Mt Veeder AVA - Hess Collection Winery

I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the Hess Collection may be one of the most important features of the Mount Veeder AVA. It’s not a huge museum/winery, but it’s special. It’s elegant too, displaying a gorgeous glass elevator to move you from floor to floor. It’s fun. It’s a refreshing timeout from tasting wines and learning about grapes. Hess also has a wonderful tasting room showcasing the magnificent and unique grapes of Mt. Veeder. 

What was it about this particular collection of seemingly random modern art at The Hess Collection Winery & Gallery that had me so mesmerized? 

Donald Hess started collecting art in 1966 and he doesn’t choose his art based on what is trending or its monetary value. Instead, he gets to know each artist on a personal level and attempts to truly understand what drives that artist. And he then goes on to follow them faithfully for years, even decades. Many of his showcased artists were unknown when he met them, and later became quite respected in their disciplines. Donald Hess never buys a piece impulsively- quite the opposite in fact. He sits with his thoughts for weeks, and will only purchase the piece if he simply cannot get it out of his mind.

I believe that’s what makes this collection so unique and riveting, even to those who don’t necessarily consider themselves passionate about art. You can really sense the passion not just of the artist, but of the collector. You can feel the care that went into the selection and placement of each piece. And You feel compelled to try and understand it; “Why did THIS one appeal to him so much…and to me?” – Lea Gourley  

Mt Veeder AVA - Fontanelle Family Winery

We’ve visited quite a few family wineries in our travels so far, but the Fontanella family may very well invite you into theirs if you hang around long enough…you and your dogs! Yep, this is a dog friendly winery and the dog lover in me feels like that’s all you need to know.

I’m a professional though, so here we go. Jeff studied Viticulture and Enology at UC Davis and completed his first harvest at Opus One in 1998. He’s been immersed in Napa winemaking ever since. He met his wife Karen at a Jimmy Buffet concert (how cool is that?!) in 2000. Her law degree has been an integral part of their success because of her experience in business development, land use, and commercial real estate. Together they have the experience, passion, and drive to bring all of their visions to fruition.

They purchased the property in 2005, and a week later welcomed their first son John Henry. In 2007 Andrew was born, and a month later they broke ground on the construction of their new facility. Do you sense a pattern?

After years of studying and coming to understand the microclimates and soils of their property, Jeff and Karen started planting strictly Cabernet grapes and here we are.

Lots of things make this winery unique, but one definitely worth noting is that they don’t distribute their wines. You can purchase them at the winery or you can join their wine club. Be warned though-if you do visit Fontanella you’re going to be very tempted join their wine club! Something about this family, and their fabulous property, makes you want to bring home a bottle of their wine whenever possible!

Another source of revenue for Fontanella is their custom crush. They allow others to use their crushing facilities for their own grapes. I love this. I love the idea of local businesses helping other local businesses to succeed. It offers a sense of camaraderie that you don’t always see in the business world. Wine making is different though, and it’s refreshing.

So next time you’re in the Mt. Veeder area of Napa, call up Fontanella and make an appointment to go visit and experience these exceptional wines. You’ll be treated like family, and the dogs will give you a tour! Say hi to Burt Reynolds for me! – Lea Gourley

Mt Veeder AVA - Napa

Wines from Mount Veeder are rare, yielding a mere 1.3% of Napa Valley’s annual production. The terroir is extremely rugged and difficult to farm. It takes true craftsmanship and determination to coax fruit from this unique soil, but the resulting grapes are something special-just like the ground they come from.

History

Peter Veeder lived on this mountain in the Civil War era. He was a Dutch pastor and enjoyed hiking in the terrain that reminded him of home. In 1864 Captain Stelham Wing provided the first bottle of wine from Mt. Veeder at the Napa County Fair. Today’s Yates Family Vineyard as well as the Mayacamas Vineyard were established in the 1880’s. 

It was in 1900 that Mt Veeder really began to establish itself, thanks in part to the arrival of Theodore Geir, a vibrant and vivacious German man who bought the property. He was a liquor dealer from Oakland, and his land later became the Christian Brothers’ Mont La Salle Winery-now known as the Hess Collection Winery. Stay tuned, we’ll be visiting them next week!

Arlene and Michael Bernstein were among many who flocked to Mt. Veeder in the 1960’s looking for a lifestyle that embraced nature. It was their 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon that first boasted the Mt. Veeder designation on its label.

One could say that California’s Petit Verdot was born here. The first cuttings came from Mt. Veeder, and most of the Petit Verdot you find in Napa originated from these very cuttings.

Climate and Soil

Most of the AVA’s we’ve discussed so far have volcanic soils, but not this one. Mt Veeder is primarily pushed up ancient seabed. It’s the only appellation in Napa to make this claim, and you can taste the distinction in its wines.

 It’s the highest AVA in Napa at close to 2400 feet, and it has the longest growing season and latest harvest-sometimes lasting into November. 

