Paloma Vineyard

I agree with the other reviews. In summary, hard to find but well worth the effort, stunning views, the best Merlot in Cal according to me and Winespectator, and Barbara was very inviting and funny. We had no reservation but I called ahead to see if we could come by and buy a couple bottles. She said anytime so in 30 minutes we were there, she let us in her home, and forced us to try her wine. Thank you Barb. Drank 2011 and 2010 vintages, both absolutely delicious.

Skeptical about a trip to the peak of spring mountain for a merlot tasting, it turned into the highlight of a tasting tour. The view was breathtaking, almost European, the wine was delicious, and Barbara the hostess was witty and welcoming. And the hummingbirds. Other reviewers got it right. A one wine, couple vintage winery in Barbara’s beautiful home. It’s hard to find and it’s merlot (thank you Paul Giamatti for making me doubt that it can ever be this good). Take advantage of this while you can

The tasting does not get more personal than in Jim and Barbara’s home — great merlot and a magnificent view too.
Although Jim is no longer with us, Barbara carrries on the tradition of single varietal focus (Merlot) with just a dash of cabernet for blending (usually about ⁸⁵⁄₁₅).
The Spring Mountaintop vineyard is family owned, and still farmed by hand. Winemaking since 2007 is handled by their son Sheldon. Paloma Merlot is one of the most reliable and consistent brands you can find — year in and year out, this is a round, fruit forward and well-​integrated effort.
The view off the deck into the vineayrd is stunning, and the abundance of hummingbirds is certain to amaze any visitors.
Plus, Barbara is great people.
Don’t expect the standard tasting room event — this is a one-​wine shop, but well worth the trip up the mountain.

I have been using Magnum tours since Jim founded the company. We have taken large groups and small groups. Everyone we have ever taken on a Magnum tour is blown away by the service and the attention to detail that the company provides. We have developed long standing friendships with the owners of several wineries thanks to Jim and his staff. I tell people that you have never really experienced Napa till you do it with Magnum Tours.

Fantastic wine. Totally not for a casual wine tourist, but if you are serious about wine, it’s amazing.

Paloma Vineyard makes some of the best red wine in the world. It is a unique, small, family run winery up in Spring Mountain near St. Helena. If you are a serious wine drinker and love great Bordeaux or Napa red wines, then you will certainly want to visit. If you can’t visit, then buy a bottle of their Merlot if you can find it. This is not your one dimensional, easy to drink (but easier to forget) Merlot, the type that was so maligned in the movie Sideways. It is a complex, layered, fascinating Merlot that is very different from your usual California Merlot regardless of price.
The Paloma 2008 Merlot, like the great right bank red Bordeauxs, is primarily Merlot but is blended with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is 30% new French oak. Deep ruby like in color, it has a blackberry aroma with a full luscious silky taste of ripe cherries and plums along with hints of chocolate and minerality that is incredibly layered and complex. The finish is very long and interesting, another sign of a great wine. This wine is very well balanced so that it is quite drinkable now, but will obviously age well over the next ten or fifteen years. The voluptuous layered complexity of this wine in mid palate along with its long finish, place it in a rare class.
This is the best Merlot I’ve tasted in forty years of wine tasting. Paloma’s Merlot compares favorably quality wise with wines that sell for several hundred dollars but is priced at a mere $ 54. It could easily be a cult wine that you would have to sign up years ahead of time to buy and then spend a small fortune on once you were privileged enough to be able to purchase a bottle.
As with all wineries up on Spring Mountain, reservations are required but easily made by phone or email. There is no charge for the tasting, which is in their own home, and Barbara Richards or her son Sheldon will spend an hour with you explaining their philosophy and their obvious love for growing and making one of the great wines of the world. Although the Merlot is the only wine available for tasting, they do bottle a very limited amount of Cabernet Sauvignon every few years and offer it for sale when they have some, the 2009 selling for $ 54. Obviously, Paloma is a very special place. Paloma Vineyard is not just a wonderful winery; it is a labor of love by a remarkable family.

There are at least four fantastic reasons to visit Paloma.
1. You will find no finer Merlot (yes, Merlot — — get over it!) in California than Paloma’s.
2. Even if you don’t care for wine at all, meeting owner/​viticulteralist in residence/​head vintner, and all around badass chick, the exceptionally charming Miss Barbara is well worth the drive. She knows every plant in her vineyard better than most mothers know their children… and she meticulously harvests and reharvests (up to 14 times a season!) each when the fruit is prime.
3. The hummingbirds. A dozen or more wondrous little birds sit peacefully near the feeder on Miss Barbara’s porch at any given time. I have never seen a hummingbird just sit. But then, there is something about Miss Barbara that would make any creature pay attention.
4. This is exactly what a boutique winery should be. Good land, good grapes, good people and good execution. Zero pretense or bs.
In the 15 years since I started visiting Napa, I am convinced that this is the most special place in the region.

Paloma is a special experience for true wine lovers. If you are new to wine, Paloma is not the best place to come. The tasting is very simple, laid back, and personal… but very different.
First off, to get to Paloma you must drive up Spring Mountain Road, which is about as far from accommodating as possible. The road is windy, steep, narrow, two-​laned, and tough to get up compared to the other wineries. Paloma does not have a sign, only a small address sign on the side of the road.
Paloma is about as far above the Napa Valley that you can get. It is located on Spring Mountain, an appellation that is located on the Western mountain range above St. Helena. Once you come to this appellation, you will love it.
When you first walk into Paloma, you will be greeted by Sheldon or Barbara Richards. Sheldon is Barbara’s son, and together they run all operations on site, and I mean ALL. They have about 2 workers who help out, but Barbara or Sheldon are involved in every step.
After being greeted by one of the two family members, you will be welcomed into their home to taste a bottle of their world-​famous Merlot. I don’t know what is more impressive: the view from their home, or their Merlot. Both are extremely impressive, to say the least.
The view is, no question, one of the best in Napa Valley, and is worth the trip just for the view. The wine is inky, full of ripe, black fruit, and has an amazing finish. If you are coming here, you probably know how good their Merlot is, so no need for me to say too much.

For those looking for a truly unorthodox wine tasting, call and make a appointment today. The tasting is free and consists of just one wine.
Rather than try to recreate my experience with words, which cannot be done, go visit Barbara today and taste «her» Merlot before it’s too late.
*note*
be careful when driving to Paloma. There are two electric gates you must drive through. One of the two when entering/​leaving will open towards your car so be ready to reverse once the gate starts to swing open.

I spent an hour talking with the woman who made the number one wine in the world. The Paloma 2001 Merlot Spring Mountain headed the Wine Spectator 2003 Top 100 list. On her back porch, overlooking rows of meticulously groomed vines against a backdrop of rising fog we talked about her winery. «Why Spring Mountain? Why Merlot?» I asked, and was surprised and charmed by the answers.
Paloma sits atop a steep hill surrounded by verdant groves of tall trees in Spring Mountain. Proprietors Barbara and Jim host guests for wine tastings in their lovely rustic home. They produce two wines, one from estate-​grown Merlot (with Cabernet blended in) and Syrah (formerly estate fruit, but now sourced).
The current release, the 2006 Merlot ($ 54), is a marvelous wine that captivates the palate and senses. Rich aromas of violet, potpourri and dark fruit carry over to the body with excellent concentration and tannic strength. Simply swirling and smelling the wine in my glass was an acute pleasure and one that I look forward to reliving in the bottle I purchased.
As for those questions, I won’t divulge the answers here– you’ll have to ask Barbara yourself!