Miner Family Winery Revisited

We always love to visit Miner Family Winery.  Not only do they have excellent wines, but, in addition to the usual Napa Valley varietals, they have varietals less commonly found at Napa Wineries, wines such as Marsanne, Viognier, Sangiovese, Grenache, and Tempranillo. Of the several hundred wineries we have visited, it has also always been one of the friendliest.  Combine that with a lovely scenic view, a very pleasant setting and reasonably priced premium wines that begin at only $20 a bottle, and you have a winery that is very high on our short list of "must visit" Napa Valley wineries.

Miner Family Winery front entrance

Miner Family Winery was founded in 1998 by Dave and Emily Miner.  After working for years in the software industry, Dave turned his love of wine into a career in 1993 by becoming President of the Oakville Ranch Vineyard, owned by his uncle, Robert Miner, co-founder of the computer technology company Oracle. (The Miner Family Winery's signature wine is called "The Oracle" in honor of Dave's uncle and mentor.)  Five years later, Dave started his own winery. Family owned and operated, Miner Family Winery is located on the east side of the Silverado Trail in the Oakville District, with a scenic view of the valley in the front and a wine cave and mountain in the back.  A large stone entry gate with an ancient Assyrian winged sun god symbol marks the location as do the numerous solar energy panels that allow Miner Family Winery to run exclusively on solar power.

Miner Family Winery
upper deck patio

Most of the wines produced by Miner Family are sourced from grapes from vineyards owned by others, but these are some of the finest vineyards in California and Miner Family controls the farming practices.  These include the famous Stagecoach Vineyard in Napa Valley, where some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in the world now grow in the area where Black Bart use to rob the stagecoach that ran from St. Helena to Monticello.  In addition to four vineyards in Napa Valley, Miner Family sources grapes from three vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands,  a vineyard in Mendocino and another in Madera.  One of the vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands is Garys' Vineyard, named after Gary Pisoni and Gary Franscioni, and famous for its fabulous Pinot Noir grapes.  Dave Miner knows that about 80% of the quality of a wine is determined by the quality of the grapes, and spares no effort in locating the finest grapes available.  Their annual production is around 25,000 to 30,000 cases per year, making them a about a medium sized family winery.

Miner Family Winery
tasting bar with Cory

Our tasting began with the lovely Miner Family 2010 La Diligence Marsanne at $30.  This white wine varietal originated in the Northern Rhone region of France and is rarely found in Napa Valley.  (Interestingly, 80% of the world's Marsanne grapes are now grown in Australia.)  It is often blended with Roussanne or Viognier, but this Miner version is 100% Marsanne and from Napa Valley grapes from the famous Stagecoach Vineyard.  It saw seven months in French oak with 40% of this being new oak.  Only 380 cases were produced.  "La Diligence," by the way, means Stagecoach in French.  This Marsanne is a lovely light straw gold in color with an intense and appealing aroma that is a sheer joy.  I got mostly pear with some melon, honeysuckle and minerality.  You would have to have a bad cold not to appreciate the wonderful aroma of this wine.  I was just as delighted upon tasting this wine because Marsanne by itself can sometimes be rather bland and lacking in acid.  This one had some very pleasant, lively acid to complement the fruit but was still smooth and very well balanced.  I got mostly pear, cantaloupe, honeysuckle and some spice and minerality on the palate.  I could imagine pairing this with seafood or simply drinking it on its own.  It was one of most pleasant and interesting California Marsannes I've tasted!  Marsanne is one of the few white wines that can improve and become even more complex with age so it would be interesting to taste some earlier vintages. 

Miner Family Winery wine cave entrance

Miner Family is justly proud of its Wild Yeast Chardonnay and our host, Cory, made sure I tried some, so next up was the Miner Family 2010 Wild Yeast Chardonnay at $50.  They use grapes from vineyards in Oakville, Carneros and Stagecoach to compliment each other and also to provide different wild yeasts for the fermentation.  This vintage saw 16 months in French oak with 70% new oak.  It also underwent 100% malolactic conversion (sometimes called MLF or malolactic fermentation).  2,050 cases were produced.  I generally prefer Chards that are only lightly oaked and with little or no malolactic conversion because I do not like excessively fat, buttery or oily Chards that exhibit few varietal characteristics; but this was a big powerful Chardonnay with ample fruit, acid and intensity and the new French oak and malolactic conversion complemented it perfectly and brought out the best in it.  Cory referred to this Chard as one for Cab lovers, and it was certainly full bodied and intense; but it was also impeccably balanced. It had a good nose of green apple, pear, melon and citrus.  On the palate I got pear, apple, melon, apricot and citrus with good minerality and good well balanced acid.  It had a touch of butter and the oak was evident, but it was not excessive in any way.  Finish was medium plus in length.  This was a complex, full bodied Chardonnay that I really enjoyed.

