Phifer Pavitt

Phifer Pavitt is a labor of love for Suzanne… Luke was great and very knowledgable! He was cordial and accommodating… one of our party only drank white so offered to pour just white for that person. Hard to get an appointment and we were lucky to grab one. Would highly recommend. A bit off the beaten path and slightly unknown but absolutely worth it!

Zero reviews over the last three years. I was slightly hesitant to book our tastings at Phifer Pavitt (see $ 50/​each tastings). I am glad I did. One of our favorite times of the entire week. We had the entire place to ourselves and were treated amazingly. Luke was amazing even in the great amount of communication prior to our arrival (most places will take your reservation and you won’t hear anything until you arrive — not at Phifer Pavitt).
A super cute boutique winery — how small? They produce two wines… two! A Sav. Blanc and a Cab. Luckily, they have a relationship with another winery down the street (Switchback Ridge) and share a tasting room. So, four wines for us to try! We actually got a taste of Switchback’s Petite Syrah too (so 5 total wines).
The tasting room/​barrel room is in a restored barn and was amazing. The wines were all great. Tasting fees of $ 50 each were a little steep. They do waive the fee with a three bottle purchase. Which means…12 bottles purchased! Yup! Let’s fill up these wine boxes.
On our trip, we purchased over 50 bottles of wine. Out of the 16 wineries that we visited, we would definately go back to four — in no particular order (Hendry, Viader, Hamel Family, and Phifer Pavit — they all get 5 star reviews). We would go back to four (Round Pond, Twenty Rows, Alpha Omega, and Stag’s Leap — all 4 or 5 star reviews). Once is enough for five (Tamber Bey, Del Dotto, Hestan, V. Sattui, Domaine Chandon — mostly 3 star reviews). And would never go back to three (Cline, B. Cellars, and Cakebread). I hope my math is correct. Feel free to check out my other reviews of all the wineries mentioned.

The last time I interviewed winery owner Suzanne Phifer Pavitt was in 2008. At that time I stayed in the lovely guest room of her home in Calistoga. Since then, Suzanne, along with her husband Shane, opened a tasting room. Serious Napa Cabernet drinkers need to call ahead and reserve their hour with Suzanne, where she will, in turn, with all southern hospitality, share her latest «DateNight» Cabernet — if she hasn’t run out. «The problem with being small… is you’re small» Suzanne said. Tell her I referred you and you might get to try her latest, a Sauvignon Blanc made in a Sancerre style, that came into high demand for the many wine dinners Suzanne has been asked to do.
4660 Silverado Trail, Calistoga, CA 94 515, Phone: 707−737−0311.