Team C&J
Lindsay Hoopes, who took the reins a decade ago from her father, respected grower Spencer Hoopes, doesn’t just make good – okay, really good – Napa Valley cabs, she is an inspiring steward of the land and the community in the Napa Valley.
It’s hard to believe the family’s ten acre property, Oasis by Hoopes, operates an organic farm and farmer’s market, teaches regenerative agriculture, and runs an animal sanctuary all in one spot. And, most importantly, they also hold wine tastings here.
Check out how Hoopes Vineyard has transformed their brand into one of the best tasting rooms in Napa Valley, and hear what we think of this killer cab.
Like so many who come to Napa Valley, Spencer Hoopes became enamored with the region when he began visiting in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His interest in wine quickly grew from a hobby to a passion when he pivoted from collecting great bottles to purchasing an Oakville property in 1981. By 1983, Spencer had 10 acres of cabernet sauvignon growing on his property.
As far as locations go, the Hoopes outpost has some interesting attributes: it sits right in the middle of the Yountville and Oakville sub-appellations and is just a mile from Yountville’s most historic site, founder George Yountville’s log house.
Spencer started off as a grape grower and was content with that until the demand for cabernet grapes steadily increased. The cabernet from the Hoopes vineyard developed such a reputation in the Valley that winemakers began asking if they could use the Hoopes Vineyard name on their labels to demonstrate the quality of what was in the bottle.
With that, Spencer had a eureka moment and realized he should be growing and bottling his own wine instead of selling these prized grapes off each harvest.
The family business was handed to Lindsay in 2012 when her father retired. Before returning home to the vineyard, Lindsay had a pretty interesting career in her own right. An attorney like her father, Lindsay served as the Assistant District Attorney in San Francisco, where she worked in the Cold Hit Division and helped solve and prosecute cold cases.
It was Lindsay’s forward-thinking vision that helped transform Hoopes Vineyard into one of the most talked about wine experiences in Napa. This vision has also led Hoopes to be one of the only California wineries to offer both a traditional wine club membership and an experience-based membership club. The latter is called Hoopes Social Club, and as of Sept 2022, according to the website, is launching soon.
Hoopes Vineyard recently expanded their brand to include a second-tier label called ‘Hoopla Wines’. Hoopla wines are meant to be value-driven white and rosé wines.
Oasis by Hoopes is one of Napa Valley’s most popular wine-tasting experiences. In fact, you will find just as many mentions and reviews of Oasis by Hoopes as you will for Hoopes wine!
With Oasis by Hoopes, Lindsay wanted to create an all-encompassing experience and accessible to everyone, including wine lovers who perhaps couldn’t find a sitter for the day or ones that wanted to introduce their children to organic gardening, get fresh produce from the on-site farmer’s market, meet some rescued farm animals, and enjoy great Napa wine at the same time.
In this way, the Hoopes vineyard experience really is unique.
The fee for the Oasis by Hoopes experience is $100 per adult, but that fee can go towards just about anything on the property, including fresh fruits and vegetables from the organic garden and regenerative farm. So, if you plan on purchasing a bottle or two, you can easily reach the $100 threshold.
If you can’t make it to Oasis by Hoopes, The Tasting Room at the Napa Valley Wine Company offers Hoopes Vineyards tastings, in addition to roughly a dozen other local wineries.
The Oakville vineyard, where the grapes for the 2015 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet grapes are sourced, is considered a heritage vineyard because it was planted all the way back in 1983, making it one of Napa Valley’s older cabernet vineyards. According to the Hoopes website, the Oakville vineyard is actually the oldest pre-Phylloxera vineyard in Oakville.
When winemaker Aaron Pott oversees the harvest for this bottling, he does so at a measured pace. The 2015 vintage took 14 turns to harvest, and this bottle does not disappoint.
Aromas of blackberries and black currant float on the surface and secondary notes of licorice and graphite are followed by cedar, old leather, and bell pepper.
But wait, it gets better. Fans of Napa Valley Cabernet rejoice; because the palate on this wine is tantalizing. Prepare for a heady mix of leather, cedar, and cigar box, balanced with black and blue fruits, bell pepper, and a hint of black pepper. The wine’s medium acidity and tannins present a perfect frame to experience these flavors.
Decant this Hoopes cabernet for about an hour to experience the full expression of this wine. At the time of this posting, the 2015 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville is on sale at Vivino. Take advantage of this discount on an excellent Oakville wine.
USA
Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon
14.9
Aaron Pott
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Large Bordeaux
60 to 90 Minutes
Now to 2035
Hoopes Vineyard
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