Crocker & Starr Wines

A great boutique winery, a little hard to find in St. Helena but definitely worth the visit! We were greeted by Marshall with a glass of wine, and then by owner Charlie Crocker — both were wonderfully nice and invited us in. Had a great tour and visit with Marshall, tasted a number of great wines and purchased a few special bottles (2012 Casali 5^th Edition (Malbec with Cabernet Franc), and their Stone Place Cabernet) We’re definitely fans of Pam, Charlie and the gang, and will be back many times.

If you’re looking for an off the beaten path delight, this place is just that! Not only do they have some fabulous wine, if you get to meet the winemaker Pam, she is equally wonderful as the wine she makes! Very boutique spot and encourage a reservation but a spot well worth visiting while in wine country!

My wife and I had a private tasting at Crocker & Starr Winery. It took place in their «stone house» that overlooks the vineyard. It was just beautiful — I felt like we were in Italy. Our tasting started at 9:45 a.m., and I was a little apprehensive about drinking wine so early in the day. The wine was delicious, and I quickly overcame my anxiety. Our guide was Jessica who was informative and congenial. We had a very enjoyable time, but the cost was a bit high.

This was a GREAT find. We visited this morning and felt as though we were visiting somebody’s home who was very happy to see us. Jessica, our host, walked us through the vineyard and explained what, where and why they grow. She treated us like family, completely unrushed and very conversational. The Cab Franc is superb, as was most everything else we tried. Oh, and Lou, her dog was a nice treat for dog lovers like us. She was very friendly and fun to pet.

How do I plug in negative stars? This place was the worst. We just collectively spent $ 2k in wine at Del Dotto, went to C&S and were quarantined to the porch while their sorority party ate fried chicken on the lawn. 2 wines for $ 25? Medium at best.

The experience was awesome!!! We love all the wine and bought a case… though it was expensive… it was worth it. We had so much fun and really enjoyed the wine.

I love wine. I think I know wine. But I don’t think I know well enough to critique a good wine let alone explain the complexity of it. So with that stated, I love Crocker & Starr wines. Wine maker Pam Starr in my humble opinion, produces the best Cab-​Franc in the Valley. You can visit the winery on a appointment bases only and I must say it is an absolutely pleasant experience compare to the tour bus /​Disney land theme park monstrosities that now covers Napa. The property feels like a farm, it feels like a home, it feels comfortable, maternal, balanced and peaceful. Your tour will begin from the farm house, to the vines and end up at the covered court yard. There will always be a breeze from the near by river and the wine will always taste good there.
Happy eating — R

I don’t know how I ended up with a bottle of the 2001 Stone Place Cuvee. It’s been sitting high up in my poorly climate-​controlled wine rack for a long time (at least four years). Last night, I decided to open it up (any night you open a good wine is a special occasion). The cork broke in half on opening, and I needed to use some technique to get the rest out. Although the top of the cork was still moist, I was worried that the wine was shot. But it poured a lovely deep claret-​red and smelled fine.
The first sip was fruity and light, with no tightness. After about ½ hour it became the most wonderful, complex blend of densely fruity, herbal-​licorice wham! I love this kind of surprise. Next time, I will buy more, and keep it safe.

We popped a magnum of 2000 Stone Place Cuvee last night at Uncle Jack’s (a NYC steakhouse) and it was awesome (Only $ 25 corkage was a bargain — and restaurant was great.) Needed about 30 mins to breathe, but was a perfect accompaniment to a big dinner. Magnum was from our 2006 visit to the vineyard where Pam hosted a once-​in-​a-​lifetime vineyard tour and tasting, and where she opened the library a bit to sell us the mags. Big fan of this winery and wine.

Small production cabernet sauvignon & cabernet franc. This estate is mind blowing. Talk about old money. Due to the small production sometimes availability of some wines is limited so call ahead.

If you are going to the grocery store wineries – then this isn’t a place for you. Please only go here if you love the complex nature of what wine has to offer. This is a haven for people who really enjoy, appreciate, and want to learn more about what wine has to offer. This isn’t a taste and dash. This is savor and reflection.
Not only is the wine great, but so was the tour given by Mark. I was really impressed with this winery and the friendliness of the staff. I would definitely come here again.
Tip #1: Book at least a week in advance. I had tried to come here another time and they were closed the day I had wanted to go, so I wished I had centered my trip around going here first.
Tip #2: The tour is a good hour, so plan accordingly.
Tip #3: The Cab is wonderful and ask for a taste of Bridesmaid (not on the menu, but usually available upon request-​unlike the bride…) its outstanding as well and bit cheaper.

Great wine. Pam was very nice.

Had a wonderful experience here. Very intimate setting and a lot of personal attention and interaction. They are in the process of building a gorgeous and private winery at the edge of their vines on the valley floor.
Small portfolio of wines with very small production — Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Sauv Blanc. In CA Sauv Blanc and Cab Franc circles this winery is well known and they deliver with high quality and individuality. The Cab Sauv (2006) was fantastic.
$ 30 for the tasting/​experience.

