Mike and Sandy Davis of Davis Estates, a family owned and operated winery located on the Silverado Trail, just south of Calistoga are the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Official Judges Dinner Hosts. The 2017 Official Wine Judges Dinner is the highlight of the week for our prestigious judges from all over America.
After four years of construction, Mike and Sandy Davis are excited to welcome guests to Davis Estates, a family-owned and operated winery located on the Silverado Trail, just south of Calistoga. The Napa Valley winery has been a long-time dream of the couple, whose newly opened tasting room and terrace offers a wine-tasting experience that is decidedly upscale, yet delightfully informal.
Davis Estates was born from the restoration of a 1916 barn, which was originally built on the property using local redwood, making it both functional and finely crafted. Renowned architect Howard Backen paid homage to this heritage building by selecting rich, warm wood and stone materials to construct the winery building and tasting room. Yet the result is not entirely traditional; Backen and the Davis family worked together to design a space that combines historical authenticity with modern convenience.
Since crushing their first vintage in 2011, Mike and Sandy Davis have been involved with day-to-day operations of restoring the property, planting vineyards and building a state-of-the-art winery from the ground up. With construction of the wine-production facility complete in time for the 2016 harvest, the new crush pad will receive and process grapes for the first time this fall. The winemaking cellar is one that any winemaker would covet. It is outfitted with the best grape-processing equipment, a selection of fermentation vessels and uniquely appointed caves, which features alcove areas to display the family’s art collection.
The outdoor terrace provides visitors with sweeping panoramic views of the northern Napa Valley and estate grounds. Guests can enjoy incredible scenery, which includes a 50-foot “new-antique” windmill, while relaxing in one of Davis Estates’ welcoming porch swings. In addition to daily wine tastings and tours, a spectacular commercial kitchen and indoor pizza oven mean Davis Estate is equipped to function as a premier event space, which also will host members-only parties and dinners.
The opening of the tasting room is the culmination of years of work by the owners. Upon opening the tasting room to guests, Mike Davis reflected, “The entire Davis Estates property is the realization of a dream come true. Our family is beyond excited to share this special place and our estate wines with friends, both old and new.”
Davis Estates welcomes guests with advance reservations. To schedule an appointment between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday (the tasting room is closed on Mondays), please call (707) 942-0700, or email concierge@davisestates.com. Davis Estates offers several intimate tasting experiences, which are described below.
Nestled in the northeastern foothills of Napa Valley, Davis Estates offers breathtaking views from our tasting room and terrace. Enjoy a seated tasting as our Wine Educator provides a “virtual” tour of Napa through wines paired with local cheese and charcuterie.
$60 per person, *limited to 8 guests, available from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., please allow 60 minutes.
Travel back in time on a tour of our historic property, offering a glimpse of how Davis Estates developed. The tour concludes in the tasting room, where our terrace provides stunning views of the Calistoga terroir. Take in the sights and enjoy a tasting flight of our flagship wines paired with local cheese and charcuterie.
$100 per person, *limited to 10 guests, available at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., please allow 90 minutes.
For serious wine collectors and wine lovers, we offer a VIP tour of our property. Begin with a walk through our vineyard and estate. Move into our Howard Backen-designed, cutting-edge winery and tour 11,000 square feet of caves for barrel aging. The tour culminates in our VIP Crush Room, where guests will indulge in a tasting of Davis Estates’ reserve wines, paired with local cheese and charcuterie.
$225 per person, *limited to 4 guests, available at noon and 3 p.m., please allow 120 minutes.
*Larger parties can be accommodated with special arrangements
