Vintner’s Collective in Napa — A Must Visit!
One of the challenges when visiting Napa is deciding what wineries to visit for a tasting. According to the Napa Valley Vintners website, there are nearly 500 wineries in the valley. This is a massive challenge to sort through. (Trust me though, I am working on it!) Not all wineries are open to the public to visit. Based on production, demand, overhead, and winery licenses, the ability to visit is subject to restrictions. Building and hosting a tasting room adds costs that many cannot afford.
There are actually four categories that wineries fit into. Here are the first three: 1) Open to the public — these tastings are predominately at a walk-in bar with a price for a flight of wines; 2) By appointment only — these experiences range from a sit-down with a flight of wines and a host all the way to a cave tour and/or a tasting with food; 3) Not open at all to the public — these are usually highly allocated wines at wineries that have no interest in providing tastings or wineries that have too small a production or are too young to afford hosting the public.
Fortunately, there is a fourth category of tasting experience, which is a setting where wineries group together to share their wines with the public. That is where Vintner’s Collective in downtown Napa shines. It was the first of its kind and, in my experience, the best. This, I believe, is a must visit if you are staying in or passing through downtown Napa. The wines are great, and the ambience is warm and welcoming. Vintner’s Collective offers several different choices for tastings to meet your desired experience level. This can range from a tasting at the bar to special sit down experiences upstairs with a host. There are 18 different wineries represented. I have had the pleasure to be introduced to many new wineries through my visits to the Vintner’s Collective and have purchased several.
The wines themselves are a wonderful exploration and duly enhanced by the caliber of the individuals who work there. There is a genuine appreciation for the art and science of wine making that these folks share. They are there to guide you, answer questions, and add insights to the wine you are tasting. Andy is the manager of the tasting room and brings great humor and knowledge to any tasting. My recommendation is to make plans to visit. They are located within walking distance of most hotels in the downtown Napa area.
On this past weekend, we went to partake in a special vintner tasting. It was a special event with two wineries represented, accompanied by food. Again, it was an opportunity to explore new wines and make new friends.
I’d encourage you to include a visit to the Vintner’s Collective the next time you’re in Napa. For more information, visit their website at www.vintnerscollective.com.
Enjoy!