Monticello Vineyards – Corley Family Napa Valley Review
Address: 4242 Big Ranch Road Napa,California 94558.
Phone Number: 707-253-2802
Tasting Hours: 10:00-4:30
Region: Napa Valley AVA, Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA, California
Reviewer: Becky Parr
Review Date: 8/8/2013
Reviewer: Becky Parr
Rating: 4
The Review
Ive been to Monticello Thomas Jeffersons home in Virginia, that is. I was a kid, on that obligatory Washington, D.C.-area vacation with my family, but I vaguely remember it. I felt a bit turned around when I learned that Monticello Vineyards is in Napa Valley, California, not Virginia at all.
A little online research, and I learned why. The Corley family, owners and
operators of Monticello Vineyards, come from Virginia. Jay Corley, founder, expresses an admiration for Thomas Jeffersons appreciation for food and wine and connections to farming. So I went to Monticello Vineyards with the promise of having some good wine, which I certainly didnt get on that family vacation to Virginia!
The Place:  The winery and tasting room at Monticello Vineyards are certainly reminiscent of the Italian Palladian style of architecture; white columns in front, a prominent chimney, a widows walk on the roof.
According to the website, the winery is a good replica of the actual house
at Monticello in Virginia. We didnt get to go into that building, but the grounds are certainly beautiful, the view is great, and the building that houses the tasting room is built with the same architectural feel.
The actual tasting room is fairly small, but filled with dark wood and a rich feeling. The barrel room was blocked from access, but we could peek in and take a photo from the doorway. Overall, the facilities seemed perfect for an idyllic winery connected to history.
The People:  Two different winery employees helped our group of four Robin and Linda. Robin started us off, but she was also working with another group, so by the time we had had a taste or two, Linda stepped in and helped her out. It was nice chatting with Linda, who had some connections to Texas, where were all from. She was pleasant and described the wines very well.
The Wines:  This is unfortunately where my experience turned unremarkable not bad, in any sense, just unremarkable. We were only offered four wines to taste, even though there were 13 on the tasting list. If there was an option for an upgraded tasting paying more and doing different or more wines it wasnt offered to us. I was disappointed. Linda did give us one little extra taste, so we got to taste five.
The wines were pleasant enough, but there was nothing that made me want to buy a bottle to take home. The Estate Grown Chardonnay was smooth and creamy, and the Estate Grown Pinot Noir was very light, and almost seemed a little sweet. The Estate Grown Merlot was blended with 25% Cabernet Franc, and the Corley Proprietary Red Wine, which was more earthy than the others, included Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.
The best was the Jefferson Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon. It was a bit tannic for me, but one of my companions did buy a bottle. They were all serviceable wines, but I expected to love them, and I really didnt.
The Experience:  Theres nothing at all wrong with Monticello Vineyards. The place is lovely, the people (especially Linda) are nice, and the wines are worth tasting. If it was anywhere but Napa/Sonoma, which is full of spectacular wineries, it would be a must-see. However, compared to the other Sonoma wineries and Napa wineries that we visited, it unfortunately didnt stand out. As a result, we were in and out pretty quickly. If presented with the idea, I would probably go again, but Im not sure this is a winery I would seek out.
Insiders Tip:  Dont confuse this winery with Monticello Vineyards & Winery, which is in Florida!