ISO small eccentric but good Napa wineries

[George]

I apologize in advance, I know there are a million postings and I have been searching and reading them. Here's my question though:

I'm coming up to wine country from LA next week. I'm wondering if the two vineyards that I have enjoyed the most--smaller places, individual or family proprietors--suggest immediately other lesser known vineyards that one would want to seek out.

Years ago, visiting my brother in SF, we drove out to Napa and fell by complete chance into this place:

http://www.vanderheydenvineyards.com/

It became a legendary visit for us, and we regularly exchange the wines with each other using mail order from afar.

More recently, another find: after a bottle of their wine at dinner at Ad Hoc one night while visiting, and then asking about them at a bigger vineyard the next day, the pourer there said--you are just 10 minutes away, I know them and used to work there, they are about to close but rush over and I'm sure you will find them still there. We rushed, they were closing, but to set up a French country style outdoor party with the vineyard next door, including food and live music, so amazing, and they of course welcomed us and set out the tasting wines for us. It became a favorite and I try to return on any visit. The vineyard was called Havens.

But I have just read online that it has been closed down! Kind of crushed about that.

Do these smaller places immediately suggest similar favorites for those who know the area better than I? I guess I'm saying, ultimately, that the big places and tastings leave me cold. I loved Havens for the French-style wines they were doing, like Côte du Rhone, the rosés too were amazing. I'll be staying in Calistoga, so anywhere up and down the valley is fine.

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Ad Hoc
6476 Washington St., Yountville, CA 94599

[Malcolm Ruthven]

I don't see Hendry mentioned here. It's a quintessential Napa Valley small, family owned and run winery with very good wine (I've only tried the reds). I discovered their Block 7 Zinfandel several years ago as a wine festival and have stopped there from time to time later. Dogs, tasting area right with the storage barrels, friendly etc. I've just stopped in, but it's been a while and I see their website says to call for an appointment.

http://hendrywines.com

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Hendry Winery
3104 Redwood Rd, Napa, CA 94558

[openhelix]

I'd recommend the following

Terraces off Silverado. They do their own 21 yo balsamic vinegar and a tour on an ATV. Chances are you'll be with the vineyard manager or winemaker.

Barlow also off silverado in calistoga. The family will invite you in and you taste at their dining table. GREAT cab and red blends. I've fooled a good many people into thinking their Merlot (95% merlot, 5% cab) is actually a cab. ;)

[George]

thanks everyone these suggestions and the elyse report are great. I leave next Wednesday so if you have other ideas.......

[George]

I wanted to report back after my trip. My wife and I tried many of these suggestions, although we didn't make it to Terraces. Elyse was really great, very much like Havens used to be across the street (the Havens site stands abandoned looking, though the vineyards around it are being worked; the Elyse people said it was being sold again very soon by the company that took it over and went bankrupt). You do have to make an appointment, small tasting room, one white and about seven reds including the port at the end. The port was the only thing I didn't think was fantastic. The two cabernets and the syrah priced at 65/bottle were too steep for me to buy, but I enjoyed them and purchased their pinot and a cab from Tietjen vineyard priced around 40/bottle. The dog, a 13yr old pointer, was by our side as we tasted, very friendly, and informative, in fact some women came back with their friends for a 2nd tasting in as many days, to introduce the friends to the place. Really recommended. Dutch Henry is a beautiful spot on Silverado, you can bring a picnic if you plan ahead, and they have tables amid olive trees, airedale terriers, some pretty bold and funny cats, and a bocce court. It is a fun place. The wines were good, not extraordinary, but the thing I tasted here that I like best was their olive oil. It is made from the olives growing along the drive outside the tasting room--we were told the olives are brought to a nearby monastery. Was he pulling our leg? I don't know, but the olive oil is 28/bottle and is really fantastic.
Last: Barlow. This is a really lovely place, very much a family vineyard, very close to Dutch Henry and both to Calistoga. You have to call ahead, as you cannot drive onto the property without the code to their front gate. After opening it with the code, you drive up a beautiful lane surrounded by the vineyards, cross a bridge and climb up a steep hill toward what is essentially the winemakers' home. It is a father and son's place, the father retired from his career down in Orange County to Napa and seems now to be in his 80s. You taste the wines in his home, in our case at their dining or kitchen table. The wines are really fine--not typical big Napa explosive wines, they were subtle and even the Zinfandel was a great food wine it seemed to me. I purchased several and really loved the wines I tasted, most all of them unfiltered and made from estate grown grapes. So I am basically just writing to add these details, and reiterate the recs you all made to me, and with my thanks!

