This is the time of year for family, and the Napa Valley is still a family place. At almost any winery, you can walk into a wine tasting experience with an owner, winemaker or family member who might just be helping out around the tasting room. We appreciate wineries large and small at Beau Wine Tours, but these are some of our go to family wineries in the Napa Valley.
Gamble Family Vineyards
P.O. Box 128
Oakville, CA 94562
(707) 944-2999
www.gamblefamilyvineyards.com
Tom Gamble will tell you he is a farmer first which is fitting considering good wine begins on the vine. As a third generation Napa Valley farmer, he purchased his first vineyard in 1981 and is the first of his family to try a hand at wine making. Tom’s passions are inspired by the hard work of the past and the legacy in the future. His winemaking is meticulously focused on terroir, allowing for the unique location direct the wine making.
The Cairo Cabernet comes from a vineyard that is tucked against the western side of a knoll top in Oakville, and is the most hedonistic offering from Tom and the family. Blueberry cobbler, leather, cream soda, and fennel are generous flavors in the bouquet with an intriguing sweet-savory balance reminiscent of sea salt chocolate. The palate is big and round but still structured for 15 years in the cellar.
Haber Family Wines
345 Pine Breeze Drive
Angwin, CA 94508
(707) 965-9177
www.haberfamilyvineyards.com
1,500 to 2,200 feet above sea level on Howell Mountain is a classic ‘off the beaten path’ destination, Haber Family Vineyards. Sue-Marie and Ron Haber were lucky to find a great site to start their winery. Howell Mountain Cabernets have long been recognized as some of Napa Valley’s finest, and the Haber’s 5.5-acre location has the depth of character that defines the region. The winemaker Tim Milos is a fifth generation native Californian, was born in San Francisco and raised in rural west Marin County. After attending U.C. Berkeley and Sonoma State, he was introduced to the art and science of wine while attending graduate school at Cornell. The 2012 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is layered with mocha, black cherry, cracked black pepper and black tea aromatics which are mirrored on the palate.
Revana Family Vineyards
2930 St. Helena Highway North
St. Helena, CA 94574
(707) 967-8814
www.revanawine.com
Dr. Madaiah Revana operates a successful practice as a cardiologist in Houston as well as his commitments to Revana Family Vineyards. He has a deep love of wine as well as the rich tradition and culture surrounding wine and wine making. His guiding philosophy of quality, with superstar winemaker Thomas Brown, is to have all necessary resources to craft superior wines, and that begins in the vineyard.
Revana has a prime location in St. Helena where deep alluvial soils sit under warm days and cool nights, all ideal for Cabernet Sauvignon. Planted by the legendary Jim Barbour in 1998, the Revana Estate vineyard is comprised of nine separate blocks totaling nine acres. The 2012 Revana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon was a blessing of a vintage and was hand selected from the best blocks. The bouquet is full of bing cherries, bramble fruit, and cedar with just a hint of cigar box on the nose. The palate is both firm and approachable, with lush, classic Napa Valley Cabernet flavors.
Find out more about the story of Revana Family Vineyards here:
All of these small, family run operations require reservations for wine tours and tasting. We offer many custom wine tours to ensure you find wines you can’t find anywhere else. On the Collector’s Tour the focus is on high quality and impeccable standards, similar to the intense desire we see in the wineries we love to visit. Let us schedule your premier wine tour here!
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