Trefethen Family Vineyards

Trefethen Family Vineyards offers several flights for $45 each, but our pour allowed us to pick and choose from a list of available bottles “choose your own adventure style.” Husband and I shared each pour so we ended up tasting about 10 different wines.

I’m not sure how Trefethan made my short list of wineries to stop by, but I’m betting it had something to do with The Chron’s list of the Top Wineries in Napa. Esther Mobley’s review mentions their Dry Riesling and you know how I feel about unusual varietals.

The Dry Riesling did not disappoint and I was happy to walk away with a few bottles. We also very much enjoyed the 2020 Cabernet Franc and the 2019 Merlot (A person asking for Merlot?! I know; I’m such a rebel not to let a 20 year old movie dictate by taste in wine!) The Merlot issue blended with 11% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec which rounded out its cola and red fruit notes. I found the 100% Malbec to have too much petrol and green bell pepper but it worked great in the lower concentration.

Most of Trefenthan’s fruit is grown on the valley floor in Oak Knoll—between the City of Napa and Yountville in Napa Valley—which has a cooler microclimate than some places further north. (Some of their cab and other Bordeaux blend varietals though come from a hillside property, where the family’s home is located.) We sat on the covered patio, which is dog-friendly btw!, and enjoyed the beautiful spring day but there are indoor options as well.