Miner Family Winery

I moved on next to the reds, beginning with the Miner Family 2012 Sierra Foothills Grenache at $28.  It is 100% Grenache, was aged for six months in neutral French oak and 330 cases were produced. I had heard really good things about their Grenache on previous visits but had never tried it because it was always sold out.  We were in luck this time.  The grapes are from the Sierra Foothills near Auburn, California.  I love GSMs (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blends) but sometimes find California Grenaches alone to be too simplistic and light bodied for my taste.  This one was an exception.  It had a good nose of raspberry, strawberry and red cherry. I got some chewy tannins and good acid with red currant, cherry and black pepper on the palate. If you want to try a more interesting California Grenache or want an ideal BBQ wine, give this a try.

Miner Family Winery entry sign

My fourth pour was the Miner Family 2011 Garys' Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir at $60.  This saw 15 months in French oak with 70% new oak.  790 cases were produced.  This Pinot began with a great nose of strawberry and red cherry.  On the palate I got an amazingly elegant and well balanced Pinot that was simply divine.  The texture and mouthfeel were incredibly indulgent and sensuous.  I got strawberry, red cherry, subtle spices, and a touch of oak with a long finish.  This was one of the very few American Pinots that was as interesting and refined as a really good French red Burgundy.  It was so well balanced and beautifully textured that it was a pure physical pleasure to hold in the mouth. No wonder the Santa Lucia Highlands is gaining such a great reputation for wonderful Pinot Noirs.  If you really love Pinots, give this one a try.  I think it is heavenly!  I might do a detailed individual wine review of this exceptional Pinot.

Miner Family Winery
view from upper patio deck

My friend had bypassed the Chard and Pinot and had been ahead of me in his tastings, raving about the Syrah so I was looking forward to trying it next.  This was the Miner Family 2009 La Diligence Syrah at $40.  It is 100% Syrah from Stagecoach Vineyard, saw 15 months in French oak, with 40% of it in new oak, and 880 cases were produced.  I love really good Syrahs (called Shiraz in Australia) but find many of them to be too fruit forward or jammy, lacking the spice, character and complexity that a good Syrah should have.  (Some inexpensive Australian Shiraz are prime examples.)  This one, however, was excellent.  It had a lovely aroma of blackberries and spices.  On the palate it was beautifully balanced and complex with velvety tannins, blackberries, black pepper, violets, smoky notes, and a medium plus length finish.  It was very expressive, multi-layered and an outstanding Syrah in every respect.

Miner Family Winery entry gate

My next pour was the Miner Family 2009 Napa Valley Petite Sirah at $40.  This is 100% Petite Sirah sourced from the Sutro family of Palisades Vineyard in Calistoga.  It was aged for twenty months in French oak with 40% of it new oak.  Only 359 cases were produced.  I love good Petite Sirahs and this one is outstanding.  It had a substantial aroma of black cherries and blueberries.  On the palate it was full bodied but exceptionally well balanced with dark fruit, mostly blackberries, and plenty of black pepper and spice, and some toasted oak and forest floor.  Tannins were very well integrated, and the finish was medium to long. An exceptionally good Petite Sirah that my friend loved as much as I did.

Miner Family Winery tasting room

The seventh pour was the Miner Family 2010 Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at $75.  It is 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 2% Merlot and was aged for 21 months in French oak with 60% of it new oak.  1130 cases were produced.  After a good nose of black cherry and toasted oak I got a rich, lush, full bodied Cab with black fruits, mostly black cherry and blackberry, and firm tannins.  Finish was medium plus in length.  Although quite drinkable now, this mountain Cab should cellar nicely and continue to improve.  Highly recommended.

