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St. Helena Wine Tours and Platypus Tours provided transportation for the day and made sure we were all safe and comfortable during our travels!

The wineries that were generous enough to host us were:

[blue_med]Saddleback Vineyards[/blue_med]
www.saddlebackcellars.com
Our first stop of the day was Saddleback Cellars in Oakville. Owner Nils Venge earned his fame as the first American winemaker to bring home a 100 point score from Robert Parker with the 1985 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon. So, it makes sense that Colby would tap Nils’ expertise in helping her make the first-ever CANVAS wine – a zinfandel that will be released some time in 2012. Nils was unable to join us during our visit, but Lars Bjorkman, Assistant Winemaker, gave us a barrel sample of the CANVAS Zinfandel. It had been in the barrel 9 months when we tasted it, and we were told it would need another year in the barrel before bottling. This is an exciting time for Colby and CANVAS!

We also had the chance to taste some of Saddleback’s wonderful wines (including their Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2009 Zinfandel that was still 2 weeks away from bottling!) in their down-home tasting room. The rustic, laid-back feeling of the tasting room and outdoor picnic area made us feel so welcome, we wanted to kick off our boots and stay awhile! Tastings are $20 for 3 whites and 3 reds. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy their tastings or a picnic lunch at the picnic tables outside. Call to reserve a table for your guests! They will thank you for it!
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[blue_med]Joseph Phelps[/blue_med]
www.jpvwines.com
Oh, the views at Joseph Phelps! They are positively stunning. We were greeted by Nicole Boutilier, Steven Pavy, Hospitality Director, and Luba Rusyn, Guest Services Manager, with our first taste of their refreshing sauvignon blanc as we soaked in the warm sunshine and spectacular views from their terrace tasting area. This outdoor tasting area overlooks Spring Valley Ranch, where many acres were donated to a land trust to preserve the trees and natural setting. The terrace is a lovely place to taste Joseph Phelps exceptional wine (if weather does not cooperate, tastings are moved indoors to the Oval room, which is also beautiful). Terrace Tastings are by appointment only and cost $25. Appointments are booked one the half-hour, and tastings last approximately 45 min.

We then were invited indoors for a sample of their seminar tasting. Luba walked us through the rest of the tasting of Freestone (Joseph Phelps sister winery) and Joseph Phelps wines and provided a very educational discussion on wine. We all learned a great deal! We also had a chance to sample the Aroma Challenge Seminar – fascinating! Joseph Phelps does not offer tours, but they offer 5 seminars, including the Aroma Challenge and Insignia Blending seminars. Each seminar is 90 minutes long, and seminars are held twice daily. The seminar schedule can be found online or by contacting Luba.
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[blue_med]Chappellet[/blue_med]
www.chappellet.com
The Chappellet Family has been making wine on Prichart Hill for over 40 years. Donn and Molly Chappellet and their 6 children are the heart and soul of this beautiful winery. The entire family is involved in the day-to-day operation of the winery. The family’s warmth and hospitality are part of what make this such a magical place. We were welcomed by Candice Pannetier, Director of Hospitality and “adopted” 7th child of the Chappellet family, who was the most gracious and hospitable host. We started our tasting in the barrel room tasting area while Jon-Mark Chappellet told us about the history of the property. Then we moved on to our own special CANVAS tour that ended with a spectacular lunch served in a meadow clearing with a view of Lake Hennessy (Note: this was a special lunch prepared by Knickerbocker Catering for our group. Lunch is not normally offered for visitors).

Perched 1200 ft above sea level, only 100 of the 640 acres owned by the Chappellet family is used. The remaining 540 acres remains untouched and left to nature. The vineyards are certified organic. Sustainable and green practices, including solar panels, are in place in the vineyard and in the winery.

Chappellet focuses on Bordeaux varietals. We heard the phrase “It’s all about the wine here” several times during our visit. As soon as you taste their outstanding wines, you know this is true. During our tour, we tasted their Chardonnay, Cabernet, and barrel-sampled their 2009 Prichart Hill Cabernet. All were fabulous!

Chappellet offers 4 tasting appointments each day: 10 am. 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. Appointments are required and tastings are $25. Appointments are also required for the visitor tour and tasting (max 10 people), which is held daily at 11:00 am for $35. The tour includes the winemaking facility, where guests are almost guaranteed to witness winemaking activities, and the stunning grounds. Visitors are often invited to touch and taste the grapes during a tour. Private tours for larger parties may also be accommodated.
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[blue_med]Clif Family Winery and Farm[/blue_med]
www.cliffamilywinery.com
From the wonderful people behind the Clif and Luna bars, a unique, sporty tasting room experience has opened in St. Helena. Clif Family Winery was founded in 2004, but the tasting room, aptly named VeloVino (Velo is French for Bicycle; Vino is French for Wine) just opened in March 2011. If your clients are cycling fans, this is the place to send them! Their “motto”: Spin, Sip, Savor. The passion for cycling is not a requirement – all are welcome, and many will enjoy this unique and relaxed tasting room where you can sample Clif Family wine, sip an espresso drink, and sample the latest Clif bar flavors. VeloVino has a beautiful patio with a gas fire pit. Tastings can be arranged indoors or out on the patio. They are dog friendly out on the patio as well. Bottles of wine may be purchased and enjoyed outside on the patio as well. Glasses of wine are not available for purchase at this time.

VeloVino is open for tastings 7 days/week until 6 pm. Tastings are $10 (waived with purchase of a bottle) include small pairings with snacks. Private tastings are $25. Vineyard tours are by appointment only and are $25. Vineyard is on Howell Mountain. VeloVino also offers a tour of the Clif Family Farm for $25.

In the plans for near future at VeloVino: They plan to do monthly events out on the patio throughout the summer—Just got a license to rent bicycles here. Will have 6 cruiser-type bikes as well as Orbea bikes. May keep tasting room open later if demand is there.