Outpost Wines: A Real Gem

There are many wineries that stand out for their wine, and Outpost is one of them. This winery crafts wonderful wine from high atop Howell Mountain. Outpost sits 2200 feet above the Napa Valley floor. The vineyards surround the property, and you can readily see many of them from one of the tasting rooms during your visit.

What’s relevant about the altitude? There are many who say that mountain fruit produces deep and concentrated flavors in a wine. There are attributes associated with altitude that contribute to this, such as heat during the day, cooling at night, exposure to more direct sunlight, and access to water. One thing that all will agree on is temperature. The higher you go, the cooler it gets. That translates to potentially longer hang time for the grapes on the vine, which benefits ripeness and flavor. The mountains also tend to have soils that drain more rapidly, and that contributes to the vines having to struggle to get water. This puts stress on the vine. What that means is that the vines put a lot of energy into the grapes, resulting in mountain fruit having thicker skin, smaller berries, and, many believe, a greater concentration of flavors.

Outpost produces several varieties of wine. Personally, I’ve enjoyed all of them — their Zinfandel, the lovely Grenache, the Petit Syrah, and their wonderful Cabernet. Each wine consists of 100% of that varietal, all coming from a single vineyard.

I highly recommend a visit to Outpost. It is a welcoming and beautiful place to taste great wine and perhaps even bring your lunch and enjoy the views all around. The hospitality and the gorgeous surroundings are worth a visit whenever you make a trip to Napa Valley. I have been told by one of the owners that not only is their wine highly regarded by Robert Parker himself, but Parker has called the view from Outpost a “One Hundred Point View.” Quite frankly, I can’t think of a better afternoon than sitting sipping wine overlooking the valley from this beautiful vantage point. This winery has great wine, great people, and wonderful ambience. The winery operates only by appointment, so please give yourself an opportunity to set up a tasting and a great experience.

Enjoy!