A DIFFERENT KIND OF WINE STOMP
The Downtown Napa Deal
by Carey Sweet

Customers chill on vintage saddles at The Bounty Hunter Wine Bar

Travelers eager to sample the bounty of Napa Valley's vineyards don’t necessarily think of Downtown Napa as a prime tasting destination. But in fact, the area has more wine tasting opportunities "than any other place in the world," the Napa Downtown Association boasts. There are now eleven great spots for sipping—from true wine bars and lounges to tasting rooms, wineries and so-called collectives, all within short walking distance of one another. Even easier: Hop on the free Downtown Trolley, which stops in front of or near all the shops.

The bars and tasting rooms have two big advantages over wineries: they can offer many different labels from around the world in one location. "Wine Collectives" are a series of small, bonded wineries legally tied together to present, taste and sell their wines to the public. These collectives give smaller, boutique wineries a presence where otherwise they would have to try to operate their own (expensive) tasting rooms on their own.

Your best bet is to get the Taste Napa Downtown Discount Card at www.napadowntown.com. It costs $20 per person, and cardholders enjoy ten cent wine samples at all of the participating tasting rooms, plus a ten percent discount on retail wine purchases at many of the shops. Following is a list of the participating wine tasting rooms, wineries and wine bars.

Central Salon

Vintner's Collective
This upscale wine collective, housed within an historic 1875 stone building, is a sophisticated stop for those serious about wine. Visitors enjoy Modern art, an elegant bar and a knowledgeable staff pouring delights from eighteen top-tier wineries including Melka, Judd's Hill, Mi Sueno, Vinoce, and other small-production talents.

Owner Garret Murphy, a native of France, offers experts and novices alike the opportunity to sample some truly special, often obscure and expensive wines. Daily-changing sampling packages keep the sips particularly interesting and affordable, and this part is priceless: the winemakers often stop in to personally pour and discuss their wines.

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Provisions
Bounty Hunter has been a popular catalog merchant of specialty wines from around the world for more than a decade. Things got even better about three years ago, when owner Mark Pope opened his retail shop in the handsome 1888 Semorle Building, in the heart of "happening" Napa.

Bounty Hunter is an ambitious wine enterprise, showcasing forty wines by the glass and more than four hundred in the bottle. Premium, craft and hard-to-find wines are available in abundance, but many excellent recognizable labels can be found as well (and if a favorite's not in stock, BH's "wine scouts" will do their best to track it down for you).

The setting is charmingly rustic Western; bar patrons can sit on vintage saddles until 10 p.m. on weekdays, and 1 a.m. on weekends. The bistro menu ranges from “Fatted Calf” charcuterie to a 22-ounce Prime bone-in rib-eye with bleu cheese. This shop is a must for all wine loving visitors wanting the true, new Napa experience.

Garden State at COPIA

COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts
This world-class museum and culinary campus houses the Wine Spectator Tasting Table, where, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, complimentary tastings are offered from Northern California’s best wineries. Meet the actual winemakers on Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m.

“Wine 101” and special topic classes are offered daily, as well as monthly seminars on such interests as the wines of Italy, or wine production basics.

The tasting area is around the corner from Julia's Kitchen (named for the legendary Julia Child), an upscale restaurant presenting Wine Country cuisine. More casual dining and retail wine purchases are available at the American Market Café and Cornucopia gift shop.

As a bonus, Downtown Wine Tasting Card holders gain half-price entrance into the museum and can then browse the exhibits and sign up for free lectures or culinary demonstrations. Also, attend a Wine 101 class and receive a Wine Country Passport discount book (a $125 value), good at a variety of area destinations.

Rocca Family Vineyards
A new, family-run tasting space that feels like home, with guests sipping wines in a family room-style setting. Winery owners Mary Rocca and husband Eric Grigsby offer tastings in their cozy salon with a few comfy leather chairs, a smattering of tables and a tasting bar. Wines comes from their young, Yountville winery, showcasing reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot

JV Wine & Spirits
This barn-like warehouse hosts a surprisingly upscale little tasting room on the left side of the store, complete with resident sommeliers. The JV Tasting Bar offers samplings from a rotating selection of 40 boutique wines daily, for a low $5 fee (refundable with purchase). It’s open from 2 to 7 p.m. daily.

