McKenzie-Mueller Winery

We decided to book at a local family owned vineyard because we wanted a more personal and intimate experience and support small business. Wow! SOOOOOO HAPPY we did!!! McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards is a HIDDEN GEM tucked away in the enchanting rolling hills of Carneros. Max curated our tasting and gave us some incredible history and an even more in depth look at the vineyard. Max was exceptional and all their wines are delicious! The wines, the history, and making us feel like family is something we will never forget. We ended up buying a few bottles too! Highly recommend this vineyard in you're in Napa! Thank you for making our trip to Wine Country all worth it Max! Congrats on your little one! Sending love from Chicago!

What a great family winery! The family's father Bob is the winemaker and grower (he started in the biz at Mondavi) and one of his 5 children has joined the business. They started this winery in 1986 and had their first vintage in 1990. I love their unique library list, from which you can purchase some excellent wines they created to be aged for longer period of time. The tasting room is filled with beautiful artwork created by the winery's mother and daughter. All of their wines are made from grapes grown at this location (36 ac) and 8 ac in Oak Knoll. They are all dry and unfiltered to keep their maximum flavor. Most of their wine is sold through the winery, because they only make 2,000 cases/year. We especially loved their dark and inky Malbec, which they also use for blending. And although we don't usually favor Chardonnay, we enjoyed their citrusy and crisp version. Needless to say, we left with a case of a variety of whites and reds! Reservation required, so call ahead.

Loved our visit. Excellent wines, picturesque setting, and a cozy tasting room. Look forward to returning.

Incredible off the beaten path small boutique Napa Winery. Call in advance, visits are available by appointment only. The owner is a long time Napa Valley Farmer and Winery owner.

Amazing wines, very friendly and informative staff, and lovely sceneries from

McKenzie-Mueller is a delightful small batch vineyard. We thoroughly enjoyed everything on the tasting flight, but we were particularly impressed by the Cab Franc ‘18 and Cab Sauv ‘14. Steve is an excellent host and tasting guide - he is incredibly knowledgable and passionate about his job. Highly recommend a visit to this little gem. Oh and they are dog friendly!

We loved this winery! We had a private tasting and every wine was amazing! The scenery is beautiful and the atmosphere is quaint and perfect! We purchased several bottles to ship home. A must visit, especially for red wine lovers! 10/10

Enjoyed the beautiful and low key vibe. Great wines. Nice service.

We had an incredible experience at this winery yesterday. First, it was a private tasting and everything was set-up just for us. Then, Steve was so knowledgeable about the wines and just a great host. He took us on a tour of the whole winery, and told us about the wine making process. All the wines were delicious and we all left with bottles. Amazing experience. By far, our favorite wine tasting in Napa!

Wow... We love this place so much and will probably join the wine club soon. Steve was just awesome and so hospitable and friendly. Such a cute little tasting room... I hesitate writing this only because I don't want it to get crowded and fancy like most Napa wineries! This is so off the beaten path, and such a gem! We brought our friends from out of town, and absolutely loved every wine we tasted and left with two bottles each. Had fun also talking to Max as we knew a lot of the same people in Napa. But Steve was the winner in our book! Just love that guy!

This is a very quaint mom and pop run winery with lots of old antiques and artwork that lines their tasting rooms. The gentleman who was going through the wine making process with us was an actual farmer and not a salesman or someone from a marketing campaign so he came off a little dry, but, he had a wealth of knowledge regarding the industry and answered any question that was thrown at him.

Friends invited us to a Merlot vertical tasting and I was amazed by the quality! Love that they have seating scattered throughout and allowed us to bring our own food. Their wine club manager played live jazz music during the afternoon which was a nice added touch. Currently only have porta potties, but it looks like they are working on permanent bathrooms.

