Tour & Tastings Article

When Ernie Weir bottled the first Hagafen Cellars vintage in 1979, he never speculated that foreign dignitaries and heads of state would soon be making toasts with his wines. Since Reagan's first term however, Hagafen's wines have been served at White House dinners countless times, the menus of which now adorn the walls of the winery's intimate tasting room. When such reverence is coupled with a Cabernet Sauvignon, which Wine Spectator has called, "one of the top fifteen Cabernets produced in this country," it's difficult to remain unpretentious, but the winery does exactly that.

Hagafen Cellars produces a uniquely diverse selection of prized varietals while remaining a best- kept secret, with little fanfare and reasonable prices. Ernie's primary focus is to bottle small-lot wines in the "Old Napa" fashion. He avoids twenty-first century gimmicks, preferring to respect the lineage of the vineyards and employ time-honored wine-crafting methods. Hagafen also takes great pride in its environmentally friendly viticulture practices.

Hagafen Cellars wasn't a destination for wine tourers until 2002, when the tasting room was established. Production has evolved from 300 bottles in 1980 to an annual 8,000 cases, with 21 Napa Valley acres presently under cultivation by the Weir family.