Miner Family Winery stone building

My friend was so enamored with the Miner Family Syrah and Petite Sirah that I did not expect to hear any more exclamations of pleasure from him, but he had skipped some tastes and was ahead of me so while I was agreeing with his very positive assessments of those two varietals he was going on about how wonderful the The Oracle was.  It was with much anticipation then that I moved on to my last taste, the Miner Family 2009 The Oracle at $90 which they refer to simply as a Napa Valley Red Wine.  This vintage is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot.  The grapes came from Stagecoach Vineyard and the wine was aged for 21 months in French oak with 55% being new oak.  1380 cases were produced.  I got black cherry, black currant and spice on the nose.  What struck me immediately on the palate was the gorgeous balance of this wine along with its complexity.  It was full bodied and lush but had great structure and many subtle nuances.  On the palate I got a lot of black currant, black cherry, and black berries with some pepper, forest floor, spices, toasted oak and mocha with a long finish. There was so much going on!  My friend's sample had been poured from the end of a bottle and mine from a new bottle so I tried some of his and it had opened up very nicely.  This is a wine to spend a lot of time with and to try at different temperatures and with various exposures to air.  I'd love to sit down and spend several hours carefully tasting and evaluating it.  I might even pair it with some cheese or something simple, but it is so darn good, I'd mostly drink it by itself.  Frankly, at $90 this exceptional Cabernet blend seems under priced.  Very highly recommended!

Miner Family Winery

Miner Family has a great line up of wines that  have a lot of character and complexity and are incredibly well balanced. They obviously have access to some exceptional grapes and know how to bring out the best in them. My friend loved their wines so much he plans to join their wine club. We highly recommend that you visit Miner Family Winery if you really love premium wines. Because of their license, you will not even need an appointment, unless you have a party of six or more or want a tour of the wine cave or some special tasting.  It is a great place to visit!  Much thanks to Cory for hosting us in such a friendly and professional manner.

Miner Family Winery
upper deck patio

Minery Family Winery

7850 Silverado Trail
Oakville, CA 94562

Phone: 800-366-9463
Date of revisit: February 18, 2014

Miner Family is open to the public without an appointment. For special tastings, tours or parties of six or more, however, you will need an appointment. The tasting on the day of our visit was $25 and one received a pour of the Marsanne and then one's choice of five of ten other wines which included the The Oracle.  The tasting menu indicated that one tasting fee was waived with a $75 purchase.  Miner Family is also in the Napa Neighbor Program. By the way, Miner serves their wines in Riedel glasses with a special glass for each varietal. These glasses do not have stems so the can be washed easily. 

Please see: Tours and Tasting Options

"MINER TASTING ROOM Oakville Napa Valley

Located in the heart of Napa Valley along the scenic Silverado Trail in Oakville, our Tasting Room is open to the public daily 11am to 5pm. Visit us and enjoy a tasting of current release wines and sweeping vineyard views.

No appointment necessary for tasting only (flights starting at $25).

Groups of 6 or more require an appointment.

Private tasting experiences, barrel tastings and cave tours are available by appointment. Please call 800-366-WINE"

Miner Family Winery olive trees

 

Miner Family Winery view

 

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Elizabeth Spencer Wines Revisited

Elizabeth Spencer Wines is in Rutherford just off Highway 29, across the street from Rutherford Grill and Beaulieu Vineyards and is in the charming 1872  historical brick building that was formerly the Rutherford Post Office.  We have been there many times and have always found their service to be very friendly and their wines to be quite good and reasonably priced considering the quality.  Often when we have lunch at our favorite Italian restaurant Alex (just down the street), we will stop in and purchase a bottle or two of Elizabeth Spencer wine.

Elizabeth Spencer Wines

There is a very romantic story behind Elizabeth Spencer Wines which is named after Spencer Graham and Elizabeth Pressler who were both deeply involved with wine when they met in 1993 at a winery where Elizabeth was a marketing consultant.  With Elizabeth's assistance Spencer became the first mid-Atlantic distributor for some cult wineries such as Araujo and Harlan Estate. A year later they went out to dinner at the French Laundry and had such a wonderful time together that they ended up in Elizabeth's backyard, sitting on lawn chairs and talking while watching shooting stars.  In 1997, after a three year long distant romance, Spencer sold his business in Virginia, moved to St. Helena and they were married.  In 1998 they established Elizabeth Spencer Wines.

