Nestled amidst the rolling hills and sun-kissed valleys of Napa Valley lies a hidden gem awaiting discovery by wine enthusiasts. Welcome to Robert Biale Vineyards, a renowned winery boasting a rich history, exceptional wines, and an unparalleled experience that transcends the ordinary.
This past weekend I had the pleasure of visiting them for a tasting on their back porch, and it quickly became of of my favourite hidden gems. Join me on this journey as we explore the allure of this renowned winery, uncovering its rich history, exceptional wines, and the secrets behind their craft.
About Robert Biale Vineyards
Location
Oak Knoll District in Napa, California
Tasting Fee
$40 per person, waived with purchase
Sustainability
Napa Green Winery Certified, Napa Green Land Certified, Heritage Vines
Accessibility
Single story tasting area that is well paved from the parking lot with no steps. There is a mix of high and low tables, which can be specifically requested by booking over the phone.
In Three Words
Rustic, Heritage, Relaxed
Our Visit to Robert Biale Vineyards
I visited Robert Biale Vineyards on a beautiful late summer day, which luckily for us was the last afternoon before the final grapes were plucked for harvest. I kind of picked it out on a whim of trying new places, and was totally blown away by our experience there. I feel like a lot of times I associate a higher tasting fee with a higher quality experience, but Robert Biale Vineyards reminded me of why this often just isn’t true.
The vineyard itself is stunning in a humble, rustic way. It felt a lot like going to visit a good friend on their back porch – if your good friend had a back porch in Napa Valley surrounded by vines and framed by mountains, of course. Opposed to many of the mountaintop vistas that tend to more easily grab my attention, here I felt as though I was totally immersed in the beauty of wine country.
The land was originally purchased as a farmstead by an immigrant family from Italy almost one hundred years ago, and is still owned and managed by the family’s third generation to this day. The zinfandel vines were originally planted to make the family’s own table wine, but when little Aldo became the family’s breadwinner at thirteen years old following his father’s death, he began selling his family’s wine to the local community to make ends meet. He was, of course, too young to hold a permit at the time, so he came up with the code name ‘Black Chicken’.
Amazingly, you can still grab a bottle of the Biale’s Black Chicken today. Rather than ripping out the old vines to accommodate to new trends, Robert Biale has maintained their original zinfandel rootstock and other old-world varietals – some of their vines date back to 1880!
Our host for the tasting, Elena, was both extremely knowledgable and fun. I really love tastings where it feels like you’re hanging out with a new friend, and this was a great example of that. My friends who were tasting with us were very new to the world of wine, and she very graciously guided them through everything without making anyone feel uncomfortable. She even brought out a huge map to show the different AVAs around Napa Valley and explain the differences between elevations and weather patterns. Everyone working at Robert Biale Vineyards popped over to different colleagues out during out time there, though, so we could tell that no matter who we’d ended up tasting with we would have had a fabulous time.
The main highlight of our visit to Robert Biale Vineyards was Elena’s storytelling. Every bottle of wine was illuminated by the storied history of the vineyard it came from and the people who farm it. We all walked away feeling like we gained so much knowledge and understanding about the history of Napa Valley in general.
In summary, I simply cannot wait to visit Robert Biale again. It is a stunning vineyard that evidently strives to make every person who visits feel welcome and valued, while preserving old world varietals and decades long farming partnerships with their fellow neighbours in the valley. If you’re visiting Napa Valley, be sure you don’t miss this little gem.