One of my favorite wine tasting experiences! I'll have to admit this review is coming a little late (my boyfriend and I came here in September), but I wanted to share how nice it was here. I emailed a wine tasting inquiry and received a response within a couple of hours! Booking was straightforward, and I love how they waive the tasting fee if you buy a bottle of wine. This winery is small but with serene views and rows of vineyards for you to take photos with. Our tasting guide Steve was so receptive to questions and really did a great job explaining everything and keeping the conversation going throughout the entire experience. The wine was good and we left with two bottles of reds. My favorite part was that he was nice enough to let us try some grapes right off the vines- I never thought I'd get to do that! They had thick skin with a sugary flesh inside, unlike any grape I've had. Thanks Steve for a great memory!

Best value wine in all of California. Hope they never sell out or get discovered by the masses. It's our little gem. Kid friendly too which says something.

My now wife and I visited this winery the day after we got engaged as part of a Platypus wine tour in 2018. It was our last stop of the day, and from first sip we were hooked. They produce some of the best wines my wife and I have ever tasted. They are estate bottled and unfiltered and even the newest releases have more age on them than do most other wineries' wines. We joined the wine club and have loved receiving the quarterly shipments, which always include one library wine (all of which have been amazing). In a world where wine has become very corporate, mass-produced, and impersonal, this winery is the exact opposite of that. You can really tell that they care about winemaking and this is reflected in the nose/taste of their wines. If you are thinking about joining their wine club, do it. I constantly recommend Mckenzie-Mueller to all of my friends/family and encourage them to visit/purchase. We would love to go back when we can visit the Napa area again, but for now we will enjoy/cellar if we can resist drinking. Truly a 5/5 star place.

With only one day to spend along with two other couples, we all chose a different place to go to on our recent trip to the Sonoma and Napa areas. Our friends had found McKenzie Mueller here on yelp and made a reservation as they are by appointment only. At first, we thought we might be at someone's home even though a sign out front did say McKenzie Miller. After we drove back onto the property and looked around a bit we did find the tasting room. Perhaps just a little bit more signage might make it a little easier for folks in the future. :) Once we parked and started walking, Stephen our host for the day, greeted us and guided us to the tasting room/barrel room. It is definitely a no-frills type tasting room, but you are right there amongst the barrels and equipment and The property as you taste the wine and have his undivided attention to ask all of the questions you could possibly want to ask. This is something we enjoy doing as we truly love wine and come from another wine region ourselves, Lodi California wine country. We were not looking for the "belly up to the bar, pour me my wine and walk away and let me talk to my friends" type tasting experience. Been there, done that. We really wanted to hear about the wine, the winemaker, the company, the area and even our host. We were not disappointed. Steven is extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Poured us lots of their fabulous wines which were exactly the style that our group are interested in. We began with a couple white wines, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. Then, getting into the red wines, which most of the group were the most interested in tasting. They had some really great varietals. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, petite Sirah Malbec, to name a few. Please, make an appointment and visit soon. We enjoyed our visit at McKenzie Mueller with Steven so very much!

Great tasting experience with our friends. Love their Pinot Noir, Malbec, and Cab Franc!

This is one of the absolute best tasting experiences I have ever had (and I have probably done well over 50-100 tastings). McKenzie-Mueller requires an appointment, but they were able to fit us in on a Monday with very last minute notice (2 hours to be exact). I would recommend making your reservation with more notice just in case they are booked. The tastings are $20 per person, but they comp you if you buy a bottle (and trust me, you will want to buy a bottle!). We tried so many great wines (refer to the pictures on Yelp for the bottles you will try). They also have so many bottles to choose from (in addition to the ones you taste). They have bottles ranging in price from as cheap as $30 to over $100, so I appreciated the diversity there. The man who served us was a certified sommelier (I believe). He also is involved in just about every aspect of wine making so he was able to answer all of our questions! It was an extremely intimate experience that even involved walking out to the vineyard to look at and talk about the grapes. It was such an incredible experience, one that is hard to replicate. We ended up buying a bottle we hadn't tried (NVRW--which the sommelier recommended as one of their best values; it is made up of a variety of grapes from different years) and the 2015 Pinot Grigio (which we had tasted). I would HIGHLY recommend coming here if you are in the area. It is a great value and a wonderful experience.

