Recently, we had the pleasure of returning to Palmaz Vineyards as part of our quest to visit all 600 Napa wineries—400 and counting! Palmaz holds a special place on our Top 15 Winery list. Nestled on Mt. George, this second-generation winery spans 600 acres in Napa and was founded by Julio and Amalia Palmaz. Their son, Christian, serves as COO; their daughter, Florencia, is the CEO; and their daughter-in-law, Jessica, is the Chief Marketing Officer. Florencia also leads the family’s other primary business, Good Heart Brand Specialty Food Company, based in San Antonio, Texas.
We’ve known this warm and passionate wine family for many years, and their story is both unique and impressive. We were fortunate to travel with Julio, Amalia, and Florencia on a memorable wine cruise through South America, which sailed from Rio de Janeiro down to Buenos Aires. The trip was highlighted by fabulous wine dinners on the Silver Seas Cruise line and an elegant luncheon at the Palmaz oceanfront summer home in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Palmaz Vineyards features over 100,000 square feet of caves and a gravity-fed winemaking system that produces exceptional wines. Wine club members enjoy elegant themed parties throughout the year and receive a unique gift: an Argentinean Gaucho facón, a silver personal steak knife used at the annual Palmaz Asado barbecue.
Our recent visit was hosted by Julio himself, who guided us through an elegant tasting and food pairing in a private room, complete with a high-tech presentation of each wine. We started with the 2019 Louise Riesling, paired with Southwest Chicken Salad on an Endive Leaf with Miera Cilantro, followed by the 2019 Amalia Chardonnay, paired with Chilled Diver Scallop and Maradal Papaya Mousseline. A vertical tasting of 2019, 2018, and 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon followed, each paired with Wild Mushroom Flan Bruschetta, Flank Steak Roulade with French Mustard, and French Dip Brioche with Horseradish Cream. We also sampled the 2019 Florencia Muscat, paired with Piave Vecchio with Honey and Toasted Almonds, and concluded with the 2017 Gaston 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Palmaz Vineyards is a truly unique experience and a must-visit on your Napa bucket list.
For more information or to make an appointment, visit Palmaz Vineyards.
By Mike L. McColgan, Resident since 1990