Taste Dozens of Spring Mountain Wines in SF, Visit Napa Valley Too

Enjoying Spring Mountain Wines

For one of my tours, we drove up to the top of Spring Mountain. It’s a lovely, though twisty, drive. If you make that trip, you’ll be rewarded by spectacular views and distinctive wines, many of them stellar. I highly recommend it.

But next weekend you can taste many of those wines with different, gorgeous views and without snaking up the mountain. The Spring Mountain District Harvest Celebration is Sunday, November 18, 4pm to 7pm, at the Presidio’s Golden Gate Club.

Enjoy lip-smacking Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and more while gazing at the Golden Gate Bridge. I’ll be there and hope to see you.

Event Info from the AVA association

Celebrate the bounty of the harvest and the approaching holidays with your friends from Spring Mountain. Join our select group of vintners and winemakers from Napa Valley’s Spring Mountain District for a wine tasting of some of the decade’s most exciting vintages, past, present and future. Taste library wines, current releases and barrel samples with those most knowledgeable about the wines on hand for discussion. The wines will be complemented by ample appetizers.

Tickets are $100 in person and must be purchased in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-mountain-district-harvest-celebration-tickets-50090147981.

The event takes place on Sunday, November 18 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at The Presidio Golden Gate Club, 135 Fisher Loop, San Francisco (94129).

Participating Wineries

Barnett Vineyards, Behrens Family Vineyard, Cain Vineyard & Winery, Castellucci Napa Valley, Frias Family Vineyard, Keenan Winery, Juslyn Vineyards, Luscher-Ballard Vineyard, Paloma Vineyard, Peacock Family Vineyard, Pride Mountain Vineyards, School House Vineyard, Schweiger Vineyards, Sherwin Vineyards, Smith-Madrone Winery, Spring Mountain Vineyard, Stony Hill Vineyard, Terra Valentine and Vineyard 7 & 8.

About Spring Mountain District

The Spring Mountain District appellation lies above the town of St. Helena on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains that separate Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley and the Santa Rosa Plain. Encompassed within its bounds are about 8,600 acres, of which about 1,000 are planted to vineyards. Currently the region has just over 30 vineyard / wineries.

Spring Mountain, officially established as an AVA (American Viticulture Area) in 1993, was once described by a prominent wine writer as “probably more responsible than any other Napa hillside for creating the mystique of ‘mountain grapes.’ ” This mountain wine appellation is defined by vineyards that range from small to smaller, often hand-tilled on terraces and sloping meadows, and family wineries hidden from view among dark forests and steep winding roads. Over the years, despite its limited space and remoteness, the appellation has produced an abundance of wines acclaimed worldwide for the unmistakable intense flavor and delicate, balanced tannins that are now the signature taste of Spring Mountain wines.

Historically, the name Spring Mountain has been used in a regional context and does not refer to the name of a peak or prominent point. The area has numerous springs, and is drained by several small streams.

The appellation boundaries extend from the top of the ridgeline on the western edge, which traces the Sonoma/Napa County border, down to the 400-foot contour line at the eastern base of the hillside (generally considered the dividing line between hillside and Valley vineyards in Napa Valley). The southern boundary is Sulphur Creek and one of its tributaries, while the northern boundary is Ritchie Creek. Elevations range from 400 to 2,600 feet, with a predominantly eastern exposure.

Don’t Not Go to Wine Country Because of the Smoke

I spent all day in Napa Valley on both Saturday and Sunday, leading private wine tours. There’s definitely smoke there and air quality varies over the course of the day. However, the AQI was typically better than that in San Francisco and it never affected our tastings.

To maximize comfort and safety, wineries are conducting most tastings inside rather than out. But some folks chose to sit outside and were enjoying it. Visibility is down, due to the smoky haze. But Napa Valley is still beautiful with a mix of green and autumn colors and dramatic lighting. My clients had wonderful times and I’m sure you would too.

FredSwan.wine