Jason F.
Yelp
Monticello Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery that has been harvesting and bottling their estate grown wines for over fifty years in the Oak Knoll District of the Napa Valley. Their signature Jefferson House which was built in the early 1980's is no doubt intended to signify the connection to the winery's namesake. After participating in one wine tasting in northern Napa Valley, a friend and I were looking to make one last stop at another winery before we headed home, and after doing a little research on what was on the way home we found that the Estate Tasting Flight for 45 dollars which paired some on Monticello Vineyards best wines with a cheese, charcuterie and cracker platter was one of the best deals in the region. Located off of Big Ranch Road right in between the St. Helena Highway and the Silverado Trail, it was very easy to find Monticello Vineyards as parking was plentiful. They had plenty of seating in the grassy lawn area in between their tasting room and production facility, and their aforementioned Jefferson House, which also provided for much needed restrooms while we enjoyed our afternoon of wine tasting.
After selecting a patio table in which we were to enjoy our wine tasting and pairing, we opted for their Tasting Flight which for forty-five dollars gave us the opportunity to five of their signature wines alongside a tasting platter filled with freshly sliced charcuterie including salami, cheeses including cheddar, brie and swiss, and crackers from Rustic Bakery. Kojito served as our friendly and very informative tasting room associate who guided us through our entire tasting flight by explaining where each wine we tried was sourced and what pairing suggestion they would recommend with each wine. We began with their 2019 Chardonnay, which was sourced right here on their Monticello Vineyard estate, and with a crisp fruit flavor and rich golden tones is the perfect wine to enjoy in the summertime with a fresh plate of figs or other stone fruit. Our second wine was their 2018 Pinot Noir, which was also sourced here on their estate in the Oak Knoll region. Kojito recommended pairing this wine with a nice oil based protein such as roasted duck, thanks to the wonderful taste of burgundy, which is what brought their winemaker to seek out these vineyards in the first place. For our third pour, we enjoyed one of my personal favorites, thanks to its versatility, was their 2019 Jefferson Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon, which was sourced throughout the Napa Valley. With notes of black cherries and licorice, this Cabernet would pair nicely with any pork, chicken or barbecued meat dish.
For our fourth wine pour, we enjoyed their 2017 Corley Proprietary Red Wine, which was a part of their higher wine series, and was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot and had a nice spiciness on the palate that lingers throughout the finish. Uniquely, Kojito recommended pairing this wine with a quail or squab based entrée. For our fifth and final pour, we enjoyed their 2018 Corley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which had a nice balance to it as it easily would pair nicely with any steak entrée. We had a wonderful time enjoying the warmth of the Oak Knoll region of the Napa Valley as there was a gentle breeze that we felt as we sipped and savored all five wines while enjoying a wine pairing with crackers, cheese and charcuterie. I can only imagine what the winery's founder, Jay Corley saw in the vast property when he began searching for an appropriate site to harvest Burgundian style wine grapes. He clearly saw early on what so many others would eventually see in this particular region of the valley as the cooler temperatures have produced some wonderful world class wines with beautiful colors and bold flavors where history and tradition reign supreme.