Sequoia Grove’s 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet was a Wine Spectator Top 100 Wines Award Winner in 2018. In the same year, their proprietary Cabernet-based 2015 Cambium blend was awarded 94+ points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. But Sequoia Grove’s appeal proves broader than viticultural accolades. The winery’s allure also lies in its enhanced guest experiences that take place in the shadows of the towering Sequoias that surround the property and that serve as the winery’s namesake. It’s in the unpretentious atmosphere with its posh ‘glamping’ vibe courtesy of the coniferous canopy. It’s in a glass of wine enjoyed while playing a game of cornhole with friends. It’s in the variety of tasting opportunities that take place in varied locales on property—a convivial tasting bar, a sail-covered patio, the private areas with comfy lounge furniture and fire pits, and the luxurious Cambium Room.
It is within the Cambium Room that Sequoia Grove’s executive chef Britny Maureze wows guests with her “A Taste for Cabernet” wine and food pairing. One of the most highly rated experiences in the valley, this casually elegant, 90-minute ‘tasting’ rivals the best restaurant cuisine in the Michelin-star restaurant-heavy valley. Offered Wednesday through Sunday at 11am and 2pm, and at noon on Mondays ($150/pp, $100/pp for wine club members) included are four courses perfectly paired with Sequoia Grove’s Cabernet Sauvignons, preceded with a welcoming pour of one of their Chardonnays alongside an “eduplate” experience that primes guests on the ways different foods interact with wine.
Maureze changes her delectable “A Taste for Cabernet” tasting menus seasonally, utilizing the freshest, locally-sourced ingredients to bring out the best in Sequoia Grove wines, the grapes of which have been sourced from both high-altitude vineyards and those on the valley floor since the winery’s 1979 inception. She creates unconventional food pairings designed to showcase how Cabernet Sauvignon works well across many cuisines. Her menus feature creative dishes such as potato crusted halibut with primavera sauce, Mediterranean falafel with black garlic yogurt, and duck confit empanadas with mole rojo—all paired with Sequoia Grove’s Cabernet Sauvignons, each of which emphasizes finesse, structure and balance.
Maureze moved to Napa 14 years ago to attend the Culinary Institute of America, and couldn’t find a reason to leave. After her CIA graduation, she honed her wine and food pairing skills at Chateau Montelena, Signorello Estate, and St. Supery before finding a home as the first in-house executive chef at Sequoia Grove where she has helped to build the culinary program from the ground up.
Additionally, Sequoia Grove was awarded ‘Best of Wine Tourism’ by Great Wine Capitals of the World 2019, and received OpenTable’s ‘Best of Wine Country’ award for its 90-minute, grape-to-glass Terroir Tasting that starts with an overview of the winery’s history, AVA, and viticulture practices. These practices have earned the winery further accolades of the “green” variety. Sequoia Grove demonstrates a deep commitment throughout its entire operation to agricultural preservation through environmentally-responsible practices. The winery is Napa Green Winery, Napa Green Land and Fish-Friendly Farming certified, and donates a portion of sales to 1% For the Planet to preserve local habitats for the endangered Sequoia sempervirens (Coastal redwood) trees.
Sequoia Grove: 8338 St. Helena Highway, Napa, CA
Photos courtesy of Sequoia Grove
