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Napa Valley | St.
Helena | Wineries | Wine
Clubs
 Girard
Winery -The narrow, winding road up Sage Canyon leads
a traveler to one of Napa Valley's best kept secrets: Pritchard
Hill, where mountain wineries such as Bryant Family, Colgin and
Chappellet have carved a niche into the steep slopes. It's here
that you will also find Girard Winery, founded 32 years ago at the
dawn of New Age winemaking in California. Today, Girard farms 40
acres of vines, 18 of which are located on Pritchard Hill. The picturesque
vineyards surround a newley renovated winery, where visitors can
experience refined flavors inside the rustic elegance of Girard's
mountaintop cellars and tasting room. On hillsides high above Napa
Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon is king. And Girard winemaker Marco DiGiulio
lets terroir - or the vineyard - determine his choice of varietals.
It's no wonder Girard's Cabernet ripens well on this rugged terrain,
with views that stretch clear across the valley.
BY APPOINTMENT TASTINGS
ORDER ONLINE CAVES TOURS (707)
968-9297 DIRECTIONS
 Joseph
Phelps Vineyards - Founded in 1972, Joseph Phelps Vineyards
is an independent, estate-based winery located outside of St. Helena.
Perched on a knoll in bucolic Spring Valley, the graceful redwood
winery overlooks vineyard-studded hills, the town of St. Helena
and the Mayacamas Mountains to the west. After years of studying
the complex relationship between wine quality and place, and understanding
the importance of "terroir," Phelps has developed estate-owned
vineyards in the premiere growing regions of Stag's Leap, Rutherford,
Oakville, Oak Knoll and the eastern foothills of Napa. In Sonoma
County, an ambitious project was undertaken in 1999 to purchase
land and develop vineyards along the western frontier of the Sonoma
Coast, and today Phelps has 80 acres of Pinot Noir and 20 acres
of Chardonnay planted in Freestone. A small winery in the midst
of the Freestone vineyards is currently under construction.
BY
APPOINTMENT TASTINGS
ORDER ONLINE (707)
963-2745 DIRECTIONS
 Markham
Vineyards - Bruce Markham arrived in the Napa Valley
almost 100 years after Laurent, also looking to start a winery.
Markham bought the Yountville vineyard in 1975, the Calistoga vineyard
in 1976, the old Laurent Winery in 1977 and the Oak Knoll vineyard
in 1978. With almost 225 planted acres and a winery, Bruce Markham
founded Markham Vineyards in 1978 and the old Laurent Winery was
reborn. Markham focused on Cabernet Sauvignon in its early days
and introduced the Markham Merlot with the 1980 vintage. Between
1978 to 1988 the winery's production increased from 3,500 cases
to 20,000 The wine quality and praise from wine critics and consumers
increased as well.
PUBLIC TASTINGS
ORDER ONLINE TOURS (707)
963-5292 DIRECTIONS
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