The 7 Best Red Wines From Napa Valley’s Famed Calistoga AVA
In the mid 1800s an entrepreneur named Sam Brannan loaded up a ship and sailed to San Francisco with single men and families who would later settle in the north of Napa Valley. Sam, who became California’s first millionaire, purchased 2,000 acres of land and began developing a resort spa he hoped would rival Saratoga in New York state. Numerous historians claim that a local resident made a tipsy proclamation when stating that this resort would become the “Calistoga of Sarafornia” when they actually meant to say the “Saratoga of California.” The name Calistoga stuck, and settlers from the east coast first headed west to Napa, then north up the valley and began planting grape vines. The resort opened in 1862, but the completion of the railroad and railroad station in 1868 brought rich and famous sun seekers to the valley in droves. Today the train station has been reborn as the Calistoga Depot, Jean-Charles Boisset’s new, over the top, drinking and dining venue with impeccably restored train cars serving everything from Champagne and caviar to artisanal chocolate. Our favorite is the old bar car refitted as the First Millionaire’s Saloon which serves locally crafted cocktails in honor of Sam Brannan.
Calistoga is the northernmost AVA in Napa Valley and most of the grapes are grown on hillsides with elevations between 300 and 1,200 feet above sea level. The vines are cooled by Pacific air that enters Napa Valley through gaps in the northwestern hills and temperature fluctuations during the summer can be as much as 60 degrees with hot sun filled days and cold, breezy nights. The soils are predominately volcanic and most of the plantations are red grape varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Merlot, Syrah, and Zinfandel. We tasted more than 40 Calistoga AVA wines this week, and these are our seven favorites, they include a red blend, Merlot, Syrah, and a few Cabernet Sauvignons.
More from Robb Report
The Golden Vines Auction Is Back With Incredible Wine, Spirits, and Experiences
Why Collectors Are Clamoring for This Winemaker's Every Release
The 3 Most Exciting New Napa Valley Wineries Debuting This Fall
Best of Robb Report
Why a Heritage Turkey Is the Best Thanksgiving Bird—and How to Get One
The 10 Best Wines to Pair With Steak, From Cabernet to Malbec
Sign up for RobbReports's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the full article.
Elizabeth Spencer 2019 Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Napa Valley California
Husband-and-wife team Spencer Graham and Elizabeth Spencer introduced their first Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon in 1998 and today they continue to produce excellent wines from a variety of AVAs with Heidi Peterson Barrett as the consulting winemaker. The tasting room is in the historic 1872 brick post office that also houses the Kathleen Thompson Hill Kitchen Memories Collection, a permanent exhibition of culinary tools and kitchen utensils. Elizabeth Spencer Calistoga Cab has aromas of wild strawberry, black raspberry, and red plum with silky tannins and flavors of blueberry, red currant, and blackberry. Drink now through 2029.
One Acre 2018 Warner’s Blend Proprietary Red Wine Calistoga Napa Valley California
This delightful wine is a blend of 69 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 31 percent Cabernet Franc made from grapes grown by Jim Frediani in his family’s Frediani Vineyard just outside Calistoga. The name Warner’s Blend honors Warner Henry, one of the pioneers in fine wine distribution in California. It is garnet colored in the glass with aromas of black raspberry, cinnamon, mint, and saddle leather with ripe fruit flavors accented by nutmeg, orange pith, anise, and toasted almonds.
La Sirena 2014 Le Barrettage Syrah Calistoga Napa Valley California
Legendary winemaker Heidi Peterson Barrett’s personal project is named La Sirena, which translates to “mermaid” in both Spanish and Italian and pays homage to her love of the ocean and scuba diving. Her first vintage wine was in 1994 and today she makes wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Primitivo, and Syrah. Her Le Barrettage Syrah is a play on her husband Bo’s last name and is inky purple in the glass with aromas of blackberry, dried herbs, and freshly ground black pepper. It has silky, soft tannins as one would expect from a 10-year-old wine and flavors of cassis, plum, dried savory herbs, and black raspberry with bright acidity in the finish. Enjoy this now and through the next three years.
Chateau Montelena 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Napa Valley California
Founded by early Calistoga settler Alfred L. Tubbs in 1882, Chateau Montelena is probably best known for producing the Chardonnay that won best white wine in the 1976 Judgement of Paris. The Barrett family continued the tradition started by Croatian born winemaker Mike Grgich and the house continues to strive for excellence under the direction of current winemaker Matt Crafton. The 2018 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is garnet colored with aromas of crushed violet petals, pencil lead, and black raspberry. It has silky tannins and flavors of black plum, cassis, and a touch of cigar box. Drink now through 2033.
Nickel & Nickel 2020 Kenefick Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Napa Valley California
This juicy wine is made by winemaker Joe Harden from 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes grown in the heart of the Calistoga AVA. After harvest in mid-September, the fermenting wine sat on the skins for 18 days and then was transferred to French oak barrels (50 percent new) to age for 18 months. It is inky purple in the glass with aromas of violet candy, black raspberry, and dried cherry with well structured, pleasantly grippy tannins, and flavors of cigar box, black plum, and brown baking spices. Drink now through 2035.
Duckhorn 2020 Three Palms Merlot Calistoga Napa Valley California
Duckhorn has been producing award-winning Merlots for decades and as much as we love this 2020, the 2014 still goes down in history as one of our favorite California Merlots. We’re in good company because it also topped Wine Spectator’s list of the “Top 100 Wines” in 2017. Now at the four-year mark, the 2020 is currently drinking beautifully and will continue to improve over the next few years. Garnet colored in the glass, it has aromas of pomegranate, saddle leather, rose hips, and red raspberry that transition to flavors of Mission fig, dried cherry, and homemade Thanksgiving cranberry sauce all wrapped in a silky tannic sheath.
Heritage School Vineyards 2017 Missiaen’s Hillside Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga Napa Valley California
Linda and David Jenkins fell in love with this property in 2007, but it wasn’t until 2014 that it became available on the market and they made their acquisition. Their four daughters, Hannah, Julie, Casey, and Missiaen help in the day to day running of the winery and wine legend Thomas Rivers Brown crafts elegant Cabs from six acres of vineyards planted at this former 48-acre private boy’s school. Their 2017 has aromas of ripe black plum, cigar box, and cassis with smooth, rounded tannins and flavors of dark chocolate, anise frond, and black raspberry. It’s drinking perfectly right now, so don’t hesitate to enjoy it with friends.
