Priest Ranch Vineyard & Tasting Room Updates
2020 is a year of new and unexpected changes for Priest Ranch. COVID-19 has disrupted all of our lives, and the wine industry is no exception. Tasting rooms and wine brands across the country have had to adjust how they bring their wines and stories to you in new and creative ways. We're excited to share how we've been bringing Priest Ranch to you during these challenging times and look forward to continuing our journey with you.
Virtual Events
COVID-19 has affected how we can connect with everyone. While going live on Facebook or Instagram to bring you up-to-date on winery and tasting room happenings is something we've always enjoyed doing, more recently, we've also delved into the realm of virtual events.
From a virtual wine and cheese pairing through Zoom to Instagram Live sessions in the vineyard and everything in between, we've thoroughly enjoyed connecting with Priest Ranch followers, both new and longtime fans. Whether you're a Wine Club member who knows us well, a local who's stopped by for a tasting, or you're just getting acquainted with us; we hope our virtual events give you a glimpse into the world of Priest Ranch.
Priest Ranch Virtual Tasting Kits
If you're new to Priest Ranch wines, looking to reacquaint yourself, or a long time supporter, then the Priest Ranch Virtual Introductory Tasting Kit is for you! We currently offer this kit that includes three 750 ml bottles of our wines: the 2018 Grenache Blanc, 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2014 Coach Gun. You'll enjoy special pricing and can book a private virtual wine tasting with one of our Wine Specialists. Better yet, share this offer with your friends, and we can create a virtual tasting party! If you have a group of 10 or more, we can schedule a private tasting for you and your friends with our Winemaker, Craig Becker.
Somerston Estate Experience
If you'd like to join us off the beaten path for an open-air tasting experience in the eastern hills of the Napa Valley, then a visit to our Somerston Estate - the location of our vineyards - is for you. Located just nine miles off of Silverado Trail, the estate is far removed from busy tasting rooms. Our 1,682-acre estate has just over 240 planted vineyard acres that range from 800 to 1,650 feet in elevation. [A tree with a mountain in the background Description automatically generated]
This year, we've added a new offering as a way to enjoy our estate: an Elevated Hike & Wine Tour with Active Wine Adventures (listed under "Napa Elevated Hike & Wine Tour #2"). On this private tour, you will be escorted on a beautiful hike along the shores of Napa's largest lake. This six mile/2.5 hour hike features gentle elevation gain, is mostly in the sun, and boasts panoramic lake and mountain views. Then you will be taken to our estate where you'll tour our vineyards and enjoy a private tasting of our limited-production wines and a picnic lunch. The length of this experience is approximately 5 ½ hours, which includes the drive time from Napa as Active Wine Adventures picks you up by SUV from your place of lodging.
Yountville Tasting Room Remodel
The Priest Ranch tasting room was built in 2010 to represent all of our current brands at that time – Somerston, Priest Ranch, and Highflyer. As we thought more about the location and the experience of having a remote tasting room, we felt that the Priest Ranch brand was the best fit for Yountville and slowly transitioned the building into the Priest Ranch Tasting Room. As Priest Ranch grew, we decided to invest in bringing the building in line with the Priest Ranch brand.
This year, we completed a remodel that included the following elements:
- A wine vault that holds over 1,100 bottles.
- Installed a new Nana Wall on the front side of the building, allowing us to open the inside into the outside.
- Removed our wine bar and replaced it with couches, chess tables, and lounge furniture to create a comfortable space that allows our team and customers to engage with each other one-on-one.
- Introduced curated pairings to explore the adventurous side of our love of wine and food, including our Bacon & Wine Pairing and Snap Krackle Pop Experience (seasonal - includes our Brut Rosé, Popcorn, and Kollar Pop Rock Chocolate).
We also completed cosmetic updates to the building overall to provide guests with a brighter, more elevated experience.
As Priest Ranch Wines continues to grow and evolve, we look forward to providing you with new opportunities to engage with us and our wines no matter where you are. We hope you have the chance to check out our website for more information on our tasting experiences, online virtual events, virtual tasting options, our wine shop, and more!