Oakville Ranch Vineyards — Attraction in Napa Valley AVA

We met Shelia Gentry at a wine event in Omaha a couple of years ago and joined the wine club, but had not visited the winery yet. We saw Sheila at another event in April and decided to visit the winery. We have made four trips to Napa/Sonoma as well as visits to wineries in Australia, New Zealand, and other areas of the U.S. and visiting Oakville was hands down the best winery experience we have ever had out of the dozens of wineries we have visited.

There were several reasons for this:

-The property itself. We were given an ATV tour of the grounds. The winery is on the first range of mountains on the east side of the valley and it's incredibly beautiful.

-The wines. All the wines were excellent, but the Cab Francs stood out. We love Cab Franc and these were the best we've tasted. Shelia opened up the library and we sampled the 2010 and 1998 Francs which were stellar. What was shocking is that most wineries charge a premium for the library wines, but the 1998 and 2010 were the same price as the 2019. I've included photos of the wine and the cheese tray which matched the wines in it's quality and depth.

The last and most important element is the staff at Oakville, highlighted by Shelia Gentry. We learned more about winemaking during the tour and the tasting than we have on any other tour we have ever taken. More significantly, Shelia really connected us to the process of winemaking. To really appreciate that great wines come from loving each individual vine and that great winemaking might be the most personal form of agriculture.

If you're looking to experience great wines and spend time with people that truly love what they do, visit...

Most amazing experience in Napa. Took 2 clients here to celebrate a special occasion. Gorgeous, immaculately kept property with phenomenal views of the valley. As soon as we stepped out of our vehicle we were immediately met by General Manager Shelia (and her big smile!). The hospitality provided by our host could not have been more gracious and welcoming. She kept us engaged with her humor and knowledge throughout the tour and private tasting. Everything was outdoors and physically distanced, we felt very safe as we toured the vineyards and relaxed on the terrace by the pool.

The wines were also extraordinary! From the refined Chardonnay to the perfectly balanced Cabernets, they were ALL delicious. I wish now Id bought one of each to bring back home. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire experience and hope to come back soon-...

The tour of the property and explanations Sheila gave regarding growing and winemaking were one of a kind! This place is magnificent and the wine tasting was next level. Off the beaten...