Vinoce Vineyards — Attraction in Napa

This was my first visit to Vinoce & Twenty Rows and in fact my friends and I weren’t familiar with them before we were referred when trying to set up a tasting at an affiliated Napa winery. It was also our first visit to Napa since January so I was a little concerned it might be sterile and impersonal and not like wine tasting "used to be". From the moment we pulled into the parking lot on the Napa River in the Sawyer-Tannery Building and were greeted by the winery’s second generation, son Tim Nuss, to the moment we left, it was among the most personalized and unforgettable wine tasting experiences I’ve had in Napa. It didn’t include a touristy vineyard or cellar tour (that wasn’t what we wanted). Nor was it showy, but we loved the tasting room ambience and distinctive décor, with beautiful oriental rugs, wine barrels, rustic wood furniture and tasteful contemporary nude oil paintings. Most importantly, the visit was tailored for us, and Tim and his father Brian (winery founder) treated us like honored guests and friends.

The Vinoce & Twenty Rows story is fascinating but they’re too humble to put the details on their website so you’ll have to visit to learn more, and should ask a lot of questions to make sure you hear all of it. For starters, how does Brian Nuss, a boy from New Jersey, end up starting a building contracting company in Los Angeles and then with his wife Lori, founding a winery in Napa? It’s material for a dramatic or documentary film -- an authentic Napa Valley family story with interesting, meaningful vinicultural and winemaking history. IMO, we need an update to those two Napa films (you likely know those ones from 2004 and 2008) that have become advertisements respectively, for Pinot Noir in general, and for a particular brand of Chardonnay.

Back to our visit! This was our first stop on a day trip with a three winery itinerary. As I’ve mentioned we knew it was going to be a personalized experience based on planning conversations with Tim, but didn’t assume we’d have his undivided attention and be treated to so many outstanding wines. And because we were the only ones in the spacious tasting room that Tuesday at 12pm, “social distancing” wasn’t something we needed to worry about.

To begin we tasted a 2018 Vinoce Sauvignon Blanc and Lori’s Lucky Penny Sauvignon Blanc (great naming story), which was a lovely side by side comparison. I can only say I liked them both a lot and Tim can provide info on the nuances. We moved on to a 2017 Twenty Rows Pinot Noir that had the expected red fruit “typicity” of a Pinot Noir but also a distinct a pleasant smokiness that I look for in Pinot. The rest of group was already tasting Cabernet Sauvignon but I was behind, still enjoying the first 3 wines. It was at this point I dumped my water glass to make room for the Twenty Rows 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and then the 2015 Vinoce Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville. I genuinely loved all of them. I think we tasted one or two others but I was deep into the wine and having too much fun to take notes. “Note to self” -- I’m not a Facebooker or Instagrammer, but take pictures of the bottles next time!

Tim was of course an expert on all wines we tasted given his role in the entire wine production process, but the family history, stories and color he added set the experience apart from a typical wine tasting. But our visit was further elevated when Tim’s dad Brian (the “OG”) joined us and shared more history, stories and wine making information.

We could have spent a few more hours tasting with Tim and Brian but needed to leave for our next stop of the day. We did leave with generously discounted wine purchases, plus several complimentary premium bottles they’d opened for us. Our experience at Vinoce & Twenty Rows set a high bar for the rest of a perfect day in Napa, which is still possible even in the era of Covid-19!

We will be visiting Vinoce & Twenty Rows again soon. In the meantime Cheers to Tim and Brian, for your delicious wine and outstanding...

This tucked away gem along the Napa River will become a favorite if you give it a try! A chic, but still somehow welcoming and comfortable decor will bring you in, but the sun and water views could pull you to the outside seating around wine barrel tables, shade under umbrellas if you need it, and music to create the perfect vibe. It's the ultimate "boutique" winery experience. Intentionally lacking the pretension of some Napa tasting rooms, and doubling down on meeting wine tasters at their level! Whether you are a connoisseur or a 1st timer, the family and staff here will teach you something new, and will likely introduce you to wines you love and will want to bring home. I've been a wine club member here for nearly 15 years. This family owned establishment will feel like your OWN extended family in one visit! The service unmatched, and wines are varied and excellent! We love their "Grappler," the big cabs, and the...

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