Friday nights from 5 to 7 p.m. are must-schedules, bringing in local winemakers, winery owners and wine experts for intimate tasting "parties." Many locals drop by JV for these casual pre-dinner get-togethers; at $2 including cheese and appetizer plates, it’s the best happy hour in town.

Robert Craig's Tasting Room Director Rachel Miller

Robert Craig Wine Cellars
This is an honest-to-goodness winery, although one would never guess by the industrial façade and neighborhood location. Yet inside, guests meet tasting room director Rachel Miller, who cheerfully dispenses wine, wisdom and jokes. This bonded winery serves up Cabernets, Syrahs, Zinfandels and Chardonnays, plus their heralded "Affinity"—a signature blend that includes grapes grown in Robin Williams' vineyard on nearby Mt. Veeder.

Though their first vintage goes back to 1992, many locals are still unaware of Robert Craig's under-the-radar existence. Visitors may be surprised to find some superlative wines in this laid back experience. Barrel sampling, release parties and other events take place periodically. Important note: tastings are by appointment only, so call first, Monday through Saturday, 707-252-2250, ext. 1.

Napa General Store
This eclectic store is part of the refurbished Napa Mill mall, which dates to 1884 and is located at the base of Main Street. Besides selling artisan wine country culinary knickknacks, locally produced gourmet items, and offering a satisfying Pan-Asian and deli menu, "The General" has an enjoyable, reasonably priced wine tasting bar offering a variety of California wines.

The riverside tasting bar specializes in wine from small producers – many of just a few hundred cases a year – and bottles are available for shipping (in mixed cases, if desired). Visitors can actually find real bargains here. The outdoor patio (with live music on weekends) overlooking the Napa River is a plus.

Wineries of Napa Valley

Wineries of Napa Valley
This Napa wine collective features just five small, local producers including Goosecross Cellars (specializing in handcrafted Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon) and Girard Winery (look for the new Zinfandels).

Events abound, with seasonal food and wine pairing tastings, intimate “meet the winemaker” gatherings, and fun activities like “2-for-1” tastings given to guests able to answer wine-related trivia questions. There’s wi-fi service, too, and it’s free with the purchase of a glass of wine.

Napa Wine Merchants
Located in the heart of downtown, this unassuming looking collective unites eleven small wine producers such as Gustavo Thrace, the brand new Brick Angel, Z-52, and St. Barthelemy. Owner Thrace Bromberger also offers artisan cheeses, French bread, and a new olive oil bar featuring the products of Boonville’s Stella Dadente. Plan on an ultra-casual setting, and good gossip on the boutique wine scene.

Stave Wine Lounge
High-tech meets tasting at this automated lounge. Stave’s “Enomatic” wine tasting machines are state-of-the-art; simply insert a pre-paid debit card, press a button, and select a wine. A perfect ounce of vino is dispensed, preserved fresh by a special nitrogen gas system which ensures that air never reaches the liquid.

Then, guests can settle back on a couch or park it on a stool, and admire art on the walls created by local talent. Tasters are encouraged to bring their own picnic or order appetizers from nearby Caffe Cicero.

Owner Eric Gordon offers 32 wines, mostly from Napa Valley and Sonoma, plus a few from Spain, Argentina, New Zealand and Italy. Most come from small producers hand-crafting 500 or fewer cases per year. Winemakers are introduced on Thursday nights from 6 to 9 p.m., and offer special pricing on their bottles.

Mason Cellars Oxbow Tasting Room
This newest addition to the tour is located on First Street, within easy walking distance of COPIA and the new Oxbow Farmer's Market. Family-owned and operated Mason Cellars was started by Randy Mason and his wife Megan in 1993, although he’s been making wines for others, including Chappallet, Lakespring and Napa Wine Company, for more than three decades. Best known for their Sauvignon Blancs, Mason also pours a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at this casual tasting room which opened in 2006.