2006-06-02
The Corley Family’s
Monticello Vineyards in Napa Valley
The Corley family’s Monticello Vineyards is an innovative and acclaimed limited- production estate winery located in America’s premier wine-growing appellation – Napa Valley. Their wines have won innumerable awards over the last 25 years. Their releases are consistently ranked in the 90s by national wine critics. Recently they honored the 2004 Academy Award nominees and they were served during the 2nd Inauguration of President George W. Bush. Their wines have also earned “Top 100” picks from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and the San Francisco Chronicle.
The wines are seriously good but the atmosphere at the winery and in the tasting room is just plain easy going, relaxing even. Their dedicated staff is fun, knowledgeable and informative. Many times you will find one of the Corley’s stopping through the tasting room to chat with visitors – both newcomers and “the faithful.”
Jay Corley founded Monticello Vineyards in 1970 after purchasing land and planting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Today, the vineyard serves as the main estate. In seeking out the finest sites to grow their own grapes, the Corley family has grown ever so slowly to be a five small vineyard estate winery. Monticello Vineyards now produces 15,000 cases a year of wine. “We sell wine around the world and we feel we compete with the very best,” he said.
Sons, Kevin, Chris and Stephen serve as Winegrower, Winemaker and Director of Wine Sales. The Corleys’ dedication to estate grown wines is paramount in preserving the consistency and quality of their wines. Each wine is crafted with great complexity and distinctive character – a result from the natural diversity of their vineyards – five small Napa valley vineyard sites in Rutherford, St. Helena and Yountville for their Cabernet Sauvignon and in the newly established Oak Knoll District for their Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and most recently Syrah.
Winemaking at the winery is a modern and innovative turn on the traditional methods. The winemaking team is extremely hands-on while committed to meticulously farming to bring the ripe, intense fruit to the glass.
The Corley’s love to warmly welcome wine lovers to Monticello Vineyards. There is a tasting room that is open to the public seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Next door is the Jefferson House, a building modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s home, available for private events and Reserve Room wine tastings. The Jefferson House is open for tours by request, as are the picnic grounds.
Monticello Vineyards also has an active wine club. Its members have access to limited-production wines not distributed widely.
For more information, visit the website at www.corleyfamilynapavalley.com or call (707) 253-2802.
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