Peaks and Valleys: Our Trip to Napa in 2026 – Day 3

We had clearly set the bar high with our first two days in Napa so we wanted to finish strong on our final day. Our first appointment of the day would once again be up on Spring Mountain at KEENAN to start our day. For those unfamiliar with Keenan, the estate remains family owned since its inception in the early 1970s, and, in my personal opinion, offers some of the greatest wines in Napa for the money. They are not overhyped and overpriced. Just excellent wines made well and offered at a fair price. And if you were ever looking for a Merlot to change your perception of Merlot, this is the place! They make Cabernet drinkers Merlot that are delicious young and absolutely have the chops to age for decades! A few years back I brought a 1983 mag of Keenan Merlot to a wine party and the wine was still great! They also carry an incredibly deep cellar of back vintages to offer so be sure to do some digging. It is absolutely worth it!

Alas, we cruised through an hour and a half in what seemed like minutes with Laura, the longtime tasting room manager, and had to leave to “pop up the hill” to LOKOYA! Lokoya remains one of the Jackson family’s crown jewels in Napa, so we were excited to try them. The theory behind Lokoya is all mountain grown sites, one bottling from each of the 4 major ones, highlighting mountain terroir. Lokoya’s home is in the old Yverdon estate, which dates back to the 1800s. The new winery and tasting area is gorgeous. Pedro, one of the Jackson estate managers, was an incredible host. Huge breadth of knowledge and swag. He was one of our absolute favorite hosts. We were delighted to see some light canapes to pair with the wines, which quite frankly you need a little food with these wines, as they are massive. They are all fantastic examples of mountain terroir, but let’s face it, drinking brand spanking new mountain cabs can be tough. Clearly meant for the long haul, at least 10 years down the road, you better buckle up if you’re opening Lokoya.

Time to head to our final tasting events for Premiere. The first of the day would be held at Spottswoode, in Saint Helena, there were a number of producers practicing organic viticulture, and the wines were excellent. Highlights for me were SPOTTSWOODE, DOMINUS, POTT, and STAGLIN. I think Staglin may be one of the greatest estates in Napa. Both their second tier “Salus,” and grand vin Staglin estate, were some of the best wines I had on the trip! I thought they were quite special.

We decided to head to the COOMBSVILLE evening event in downtown Napa before our final dinner. While there were a few great wines there, I was most captivated by the lineup from PALMAZ. I thought all of their wines were standouts!

We would cap off this magical trip with a much anticipated 7 course dinner at Michelin Star rated PRESS Napa Valley, a restaurant that boasts the largest collection of Napa Valley wines in the world! Settling in, you are immediately captivated by the gigantic green marble clock that sits above the huge fireplace. (Fun fact, that actually came from the old train station in Albany, New York close to where we are located!) Dinner was exceptional and we would indulge in back vintage bottles of Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay and St. Aubin from Burgundy before diving into the bottle of 2022 Ovid Syrah that we brought with us. Our Sommelier was more than happy to accept a glass! Each course would be a masterpiece on its own, albeit some better than others. It is a special dining experience that should be on everyone’s list while in Napa.

All in all, Napa is still one of the most incredibly beautiful places in the country and deserves a spot on any wine lovers’ bucket list. Although I cannot agree with the stratospheric rise in pricing over the last decade plus, the wines are delicious when they come to maturity over time in bottle. Sadly, with so many long standing, family owned properties deciding to cash in on what is undoubtedly a lifetime of hard work and dedication, pricing will only continue to rocket due north. If you have the deep pockets and an affinity for this great region, it is still heaven on earth.