Wine Tasting at Newton Vineyards

Do you remember the scene in ‘Alice In Wonderland’ where Alice stumbles across the Queen of Heart’s garden? There were perfectly cut hedges and beautiful roses. I always dreamed of running through an epic garden like that. Little did I know that there was one just like that in Napa Valley.

Tucked in the top of the hills of St. Helena sits Newton Vineyards. Although it’s been around for 30 years, not many know of this vineyard because news of it passes mostly by mouth. It’s quite a task to get to as well. When Kara and I drove to the winery, we hide to drive through a residential neighborhood and onto a dirt trail that took us up the hills. When we got to the top of the hill where the winery was, the view was breathtaking. We were 1,000 feet above sea level and overlooking two-thirds of Napa.

When we arrived were greeted by wine sommelier, Justin. We initially started out in the wine tasting room where we learned about the how they managed the vineyards with the climate and surrounding soil. He then took us to the wine barrel caves where he discussed the fermentation process. After taking us through different segments of the wine cave, we finally arrived to the highlight of the tour–the garden! What I learned is that the garden, which sits on top of the cave, serves as insulation for the wine cave.

This miraculous English-inspired garden has beautiful, swirling hedges bordering the garden. In the garden, an array of flowers flourishes and surrounds a water fountain. After gallivanting around the gardens, we went back to wine room to try their red blends. Overall, our experience at Newton Vineyards was a great one. The views and the garden was definite highlight for me. This secluded winery is perfect for an intimate experience. It’s away from foot traffic and they take visits by appointment only.

Make sure to pay Newton Vineyards a visit if you’re in St. Helena!