Open: 10am-6pm
Appt required? No
Last barlinwine.com visit: 2012 (May 17, 2012 Itinerary)
Directions:
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Tasting:
The Jessup Cellars tasting room is tucked away on the north end of Yountville. I’d passed it several times, but I finally found my way in this past May. Jessup has a late closing time (6pm), so this can be an ideal end-of-day stop before a delicious dinner at Redd, Bottega, Ad Hoc, or any of the other excellent Yountville restaurants.
I entered the tasting room to find myself among a large group of 8, all of whom were distributors for HP and visiting from Mexico. Despite a crowded tasting bar (it probably fit a maximum of 10), the folks at Jessup were extremely accommodating and found me a spot at the end of the bar.
I started my tasting with the 2010 Chardonnay. This was a very solid wine, with a surprisingly nice long finish for a Chardonnay. We moved from there quickly into reds with the 2008 Merlot. I was not a fan and dumped almost all of my glass. The 2009 Zinfandel was next, a wine I thought was pretty good but not amazing, followed by another miss with the 2008 Cabernet. Lastly, I tried the 2008 “Table For Four”. This flagship blend typically includes Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a little Petite Sirah in an interesting twist. I found it to be quite good, although not quite worth the $79 asking price.
The posted tasting fee was $20, refundable with purchase, and so it was worth my while to pick up a bottle. I went with the Chardonnay. At $38 a bottle, I think (like most of the Jessup wines) it was a bit overpriced, but at net $18 it was worth it.
I didn’t get to learn much about Jessup Cellars because of the large group, but they were attentive and helpful during the tasting nevertheless. As I was getting ready to leave, there was a special surprise appearance by none other than Romeo, a giant teddy bear of a dog typically on full-time greeter duties at the Hope & Grace tasting room down the street. The folks at Jessup (in particular one of the girls who may or may not have been dating Matt, Romeo’s owner) were watching him for a bit for an undisclosed reason.
Overall, the atmosphere at Jessup is friendly and accommodating, although I think the wines are overpriced. The 6pm closing time is convenient if you’re having an early dinner in Yountville, but despite the friendly atmosphere, the $20 tasting fee for so-so wines would give me pause before stopping in again.
The Jessup Cellars tasting room is tucked away on the north end of Yountville. I’d passed it several times, but I finally found my way in this past May. Jessup has a late closing time (6pm), so this can be an ideal end-of-day stop before a delicious dinner at Redd, Bottega, Ad Hoc, or any of the other excellent Yountville restaurants.I entered the tasting room to find myself among a large group of 8, all of whom were distributors for HP and visiting from Mexico. Despite a crowded tasting bar (it probably fit a maximum of 10), the folks at Jessup were extremely accommodating and found me a spot at the end of the bar.
I started my tasting with the 2010 Chardonnay. This was a very solid wine, with a surprisingly nice long finish for a Chardonnay. We moved from there quickly into reds with the 2008 Merlot. I was not a fan and dumped almost all of my glass. The 2009 Zinfandel was next, a wine I thought was pretty good but not amazing, followed by another miss with the 2008 Cabernet. Lastly, I tried the 2008 “Table For Four”. This flagship blend typically includes Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a little Petite Sirah in an interesting twist. I found it to be quite good, although not quite worth the $79 asking price.The posted tasting fee was $20, refundable with purchase, and so it was worth my while to pick up a bottle. I went with the Chardonnay. At $38 a bottle, I think (like most of the Jessup wines) it was a bit overpriced, but at net $18 it was worth it.
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| Romeo! |
Overall, the atmosphere at Jessup is friendly and accommodating, although I think the wines are overpriced. The 6pm closing time is convenient if you’re having an early dinner in Yountville, but despite the friendly atmosphere, the $20 tasting fee for so-so wines would give me pause before stopping in again.
Recommended wine: I liked the Carneros Chardonnay quite a bit.
Ratings (out of 5):
 WINE | 4.00 |  TASTING ROOM | 4.25 |
 ATMOSPHERE | 4.75 |  VALUE | 4.00 |
 OVERALL | 4.25 | ||
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