The terrain is so rough and rugged that almost all of the work must be done by hand. The results of this backbreaking labor can average out to a mere 2 tons of grapes per acre (trust me, that ain’t much), hence the rarity and uniqueness of the wines produced here.

The climate is cooler than all other regions of Napa, with the exception of Carneros. In fact it’s the only mountain adjoining the Carneros region, and it shares its cooling breezes from the San Pablo Bay as well as its mild summers. Those cool temperatures contribute to the lively nuances you taste in the wines from this region. 

Grapes

The grapes are small here, as a result of the stubborn soil, but their long and slow growing season ensures they’re full of nuance and complexity. Distinguished, sophisticated, and elegant are the words that spring to mind when discussing Mt. Veeder grapes.

The wines from Mt. Veeder are a work of art and a labor of love-remember, almost all of the farming is done by hand. The resulting red grapes are spicy, floral, and bursting with berries and minerality. The white wines carry tones of stone fruit and just a hint of citrus. 

Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Syrah are the dominant varietals of Mt. Veeder, but there are at least 18 different grapes grown here, including the lesser known (and particular favorite of mine) Carignane. 

If you have respect for painstaking labor, try some wine from the Mt. Veeder AVA. As you sip, keep in mind that you’re drinking wine grown from soil that is unlike any other soil in the Napa Valley. Enjoy it slowly-after taking its sweet time to grow it deserves to be savored.  – Lea Gourley

Stags Leap AVA - Robert Sinskey Vineyards

There are an abundance of tasting experiences to be had in Napa- it’s hard to choose just one. I am so glad Dandy chose this one. By the time we left I felt as though I had actually learned something new. Sustainability and conscientious farming is becoming more and more crucial. It’s not a new concept, but some might say we’ve lagged a bit in embracing it. Not at Robert Sinskey Vineyards.He’s been mindful of biodiversity since day one. And he has a wonderful attitude about looking forward instead of back. We don’t get a “do-over”, but we can take what we have learned and use it to our advantage moving forward.

This experience started in a small garden where were given snap peas right from the stalk. It took me back to eating radishes out of the ground when I was little. We learned about the “whole farm” philosophy followed here, and how important it is to pay attention to the rhythms of nature and to respect them. To work with them.  At this vineyard you will find sheep grazing the vineyards that will later provide meat and wool. And beehives that provide honey and pollination of the vines. You really get a sense of how all the seemingly insignificant aspects of nature can work in harmony to create an entire ecosystem.

After checking out the wine production cellar (Huge. Cold. Awesome.), and learning a bit about the winemaker Jeff Virnig (for over 25 years, unheard of!), we sat down on the beautiful terrace to enjoy our food and wine pairing.

What made this tasting stand out from others was coming to understand the subtle and complex art of creating food and wine out of what nature has to offer us. They don’t force things to grow here. They respect the soil above all else. It’s not about creating wines that yell “look at me”! It’s about appreciating the rhythms of nature, and creating wine, food, and memories as a gift from the land not just today, but for generations to come.  – Lea Gourley

Stags Leap AVA - Stags Leap Wine Cellars

Stags Leap Wine Cellars

When I arrived at Stags Leap Wine Cellars my first thought was “Now THIS is a winery”. And I’ve been to a lot of wineries. This place is like something out of a film. The stunning views of the Stags Leap Palisades and vineyards are exactly what you picture when you imagine yourself winetasting. And Stags Leap Wine Cellars offers so much more than that-wines, views, history and a feeling of genuine hospitality. It almost feels like you’ve spent the afternoon in a really elegant museum- with wine.

The FAY outlook and visitor center was designed by Javier Barba, an architect from Barcelona. There is glass for days, and it’s incredible to see those mountain peaks through floor to ceiling windows as you sip on wine and chat with the tasting room attendant. We were fortunate enough to have Allsion “aka Smiley Riley” helping us - her knowledge of the winery’s history was impressive, and she was genuinely pleased to answer our questions about the wine-and anything else that popped into our heads!

If you’ve read our previous blog, you know that Stags Leap AVA is what put Napa on the map for reputable Bordeaux style wines, and this is the winery that did it. In 1976 a blind tasting took place featuring notable French wines and unknown California wines. This later came to be known as The Judgement of Paris, and it was unprecedented that the California wine from Napa won first place.

This event was so historical, and established the reputation of California wines in such a big way that the winning bottles are featured in the Smithsonian. You can also check out those bottles here, as well as the letter Stags Leap received informing them of their big win. It gives you a thrill to read the letter that pretty much set Napa on a whole new course.

So if you’re coming from far away, and you want to start your wine tasting adventure in a winery that surpasses elegance and history, visit Stags Leap Cellars. And if you’re from around here and have not yet visited, put it on your list. This is really what it’s all about. – Lea Gourley