil

It’s the weather that makes these grapes so special. The locals call it “Above the Fog”. The days are cool, the evenings are warm, and they get way more rain than most of Napa. These extreme temperatures produce thicker skinned grapes with deep colors and lots of tannins, thereby producing big, bold, rich wines that you’ll recall the feel of in your mouth for days to come.

Howell Mountain resides within the Vaca Mountain Range, which was formed by volcanos. So the soil here is volcanic-rocky and porous. The elevation reaches as high as 2200 ft.

Howell Mountain Grapes

Howell Mountain definitely has a following. Some of the biggest cabernets in Napa come from here. Because it’s not super easy to get there it’s a bit of a secret, but one worth seeking out. Make an appointment before you go, and plan for some extra driving time. It’ll be worth it. Have I mentioned their huge, rich, mouth-filling Cabernets? They also produce notable Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, and Merlot. 

So take a break from the Valley Floor and climb Howell Mountain for a day.  You won’t regret it!

- Lea Gourley

Carneros, Napa - FARM Restaurant @ The Carneros Resort

There’s no shortage of restaurants in Napa-there’s a ton of them! This week we’re heading over to Farm at Carneros. If you’re celebrating something special, definitely consider making this the place you do it. 

This is one of those restaurants that’s an experience unto itself. It features cathedral ceilings, dramatic lighting, and best of all, fireplaces! It’s incredibly elegant, but doesn’t feel pretentious or intimidating. The service is warm and welcoming, and manages to be informative without being overbearing. It features fresh produce from their half-acre garden, and seasonal dishes that showcase the abundance of Wine Country.

If brunch is your forte, this is your place. Farm offers a family-style brunch every Sunday. It’s fun because you get to try a variety of different menu items with your friends or family. You don’t have to agonize over choosing just one thing. They have a heavenly Brioche French Toast, and if you prefer a savory dish try the Crispy Duck Confit Hash-Yum!

Farm has an amazing patio if you enjoy dining al fresco, with views that almost provide a distraction from your incredible food. They have an extensive regional wine list, seasonally inspired hand-crafted cocktails, and plenty of craft beers. And for those of you who partake, they offer cigars too!

Farm at Carneros is a place to not just eat, but to experience what “Wine Country” really means. You’ll walk away feeling satiated, and a little more immersed in Wine Country culture. - Lea Gourley

Carneros, Napa/Sonoma - Donum Estate "Where wine and art go hand in hand"

It goes without saying that wine and art go hand in hand. There’s something so elegant and refined about browsing through a gallery with a glass of wine, and slowly taking it all in. It invokes a true feeling of living in the moment. 

Donum Estates has taken wine and art to whole new level. In 2015 Donum started placing huge sculptures within their vineyards, and let me tell you-it is something to see! You’re just driving along the road, admiring the sloping hills and picturesque grapevines, and suddenly BAM! You see this larger-than-life heart shaped metal sculpture in the middle of a field. It gives you that sense of wonder and awe that you would get as a child- seeing for the first time, something new and huge and seemingly impossible.

At the moment there are about 40 sculptures interspersed throughout the grounds, from artists all over the world. The plan is for the sculpture garden to grow gradually and authentically in future years, maintaining harmony with the nature in which they’re placed.

And of course, there’s fantastic wine too! Donum means “gift of the land”, and they produce single-vineyard estate Pinot Noir from Carneros, Anderson Valley, and Russian River Valley. I highly recommend you try them, and even better, go check them out for yourself! They do tastings 7 days a week, with advanced reservations only. And the reservations fill up fast, so make them soon! It’s a truly unique art and wine experience that you’ll remember for years to come.  -Lea Gourley

Carneros, Napa - Truchard Vineyards - A True Family Winery

When your destination is the Sonoma and Napa Valley, you’re in for some amazing wines. The area is aptly called Wine Country, and here you will sip wine and create memories to last a lifetime. 

Truchard Vineyards is a true Family Winery. Tony and Jo Ann Truchard grew up in Texas, met at a dance, and got married in 1964. Tony was finishing up medical school through the Army, and Jo Ann was a teacher. Tony was set to report to Korea for a 2 year tour. They started a family, and contentedly went about their active and full lives.

Everything changed when Jo Ann inadvertently “slipped” her family into wine making. Literally-she slipped on a grape in a grocery store, breaking her knee. Four days later she gave birth to their 4thchild, full-on leg cast and all. Tony’s Army orders were subsequently rerouted to Northern California. 

Close to 45 years later we have Truchard Vinyards, which produces some of the best Syrahs and Pinot Noirs you’ll ever have the pleasure of tasting. But it certainly didn’t happen overnight. 

Tony purchased 20 acres of land in Carneros just for fun-why not grow some grapes in between practicing medicine and raising a family? He soon discovered that no one was growing grapes in that area. He was told that the air was too cool for ripening quality grapes, and the clay hillsides and various types of soils didn’t allow for enough water to successfully sustain those grapes.

Tony’s determination and outside-the-box thinking led to his pioneering the drip irrigation system in Wine Country. He put those pesky clay soils to work, trapping rainwater and saving it to water the grapes accordingly. And upon providing the proper moisture, that cool air produced some the highest quality of grapes in the area. Truchard now produces 12 varietals of grapes, making it one of the most diverse Vinyards in Napa.

What makes visiting a winery truly special is learning firsthand how that winery came to be. There is history and nuance in every sip of Pinot Noir or Syrah that you savor, and just as you appreciate a meal more if you know the chef, so will you appreciate a sip of wine more when you understand how that wine came to be in your glass. 

So make an appointment to visit Truchard Vineyards. They do tastings by appointment only, so you’re sure to receive extra care and attention as a visitor.  And be sure to purchase a bottle of their Roussanne, a delectable white wine that must have been created solely for the purpose of sipping with brunch on a sunny afternoon in Wine Country. - Lea Gourley