Elizabeth Spencer patio

Both Elizabeth and Spencer share winemaking duties with their primary winemaker.  They do not own their own vineyards but source their fruit from small, high quality vineyards in Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley with whom they have long term agreements.  The wine is not produced on the premises but at a nearby facility.  Their small tasting room can accommodate up to fourteen people, but they have outdoor tables and sofas, a covered patio and even, during the rainy season, a tent patio that can seat larger groups.  There is also a cottage for meetings and special tastings.  To emphasize the importance of food and wine pairings, they also have an organic vegetable garden in the back.  Total production is about five to six thousand cases per year.

Elizabeth Spencer tasting bar

Our tasting began with the Elizabeth Spencer 2011 EXS Russian River Chardonnay at $60.  It is 100% Chardonnay all from Wente clones. Native yeasts were used and it saw 16 months with 40% of it in new French oak with the rest in neutral French oak. A mere 300 cases were produced.  It had a very nice nose of pear and melon.  On the palate I got mostly lemon and grapefruit with vanilla, some minerality, nicely dry, medium bodied, with good acid.  It had a long finish of pear and melon.  Very nicely done.

Elizabeth Spencer entry sign

The second pour was the Elizabeth Spencer 2012 Mendocino Grenache at $30. It saw eight months in neutral oak and 1000 cases were produced.  It was a lovely sparkling garnet in color. I got mostly red currant and cherry on the nose.  It was very easy on the palate with red currant, cherry, red plum and cinnamon with a medium length finish.  If you are fond of California Grenaches, you should certainly give this one a try.

Elizabeth Spencer cottage tasting table

Our third pour was the Elizabeth Spencer 2006 Napa Valley Merlot at $55.  This is 100% Merlot and 250 cases were produced.  After aromas of red cherry and red plum I got good  structure with firm tannins and lively acid, mostly red cherry with some spices, toasted oak and a medium length finish. It is definitely not one of those simple, one dimensional Merlots but an interesting one. My friend really liked this and purchased several bottles.

Elizabeth Spencer bottle sizes

This was followed by the Elizabeth Spencer 2010 EXS Sonoma Coast, Block Nine Syrah at $60. Deep purple in color with a spicy nose, it was full bodied and had good tannins and spice on the palate with mostly blackberry and an earthy finish.  A very nice Syrah.  This Syrah was my friend's favorite of the wines we tasted and, as usual, he had to purchase several bottles.

Elizabeth Spencer grounds

Our fifth pour was the Elizabeth Spencer 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at $55.  This is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc. 1375 cases were produced.  Deep garnet in color with a light nose of red berries.  It was a classic Napa Valley Cab but with more red than black fruits on the palate.  It had soft tannins, was still young but quite drinkable and had a medium length finish.  It was more fruit focused than terroir oriented but not overly ripe.  This was my second favorite of the wines we sampled this time.

Elizabeth Spencer vegetable garden

Our final pour was the Elizabeth Spencer 2011 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon at $95.  Only 75 cases of this lovely wine were produced.  It was my favorite wine of the tasting and a classic Oakville Cab.  It was deep purple in color with aromas of dark plum, black cherry and chocolate.  On the palate I got blackberry, black cherry, black currant, mocha, and toasted oak, with lush tannins in a deep, full bodied and quite accessible presentation.  It speaks both of great fruit and great terroir.  I'd love to sit down and carefully evaluate a bottle of this.  Very highly recommended!

Elizabeth Spencer window view

Although we did not get to taste any Pinot Noirs this time, Elizabeth Spencer does offer this varietal for tasting when not sold out.  Last time we visited we also tasted a very nice Sauvignon Blanc.  I really want to try their Pinot Blanc, Petite Sirah, Mount Veeder Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and their Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon if any these are ever available for tasting when we visit. My favorites most of the time are the Cabs (especially "The Guardian", the Rutherford and the Oakville), but my friend is quite fond of their Syrahs and often purchases some.  Much thanks this time to our host, Carisma, who was very helpful and courteous.

Elizabeth Spencer directions
to other wineries and Philadelphia

Elizabeth Spencer Wines is very small and family owned.  Although they are just off of Highway 29, I often think of them as one of Napa Valleys hidden gems.  They offer a wide selection of premium varietals from Napa and Sonoma Valleys.  We always enjoy visiting them and highly recommend you stop in for a tasting. You can combine this with a really nice lunch before or afterward at the well known Rutherford Grill or at Alex, my favorite Italian restaurant, both of which are just across the street.

