We had just about accepted that we weren’t going to make it in time for our 11:30 a.m. tasting appointment last Sunday at Barnett.  We had rushed out of the house in a frenzy, and according to our GPS, at 10:15 a.m., had an hour-and-a-half’s drive ahead of us.   Luckily for us, though, we managed to pick up a bit of time along the way.  

We didn’t know quite what to expect of this Napa Valley winery, with a tasting fee of $25 and the cost of bottles ranging between $42 and $125.  Thus far, the wineries that have attracted us have been those off-the-beaten-path in the less “touristy” wine regions, with free or $5 tastings.  As we made our way up Spring Mountain, though, we were surprised by the feelings of remoteness and untouched beauty.  After passing by signs for Paloma and Pride (two other big named and pricey wineries), we pulled into Barnett, at 11:31 a.m.  

The first thing that caught our attention was a small white tourist bus and a black stretch limousine in the parking lot.  Very typical Napa, we thought.  We made our way to the group of people standing on a deck, perched near the tasting room (a cellar lined with barrels) and overlooking the gorgeous valley, but were immediately stopped by Ted, who said that he would be overseeing our private tasting. 

We soon realized that Barnett did not in fact live up to our vision of the stereotypical Napa winery; and we were so very pleased.  Ted mentioned that the group tasting was a rarity, and that tour buses were an unusual sight at the winery (though honestly, we were not bothered in the slightest; the deck was far away enough from our tasting that we could barely hear a sound).  Barnett’s atmosphere was laid back and friendly, with Riley (a lovable German Shepard) basking in the sun at the entrance of the tasting room, much to our son’s delight; the seven wines that we tasted were all excellent; and the views of the expansive valley just beyond the tasting room brought a sense of peacefulness to our already delightful tasting experience. 

www.BarnettVineyards.com
4070 Spring Mountain Road
St. Helena, California
(707) 963-7075
*Tasting by appointment only; $25 tasting fee.