Stop #3 - Ballentine Vineyards, St Helena

Friday, September 25, 2015
Saint Helena, California, United States
Mare here: The third winery we visited was Ballentine Vineyards. It has been voted the best boutique winery twice in recent years. The owners, Betty and Van, were high school sweethearts and have been married 62 years. They are now 88 and 85 years old. The land for their vineyards was a gift from Van's father when they got married. The 110 acre property has three vineyards and is now worth $250-$500 million per acre. Betty still keeps the books and Van still helps with the farming. Van's staff say that if he has clean jeans on then he has been to town.

At this winery we tasted a 2013 Chenin Blanc, 2012 Old Vine Zinfandel, 2012 Merlot, 2011 Petite Sirah, and a 2013 Malvasia Bianca (a slightly sweet white sparkling wine) . We also sampled a very nice 2006 Zinfandel Port.

Before we left, Army showed us how they use the leftover grape peelings by drying them and spreading them back over the vineyard for ground cover and to help replenish the nutrients in the soil.

Forgot to mention earlier that when we got back on the shuttle before the second winery, Army had prepared a delicious cheese and cracker tray for us to pass around and indulge in as we rode to the next stop. The tray almost didn't make it past Deb and TJ! The cheeses were goat cheese, white cheddar, Gorgonzola and bleu.

One more winery to go!
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tuckerhoneymoon
2015-09-29

That land value is way too high. Maybe that much for the whole 110 acres.

2025-02-08

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