Last weekend I had my first wine-tasting experience in Napa. Due to time constraint I was able to visit just two wineries. I started at V. Sattui, a family-owned winery established in 1885 and located in St. Helena, which is good for picnicking and large group activities but the wine, in my opinion, isn’t exceptional in terms of taste. It’s not bad, but I don’t know if it’s worth the price they charge for their bottles. After buying a bottle of their Riesling I walked over to the Milat winery, just a few hundred yards down the road.
After a few honks from drivers (I guess they don’t like people walking on the sides of the road up there) I entered the small tasting room at Milat. The tasting area was very small, accommodating about 10-12 people at a time with one host, Andrea, who really made an effort to get to know her customers and educate you about the wine you were tasting. It was refreshing to see a sign saying that tasting is free with the purchase of any bottle. Granted that capacity management is an issue at the more commercial wineries, so charging is one way they can manage traffic, but having a system of free tasting with purchase gives customers the confidence that these wineries really believe in their product. Milat definitely lived up to its ‘guarantee.’ The cabernet was by far the best; which is probably why it costs $36 a bottle. The combination of their dessert wine and chocolate port also made for a very interesting tasting experience.
I entered the Milat tasting room with two other friends and we left with five bottles—the 2007 Chenin Blanc, the 2005 Zinfandel, the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chocolate Port Sauce, and the Zivio Port-style (dessert wine). I highly recommend the Milat winery for anyone traveling to Napa for true wine-tasting, and not just a social experience.
Key takeaway: Check out smaller wineries for a more personal experience when wine-tasting.
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