Napa & Sonoma Wine Country - California - page 378

Mumm Napa WINERY, GALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 800-686-6272; www.mummnapa.com ; 8445 Silverado Trail, Rutherford;
glass $8; tasting $18-40, tour $25; 10am-4:45pm)
Valley views are spectacular at Mumm, which makes respectable sparkling wines you can
sample while seated on a vineyard-view terrace - ideal when you want to impress conser-
vative parents-in-law. Dodge crowds by coming early, or paying $40 for the reserve-tast-
ing Oak Terrace (reservations advised).
Frog's Leap WINERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 707-963-4704; www.frogsleap.com ; 8815 Conn Creek Rd, Rutherford; tast-
ing $15, incl tour $20; by appointment; )
Meandering paths wind through magical gardens and fruit-bearing orchards - pick peaches
in July - surrounding an 1884 barn and farmstead with cats and chickens. The vibe is cas-
ual and down-to-earth, with a major emphasis on fun . Sauvignon Blanc is its best-known
wine, but the Merlot merits attention. There's also a dry, restrained Cabernet, atypical of
Napa.
All are organic. Appointments required. Bottles cost $22 to $42.
Tres Sabores WINERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 707-967-8027; www.tressabores.com ; 1620 South Whitehall Lane, St
Helena; tour & tasting $20; by appointment; )
At the valley's westernmost edge, where sloping vineyards meet wooded hillsides, Tres
Sabores is a portal to old Napa - no fancy tasting room, no snobbery, just great wine in a
spectacular setting. Bucking the Cabernet custom, Tres Sabores crafts elegantly structured,
Burgundian-style Zinfandel, and spritely Sauvignon Blanc, which the New York Times
dubbed a Top 10 of its kind in California. Reservations essential.
Guinea fowl and sheep control pests on the 35-acre estate, while golden labs chase but-
terflies through gnarled old vines. After your tour, linger at olive-shaded picnic tables and
drink in gorgeous valley views. Bottles cost $22 to $80.
Hall WINERY