This winery has been on my list for years and I finally made it!! Happy to say it didn't disappoint. :) I'm all about cab franc and was happy to leave with a bottle. Was also very excited to see they make petit verdot as well! Beautiful winery a little off the beaten path, 100% worth a stop, especially if you like deep reds.

Sometimes the best wineries are the ones you never heard of and randomly visit. I did call ahead and spoke with the tasting room and was happily told they would be able to accommodate us. We almost went into the house thinking it was the tasting room, but quickly discovered it is the wine owner's house and the tasting room was in the back. Our wine host was a laid back guy in a flannel shirt (what a coincidence, I was wearing one too!) and we were all fast friends chatting about their wine and pours for the tasting. The winery is legit by all accounts and even had a cute cat that wandered by sniffing us to make sure we were "cool". We tasted all kinds of wines. All were good/great and would have paired well with food. We ended up buying a 2013 Malbec and Sauvignon blanc. We are saving them for a special occasion and hopefully that happens soon. We would certainly return to taste/buy more of their wine.

Cannot say enough about the experience here. Amazing wine. Amazing hostess. Very intimate. Went with a group of 4 and Sam was so gracious with her time and information. Favorite wines in order: Cab Franc Family reserve blend (Malbec/Cab Franc) Napa jazz blend (multiple reds) However, as a "red only" drinker, I was still able to appreciate the quality of the white wines from McKenzie-Mueller. No pretense. No glitz. All results. The wine itself is the reason to visit. Winegrowers committed to the craft.

Wow! This winery is truly a hidden gem of the Valley. I grew up nearby and had never actually come for a tasting before. Glad I did. The 5 star review is well earned. This is an appointment only winery, and it has a quiet, more laid back feel than other places in Napa. The tasting room is really cute, with artwork and photography lining the walls. The wine maker's son, Julius even sells some of his beautiful photos at the winery. Our server was the wine maker's daughter, Sam, and she was great. We tried several different wines, including a Chardonnay, Malbec, and my personal favorite, the Cab-Franc. Everything was super well done. The Chardonnay was sweet, and not overly buttery, the cab-franc was smooth and the Malbec full of flavor. Sam was even kind enough to let us try one of their Napa Jazz wines. Very good, with a fancifully designed label. The best part? The wines are moderately priced. Most bottles cost around $30-40. Wines of similar quality cost double that price at other places. The scenic rolling hills of grapevines, and large, earthy smelling wine cellars are great for photo opportunities. When we visited, the vineyard was in bloom with wild flowers. Super pretty. If you're in the Valley looking for great wines and an affordable price and gorgeous vistas without all the crowd, definitely give this place a try.

This is a low key winery tucked in the carneros region away from the touristy crowds (visits by appointment only and for good reason--so that they can give you the experience and attention as a valued customer). I loved our visit to the winery. We visited on Valentine's weekend and I cannot begin to explain how beautiful the carneros region is during this time of the year with all the yellow wild flowers growing inbetween the vines covering the rolling hills stretching beyond the horizon. I was very jealous of people biking on this gorgeous sunny 70 degrees day (why didn't I think of bringing our bikes?! That's my plan for next year around this time. We visited from Los Angeles so we can't go to Napa too often). The wines (all were unfiltered): Savignon Blanc -- very light and refreshing, crispy, and smooth finish. Picture this served chilled on a hot summer day with grilled fish. Yummy! We brought home a bottle. Cabernet Franc-- one of the few places that does cab franc right! A lot of wineries in Napa are good for cab savignon but let me tell you, this cab franc was a winner for me. Bought a bottle as well. Cabernet Savignon-- smooth, not too dry, rolls off the palate like velvet. Hubs loved this one. Bought 2 bottles. Malbec-- not a famous region for Malbec, but this winery did quite well with this one. They gave us two different chocolates to paired with this one and it was delicious. Definitely try this one with dark chocolate if you get the opportunity. Other wines: chardonnay, pinot noir, merlot The visit-- our server was very chilled and friendly. We were the only party (party of 4 plus a baby--we didn't get any judgments or impolite stares because we brought our baby along) at our appointment. The tasting room is small and homely for small groups. Loved that it's low key but not too intimate or intimidating, neither big or crowded. Just the right atmosphere for some personal wine tasting. In short, good selection of wine, especially the reds. Good service. Beautiful region to visit.

