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Open: By appointment
Appt required? Yes
Last barlinwine.com visit: 2013
Directions:
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Tasting:
Vineyard 29 had been recommended to me by a friend with similar taste in wine, and so on my trip in May to wine country I made it a priority to get it on the schedule. The winery is located at 2929 Hwy 29 (hence the name), and all tastings are run by Austin Gallion. I was able to connect with Austin and get on the calendar for a Wednesday afternoon.
Upon confirming my reservation, Austin sent out directions and a few notes about the tasting. I particularly like one well-worded paragraph in the intro letter: “Please note that we are not open to the public and do host guests only by prior reservation. Our wines are quite limited in production and highly allocated. We will be opening wines specifically for your visit and will look forward to sharing them with you.” A not-so-subtle reminder that at a premium winery like Vineyard 29 they are not interested in being the bar for your bachelorette party; they are interested in people that know and collect fine wine, and there’s an assumption that you’ll likely be purchasing something after the tasting. Who has two thumbs and enjoys buying fine wine? This guy!
I showed up for my 1pm appointment. Given I was by myself that day, I was paired with other guests as expected. Austin greeted me, poured me a healthy dose of Sauvignon Blanc, and introduced me to the other guests. We started the tasting sitting out on the Vineyard 29 balcony overlooking Napa Valley. Austin chatted through the standard talk track about the winery and Philippe Melka’s approach to wine. After the Sauvignon Blanc, he poured the 2009 CRU, Vineyard 29’s entry-point Cab. Like the Miste Hill at Hartwell, this was delicious and a great bargain. Austin wasn’t stingy with the pours, either – in fact, if you finished everything he initially put in your glass, he’d just re-pour, unbidden. Steve Cuff would definitely have been impressed.
After trying the CRU, we moved inside to the caves for a seated tasting of the top-end Vineyard 29 wines. With each wine, a carefully paired gourmet spoonful of deliciousness was served, featuring a different meat and accompaniments. We started with the 2009 Aida Estate Zin paired with duck. This was a strong effort an unlike almost any other Zinfandel I have had, save perhaps the well-structured Lamborn Family Zin. We next moved on to the 2008 Aida Cabernet, paired with lamb. This was a very good wine, but also very expensive. Was it four times better than the CRU? Probably not. We finished the tasting with the 2009 Estate Cabernet Franc paired with beef. I’m always a fan of a well-made Cabernet Franc, and this definitely fit the bill.
The total tasting experience lasted a little over an hour and was one of the more professional and connected tastings I’ve attended. The wines were great, Austin formed a connection with all guests, and the combination of great wine in a great setting make this one of my favorite experiences ever. If there’s a knock on Vineyard 29, it’s that the last three wines were mighty pricey at the winery ($85 for the Aida Zin, $195 for the Aida Cab). Aside from that, this was a near-perfect tasting experience.
The cherry on the Vineyard 29 sundae came a few weeks later. I had ordered a half case at the tasting (mostly CRU, and so by no means a mind-blowing purchase), and that arrived unscathed. But about a week after that an envelope arrived. It was a handwritten note from Austin, thanking me for taking the time to come visit and extending an offer to any friends and family who might be interested in visiting the winery. It was a nice final touch on a great experience and solidified Vineyard 29’s position near the top of my list of favorite tasting spots in Napa Valley.
Upon confirming my reservation, Austin sent out directions and a few notes about the tasting. I particularly like one well-worded paragraph in the intro letter: “Please note that we are not open to the public and do host guests only by prior reservation. Our wines are quite limited in production and highly allocated. We will be opening wines specifically for your visit and will look forward to sharing them with you.” A not-so-subtle reminder that at a premium winery like Vineyard 29 they are not interested in being the bar for your bachelorette party; they are interested in people that know and collect fine wine, and there’s an assumption that you’ll likely be purchasing something after the tasting. Who has two thumbs and enjoys buying fine wine? This guy!
I showed up for my 1pm appointment. Given I was by myself that day, I was paired with other guests as expected. Austin greeted me, poured me a healthy dose of Sauvignon Blanc, and introduced me to the other guests. We started the tasting sitting out on the Vineyard 29 balcony overlooking Napa Valley. Austin chatted through the standard talk track about the winery and Philippe Melka’s approach to wine. After the Sauvignon Blanc, he poured the 2009 CRU, Vineyard 29’s entry-point Cab. Like the Miste Hill at Hartwell, this was delicious and a great bargain. Austin wasn’t stingy with the pours, either – in fact, if you finished everything he initially put in your glass, he’d just re-pour, unbidden. Steve Cuff would definitely have been impressed.
The cherry on the Vineyard 29 sundae came a few weeks later. I had ordered a half case at the tasting (mostly CRU, and so by no means a mind-blowing purchase), and that arrived unscathed. But about a week after that an envelope arrived. It was a handwritten note from Austin, thanking me for taking the time to come visit and extending an offer to any friends and family who might be interested in visiting the winery. It was a nice final touch on a great experience and solidified Vineyard 29’s position near the top of my list of favorite tasting spots in Napa Valley.
Recommended wine: All of the wines were top-notch, but the CRU was a fantastic wine for $54.
Ratings (out of 5):
 WINE | 5.00 |  TASTING ROOM | 5.00 |
 ATMOSPHERE | 5.00 |  VALUE | 4.50 |
 OVERALL | 4.88 | ||
Nice post and thanks for sharing this information. It is very helpful for me.
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Ladera Winery