Altamura Winery

We are not into «whites», but I will say this is definetely THE BEST white wine I have ever had!!! OK… the reds are the best, too! I cannot say enough good about Altamura! Unbelievable! And Monica??? What a doll! Loved her and Dot the winery cat! Gorgeous drive up to Wooden Valley but it’s really not that far from Napa…10 minutes? Soooo worth it! Thank you so much, Monica and thank you Frank for making such incredible wines!

Man, what a find!
Monica took us through the flight of whites and reds and with each taste, I rediscovered new flavors on traditional Napa favorites and learned about a new one or two. The Sangiovese is the one that caught my attention. Even the Blanc which I usually do not care much for, expanded my appreciation for the brand.
Turns out this out of the way Napa winery just happens to be Robert Redford’s choice to supply his Sundance Resort in Utah. What can I say other than the guy has great taste.
Altamura is a bit east of the city of Napa but will be a fun mountain drive to get there. Just call ahead for an appointment to be sure to be attended to!

… and she jumps onto the bandwagon. A relative unknown gets 97 points and a Top 5 spot in Wine Spectator? You couldn’t have dared me to stay away.
Everything about my visit to the Altamura Estate and Winery lived up to expectations. It was a bit difficult to get there (tip: use the directions they provide when you set up your appointment. Your GPS might find this location to be a challenge and you’ll have no cell service once you get close), but it’s just incredible to feel the excitement and energy there. The Altamuras are incredibly passionate about their terroir and their fruit. It was basically a no-​brainer that great wine would follow.
Monica conducted our wine tasting and she’s just wonderful. Calling her knowledgeable would be an understatement. After just 45 minutes with her I felt like I gained so much insight into what makes Frank Altamura, the reluctant winemaker, tick.
We started our tasting off with the Sauvignon Blanc, Sangiovese and Negroamaro. Each wine was just phenomenal. I have a penchant for smoky, biting wines so I had to bring back a few bottles of the Negroamaro with me. I really wanted to try their Nebbiolo, but it had just been bottled and wasn’t ready for release. At least I have something to look forward to.
And then it was on to the «big boy» — the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, I’ve only had 2 of the Top 10 wines from 2010, but you don’t have to be a connoisseur to know that this is the Good Stuff. It definitely lived up to my high expectations. I can’t think of anything that I could add that hasn’t already been said, but it was definitely one of my top glasses of wine that I can remember.