Napa Valley, Calistoga ~ Wino Abroad

Napa Valley, Calistoga

www.calistogawinegrowers.com
List of Wineries
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Center and Calistoga Chamber of Commerce
1133 Washington Street
Calistoga, CA 94515
Phone: (707) 942-6333

Popular Grape Varieties:
Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux blends (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec)

Information below provided by:
www.calistogawinegrowers.com

1. TOP OF THE VALLEY

Calistoga is at least 300 feet above sea level, with vineyards up to 1200 feet above sea level.

VINEYARD PERK: Higher elevation means cooler temperatures at night, for better growing conditions and ultimately better structure in wines.

2. MOST DIURNAL CHANGE

Calistoga AVA has the most extreme diurnal swing in Napa Valley of all AVAs, meaning the day time and night time change in temps is very large.

VINEYARD PERK: Having a large diurnal shift means the grapes can relax and respire at night after a warm day, allowing for more acid retention; better overnight recovery, thus better balanced wines.

3. HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF VOLCANICS

Of all the soil series in Napa Valley, Calistoga AVA has the highest percentage of volcanic type soils.

VINEYARD PERK: Volcanic soils yield more minerals for limiting nutrients that grapes need and allow for better drainage which is better for root development. Further, thinner volcanic soils lead to less green growth and more concentration of flavor within the berries.

4. RUSSIAN RIVER BASIN COASTAL AIR MOVEMENT

Cooling breezes come through the Northwest corridor above and to the west of the Calistoga AVA for cooling during warmer periods. Air movement in afternoons is a result of Mount St. Helena and Palisades “air pump.”

VINEYARD PERK: Breezes cool things down during normally stagnant air-flow periods in other AVAs. Ideal growing conditions with cooling breezes allow for acid retention, better humidity control, mildew control and better structure and ageability in grapes.

5. EXCELLENT ASPECTS

Calistoga AVA has the highest ratio of steep slopes to valley floor of any AVA.

VINEYARD PERK: Sloping vineyards/hillside typically have weaker, but better drained soils contributing to grapes with higher concentration and power.

6. CONSISTENT GEOLOGY

The entirety of the Calistoga AVA is underlain by volcanic bedrock and sediments more geologically uniform than other Napa Valley AVAs with valley floor environments.

VINEYARD PERK: Uniform soils throughout the region enable growers to control vine quality and produce consistent flavors and characters within small vineyard block areas much better.

7. BEST RAINFALL

The highest recorded rainfall every year is in the Calistoga AVA, especially on the higher elevations.

VINEYARD PERK: Grapes do not suffer from water shortages in average years and many growers can actually dry farm their grapes and still achieve optimum quality due to heavy rainfall and storage in the winter.

8. SLOPE AND SUN

Calistoga AVA slopes and geological fans have unique sun exposures.

VINEYARD PERK: The slope to sun exposure angles provide opportunities for optimum vine growth in areas where insufficient light would normally cause viticultural quality issues. Optimum light during the growing day is critical for the physiological activity of the grapevine.

9. SINGLE CLIMATE REGION

There is little variation in climate within the Calistoga AVA region.

VINEYARD PERK: Having uniform meso-climate from area to area and from vintage to vintage allows growers to farm efficiently and control grape quality much easier compared to other AVAs throughout Napa Valley.

Twomey Calistoga Winery

www.twomey.com

1183 Dunaweal Ln, Calistoga CA 94515

Phone: (707) 942-2489

Hours:

Monday-Saturday 10AM-5PM

Sunday 11AM-5PM

Holiday Hours:

Closed New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Atmosphere: The grounds of this winery are stunning, the tasting room is cozy, rustic and beautifully decorated.

Service: Servers were knowledgeable, friendly, and happy to explain and answer questions, the experience was very welcoming. I ended up spending more time here than expected, because the tasting room associate was such a pleasure to talk to.

Tasting Tools: Good engraved glasses. Spit buckets handy. Water nearby. No crackers. Great lighting.

Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, and their website.

Cost: $15 per flight, for groups of 15 or more the tasting fee is $20 per person

Picnic Prospects: n/a

One of my favorite Sauvignon Blancs!

Sterling Vineyards

www.sterlingvineyards.com

1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515

Phone: (800) 726-6136

Email: cs_sterling@sterlingvineyards.com

Hours:

Monday-Sunday 10AM-5PM

Atmosphere: The grounds of this winery are stunning and the best way to get the full view of the winery is by aerial tram; the tram sweeps one up to the winemaking facility which is surrounded by vineyards and rolling mountains with pine trees. I highly recommend going during the off season and on weekdays since the tour is a walk around scenic tour with destinations to take pictures, it was difficult to snap many pictures with many other tourist on the route.

Service: This is a walk around self guided tasting, there was a different server for each wine, the servers introduced what the wine was but shared little detail about the wines.

Tasting Tools: Good engraved glasses. Spit buckets handy. No crackers. Outside natural lighting.

Wine Availability: Sold at the tasting room, fine wine shops, supermarkets and their website.

Cost: $32 includes the aerial tram, self guided tour of the lower portion of winery, scenic views from their terraces, and a tasting of their current release wines.

Other Experiences:

Diamond Mountain Ranch Terrace Experience

After delighting in the aerial tram and the self-guided tour of the lower portion of the winery, revel in exclusive access to one of the winery’s most intimate venues, the Diamond Mountain Ranch Terrace. Relax on the beautiful terrace and enjoy a special flight of seasonal wines paired with a dazzling view.

Price: $42

Silver Experience

Enjoy the aerial tram, followed by a seated wine tasting experience featuring an exclusive selection of limited release wines paired with artisan cheese and charcuterie in one of our inviting Tasting Rooms. Once your tasting concludes, enjoy the scenic view from our terraces as you take the self-guided tour of the winery.

Price: $49

Platinum Experience- New!

The crème de la crème of our offerings at Sterling Vineyards, the Platinum Experience is the perfect addition to your Napa bucket list! Indulge your taste buds in this one hour food and wine pairing educational tasting. Guests will enjoy a flight of our most sought after wines, perfectly paired with three sensational culinary creations prepared by the Sterling Vineyards Culinary team.