Red Cap Vineyards

A small disclaimer: I am bias towards Howell Mountain wines!
That said, the wine grown and bottled at Red Cap Vineyards is exquisite! Tom and Desiree have the art of wine making and the art of hospitality down pat!
Visitors can expect to see the vines, meet the family dog, drink beautiful wines, engage with Tom, and taste wonderful flat bread to add, what Tom says, is a little «fat on the mouth» while tasting his wines.
I love it when you find little gems like Red Cap, whose logo harkens to simpler days and whose wine is unpretentious and beautiful.
Yes, I think I’ll have a glass!

This is our third trip to California wine country and our first visit to Red Cap. We had a lovely experience. Tom took us through the vineyard and answered any questions we had. He made an amazing flatbread appetizer that paired perfectly with our outdoor tasting. We enjoyed the stories about the wines and the label, which I fell in love with. The wines were just as beautiful as the stories. I would recommend adding this vineyard to your list if you are planning a trip. It is well worth it.

We have visited Red Cap Vineyards twice, each time with a different couple. Each time we visited we walked out with several bottles of wine and great stories to tell our friends. First of all, Tom and Desiree are two of the nicest people you will ever meet in the wine country. They invite you into their home, share food and wine and tell wonderful stories. We plan for 90 minutes and always end up staying longer — sorry Tom and Desiree but time goes by quick when you are enjoying yourselves. The winery makes a Howell Mt Cab and a Rutherford Sauvignon Blanc. The Cab is huge and you can taste Howell Mt in every sip. The Sauvignon Blanc has all the qualities of a superior white but at an affordable price point. Truth be known, both wines are priced less than their peers. Tom states he charges less because he wants to treat people like he would want to be treated.
Red Cap Vineyards is by far one of the best finds in all of Napa. We have visited most of the wineries in Napa and this one is hard to top. When it comes down to it, it is the people behind the wine that makes the visit special. These two have vested their lives into Red Cap Vineyards. Your visit will be special and you will walk away feeling like you are part of the Red Cap family.

You want some great Juice? Red Cab, is the amazing find. I’m bias to reds, tho their Sav Blanc is excellent as well.

What a great experience. This was my first time to Napa, and if I every make it back I do not know how any winery can top what Tom is doing at Red Cap. Not only was the wine amazing, but Tom was a very sincere and humble person, who also sat and enjoyed the wine with us. You can tell he loves what he does, and it shows through in his wines.
Thanks Tom

We had a wonderful afternoon there and loved every wine we got to taste!

Wow, what a great experience at Red Cap. One of the best I’ve ever had out in Napa/​Sonoma. Tom & Desiree were the consumate hosts and very passionate about what they do. They really make you feel welcome and are great at sharing their knowledge and property. And to top it off, their wines were fantastic!
I can’t wait to stop by again on my next trip!

We had a WONDERFUL time at Red Cap. Not only did we thoroughly enjoy the wine but we also thoroughly enjoyed our hosts, Tom and Desiree. We walked around the property and listened to Tom educate us on wine. We then sat at a picnic table on the property and just took it all in and relaxed. It was so enjoyable and we can’t wait to go back!

WOW!!! What a great find! When traveling to Napa we all try to find that hidden gem, that out of the way vineyard or winery that we can boast about to our friends. Well friends I found it before you. Red Cap Vineyards, hidden high atop Howell Mountain between feral landscape and among the mature trees. If you can secure the great hospitality of Tom and Desiree Altemus, drop everything, change your plans and go. We were able to sit in the comfort of Desiree’s kitchen, enjoy her company, her fresh, out-​of-​the-​oven flatbread and have the vertical flight of Cabernet expounded upon by their winemaker, Rudy, an up and coming superstar. You just had to be there. Hope you can enjoy unique experience soon.