What an afternoon we had! First off, the grounds are beautiful with the Crimson and Clover sprawling about and the vineyards close by. The tasting room and picnic area are superb! Excellent for having lunch-​which we did-​and milling about wile dining and drinking. Pam and Wendy were absolutely superb as well. So informative and complete professionals without being at all stuffy. In fact, they were a lot of fun! Pam taught us all about the organic techniques and why it is important to them and also explained a lot of the history that makes Crocker & Starr such a unique place. Now, the wine. It was the only time while visiting a winery that I thoroughly enjoyed EVERY WINE served. Truly fantastic. Each wine, in it’s own way, was extraordinary. Personally, I ordered some of the Cab and the Sauv Blanc for my collection. Others went with the Cab Franc. You simply cannot go wrong with their wines. One final note before I go, bring a ball or a frisbee to play with Griffin, the wire-​haired terrier, in case he’s there when you visit. He’s a blast! Visit when you have a chance, you will not be disappointed.

A small group of friends were taking a wine tour through some St. Helena wineries. We combined our visit to the Crocker and Starr winery with lunch. They’ve got a newly built tasting room right at the end of Dowdell lane which even had a tent, to keep us dry as there was a little drizzle that day. Under the tent, Wendy had set up a handsomely outfitted dinner table for our post tasting lunch which they’d assisted us in setting up. Wendy was super helpful at suggesting other wineries for us to try and she did a wonderful job at making my group feel comfortable. Pam Starr was there as well and spoke to us about the wines we were drinking and told us a lot about the wine making process. It was remarkable to get to spend so much time with a world class wine maker. Our visit to C&S was the highlight of our day. We even got to throw the frisbee with Griffon, Pam’s handsome hound.
Thanks to everyone at Crocker & Starr for making our experience wonderful.

This review is for the wine-​only; not the winery.
One of my good friends owns a winery in Woodinville, WA, where many great wines are produced. I visited him several weeks ago mentioning I was headed to Napa. He gave me a quick list of his 7 «Must-​do wineries» which included «Dave, go meet Pam Starr of Crocker and Starr and try her wines». Unfortunately due to my poor planning, we were in Napa Sun-​Tues when most wineries are closed.
Several weeks later, I’m enjoying dinner at Boa in West Hollywood and see 2006 Crocker and Starr Cabernet Franc on the menu. I ask Pablo, (wine aficionado and Boa expert), for his thoughts. He just grins and says «order it».
We order the wine and let the bottle open up and and OMG, incredible! I’m tasting espresso and pepper in this big, but not a «fruit bomb», red. Wow, great flavors, great balance and a superb finish.
The next day I’m online trying to figure out who’s got this. Someone has to, right? But, I’m totally striking out at K&L, Wally’s, Woodland Hills and the usual haunts, I go to C&S website to submit an order. No luck! They, too, are sold out.
Then it occurs to me: I need to write this story and grovel. Ruthlessly drop names and grovel. Beg, plead, get down on my hands and knees as I need this wine! So, I document my sad story of missing the winery, then finding the wine, tasting it, only to be frustrated because I can’t get any. I drop my buddy’s name and the next day I’m out exercising when who calls: Pam Starr! I was so excited I felt like I was talking to the President! She got to hear the sad, but true story one more time, and miraculously found a case which she offered up for sale.
Of course, I graciously ordered and gave her a sales lead that we’d run Boa dry in the process of enjoying this masterpiece of a wine. I’m not really sure how Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast will score this wine, nor do I really care. This wine is perfect for my palette and the story makes it even better!
Hurray for Crocker and Starr! I look forward to updating this review after touring the winery this Fall… and trying the 2007.

Date: March 29, 2007
Winery: Crocker & Starr Wines
Winemaker: Pam Starr
Tasting: Tasting by Appointment
Contact: 707.967.9111 — Pam Starr
This is another winery that I’ve not visited for a while, specifically the last two years. Used to meet up with Pam at Napa Wine Company every few month and always been a fan of her work. These days, Pam is entertaining visitors at the Crocker Estate in St. Helena, beautiful property and much more pleasing than the crowded barrel room at NWC.
Located on the valley floor in St. Helena, this is definitely a stop to make while visiting in the area, don’t miss out!
2003 Stone Place
Back in the days, Stone Place was a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ blend of Cabernet and Merlot. However, as the vineyard matures, the Cabernet source has steadily increased, this current bottling is 84% Cabernet and 16% Merlot.
Wonderful aromatic lures you into the glass. Tremendous amount of black fruits accompanied by sweet anise, licorice and hints of chocolate. Layers of dark fruit on the palate, dominated with black cherries. Dense and chewy, good weight on mid-​palate. Firm but well integrated tannin, balanced out by fat, luscious fruits. Good power, yet shows restrain.
2004 Cabernet Franc
So it seem like every time I taste wine with Pam, we run into the issue of cork influenced (but not TCA) wine. Pam opened a total of three half bottles of the Cab Franc.
First bottle opened got great aromatic, cinnamon stick was the headliner. While the wine showed good amount of fruit on the palate, there is this bothersome drying woody tannin. Pam suspected cork influence so off to fetch the second bottle. Cork popped on second bottle, we hit the classic TCA jackpot. Hoping for third time’s the charm and it sure was.
Striking cinnamon stick nose, not that much different than the first bottle. But on the palate, it’s where you can really see the difference. Gone is the drying cedar tannin, more raspberries and cherries took it’s place, tannin is now firm and ripe. This is easily one of the top five Cabernet Franc made in the valley, if you like Cab Franc and has not tried Pam’s, you are missing out.