Goosecross

Goosecross was a new stop for us in Napa Valley. Our personal cellar right now consists mainly of “standard” varietals (cab, pinot, syrah, etc.) and I was looking to round it out. Goosecross didn’t disappoint. The tasting menu as you can see had some interesting options and none were bad.

The tasting room started us off with a generous pour of their Napa Valley Sauv Blanc. Husband’s reaction? “It’s like a New Zealand white got slapped with a California stick.” We later learned that their winemaker is an Aussie, so this description felt apt. 🤣 Unsurprisingly, we fell a bit for the Howell Mountain Petite Syrah. We could easily see it paired with lamb chops in mint suace or kofta kebabs with tzatziki.

But our favorite ended up being The Branta, which our tasting associate, Cameron, brought out at the end. It was the most refreshing blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Syrah, and Sangiovese. It just danced on your tongue. We’ve already served it at a recent house party, and it was universally enjoyed. We suggest it with celery and blue cheese dipping sauce.

The tasting experience itself was relaxed and Cameron was really knowledgeable (though what we overheard being told by other tasting room associates was disturbingly incorrect). We loved getting to sit on the back patio and just swirl and sip as we watched the fog lift off the Mayacamas Mountains.

The front entrance.

Baby grapes!