Shadybrook Estate Winery Review — The Americana Post

The Coombsville area of Napa is one I hadn’t known existed. While Shadybrook Estate Winery is a little way off the Silverado Trail, it doesn’t lack the Napa charm you expect when visiting The Wine County. In fact, Shadybrook romances you from the second you pull up its long driveway, past a refreshingly green golf course, and park right next to it’s equestrian center. Shadybrook Estate is more than just a winery, it’s a day of breathtaking views, sumptuous flavors and fun.

Shadybrook Estate Winery was established by Alice and David Alkosser. Looking for a retirement spot, they hunted for property in the Combsville area of Napa. They purchased the Shadybrook Estate property in 2009 which included an established vineyard. They sold the grapes to other wineries not anticipating that they would soon become wine producers themselves. Coming upon a local wine maker at a party, they inquired if the grapes on their recently acquired property had any potential. They soon discovered that they were sitting on gold with a wonderful crop on their vineyard.

In 2010, Shadybrook produced a total of 75 cases, 50 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and 25 cases of Malbec, and began the legacy that would become Shadybrook Estate. They steadily grew, and purchased the historic Rapp Ranch property in 2016 which is where the tasting room currently sits and is only a few miles away from Shadybrook Estate. The property consists of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, a 4000 square foot tasting terrace, commercial kitchen, and two horse barns. But we will get to the horses a little later.

Onto the wine and cheese!

I was seated at the far end of the terrace which overlooked rows of vines, ripe with fall’s warmth, and lush tree lined hill tops in the distance. (See the photo of the setup below). The country music playing in the background, and the horses neighing in the distance made me want to snuggle up in front of the fire pit in front of me, like a country girl. All I needed were some boots, denim, and plaid (throw in a cowboy too)!!!

I started with the 2016 Rapp Ranch Chardonnay, and while I am not the biggest fan of Chardonnay, this one was amazingly crafted. I even left with a bottle of it for my Thanksgiving table. Wine maker, Rudy Zuidema, doesn’t replicate the same cookie-cutter Chardonnay flavors and it’s a welcome surprise. This is not your usual butter and heavy oak filled Chardonnay. It’s refreshing and delicately light on the oak flavor, with notes of crisp autumn apples and pear. This wine also comes with a nice price tag of $40.

The Rapp Ranch 2016 Pinot Noir paired beautifully with the cows milk truffle cheese that was served. Pinot Noir, which sometimes have undertones of mushroom or earthy dark notes, paired perfectly with the truffle in this Italian cheese. The Pinot Noir had notes of pepper and tobacco on the nose. Yet, surprisingly on the tongue, your taste buds dance with fruit notes of juicy strawberries and cherries. The Pinot defintely stands up boldly next to equally bold flavors of truffle. While it may seem like it is a battle of bold flavors, the fruit notes smooth over the pungent notes of truffle to sweet perfection. Grab a bottle of Pinot for your next cheese party at $50 per bottle.

Next, we sampled a Bordeaux-style ShadyBrook 2015 Estate V Red Wine comprised primarily of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. This Red Blend was velvety smooth and long on the pallet with notes of dark fruits. This paired lovely with a Cabot aged cheddar that was aged approximately 10 to 12 months in Vermont. This also paired well with an aged Mimolette cheese. The fruit forward flavors helped balance some of the sharper notes of the cheese. Bring this beauty as a hostess gift to a party and you’re sure to be a hit as this one will be sure to please all taste buds. The Estate V Red Wine blend sells for $95 per bottle.

2015 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is produced with grapes solely from the Shadeybrook Estate and is blended with a little Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. This rich blend is filled with sweeter notes of brown sugar, dark berries, and cassis. This is a beautifully soft, sumptuous and silky smooth wine. Let this one linger on your tongue to get the full range of the flavors bursting from every drop. This wine pairs well with charcuterie especially the dry coppa and salumi we were served. Savor this standout bottle with someone special. The 2015 Estate Cabernet sells at $125 per bottle.

“But wait! There’s more!” The one-of-a-kind tasting experience doesn’t stop at the wine and cheese pairing. Venture over to the stables and say hello to the 10 horses you can ride around the estate vineyard. If that doesn’t sound like an awesome addition to a romantic date or girls weekend, I don’t know what does! These rides are offered daily by appointment. Don’t fancy a horseback ride? Try your hand in Shadybrook’s quaint Bocci Ball lane.

A small selection of their wines are available on their website. If you are looking to purchase bottles outside of this, you will need to visit the tasting room or join their wine club. Their Shady Brook Estate Collector’s Allocation will give you two 12-bottle shipments in spring and fall. You will receive a 15% discount on Rapp Ranch Wines, four complimentary tasting experiences, free shipping and two complimentary horseback rides. The Estate Allocation will provide you with two 6 bottle shipments, 10% discount on Rapp Ranch Wines, four complimentary tasting experiences, and $20 flat rate shipping. The Rapp Ranch Winners Circe tier will send you two 12-bottle shipments with the perks of the Collectors Allocation but with $20 flat rate shipping. The Champions Club tier will send you two 6-bottle shipments with the perks of the Estate Allocation. Pricing via Shadybrook Allocations page.

Frankly, the one-of-a-kinda experience Shadybrook has to offer is hard to beat. No need to winery hop! Once you arrive at Shadybrook Estate and partake in all they have to offer, your day will be jam packed with fun. Book their Ultimate Ranch Experience which will combine the vineyard horseback ride followed by their cheese and charcuterie tasting.

Book your trip today at www.shadybrookestate.com or call 707.255.5661