Hunter Glenn: Wine Tasting at Shifflett Ranch
I’ve always been one to seek out small producers and hidden gem, off-the-beaten-path wineries and experiences. There’s also something even more exciting and interesting to me when you can actually meet the faces behind the wines and learn their stories. If you’re like me, you will want to make it a point to visit Hunter Glenn, a passion project by the brother and sister duo of Jeffrey and Caroline Shifflett (with help from their mom, Ellen).
Nestled back into the hillsides of the Mayacamas Mountains sits the Shifflett Ranch, home to the namesake family as well as acres of vineyards sprawling with Bordeaux varietals – and a little Syrah tucked back along the creek bed. You don’t know it’s there, even though you can see the hillside vineyards while driving up Highway 29. And that’s the allure of this place – hidden, rustic, true-to-its-core Napa. A family that farms the land, sells most of their tonnage, and keeps just enough so that Hunter Glenn can produce awesome wines to share with those of us more inclined to venture out of our way for the good stuff (but I’ll admit – I want you to go there, too, and/or at least get yourself some of this juice).
Focused primarily on red wine – the lone white in the portfolio is a Chardonnay sourced from the Starscape Vineyard in the Russian River Valley (RRV). Made for their mom, because “that’s her favorite wine,” you can instantly appreciate Jeffrey’s winemaking style when tasting this wine. It’s quintessentially Russian River on the bouquet – popcorn, butter, lemon creme – but the palate is crisp, clean, citrusy, and laced with white floral undertones pleasingly void of the buttered popcorn finish so common in RRV Chardonnay. With the Chardonnay as a tone setter, the reds shine in so many great ways.
The Napa Valley Red Blend (of which we tried the 2017 vintage) is the wine that you’ll come to know this project for. Priced friendly at $45 it, like all of the other wines in this tasting lineup, punch way, way above their price points, so it’s easy to take a few home – or for dinner that night, because while these will age gracefully, they’re made to be enjoyed now. Each wine is fresh and carries a palate pleasing softness to it, thanks in large part to the limited use of new oak throughout. We tried the Red Blend, the Syrah, the Cab Franc, a Merlot, and a Reserve Cabernet – all of which are unique and exciting – but for me, the standout was the Cab Franc. Sourced right from the vines we were sitting next to, the Franc was an homage to the Loire, with freshness, flashes of acidity, and the perfect mix of farmland (not barnyard), herbaceous sage, menthol, and anise intertwined with red raspberries and rhubarb. Oh, and if you’re a fan of Syrah, you don’t want to miss this little Rhône ranger standout.
More than anything, getting to taste wines and connect with Caroline and Jeffrey is one of the best reasons to visit Hunter Glenn. It’s so rare an experience in the Napa Valley to actually have the opportunity to sit down and bond with the folks who’ve literally farmed the land so they could make the wine you’re drinking together that it should make this a bucket list visit when you’re in Napa. Tell them I said “Hi!”
Location: Oak Knoll in the Napa Valley – at the very end of Darms Lane.
Highlights: Directly connecting with Caroline and Jeffrey; tasting near the vineyard (or barn, weather dependent); incredible sweeping views of the Napa Valley from the top of the property/vineyards.
Must try Wines: The Red Blend is the staple, but definitely get your hands on some of the Cabernet Franc if you can – it’s a damn good wine.
Visit: Open by appointment only when available – so plan ahead and drop Caroline a message.