Summers Winery is a small family-owned winery located at the very north end of the Napa Valley on Tubbs Lane. This was our first visit to Summers Winery and it was a great discovery for us. We liked almost everything about this winery. Our host was very friendly and enthusiastic but not overbearing. There was a lot of activity around the winery with the grape harvest at its peak. We were able to walk about and watch various aspects of the crush. We were very welcomed.
We liked every wine we tasted although. like the most of the Napa wineries, the wines are expensive ranging in price from $24 to $45. The most interesting wine we tasted was a Charbono. Charbono is rarely made today, with only some 100 acres of vineyards planted with Charbono in California. The Charbono brought back great memories for us. When we first started enjoying wine in 1966, Inglenook winery (now Rubicon Estates) made a Charbono that we often enjoyed. With a sip of the Charbono, we had a flashback to the early days of Napa Valley. This wine was full of plum and cherry flavors.
Summers winery has a very inviting picnic area that includes a Bocce Ball court. Next time we visit we plan to enjoy a picnic lunch and have a round of Bocce.
The Good: Family owned, good wines, a Charbono, picnic area, and Bocce Ball court, hidden winery and less crowded.
The Bad: Wines on the expensive side, $24 to $45 except for the Cabernet Rose for $16.