Samantha Mueller and her husband Max were so hospitable and knowledgeable about the wines. Their malbec has to be the best wine I've ever had! I also love how this winery is a small family operated and owned business, definitely a staple of the Carneros region in Napa Valley, and definitely a spot you shouldn't miss if you take a trip to the valley. Overall fantastic wines and fantastic people! Update: I ended up joining their wine club and their wines keep getting better and better with each shipment!

If you're looking for a commercial and grand tour with a fancy tasting room and sweeping grounds, this is not your place. If you're looking for a family-owned, low key tour and tasting, then this is a great spot. Most of the tour was in the small tasting room (standing only, although I saw some chairs stacked to the side), and we were also allowed to view the vines and the machinery/storage. The guide (one of the owners) was knowledgeable and answered all questions.

I almost don't want to write a review because I want to keep this as my little gem. I have been coming here for about 2 years now and can't say enough good things. Beautiful scenery, lovely people who are so friendly, and amazing wine. I love their Cab Franc, Cab Sav, Malbec, and Chard. Heck they are all great! Those just come to mind at the top of my list. I have enjoyed being a member there and think it's a great value. Highly recommend! They usually even send you a library wine. I love love love McKenzie-Mueller and so does my little guy :)

This is truly a hidden gem. Kyle; our host, was extremely knowledgeable and kind. He answered the numerous questions that were thrown at him by our large group. Their wine is one rare find, where tradition and excellence are cherished.

We had a great tasting with Steve! The wine was fantastic and we learned something about each pour. We left with Cab Franc, Malbec and the beautiful Chardonnay. Thanks for a memorable tasting.. we HIGHLY recommend!

We've been to Sonoma and Napa many times and have hit a plethora of wineries. McKenzie-Mueller has become our favorite. The wine club is priced perfectly. Their Cab Franc, Malbec's and Merlots are all incredible. The one on one attention for the tastings only enhance the experience.

Very laid back and uncommercial, this winery is easy to get to, but off the beaten track in the middle of expansive vineyards. Call ahead to make a reservation so they are ready for you. Steve led us through a very nice, unhurried tasting of 5 or 6 wines. We came for the Cabernet Franc, and it didn't disappoint! Prices are reasonable, quality is very good. The cost of the tasting is comped if you buy a bottle. We're very happy to have found a good source of Cab Franc!

My husband and I received a recommendation from Ken at Elkhorn Peak Cellars (another great small winery) to try this winery since we were looking for good small distribution wines you can't find at the grocery stores back home. They take appointments only but we were able to call an hour before our appointment time. Drove up a short gravel driveway to a residence in the the front and a barking dog :). Tasting room and parking is towards the back. Met with Max (tasting room manager) who was both quirky and affable. We tasted 5-6 varietals in a small tasting room adorned with paintings and ceramics created by the artistic family that owns the winery. Max allowed us to tour the grounds a bit and even step into the cellar. This is where we were met by German (pronounced Herman) who gave us great wealth of information on their non-filtration process of making wines. What sets this little winery apart from others is the time it takes from harvest till the wines are ready for distribution. Their wines sit in barrels for about 2+ years and since they don't filter their wines it will age another 2+ years in the bottle. German treated us to a barrel tasting of a 2014 red (I think that was the year^_^) that he deemed ready for bottling. So unfortunately this specific harvest won't be ready for us to purchase for another couple years. We made a promise we'd be back in two years and ask for that specific year & wine. But let's see if we remember come then...LOL! Very intimate tasting and tour session. Please go visit!

