Long Meadow Ranch Winery

St. Helena (Napa)

We have wanted to stop at Long Meadow Ranch Winery since it opened a year or two ago.  The tasting room/restaurant/bar/grounds complex is located at the south end of St. Helena right across from Tra Vigne.  The site used to contain a nursery and the tasting room itself is located in a refurbished 1874 home.  The actual winery is located at the Long Meadow Ranch which is located in the Mayacama Mountains (the mountains on your left as you drive up-valley).  The vineyards are historic, first being planted in the 1880’s, and range from 900 to 1,300 feet in elevation.  The current owners have owned the property since the late 80’s with vineyards re-established in the late 90’s.

We sat at the bar for the tastings that run $10 and $20.  The higher priced tasting includes the premium Cabernet- EJ Church.  Our wine tasting consisted of Sauvignon Blanc, the Cabernet based Ranch House Red and the standard and premium Cabernet.  All wines were excellent and each tasting got progressively better and the EJ Church at $85 tasted its worth. 

Ed was our host and was someone who seemed really at ease with himself and seemed to be enjoying himself.  My thoughts were that he was possibly the owner but he said no.  He had great knowledge about the whole Long Meadow Ranch operation.  It was Mother’s Day an on this day the tasting for Moms was complimentary.  There were two others pouring and all seemed to be enjoying this day.  In addition to the bar that maybe held 10-12 tasters there were two other private rooms where groups were being hosted.

At the conclusion of the wine tasting, we also tasted some Extra Version Olive Oil that is also produced at the ranch.  You taste it just as you would wine, although in a smaller glass-- so you are really tasting just the olive oil and not the cracker or bread that you normally taste Olive Oil with.

Farmstead is the restaurant located on the property and with it being Mother’s Day there were diners everywhere.  The restaurant is housed in the original nursery barn and serves ingredient-driven American farmhouse cooking.  There is also an outdoor bar with a large outdoor fireplace located between the restaurant and tasting room.

What we like (beside the wine)- The hosts, the history, the grounds

What we bought- The Napa Cab, Sauv Blanc and the Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Vitals-

738 Main Street

St. Helena, CA

(707) 963-4551

www.longmeadowranch.com