See the USA, Start at Chappellet

Kathy and I had one of the best tasting experiences we have ever had up Napa way.

It was basically an “appointment only” thang that Kath set up, on a St. Helena road east of the easternmost main drag of Silverado Trail.

One of our Internet card/coupon deals hooked us up, a month-and-change ago, to RustRidge, a twisty-treat drive on a road that has never seen any days, nevermind better days.

We’ve posted a while back about the winery signs that we saw as we drove down the back nine. Some of those were the ones that K wanted to reach out to. Chappellet, Neyers, Gandona (an upstart poised to be the next cult juice) and Midsummer Cellars (headed by Rollie Heitz: yep, them Heitzes), all kickin’ it on the Pritchard Hill site east of The Trail.

We started by setting the alarm for 6 a.m. (not that we needed it with our kitties) to leave Oakley by 8 for our 10 a.m. appt at Chappellet. MapQuest estimated a 90-minute drive; we didn’t believe that it would be that quick. It was: We brought our Sunday editions of the Contra Costa Times and the San Francisco Chronicle (Kath loves all the coupons), thinking that our four tasting appts would never mesh.

We needn’t have worried: Appointment tasting is soooooooooooo different from bellying up to das tasting bar at a winery.

Kathy got through half of the Sunday ads in the Times, but only because we arrived 30 minutes early for our Chappellet rendezvous, up those crazy winding almost-real roads. Oh sure, man, it’s called Sage Canyon Road. But, as referenced above, we have to wonder how “Road” got applied to the county nomenclature.

Chappellet: an-oh-so-civilized tasting of estate Chard and Cab, plus a bonus Malbec, led by Don. The British say “Brilliant.” That must be a UK translation for “being seated at a communal vintage rosewood table in the barrel room. See: wonderful.” Chardonnay #1 is 50% malolactic in French oak; Chard #2 is 100%: Kathy and I were split on which one was brighter. We ended up buying both. Not sure what the Manhattan couple beside us was escaping with; they had a reservation at The French Laundry, for which they’d been waiting months. I picked up a little bit of their French convo, though Kathy noticed that they’d have to book to make their 11:30 reserv. We’ll always have an earlier love for this winery (the name is familiar on grocery shelves, even if the reserve juice is not), and no more for our discovery of their old-vine Chenin Blanc. Chenin, in the New World, has been usually chucked into a jug; Chappellet did it right. Alas, old vines are gone (See Kath’s photo of the remainder/reminder).

On to Neyers, up the road. I’d talked to winemaker Tadeo over a year ago, when Kath and I were trying to get a bead on Oakley-sourced grapes. Neyers has been trying to get out of the Zinfandel game, canceling a Pato contract. But, to belabor a “Godfather” reference, just when they think they’re out, they get pulled back in: this time with a Zin from our neighbor Tom Del Barba. He’s the dude who let me see his grapes’ Brix in the scope, and was so gracious on subsequent meetings. Neyers’ Tiffany led us on a wonderful tasting of whites and reds, ranging from the Sierra Foothills to the Santa Lucia Highlands, with perfect stops in our ‘hood at Tommy’s Zin off Laurel Avenue, as well as some Evangelho stuff up the road.

Our Sage Canyon Road trek continued with a stop at newbie Gandona.

Just an aside here, to mention the hillside. One always hears about the Napa cult wines, but one (well, me) always wonders where the Colgin, the Bryant Family, the Harlan stuff is. When in doubt, think “up a Napa hill.” You probably won’t go wrong. Gandona is probably the closest we’re ever going to come to a cult wine mailing list: They’re new, but with Philippe Melka blending the two bottling$, they ain’t cheap, a$ befit$ $ome of their pricey neighbor$ on Pritchard Hill. Co-owner Manuel Pires (see photo) was the sweetest host, leading us on an al fresco tasting of the Cab-based selection duo, plus barrel sample en chai of the not-yet-released Porto-style Touriga Nacional.

Kathy and I finished up our Sage Canyon Road tour with a stop at Midsummer Cellars, just off Silverado Trail. Rollie Heitz met us at the gate, and hooked us up with a nice outside place setting, beginning with a refreshing Rose of Grenache, followed with a delicious pair of Napa vineyard-sourced Cabernets.


Off the beaten track of Highway 29 and Silverado Trail? Yep. GPS and cell phone reception? Nope. But for cultists and consumers alike, an appointment or two up the hill can truly show the passion and the pleasure.