Awesome small family winery off the beaten track. Great selection of wines, very reasonably priced for how good they are. Would recommend it anytime.

Completely surprised by the absolutely phenomenal offering of old-style wines! They are very unique in the fact that they hold their wines to an older vintage to ensure they mature and you are tasting quality bottle aged wine. Check out the Cab Sav and Cab Franc. Their uniqueness is unmatched in the valley!

Our absolute favorite place in the Napa/Sonoma region. We went on our first trip to The area and have come back every time since. It is family owned and operated by the friendliest people; it's the exact opposite of pretentiousness that you get all over the valley. They make fantastic wines and is well worth a stop.

One of my favorite wineries in Napa. Despite being in the Carneros region, where Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominate, McKenzie-Mueller creates some of the best red wines in the valley including Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot (yummy!) to name a few. This is no corporate winery. It's a family winery. So there's no fancy tasting rooms, no bocce courts, no gondola, etc. It's all about the wine. You will meet friendly, down to earth people (who will more likely be part of the family) who will share their love and knowledge of wine when you visit. Whether it's with Bob, Karen, or their kids, Samantha or Julius, it'll be a memorable experience.

Mom and Pop Winery Wows This small winery is located in Carneros and produces excellent wines of all types, for all levels of enthusiasts. We enjoyed the art in the tasting room which is produced by the owner, a former art instructor. The vibe is laid back, intimate, and informal, thus making it a wonderful alternative to other more pretentious wineries in the area and throughout the county. This wine tasting experience is as good as it gets. We look forward to visiting again during our next trip!

I have a lot to say. I will limit it to this: Need to know: *Get an appointment...but don't be tricked. It could be just YOUR GROUP and Sam/Kyle in the tasting room, offering you loads of attention and information. Customer Service is fabulous, and the vibes are great. Very laid back. *You get to try A LOT OF WINE! * Prices are very fair *Family-run, self-described "little guy" in big Napa *Wine is very good *Check out the family art all over the walls in the tasting room.

By appointment only. Great cab franc and one of the few places to taste wine older than 2000! I didn't come by appointment only, they participated in the Christmas in Carneros so they had a cute solo guitarist playing from his spot on the wooden stairs. They stand barrels upwright to become bars and the servers are cute, young people (when we went). I think one was the wine maker himself. They had a lot of varietals! I mean I tried like 7 or 8 and didn't try them all. The highlight was this 1998 Cab Franc. Soooo delish! Prices were very reasonable.

Two years later, their cab francs and flavorful malbecs are still the best wines around! Love their consistency and passion for wine making. Best small family business we have visited in 5 years.

Probably up in my top 20 wineries in terms of wine quality. These wines are refined and elegant. You can tell Bob knows what he is doing. I left here one time with an aspiring winemaker who said, "it's actually a little intimidating how good these wines are." If you are passionate about wine this is a place to go. Don't expect an elegant chateau or an obnoxious castle. This is just a really good winemaker making wines behind his house.

By appointment only. An older couple run this out of a barn in their backyard. Incredible wines. Seriously, the only wine club I've ever even considered joining. Yum.

For our appointment, they had 3 whites: pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, and a Chardonnay. They also had 2 very different tasting rosés. We then got to try 5 reds: merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, cabernet sauvignon, and a pinot noir. Each wine was great, although the reds stood out much more than the whites. All of their reds were dry, which I am a fan of. Their Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Pinot Noir were probably my faves. Our host also let us try some of the grape juice they had out fermenting (in the initial stage). I was expecting it to taste a little sour but instead it was some of the sweetest grape juice I've ever had. Delicious! We also got a taste of an unlabeled Pinot and tried to guess the year. My friends guessed 2000 and 2005 while I guessed 2003. It turned out to be 1995, which would be more embarrassing if I was more of a wine ponce. To top it off, after I noticed and remarked about an '84 Mondavi Pinot they had, we all got a pour. The color and taste we quite unlike anything I've ever had, complex and well-rounded. It was simultaneously eye-opening and stunning, like having the earphones explode after listening to a great tune for the first time, to insure that you'll never forget it. Our host was very friendly, as was the cat hanging out in the barn where they had the tasting area. Definitely worth making an appointment!

