Homage Vineyard Review

Address: 102 Foothill Blvd.? Calistoga,California 94515.
Phone Number: 707-490-8449
Tasting Hours: By appt. Thurs-Sun

Region: Napa Valley AVA, Calistoga AVA, California
Reviewer: Sherrie Perkovich
Review Date: 4/27/2014
Reviewer: Sherrie Perkovich
Rating: 5

The Review

Micro-winery standout Homage Vineyard, is an absolute must-stop for serious Cabernet Sauvignon lovers when visiting Napa Valley. Owners Simon and Avia Hawksworth are a pure delight. Long story short, they met in Portland, moved to Minnesota together and eventually worked their way west to Calistoga nine years ago.

The vines were five years old when they bought the property but hadn’t been properly maintained. So they hired a vineyard manager and made their first non-commercial vintage in 2005 (2009 was their first commercial vintage). A year later, they hired the magical vineyard manager duo Juan and Victor and brought these neglected vines back to life. They now have a total of 5 acres, 4 of which are planted entirely with Cabernet Sauvignon except for a wee bit of Petite Verdot. Homage hopes to boost their production this year all the way up to 600 cases. It doesn’t get more micro-winery than this!

The Winery: &nbspSo where does the name Homage come from? Homage is a tribute to a whole lot of people that have made this dream of theirs a reality, including Avia’s father. He was an artist and very dear to Avia. The Homage label is one of his works of art. It depicts an old lover of his in Lithuania.

The Wines: &nbspHomage’s inaugural vintage, their 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, has excellent structure and balance, showing rich dark berries, hints of mocha with impressive mouthfeel and finish. I was able to taste the 2009 side-by-side with the 2010. The difference a year can make is amazing. The 2010 Cab leaps out of the glass with bright red berry fruit, lovely acidity and a lighter, slightly smoother finish. At Homage, they employ a very hands-off approach to winemaking with a goal of producing balanced wines with precise acidity.

Wine Tasting Details: &nbspThe wine tasting experience takes place in the Hawksworth’s home at their cozy patio table where guests are surrounded by vineyards and mountains. It is truly spectacular. While there, have the Hawksworths tell you their wonderfully romantic story about how they met and what brought them to Calistoga. Homage currently produces 400 cases of a single Cabernet Sauvignon. If you are fortunate, they may have one of their library wines available to taste with the current release. This tasting experience isn’t for everyone. Serious Cab lovers looking for a rare, hidden gem…this is for you!