A Sip Down Silverado Trail (Napa Wine Adventure)

By J.T. Meadows

When in Napa, most sippers - those in search of crushed palate-pleasing drinkable grapes - take the typical route of that most traveled in the Napa Valley, Highway 29. However, if you are looking for a “road less traveled”, look to the east… The Silverado Trail… Aka… The Staggs Leap District.

Silverado Trail runs along the east side of “Napa” and stretches a few dozen miles along winding hills and quick S turns, which could require non-wine-buzzed jolt reactions. Along the “trail”, you will find some big names like Mumm, Duckhorn/Paradux, Joseph Phelps, Sterling Vineyards, and many more to boot. However, you will also find some of the most hidden gems of the Napa Valley. These are the small family run vineyards that you’re not going to find at your local Safeway, Vintage Wine Shop, nor featured on the wine list at the Northern-Nosed chop house. A prearranged appointment will likely be needed, but it could just be an “I’m down the street at ‘_____’ and I would like to come by” phone call away.
Tom Jinks (left) of Robinson Family Vineyards.

My wife and I didn’t have nearly enough time to stop at every “gem”, but the ones we did stop at made this trip to Napa more than worth it. The Silverado Trail has an almost Mendocino/Anderson Valley feeling to it. Small, friendly, quiet and welcoming.

First stop, Robinson Family Vineyards at 5880 Silverado Trail. There are not enough words – at least available in this article and the reason why I will be putting together a completely separate article about Robinson Family Vineyards - to describe the insanely awesome experience that can be had at the Robinson Family Vineyard. When we arrive at Robinson we were greeted by one of the proprietors, Tom Jinks, with the warmest of welcomes. After the huge smile, handshake and another smile, you will be escorted into the converted garage tasting room, where you will enter a world that truly exemplifies the family craft of wine enthusiasm. Old wine barrels that have been cut in half and made into t-shirt racks by Susie Robinson-Jinks, Champaign racks covered with glass and made into the tasting bar, and pictures of family, including their many blonde-haired grandchildren.

Robinson only produces 700-1000 cases of wine per season. Rest assured, every bottle encompasses the pride and joy of all that is valued on the Silverado Trail. The Robinson Family has a direct hand in the making of every bottle of wine that dons the Robinson Family Vineyards label. If you are lucky enough to be at the right place, at the right time, you could be fortunate enough to enjoy a fresh made pizza from the brick oven set atop of the wine cave built by Tom’s hands.

Tom summed up his process of making the Robinson wines in a perfect manner, stating that “we just take the fruit we have and try not to screw it up”.

This Stagg’s Leap District vineyard is situated on 80 acres of hillside, but has only seven acres of planted vines. They also have a vineyard down in the Coombsville area, Southeast of Napa. This is where the Robinson daughters - Kim, Carrie and Robin - pick for their label, Great Legs.

I’m far from an expert, but I can honestly say that I did not try a bad wine here. A few must-tries here are the ’06 RFV Cabernet Franc, ’06 RFV Malbec and the ’05 Great Legs Red Wine (This is not your average table wine).

To set up your tasting at RFV: http://www.robinsonfamilyvineyards.com/contact.html

Next, we head up the trail to Baldacci Family Vineyards, located at 6236 Silverado Trail. Here, we were warmly welcomed by Michael, while pulling a service cart from somewhere I’m not sure of, but he assured us we would be welcomed in the tasting room by “Fran”. Without failure we were greeted in the tasting room, by Fran Leach, and welcomed into a small room that would remind you of a bar in your neighbors’ house. There were only two other people tasting, and before long, we had the tasting room to ourselves.

The Baldacci Family Vineyard is owned and operated by Tom & Brenda Baldacci. Here you will also find pictures of the family, including their four sons that will one day, “after finishing college” Fran states, will take over the family business.

Baldacci specializes primarily in full-bodied reds. They have some white wines, but because of the past droughts, they do not have enough to sell or have in the tasting room.

Fran started us with their ’07 Elizabeth Pinot. This “Fruit-Forward” Pinot had a light color, but an awesome full-bodied taste. And, with a price point of only $35, this is certainly a Pinot that could impress your hoity-toity friends, while not breaking the bank.

We then tasted, and purchased, the ’06 IV Sons Cabernet. This is labeled after the Four Sons of the Baldacci Family. It has 97% Cabernet and only 3% Cabernet Franc. The Baldacci’s call this Cab their “Baby Baldacci”. However, there is nothing “baby” about it. IV Sons is not an overly bold Cabernet, but it packs a full-mouthed (or full-bodied, if you want to get “technical”) punch that will leave you wanting more… much more.

The Baldacci tasting was finished off with the ’06 Brenda’s Vineyard Cabernet. I may spell this backwards, but WOW!!! This was an insanely “mouth-watering” Cabernet with a exploding taste that made you want to dip a Rib-eye in it.

With a recommendation from Fran, and just a little dog-leg north on the Silverado Trail, we stopped off at GooseCross. You will definitely want to MapQuest this one. It’s located at 1119 State Lane. After a couple of turns, and a near miss with a guy on a four-wheeler, we pulled into a quaint rustic building with a farmhouse look to it… A farmhouse with a dozen bicycles parked out in front of it.

You are greeted at Goosecross by a sign amply reading “tasting room” with an arrow pointing through six large steel barrels. Pass through here and enter into a room filled with huge smiles that are warmly covered in Patagonia vests.

Troy Cary – Director of Hospitality – cleared a spot, previously occupied by cycling winos on a Silverado Trail bike tour, and we elbowed up to the tasting bar.

Our first taste was the ’07 Chardonnay. Troy referred to this as their “signature” wine. I’m not the biggest of white fans, but the tasting pour couldn’t have been big enough… meaning, I definitely enjoyed it. Our next two tastings were, for lack of better words, Frickin’ De-Lish-Ous!!! The ’06 Merlot – 100% Merlot from a single vineyard -, and the ’06 Syrah, are a must-try.

Oh, and there is another eye-catching, jaw-dropping, mouth-watering shelf adornment that you have to check out when you stop by GooseCross. Take a full bottle of Merlot or Estate Cabernet… your choice… and, a ½ pound of Napa chocolate. Now, dip the bottle of wine in the chocolate. That’s Right, I said DIP THE BOTTLE OF WINE IN THE CHOCOLATE!!! It looks like a decoration, but this is a fully functional/edible chocolate casing for your outstanding bottle of wine. Pop the cork, snap off a piece of chocolate, and **POOOF** you’re smack dab in the middle of a grown-up version of Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory.GooseCross is owned/operated by college roommates, Jeff Gorsuch and David Topper. With an obvious business/marketing savvy between the two of them, they have helped to expand the growth of this vineyard since its inception back in 1978. Troy said that 65% of their wine is sold via their Wine Club. And, there is certainly a reason, outside of migrational obligation, for vino seekers to flock to GooseCross.

These are only a few sips along the Silverado Trail and I’m certain there are many other hidden “gems” along the way. However, if you plan on making your way to Napa Valley, be sure to sip over to the Silverado Trail and find a “Grape Escape” from the norm.