Far off from the sky rides and lines of Napa Disney, dignified family vintners quietly use humble age-old methods to produce the finest wine this side of Chateau Margaux. Don't bring a limo or tour bus full of bachelorettes, they won't make it up the driveway. You need an appointment; all of MM's wines sell out to restaurants, collectors, and members so they don't really need to pour you tastes. Consider it a favor, and yourself lucky, that these good people open up their lovely home and property for you to visit. The view from the tasting barn \ wine garage is a postcard of sunny Carneros loveliness. Vines glisten, foxes chase rabbits, hawks hunt bunnies, and the dogs chase varmits. But the cat chases winos, on the prowl for petting! Not content with commercial yeasts grown in a lab, MM allows the natural ones present on their farm to ferment some varietals at a slower, thorough pace. These wines have tremendous flavor, with great depths of terroir and deep rich color. The structure is such that a 1995 Pinot, opened at a party in 2008 and left sitting out overnight, displayed delicate floral and herbal notes on the nose, and on the attack, dried grapefruit, cooked strawberry, lime leaves, and lavender. Don't let the family farmer image fool you, Bob Mueller is a Davis grad that worked with Mondavi back in the day. That's why his wines are so old school fans of French wine would swear his juice is Euro. Tastings run $10, totally fair considering you get individual appointments, numerous fantastic wines, and a break from the loud masses of the NapaLand amusement park. On my fourth visit I finally joined their wine club, and it's the only one I'm in.

McKenzie-Mueller is the perfect Napa experience! I originally found this winery thanks to other outstanding reviews on Yelp and it exceeded my expectations! The staff there is so accommodating (Steve and Sam are awesome!!) taking us on a tour of the entire facilities while we were tasting. Not to mention their wines are amazing! McKenzie-Mueller should not be missed when visiting Napa Valley!

My friend and I came here half an hour earlier than our actual appointment since some how the traffic gods were kind to us that day. I guess since it's such a quiet cute place the owner heard us parking and her dogs followed. She welcomed us in the brown barn they have in the back which was cozy and filled w/ artwork and photos and we started our tasting right away along with a brief history of the vineyard. Originally this was on our list of places to go since my friend loves Pinot Grigio but unfortunately we learned that they sold those grapes now so they don't make it anymore. However, all the wines we tried taht day were pretty good. My favorites were the Savingion Blanc and the Pinot Noir. The Savingion Blanc had a great crisp flavor to it while the Pinot Noir had a warm oakiness to it with tones of blackberries. I really enjoyed both. You can taste the love that went into each wine and it's nice that it was a very intimate setting instead of the extravagent craziness Napa can sometimes be. I wasn't pressured to join the wine club or even pressured to buy any wine but I did end up getting the Pinot and helpful advice to what other wineries we can try in the area. Overall wonderful intimate winery with great wines.

I've made countless trips to wine country, and been to a large variety of wineries over time, but I've only thought it was worth it to join the wine club at this winery because the wines are consistently excellent. While I often like a few of the wines at any given winery, for me, the threshold to want to join a wine club is very high. I need to consistently enjoy every wine I try (who wants to pre-pay for a box of wines on a regular basis and end up only liking a portion of the shipment?). I'm a wine club member here because I think their wines are across the board excellent. I've brought several friends here and everyone has enjoyed the experience. Highly recommended gem of a winery.

The tasting room at this family winery seats maybe half a dozen people, and tasting is by appointment only. Still, we didn't have a problem setting one up just an hour or so beforehand on a Saturday. Sam was really friendly and it was great to get away from the crowds. These are stunning wines. The first taste was a Chardonnay that surprised and delighted all three of us typical Chardonnay haters, and by the time the Pinot Noir was poured I was head over heels. I left with club membership and several bottles, as did both of my companions.

