Not all wine is made the same, especially in Napa Valley. There’s an abundance of tasting rooms and wineries, but where do you start? It’s overwhelming…just drive down Main Street in Yountville and you are bombarded with advertisements of ‘the BEST wine in Napa, guaranteed.’ Well, we travelled the beaten path and the road slightly less travelled for you and came across the family run Goosecross Cellars. A boutique property, the vineyard is a small winery run by partners Geoff and David. They have garnered a cult following nationwide as an exclusive direct-to-consumer winery with seriously dedicated wine club groupies.
Located in Yountville, the heart and soul of Napa Valley, Goosecross produces Napa Valley wines from grapes grown on their estate vineyard along with carefully selected grapes from local growers. Only 9,000 exclusive cases are produced annually. Winemaker Geoff Gorsuch crafts the wines to show true varietal character by staying focused on the basics—sustainable farming with attention, care and diligence in the cellar.
For the down to earth oenophile
Their tasting room is one of the highlights in Yountville. Fantastic wines, a cozy intimate setting and lots of fun. These guys know that wine is not all about a pretentious attitude and price tag. They care about each grape that turns into each sip, and they also really care about the customer. If you pop in on any given day you’ll find a bar full of laughter and at least a few half empty glasses. It’s a friendly atmosphere to explore new flavors and just have a good time.
If you’re able to catch Winemaker Geoff for just a minute—and we were lucky enough to steal him for a few hours—you’ll find out just how down to earth this winery is. He’s a matter of fact kind of guy who is truly passionate about what he does, and at the end of the day, he knows good wine. He cares about only bottling wines that are truly delicious, not about the mass profit or any sort of gimmicky marketing. Get him sipping the wines with you, and you’ll never want to leave the tasting room!
While we had a hard time not falling in love with every new taste, there were a few that we couldn’t leave without snagging a bottle (or two or three). Goosecross’s Napa Valley Pinot Noir is pure silk on the palate. Bright, fruit-forward flavors of cherry, strawberry-rhubarb, earthy truffle, mocha and spice. Like a piece of pie in every swirl. Their specialty wine, the 2010 Orange Muscat is not to be overlooked. It’s not technically a member of the Muscat family of grapes, but it might as well be. Fresh and sweet with juicy pear, honeydew melon, caramelized ginger, local honey and bursting orange peel. Desert wine nirvana.
We also fell head over heels for the elusive 2010 Napa Valley “Oak Knoll” Viognier. There’s been a small explosion in acreage devoted to this hedonist’s white grape variety. Fresh peach, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus and spice, but bone dry. A pleasant surprise that leaves you wanting more and more.
Don’t leave Yountville without stopping by to say hi to Geoff and have a glass of wine. You’ll go home with a few bottles of wine a few new friends.