[wolfe]

Thank you George.

[eblevin]

Hey George-
Really liked this posting and your descriptive follow-up. I'm curious to know how the new ones you tried compare to Vander Heyden, you first small fave. I'm trying to take the suggestions of many other posts in not overdoing the itinerary and really enjoying each vineyard so I'll only probably have time to fit one of these new suggestions into our plan (I'm leaning towards Dutch Henry based on your experience). But curious to hear if you still think VH had the best small vineyard experience. This is my first time up to Wine Country and I love wine but know very little about it, so for me I think I am more interested in vineyards with the best "experience" (great wines of course being important too).
Thanks!

[George]

when i've been to Van Der Heyden in the past, the owner himself poured the wines, in a trailer out in the back of his yard, with his grandkids toys scattered about outside. he was fun and the experience unique, but i didn't go back on this recent trip. if you would enjoy visiting a beautiful spot, with picnic opportunities and room to languish and hang out (the bocce court for example), then Dutch Henry is fun. It is indeed eccentric though--the pourer was a musician, and was playing his country-western CD during our time there, offering signed copies. If you are looking for a small vineyard with great tasting room experience--you don't hang out on a vineyard while there so much--then I recommend Elyse. I enjoyed it more, for the wines. As a postscript, I have noticed that a cheaper Elyse wine, not offered in their tasting, is being sold now by a big store like Trader Joe's.

[George]

and if 'experience' is what you are looking for, then I would recommend Round Pound. It is a beautiful vineyard, but I would recommend reserving a place at their olive oil tasting, it is really informative and fun.

[eblevin]

Thanks George. Super helpful comments!

[PolarBear]

Did you mean Round Pond?

[JasmineG]

I would recommend Elyse -- before I saw that you mentioned it above, it was the first one that came to mind. I went there after a recommendation from someone at another winery, and have gone back a number of times and have sent friends. Good wines, friendly people, very much a family winery.

[bayareabeagle]

I just visited Elyse for the first time yesterday. Reservations are required, so call ahead.

We were greeted in the driveway by a friendly dog who (after receiving some hello ear-scratches) literally escorted us to the tasting room.

We were offered tastes of a white Rhône blend, a red Rhône blend, a syrah, two zinfandels, two cabernets, two petite sirahs, and a port. Note that the syrah and one of the petite sirahs are not part of the flight normally offered for tasting, but I guess they had bottles open.

Rick, who was manning the tasting room, was very friendly and more than happy to chat about the wine with us. Ray, owner/winemaker, also briefly stopped in and said hello.

My favorite turned out to be the syrah, so I'm glad we got the bonus taste. I believe Rick said there is a little bit of viognier blended in.

Overall, a good experience. They are a very small operation (8 people) and a great contrast to some of the larger wineries in Napa.

[wolfe]

Try Dutch Henry. I found one enthusiastic report providing "eyes rolling back in your head" is a good thing.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6471...
Actually that whole thread is pertinent.

[George]

Thank you. I'm looking into Dutch Henry. That thread reiterates Van Der Heyden, so thanks I hadn't read it yet. Near Havens on the same small road was another vineyard called Elyse.
http://www.elysewinery.com/
I wonder about trying them.

[Ruth Lafler]

George, I would suggest that while you still can you edit the subject line to be more specific and not put people off who might otherwise have good suggestions. Good luck!

[George]

Thanks, I changed it.