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Frank Family Continued ..This is definitely a no frills tasting room, but full of fun. Located in an old office building with three different sections, it is rustic and unpretentious. You start your tasting with the sparkling wines in the first room. This is always a treat because not only are the wines delicious, but the tasting room staff, many of them lifetime Napa residents, are some of the most gregarious in the Valley. They have some great stories to tell and encourage their guests to enjoy themselves while they taste. It can be quite entertaining. The back room is where all of the still wines are tasted and is decorated with memorabilia of Rich Frank’s years Hollywood.
We have not had a bad experience at Frank Family, but it can become quite busy during the peak months of the year. The winery says they don’t have to charge for tasting because so many of their customers are repeat visitors and almost all buy wine after tasting. Some people may be turned off by the tasting room’s rustic feel and lack of modern trappings, but this is about wine and it provides a great alternative to some of the wine amusement park experiences you can get at some wineries.
Frank Family Vineyards & Winery |
Phone: 800-574-9463 |
Hours: Daily, 10:00 to 5:00 |
Tasting Cost: $0 |
Address: 1091 Larkmead Lane |
Calistoga, CA |
Reds: Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, |
White Wine: Chardonnay, Sparkling |
Other: Zin Port Style |
V. Sattui Winery:
This is a beautiful old estate that dates back to 1885 and is still owned by the Sattui family. The grounds are impeccably maintained with a stone Winery building at its heart and a large tasting room that includes a cheese shop and deli on the west side of the property. You enter the very large tasting room through the deli and cheese shop, which has a wonderful selection of cheeses. When you enter the tasting area there is wine all around the center of the room and tasting bars around the outside. Even though there is a very large area for tasting, expect to wait at least a short amount of time (and sometimes much more) for your turn to step up to the bar. The winery has earned many well deserved awards for their incredible Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay as well as having a great selection of Zinfandels from different regions of California.
You pay for your purchases, both wine and food, in a little customer service area near the front of the building. Even if there are a large number of people waiting to be helped the staff is courteous and it never seems to take very long to get through the lines. The crowds can be large, which can be a negative, however, the staff seems to deal with it well and the estate is set up with crowds in mind. Located between the tasting room and winery is the 2 ½ acre shaded picnic grounds where you can sit and eat the food you purchased inside. Continued...
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