V. Sattui Winery: A Century of St. Helena Winemaking
On a Saturday afternoon in Napa Valley, it’s easy to predict which winery will draw the biggest crowds. This winery has a sprawling 2 ½ acres of picnic grounds, with open, spacious lawns protected by the shade of large trees, manicured gardens, and an outdoor fountain – all of it surrounding a rustic stone building covered in vines.
You can smell the barbeque sizzling on the grill as you enter the grounds, and everywhere, the lawns and picnic tables will be occupied with happy visitors pouring wine from their favorite bottles, pairing it with savory meats and one of 200 cheeses available for purchase onsite at the European-style deli. If you haven’t already guessed, the winery in question is none other than V. Sattui in Napa Valley’s St. Helena.
This winery is obviously among the most popular in the Valley; however, V. Sattui is far more than a trendy outpost for weekenders. Visitors may be surprised to learn that the establishment has over a century-long history of Northern California winemaking. Few other wineries in the area can boast such long-standing roots.
V. Sattui began with the efforts of Italian winemaker Vittorio Sattui in 1885, who strongly believed in the vitality of St. Helena grapes more than 100 years ago. He shipped the grapes from St. Helena to North Beach, making wines by hand and selling his bottles in small lots to reach widespread success. Later, his great-grandson, Dario Sattui, re-opened the family business, continuing the legacy of creating handcrafted bottles that are exclusively available at the winery.
Numerous V. Sattui wines are award-winning, including the popular 2008 Gamay Rouge, a Dry Rose that’s one of the winery’s best-selling bottles. This wine is available on the $5 Tasting Menu, and visitors can enjoy their sipping in a spacious Tasting Room where numerous servers are on hand to greet a continuous crowd. Also available to V. Sattui visitors are a self-guided tour of the winery’s underground cellars, caves, and museum, food and wine pairings, wine and chocolate pairings, and an oyster, barbeque, and pizza bar.
HelloSanFrancisco tip: V. Sattui is celebrating its 125th anniversary all year long, so look out for monthly events at the winery, such as the 2010 Harvest Ball on September 25.
Posted by Renee Rutledge
