Somerston Wine Company has a tasting room in downtown Yountville, and we think you would enjoy visiting it. Our server was very friendly and down to earth. Somerston has three different labels, all produced by them: Somerston Estate, Priest Ranch and Highflyer. They offer two different tastings, one at $25 for three Somerston Estate Collection wines and another for $20 that includes five wines from Highflyer and Priest Ranch.
We started with the Somerston 2010 Grenache Blanc which is a varietal of its own, not to be confused with the red Grenache grape. This was the first time we ever tasted this varietal. It was a nice, pleasant, summer sipping wine, rather soft and fruity but balanced at $19. The Somerston 2008 Pinot Noir was quite decent at $38 and comes from the Santa Lucia Highlands. The Somerston 2007 Centerline Red Blend is one of those very well balanced, highly drinkeable wines you can take to any party and most people will like it. (We certainly did.) A blend of Syrah, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Tempranillo and Grenache, it sells for $28 a bottle. The Somerston 2008 Petite Sirah at $40 was okay but was lighter and more fruit forward than many Petite Sirahs, with less tannin and structure than I prefer. Nicely balanced, with soft tannins, the Priest Ranch 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was a keeper at $40. Best of all (but it will get even better with age) was the Somerston 2007 Somerston Estate Cabernet Sauvignon which sells for $120. We bought some of the 2007 Centerline Red Blend and the 2009 Priest Ranch Cab. Somerston also offers cheese plates for $15 and chocolate plates for $12. They are open until 9 PM most nights, 8 PM on Sunday and Monday so you may visit them after having dinner at one of Yountville's great restaurants.
Date of visit: November 16, 2011
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