Elizabeth Spencer 1872 historical building 

Elizabeth Spencer Wines are open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM but are closed on December 25th. Tasting appointments may be made (and should be made for large groups), but drop in visitors are welcome and are permitted by their license.  There are a number of tasting options, starting at $20, and they are in the Napa Neighbor Program.  Please see their web page for current options and prices. Tasting Experiences

Elizabeth Spencer cottage

Elizabeth Spencer Wines

1165 Rutherford Road

Rutherford, CA 94573

Phone: (707) 963-6067
Visited: February 11, 2014

Napa Technology Wine Station
at Elizabeth Spencer Wines

Elizabeth Spencer Goliath
27 liters

Elizabeth Spencer old mirror
from Virginia Post Office

Elizabeth Spencer covered patio tent
for rainy season

Signorello Estate Winery Revisited

Signorello Estate Winery is one of our favorite wineries, a real jewel. Like a really nice wine, all of its components come together beautifully.  They are located just off Silverado Trail in the Oak Knoll AVA right next to the Stag's Leap District so finding them is easy.  The winery is set back from the Silverado Trail far enough to provide privacy and is elevated up on a hill to offer a very lovely view of Napa Valley to the west with the mountains in the back.  There is a large parking area. Service has always been great. Wines are exceptional. Signorello seems more like a small, hidden, romantic, retreat than a typical winery. The grounds are very pretty with an ivy covered building, an Italian Terrazzo style patio and an infinity pool, providing a private, romantic setting that seems ideal for an intimate culinary experience.  And, indeed, you can enjoy delicious food and wine here because Signorello is more than a small, lovely, family owned winery with friendly service and excellent wines; it also has a full time chef and provides a gourmet dining experience that was awarded 3.5 stars by the San Francisco Chronicle. Check out this article about their wine and food offering: "One of Napa's Best Dining Experiences Isn't At a Restaurant -- It's at a Winery" Article

Signorello winery building

Inside the attractive, airy, Tuscan styled winery building is a gourmet kitchen and there are lovely dining areas both upstairs and out on the patio. While we were there a couple sat outside for lunch and wine in what seemed like an intimate, romantic setting to rival any in Napa Valley.  I could easily imagine this as a place for a marriage proposal or romantic rendezvous. Neither my friend nor I have tasted the food here, but it gets rave reviews from others and for the next several days after visiting, we exchanged phone calls, imagining how nice a wine and food pairing would be at Signorello.  I have a few favorite places such as sitting on the outdoor patio at Auberge du Soleil in the summer with my wife, enjoying French food paired with good wine, while watching the sunset and savoring the scenery.  Signorello seems to be one of those special places where wonderful food and wine come together in a romantic setting.  My friend plans to visit there soon for just such an experience.

Signorello pool and patio

The 100 acres at Signorello Estate were purchased by Ray Signorello, Sr. in the mid 1970s.  He resided in San Francisco and originally planned to have a summer home but decided to plant vineyards and source the grapes to local wineries.  In 1985, however, they had a surplus of grapes and decided to produce some of their own wine.  The summer home never did get built, but a winery building was completed in 1986.  In 1998 Ray Signorello, Sr. passed away and his son, Ray Signorello, Jr. took over, something that was natural for him to do because he had been involved with the winery since the mid 1980s and is even co-winemaker. In 1990 they added new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon (25.5 acres), Cabernet Franc (3 acres), Merlot (1.7 acres) and Syrah (2 acres). These are mostly on the hillside. The remaining acres are planted with white wines including 5 acres of Chardonnay, 1 acre of Sauvignon Blanc, 1.5 acres of Semillon and 0.5 acres of Viognier.  The Chardonnay vines were planted in 1973 on the valley floor and are some of the oldest Chardonnay vines in Napa Valley. Signorello Estate now has 42 acres of planted vineyard and is certified by the Napa Green Certified Land Program. Total production is only about 7,000 cases per year.  Signorello is a very small production, high quality, boutique, family winery, quite different than the large, corporate owned, high production wineries.

