“Arger-Martucci Vineyards in St. Helena is by far one of the best wineries in the valley.  The wines are spectacular and the staff treat you like family.”

Kosta Arger (Winemaker), Me and Chris Maschauer

During my last visit to Napa my fiance’s family came to visit and we gave them a Napa Valley experience to remember.  Arger-Martucci Vineyards in St. Helena is by far one of the best wineries in the valley.  The wines are spectacular and the staff treat you like family.  We were extremely lucky to have the men behind the wine, Kosta Arger and Chris Maschauer (Estate Vineyard Manager), join us for our family style wine tasting.

Ager-Martucci Vineyards is a beautiful country style winery with a romantic picnic area right next to their lush green vineyards.  I called them ahead of time and they were happy to accommodate us with a table for our family to enjoy our lunch and taste their wines.

Great Wine Requires Great Food

On our way we made a quick stop at Sunshine Foods my favorite place for a gourmet sandwich in St. Helena.  Rustic Italian bread, Muenster Cheese, Smoked Turkey with fresh lettuce, tomato and avocado… (drooling as i write).

The People

Kosta and Chris are two incredibly charming men with a unique talent in the art of ecology, viniculture, and winemaking.  They are very hands-on and have a deep rooted respect for the environment which in-turn plays a huge role in the characteristics of their wine.

Chris Maschauer comes from a history of cattle farming and can tell you how his traditional methods in viniculture contribute to their unique style of winemaking.  We spent three hours tasting wine and having an open discussion about the craft of farming and winemaking that everyone could relate to.

A Favorite Wine for Everyone

One of the great qualities this winery has is it’s ability to produce great wines in all the popular varietals as well as the rare but elegant Viognier.  Whatever you fancy, I’m sure Ager-Martucci has what your looking for.

My Dad loves the 2005 Syrah and was happy to discover that they produce a bold dark wine with a soft finish.  This is a Gold Medal Winner and represents the complex style of the Altas Peak terroir.  Rich peppory, dark cherry flavors with a fine leathery finish This wine is his favorite becuase  its ready now and will only improve over time.

My Father-in-Law praised the 2004 Pinot Noir as “The best he’s every had!” and I would have to agree with him!  This amazing wine comes from Carneros and features rich aromas of dark cherry followed by a soft plum finish.  This wine will keep you coming back for more.

My Mother & Mother-in-Law were impressed with the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine has big tannis followed by a combition of dark fruit, tobacco, cinnamon, roasted almonds and a fine oak finish.  Everything you like in a classic big red Napa Valley Cabernet.

I’m usually a red wine drinker but I’m always on the prowl for a white blend that’ll make my head spin.  The 2007 Viognier is the best white wine I have ever tasted!  This gem comes from the Russian River valley in Sonoma County and is truly REMARKABLE!

4TH OF JULY PLANS?

Going wine tasting this weekend? Be sure to stop by their tasting room, just off St. Helena Highway 29, exit Inglewood Ave (West) and visit their tasting room on the left.  Cheers!

Arger-Martucci Vineyards

1455 Inglewood Ave

St. Helena, CA 94574

707.963.4334

10am-5pm