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Ladera Vineyards is the home of estate grown and produced hillside Cabernet Sauvignon in Howell Mountain Appellation. Their beautiful historic 1886 building was restored and renovated stone winery, they make their wines from the top floor for crushing, to first floor for fermenting, and than store it in the underground barrel caves.
All Ladera wines are aged for about 2 years in French oak barrels tucked safely in their underground caves, where they are racked by gravity as often as taste determines. Their renovation includes almost 18,000 square feet of caves dug into the rock, where they store all their wines. I love that cave!
It's a longer drive to get here, but the drive is stunning this fall season, leaves changing color, relaxing, and I feel as I was some place else rather than Napa Valley itself.
Beautiful estate, tasting tour is about 1.5 hrs to 2 hours, you need to call in advance for RSVP, because Ladera doesn't open to the public.
- 2008 Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon - 100%cab.
- 2008 Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon - Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 3% Petite Verdot
- 2008 Ladera High Plateau Cabernet Sauvignon - 95% Cabernet Sauvignon , 4% Malbec , 1% Petite Verdot - I couldn't stop drinking this blend!
- 2009 Ladera Howell Mountain Malbec 100% Malbec - I dig this wine.
- 2011 Ladera Sauvignon Blanc Howell Mountain - Saugvion Blanc for only $25 per bottle, this was crisp, green apple,, beautiful nose, and such a bargain. I love it.
I also took my friends here for the recent harvest party at Ladera Vineyards, what an amazing event. The winemaker was there to chat with you at your table. The delicious food was catered by Smoke Open Fire Cooking, whole roased pig, wild turkey, beef, salad, salsa, melons, cookies, and a live Mariachi band; and all the best wines that you can drink. The grilled meats were stunning piaring with Ladera wines, and the harvest party was complimentary for members, and $65 per person for guests. It's STEAL for the high quality of food and wine Ladera served.
All my friends enjoyed the harvest party and all said it was the best parties that they've been too. Natalie was so good to us. She toured us the estate, she told us about the history of the winery and served us some seriously tasty wines.
I highly recommend this Ladera wines to you.