Signorello ivy covered buliding

Our tasting began with the Signorello Estate 2012 Seta at $45.  This is a blend of 64% Semillon and 36% Sauvignon Blanc that was aged in 28% new French oak and remained on the lees for eight months.  It did not undergo any malolactic conversion. 700 cases were produced.  It is a very easy to drink white wine that we have always enjoyed.  This 2012 had a fantastic aroma of very pronounced nectarine, along with melon, peach and floral notes.  On the palate it was full bodied, very well balanced and smooth, with good crispness and intense fruit, mostly melon and pineapple with some toasty oak, vanilla and minerality.  The finish was long and delightful.  Most Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blends are predominately Sauvignon Blanc with a small percentage of Semillon to soften and round it out.  This one is mainly Semillon but the combination works well and we always enjoy it, finding it interesting and different.  I like it on its own, but it pairs really well with many dishes. "Seta" is Italian, by the way, for silk.

Signorello tasting bar

Signorello tasting table

Next up was the Signorello Estate 2011 Hope's Cuvee Chardonnay at $70.  30% of this saw 16 months on new French oak, and it underwent 100% malolactic conversion. Native yeasts and whole cluster pressing were used, with 634 cases being produced.  It had great aroma for a Chard, mostly melon and lemon.  On the palate it was very smooth, round, buttery, and silky, with mostly citrus, peach and pear along with some vanilla and toasted oak.  The finish was medium length and soft with some additional pineapple and tropical notes.  It is nicely done for this style of Chardonnay and should appeal to many people who like a Chardonnay that is generously oaked and creamy.

Signorello pool and patio area

With our third pour we moved on to the red wines with the Signorello Estate 2009 Merlot at $70.  It is 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  A mere 90 cases were produced.  This is another one of those very good Napa Valley Merlots that scoffs at the misinformed presumption that Merlots are not interesting.  This one began with a very good nose of black cherry, vanilla and toasted oak and was medium plus bodied.  It had good fruit, mostly red cherry and raspberry with decent structure, good acid and tannins and a medium length finish.  It benefits from some air.  Quite decent and easy to recommend.

Signorello window view

Signorello is famous for its Cabs, though, and these were next.  The Signorello Estate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon at $90 came first.  It is 93% Cabernet and 7% Cabernet Franc and saw 16 months in 45% new French oak, with 1,025.5 cases being produced.  (They list 2,051 half-cases.) It was given 93 points by Robert Parker. I enjoyed the lovely ruby to purple color. It had an earthy nose with cherry, some mushroom and forest floor with hints of cedar.  On the palate it was black cherry, black currants, vanilla, toasted oak, cedar and baking spices with good structure.  It is a fairly big Cab and will continue to improve with age.  If I had tasted this blind I would have guessed it was from the Stag's Leap District, even though I love Oak Knoll Cabs just as well.  Highly recommended.

Signorello patio

Signorello patio table

Our final tasting, and my favorite of the line up, was the Signorello Estate 2010 Padrone at $155 which is dedicated to the founder, Ray Signorello Sr. The 2010 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.  Aged for 20 months in 75% new French oak, it sells for $155 and only 658 cases were produced.  Grapes come from two blocks on the rocky hillside where the annual yield is only 1.3 tons per acre. This is a big, full bodied Cab and I'm not surprised that Robert Parker gave it 95 points.  After a good, interesting nose of blackberries and black currants, it came on with a powerful presentation of blackberry, black currant, Sumatran like coffee, dark Belgium chocolate, vanilla, toasted oak, good tannins and lots of structure with a long finish that seems to last forever.  Although this is a wine that will easily last another twenty years or more, it was, for me, very pleasant to drink right now.  Usually wines of this power and complexity are not very drinkable now and really must be cellared for years until they are approachable.  It does need some air of course.  Very highly recommended.

Signorello sign

Signorello Estate is a charming winery you will certainly want to visit if you like romantic settings, great wines and excellent service, but do consider one of their gourmet food and wine pairings or one of their special events. Personal cooking classes are also offered.

Signorello Estate Winery

4500 Silverado Trail
Napa, CA 94558
Phone: 707-255-5990 or 800-982-4229
Date of visit: February 4, 2014

We have always had excellent service at Signorello Estate--friendly, unpretentious and helpful. Our thanks this time to our host, Joseph. Because of their license they are open to the public only by appointment, but they can sometimes accommodate last minute appointments so be sure to call them if you are in the area. The tasting fee at the time of our visit was $35 and includes a taste of their $155 Padrone.  They are in the Napa Neighbor Program. Information about visiting hours and reservations:  Visiting

Signorello grounds

Signorello kitchen

Signorello Bacchus

Signorello fountain

Signorello driveway

Signorello grounds

Signorello sitting bench

Signorello tasting room

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