September 2020 is California Wine Month
This gives us a great opportunity
to highlight some of the many
incredible wineries we’ve visited
over the years.
We look forward to visiting these
wineries again very soon.
Today we are featuring Gentleman Farmer in Napa Valley.
The 2005 vintage launched what was to become Gentleman Farmer Wines with 80 cases. Today they are still relatively small, less than 1,000. To give some perspective, next to the large, Napa wineries on Highway 29 they are the equivalent of the small farmstand on the side of the road that you may pass without noticing.
This small production is a benefit. It allows them to work with their hands. They walk dedicated rows of vines during the growing season, tasting for flavor development and taking field samples. The days before harvest, they make a pass with pruning shears to clear leaves from around the grapes, ensuring only beautiful clusters get into the picking bins the early morning of harvest.
The grapes are sorted by hand to be certain only high-quality fruit goes into the barrel or tank. With this sort of intimacy, they can honestly say that they have been with every berry that makes it into the wines.
In 2021, Gentleman Farmer will open “The Bungalow” which provides them a dream kitchen and space to prepare and share sausages, terrines, pâtés, tarts, breads, and more to pair with their wines.
Be sure and check out our Conversation with Gentleman Farmer or YouTube channel. Learn more about Gentleman Farmer here.