A
vine-draped, stone-walled wine gallery and caves await the oeonophile at
Del Dotto Caves and Hedgeside Wine Gallery on Atlas Peak Road. In an ivy-covered,
marble floored 1884 distillery building and in hand-dug limestone caves
from the same era, the winery offers an in-depth introduction to winemaking.
A wine “thief”––a device used to take samples from
barrels of wine––draws out samples of wines aged in a Missouri
oak barrel, a Virginia oak barrel, a Troncias French oak barrel and a Nevers
French oak barrel, for visitors to taste the difference. On view is a collection
of flamboyant art, from Chinese urns to tapestries, fanciful ironwork and
contemporary paintings. Tours end with glasses of Del Dotto's hearty reds
paired with chocolate truffles.
Oak, manzanita and bay trees hang over Monticello Road, where stone ramparts
hint at the rocky conditions in which the legendary Cabernets of Jarvis Winery
are grown. Tunneled into a mountainside, 45,000 square feet of caves shelter
the entire winemaking facility at Jarvis––the last chamber of the
caves could comfortably contain a basketball court. Along with a running stream
and a waterfall, glowing wall sconces, arched alcoves and fiber optic chandeliers
create a romantic atmosphere. The creator of the wines is Dimitri Tchelistcheff,
son of one of the fathers of the California wine industry, André Tchelistcheff.
In addition to their wine-producing activities, William and Leticia Jarvis bring Spanish opera to the United States by hosting an annual Festival of the Zarzuela, in addition to many workshops and performances at the Jarvis Conservatory in Napa.
Continue
the Napa Winery Tour
with a Stop at Altamura Vineyards
The article on this page is adapted from the book, Backroads of the California Wine Country by Karen Misuraca (www.karenmisuraca.com), published by Voyageur Press.
Photo Credit: The pictures on this page are by Lisa Moore. www.studioponderosa.com