Being a wine lover and collector, I have become weary of wine tasting experiences with wine created according to scientific blueprints, born of college degrees from viticulture schools. Most winery staff know just enough to answer questions but their eyes glaze when questions about secondary fermentations or soil characteristics arise.
We learned of Crown Point a few years back and we finally made the trek to Santa Barbara to visit them. First off, Jennifer, our host, and the rest of the staff were incredibly patient and friendly. This team understands that even the best wine can be sabotaged if the customer is not placed at a priority and from the initial calls with Jennifer to arrange our visit to meeting more of the staff and the winemaker to the personalized tasting she created, it was an incredible experience. Jennifer is one of the most knowledgeable and patient hosts we have come across and that is no small feat as we are aligned with some elite CA wines. Jennifer answered all our questions effortlessly and you can tell that she truly loves what she does. One of our most memorable moments was when Jennifer's eyes lit up during the tasting. She said "hold on, I'll be right back" and she actually ran outside to pick a few grapes for us to taste. She drove us out to show us the soil the grapes are grown in and introduced us to the winemaker (think Harlan) and we visited an active pump over. The tasting was top notch with cheese, olives and some of the finest cabernets we have tasted in California. Also, experiencing the progression in the wine from the initial 2014 vintage to the current vintage demonstrated the evolution in their processes and craft. The entire tasting was so well planned beginning to end. Seriously, we have done Napa tastings before where they show you a few fermentation tanks, take you out to pluck a few grapes and sit you down to taste with a price list handed to you. Jennifer definitely elevated the entire process above anything we had experienced before.
If you are a cabernet lover and have tired of the Napa commercialization and the runaway pricing, often for mediocre wine, Crown Point is doing some fantastic things with Cabernet in an area not traditionally known for that. These wines are fantastic! Thanks to Jennifer for the amazing experience and we are so excited to now be part of the Crown Point family. read more