When you visit Napa Valley, it’s a safe bet that you will visit a vineyard or two. However, honestly, I do not like lengthy lectures around vats in noisy production areas. This one was different. It offered a twist. And it was terrific.
Our visit to Cimarossa winery started with downloading and printing out detailed driving directions to the location on Howell Mountain in Angwin, near Calistoga. The GPS does not work on the mountain for part of the trip, we were warned. The vineyard is small, with limited distribution and few visitors.
We wound our way up the hill, carefully making sure to keep “small gated olive grove on left” and to bear right at a certain fork and left at another unmarked road. After about a half hour drive from Calistoga’s town center, we arrived at the curlicue-gated entrance to Cimarossa. The gate swung open silently, allowing us through.
A red barn just over the crest of a small hill came into view and a friendly young woman named Michelle pointed out where to leave our car. “Hop in,” she said, inviting us into a 4x4.
She drove us through rows of vines as we ascended dirt paths to the tasting room perched on top of the knoll. Originally built as a hunting lodge, its rough wood walls and stone fireplace make for a cozy feeling.
The dining table in the center of the room was set with ten sparkling wine glasses for the two of us, along with a scrumptious lunch. Michelle tossed a delicious arugula salad with pecorino and olive oil, but it was hard to get beyond the truffle potato chips. We tasted but didn’t come close to finishing the charcuterie platter of meats, cheeses and olives. All delicious. Macarons from famous chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon bakery in Yountville were for dessert.
The wines are named for their grapes’ orientation on the hillside. Our favorite was the western facing (Riva di Ponente – where the sun sets).
After we had our fill and heard the history of the place, Michelle drove us through the olive trees and grape vines, back to our car. The descent from the mountain was as easy going down as the delicious wines and lunch.