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[blue_med]Our first stop was at Staglin Vineyards where Mitzi Inglis, the Director of Hospitality and Direct to Consumer Sales Manager greeted us.[/blue_med]
Mitzi was awesome and I would send any of my guests to go see her! She was very personable and showed genuine warmth towards everyone. She is a local and knows a great deal about the Napa Valley area and local wines. Staglin Vineyards offers tours Monday through Friday by appointment and the cost is $50.00 per guest. They only conduct 1-2 tours each daily, but Mitzi will always do her best to get your guests in last minute. The tours are well worth it with beautiful vineyard views and amazing wine caves. In addition to the great scenery, the Staglin’s had a wonderful family story and are advocates in raising money for mental health causes. Of their two labels, Staglin and Salus, proceeds from the Salus label benefit mental health research. All of the Chardonnays and Cabernets we tasted were delicious and very reasonable priced, with the 2007 Staglin Estate Cabernet just receiving 98 points in Wine Spectator.
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[blue_med]Our next stop was at Honig Wines, where I experienced a great overall experience with a very knowledgeable staff.[/blue_med]
Our hosts, Mike Shieffer “Not Exactly a Light Weight” and Mark Brown “The Secret Weapon”, were the tasting room associates when we visited and created a truly fun vibe and a very relaxed setting, which is great for a casual wine stop, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a “serious” wine drinker. Wines are great and priced very well and the Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc is phenomenal!!! Honig offers one on one tasting and tours, by appointment, in which one of their expert employees sit down with the guest personally and talks intimately about the wines and the Honig’s history.
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[blue_med]Bourassa Vineyards was the next stop and wow, what an awesome experience!!![/blue_med]
Our hosts, Vic Bourassa, Proprietor and Joe Ferrando, Hospitality Manager, are two of the most fun and upbeat people I know and their hospitality standards were through the roof!!! Vic had some great stories and a “line” for everything which kept the atmosphere light and interesting. This is a “must” for guests, but I would be sure to plan this as the first or last stop on a guest’s itinerary due to Bourassa’s location in Southern Napa as it would be a perfect first stop for those driving up from the south or a last goodbye for those leaving Napa Valley. A Standard Tasting costs $15.00 and includes a sample of current releases, complimentary crackers and bottled water and an overall educational experience that explains the wine making process, the significance of oak, and the cork. VIP Tastings are $25.00 and include wine tasting in their Private Reserve Room, Barrel Tastings and the educational experience.
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[blue_med]Lastly, we stopped in a Fortunati Vineyards & Surh Luchtel Vineyards where husband and wife team, Ellen and Gary Luchtel warmly greet you along with their three wonderful dogs.[/blue_med]
This is a small, private estate right off of Trancas Street in Napa and tasting are conducted at Ellen and Gary’s dining room table with a generous serving of cheese and crackers in front of you. This is definitely the perfect experience for guests who are “serious” about wine and although there are no tasting fees, visits are not recommended unless the guests are really looking to buy fine wines. You can simply call Ellen at 707-255-9300 to set up an appointment. We also met Gary Luchtel who is the winemaker for both Fortunati Vineyards, Ellen’s label and Surh Luchtel, which is his own label. All of the wines were delicious, but not overpriced and I only wish that all of Napa Valley tastings were this personalized and friendly.
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Kindly Submitted by Melissa Lynn, Concierge at Hotel Yountville