Napa Valley Vineyards

Description

Rich Frank brought a little bit of Hollywood to the Napa Valley in 1992 when he took over the Kornell Champagne Cellar on the Historic Larkmead Winery in Calistoga. Now 100% owner of what is Frank Family Vineyards, this former Walt Disney Studios President has turned a passionate hobby into a successful Vineyard producing over 30,000 cases of wine per year.

Grounds

The winery is part of the National Register of Historic Places, so if you plan on visiting this winery for a tasting make sure to take in a tour of the facility and the historic old stone winery on the premises. The grounds are undergoing a great deal of construction right now to prepare for the next season's crush, but the tasting room is open and ready to greet all that can forge their way in past the chaos.

Tasting Room

Frank Family Vineyards is one of the best experiences that you can have while visiting Napa Valley. The tasting room is filled with plenty of fun people and great wine to make this a definite stop on your first trip to Napa. When you walk through the doors of the tasting room you are immediately greeted by friendly and entertaining hosts which makes the environment both inviting and fun to start. We started out with the champagne tasting with a short explanation of each varietal. There is lots of small talk about where everyone is visiting from, and the host does a good job at making everyone comfortable by telling jokes or sharing stories. But after this you're only about half way done with the tasting experience and are whisked off into another tasting room to try the flight of current release wines that are still available. Here you will receive a short lesson on how to taste the wines. Swirl, sniff, sip and savor under your tongue for a moment, then sip again to truly experience the wine. A truly rewarding experience for every guest.

Staff

All of the staff that you encounter at Frank Family Vineyards are entertaining and educating and do the an amazing job of making every guest feel at home. Everyone leaves with a bit more knowledge about the Wines and how to get the most of their experience in Napa. They're talkative and friendly and will answer any question that you may have while visiting the tasting room. Frank Family Vineyards lives up to its reputation as one of the best stops in the Valley. Take advantage of this experience on your next trip to the area and you will be rewarded with a great time and some great wines.

Wines

Champagne

• 1998 Signature Brut
• Champagne, Rouge
• Champagne, Blanc de Noir
• 2001 Reserve Champagne

Wine

• 2006 Chardonnay, Napa Valley
• 2005 Zinfandel, Napa Valley
• 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, Winston Hill Rutherford

Our Rating

Great

Reviews

Frank Family Cab - Aug. 31, 2008

Amazing

One of my all-time favorite wines and wineries. This is a must stop! The people staff is fun, friendly and knowledgeable!

By Barbara G.

A must vist! This was our - Jan. 1, 2009

Amazing

A must vist! This was our first stop of the day and we wanted to stay all day!
Despite the tasting rooms being busy, we were given very personalized attention. Our host made us feel very welcomed, answered all of our questions thoroughly, and discussed each wine with us extensively. The wines offered were the best we tasted all day (the port was amazing!). There is no tasting fee which encourages a laid back and unpretentious environment.
Unfortunately, no tours were offered during the holiday season.
Overall, A great experience and very informative!

By Tatiana

We LOVE this winery. I've - Feb. 28, 2009

Amazing

We LOVE this winery. I've been back several times and each experience has been great, with consistently great wines. Their Chardonnay is particularly note worthy. We've also recommended them to friends going to Napa and each time they have loved it as well. Friendly staff and a low key environment makes this a top location!

By Sara

Not good for groups - May 31, 2009

Good

I haven't actually gone to this winery, but I just called to see if they can accommodate a group of 14 on a Saturday and they said they usually take up to 6 and they already get crowded as is.

By Anonymous

Post Your Review!

Name
Email address
URL
Subject
If you enter anything in this field your comment will be treated as spam
Comment
same as the field above where you don't enter stuff
Rating	PoorOkGoodGreatAmazing How would you rate your experience?