Staff Favorites

We could talk all day about how great our wines are, their attributes, the awards they’ve won and what the critics think. We could discuss acids, pH, residual sugars and barrel selection. For now, though, what are our Tasting Room staff’s picks for their wines of choice? What do those who know our wines so very intimately choose to take home for their evening meals....?

Randy Bertuccelli

Title: Cellar Club Manager

Quote: At first I’d wondered, given its price…how good could this wine really be? Well, not only was I very surprised , but it’s become a Bertuccelli family favorite! It has subtle aromas of hibiscus, tropical fruit and caramel... and flavors of pineapple, melon and summer hay, with a touch of “minerality” and crispness that makes it fun to pair with food or simply drink on its own. Sounds like I’m describing some high-end Reserve wine! Like I tell our customers, this is a wine with one of the best QPR’s (quality-price-ratios) in the Napa Valley.

2010 Sattui Family Chardonnay

Demetrius Tzafopoulos

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: This is the wine I like to have with grilled meats and barbecue! It’s an old-vine Zin from a vineyard planted in 1915 in the Russian River Valley where it overlaps the Chalk Hill appellation. The ripe raspberry, dried plum and cherry cola flavors are perfect with my favorite—smoked ribs.

2010 Crow Ridge Zinfandel

Anna Schweitzer

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: I LOVE our Family Red!! It’s everything I want in a wine. Every time I open a bottle, I just smile! It’s a cozy wine—just the right blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cab—with luscious fruit balanced with just enough spice. No tannins to get in the way. No waiting. The perfect wine to open on a Friday night. You can’t go wrong here...this is a no-brainer!

2010 Sattui Family Red
 

Tracy Moniz

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: Our Carsi Chardonnay is a beautiful, crisp, tropical-tasting wine with a smooth, silky texture. I love it with sliced pears and a sharp blue cheese. It’s a really great anytime wine to enjoy at any occasion. Close your eyes when you sip it—with its pineapple, coconut and guava flavors—it’s like going to Hawaii without leaving your house!"

2010 Carsi Vineyard Chardonnay

Mark Roomian

Staff Title: Senior Wine Consultant

Quote: When I want a very approachable, easy-drinking red, I go for our Family Cab...nearly every time. Since we blend in some Merlot, it’s always a softer Cabernet. And it goes great with roasted or broiled meats and stronger cheeses. Since I drink mostly reds, I also like a glass BEFORE dinner when I might open a bigger Cabernet later!

2009 Sattui Family Cabernet Sauvignon

Christine Savale

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: Gamay Rouge is my go-to summer wine! It’s delicious. It’s refreshing. And it goes with any meal I’m serving, especially casual dinners on the patio. Not to mention, Gamay is fun for picnics or camping... and also barbecues. My friends and I also love to sip it by the pool! I always serve it well-chilled. The fruitiness and the strawberry notes remind me of many summers well-spent with family and friends. Cheers!

2011 Gamay Rouge

Gabe Ide

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: I’m a big fan of spicy, exotic foods. So I like to pair that heat with our Off-Dry Riesling. The wine has apricot, lime and mineral notes that finish slightly sweet, balancing out my hot plate. My favorite pairings are spicy Thai noodle salad or a brunch of huevos rancheros with a tomatillo salsa verde. Salud!

2011 Off-Dry Riesling

Donn Ledwick

Staff Title: Wine Consultant

Quote: This is one of our most predictable wines, year after year. With the most Gold Medals of any of our wines over the last 30 years, it practically sells itself! The wine is hand-made from four different Rutherford District vineyard blocks and artistically blended into a bodacious masterpiece—with cherry aromatics, dark fruits and plum flavors that last through its dusty-textured finish. Ideal for pairing with rich foods. Enjoy it now or cellar it for 10+ years...either way, it’ll be a gastronomic experience!

2009 Preston Vineyard Cabernet