As a day of tasting sparkling wine in Napa approached dusk, we knew how to maximize our next experience: the rustic outdoor tasting service at Mumm Napa! Rolling hills, winter-dormant grape vines and the lovely bubbles of Mumm Napa. A perfect way to toast the end of an amazing day!
After incredible sparkling wine tasting experiences at Domaine Carneros and Domaine Chandon, we were certain that we needed the “third leg of the stool” for Napa sparkling wine houses, Mumm Napa. The sun was approaching the ridgeline, so the thought of a patio tasting put an extra spring in our step as we approached the tasting room.
Built to be reminiscent of a farmer’s barn, the tasting facility opens to a gift shop that also allows you to queue up for a table for tasting. After the briefest of waits, we were shown to a table on the patio, perfectly situated to view the valley floor and distant ridgeline. We met our wine guide, Yadira, and selected our tasting flights. As usual, having four of us tasting allowed us to sample all three of the offered flights. Trying all of them means so many difficult decisions avoided!
Yadira did yeoman work, pouring all of our flights while explaining each wine as she worked. Just the right amount of friendly and informative. Every glass in each flight had a unique personality, fitting into an interesting mosaic that was distinctly Mumm. Some of the more unusual “blends with bubbles” that we particularly enjoyed included their Pinot Meunier (98.5% Pinot Meunier 1.3% Pinot Noir 0.2% Chardonnay) and their Cuvée M Red (96% Pinot Noir and 4% Syrah). Realistically, though, there was not a single taste that we didn’t rave about and share with everyone at the table. That’s a good tasting!
The sun set behind the ridge as we completed our tasting. We thanked Yadira and the owners of the tiny dog at the next table for each adding so much to our experience. Then we took some time in the gift shop, selecting some memorabilia and some wine to celebrate the day. We had one more tasting on our schedule, so we set off into the night for the last winery of the day.
About the Author: John grills a mean steak and is always in the market for another wine fridge. Believes that if a winery has more than 10 employees, it's probably too big. Buys wine faster than he drinks it, but who cares?
