Hill Family Estate

One complaint heard often by visitors to the Napa Valley is, "the old Napa is gone." It's comments like these that inspired Small Lot Wine Tours to focus on small wineries. We have found that more often then not small lot wineries are family oriented, rustic, and are as passionate about the wines they make as they are about the people who drink them. While this spirit of old Napa thrives, it is often hidden.

Last month we featured wineries that were marked by a simple mail box on a busy street, sat in a "scenic corporate park," and a couple that were off the beaten path. This month we feature Hill Family Estate, whose tasting room is located in an Antique Shop on the main drag of Yountville.

Hill Family Estate is a beautiful expression of a family winery. From Doug Hill, who spent years as a vineyard manager before purchasing and planting his own vineyard, the winery gets experience and respect for the vineyard. From mom Darci and sister Carly, Hill Family Estate benefits from the the all important feminine touch. And then there is Ryan Hill, Doug and Darci's son. His experience working in restaurants gives him an understanding of consumer expectations, while his youth brings in fun, hip ideas that all ages can enjoy. For example, a few years he ago he came up with the idea to create a wood stain based on Hill Family Estate wine. Ryan named the stain Hill Harvest Red. He first approached Fender guitars with this idea. Fender liked the idea. By staining 100 Fender Stratocasters, Fender celebrated this historical guitar's 60th birthday. The next year Ryan met professional surfer Kyle Knox and convinced him to airbrush his surf board with Hill Harvest Red. They even came up with a special blend called "Barrell Blend" whose label sports a picture of Kyle Knox surfing. At $20 this Napa Valley wine is sure to bridge the generation gap so that all can afford and enjoy wine!

Guitars and surfboards are fun, but by staining baseball bats Ryan found a way to give to those in need. He teamed up with three Major League Baseball players for Uncork for a Cause. Hill Family Esate stained Louisvile Slugger and Rawlings baseball bats, each one signed by either Luis Gonzalez, Tom Glavine, and Bronson Arroyo. They also bottled a special blend for each player. The proceeds go to the MLB players' respective charities (click on the player's name to learn more about the charities they support). These make great gifts for both the baseball fan and wine enthusiasts while benefiting children with cancer, education, and our troops.

Click here to learn more details about Hill Family Estate in our Wine Directory!

Click here to find out Chef Binder paired Hill Family Estate's Barrel Blend with food.