I am a huge fan of the 2006 Napa Jazz Cab Franc/Malbec Blend. mmmmmmm good! Their Cabernet Franc also a big winner. Looking forward to trying many others. Will visit their winery later this year!

We had a wonderful time at our tasting! We had the room to ourselves as a biking tour was just leaving. We tried 6 varietals and loved the Chardonnay and Cab Franc. Midway through our tasting Steve took us on a little tour of their property and we finished our tasting off with some great chocolates. All around it was a fun time and we came away with a couple bottles of our favorites! They have a wonderful small family winery feel, we're happy to have experienced it!

We visited McKenzie Muller while on a guided bike tour from Napa Valley Bike Tours (highly recommend)! Admittedly, I was hesitant to relinquish all winery control and go wherever our tour was set up. Thankfully, I did. This was a wonderful place to visit, that is beautiful and comfortable and has amazing wine. We had a great tasting and tasted about eight different wines. Bob was so nice and it was neat to see how passionate, yet unpretentious he was with the wines. A highly recommend spot for those who are truly interested in good wine and authentic winemakers.

This winery was delightful. The decor was lovely and each and every wine was delicious. Highly recommended.

Nice little winery off the path (literally off road, if you miss their little sign you're gone!). But great experience to have someone explaining everything in detail and ready to answer all your questions! Excellent time and fun with bits of information about how the water rights work for Napa wineries and how people die while cleaning the fermentation containers (yeap, ask him!). They wave the tasting fee if you buy wine and I'm sure you'll find something you'll like. If not, make an offer for the paintings on the walls or the furniture!

Loved this place! It was quiet and quaint. You need an appointment but I can see why. It was a small, intimate experience that included EIGHT tastings and a tour. I went on a Monday and was the only one there so that may have had something to do with the amount of wines I tried, but I got the feeling it's similar all the time. They only do about 7 or 8 appointments per day. As a bonus, the wines were all great and they waved the tasting fee since I bought a bottle. Highly recommended.

Excellent Cab Franc. Excellent Cab Sav. Brilliant Merlot. Strongly recommend making an appointment and having a tasting.

I was in the neighborhood (way off the beaten path), noticed the five star Yelp review average, and I think I'll add another. The setting is basic but nice, call them up for an appointment (no fuss and you don't need to do it too long in advance), pull up the driveway to what looks like a fairly normal house, and meet one of the owners or their son. They wave you around back where there's a fairly sizable winemaking facility full of award ribbons, and that winemaking smell. They grow all their own grapes - mostly here and in a small vineyard farther up in Napa. Most get sold to other producers, and they bottle about 30% for themselves. I'm not sure if I've ever been to a winery at any price where every single wine was a hit (which means, good wine club to join). They poured eight or nine, and not a weak one in the group, and nothing seemed fussy or covered up - each one tasted, intensely, like the grape it was supposed to be. The Syrah tasted like a Syrah. The Cabernet Franc tasted like Cabernet Franc. Malbec was Malbec. Don't laugh, it usually doesn't. Nothing was jammy or pop tarty or tasted of ripe cherries, this is cold climate so it all tastes of earth and tobacco and spice. Things are very tannic and they wait an extra two or three years before releasing anything - it's 2010 and they're just getting around to the 2004 and 2005 vintages. Several of them were beyond just good, they were amazing. The two white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, were European-style, crisp and unoaked, very balanced and drinkable. The Pinot Noir, what can I say, this is the best pinot area in all of California wine country. The Merlot, though, was the most surprising and good. At $30-40 a bottle the price is about right, but you would be hard pressed to find wine this good at this price in a store. At a larger more prestigious winery, I would think this would be the "reserve" stuff for $60+.

Small vineyard feel, great education and vineyard tour. Samantha is a great winemaker and her father's work shows through in an amazing tasting experience.

Definitely a hidden gem in Napa! Lovely property and staff. My group loved it so much that most of us joined the wine club. A must visit if you are in the area!