Six of us (three couples) spent two days in the Napa Valley. Schramsberg was on the list of things to see because one of the couples served Schramsberg to toast their commitment ceremony the year before. Our tour guide--perhaps a better term "our host--was Richard Gambatese. After a brief introduction to the success and history of the Schramsberg Winery and the Davies family, he walked us back into the large caves that have been carved out of the hillside. Large? Space enough to store 2 million bottles of aging sparkling wines. It was facinating. Richard was engaging, charming and very knowledgeable. While the staff has considerable pride in their products, they were all understated, casual and very approachable. We felt welcomed and cared for. The tasting consisted of six of their sparkling wines--ranging in price, quality, and of course taste. We learned so much. The tour is $25. Well worth the price. We joined their wine club--which entitles us to free tours in the future.



