Is there anything better than chocolate and wine? Maybe wine and caviar! You can decide for yourself at the new Chateau Buena Vista tasting room. Located on First Street in Downtown Napa, Chateau Buena Vista is one of the most recent sensory experiences curated by Jean-Charles Boisset of JCB and the Boisset Collection. Chateau Buena Vista is located in the historic Gordon Building; the new space blends the rich history of the building with the distinct flair of Jean-Charles. On a warm June afternoon, two friends and I went to bustling Downtown Napa to try out one of its newest additions.
When you walk into Chateau Buena Vista, you are immediately greeted by the smell of chocolate! Boisset Collection has partnered with local chocolate shop Earth & Sky Chocolates, and they have a chocolate counter in the front of the tasting room. Flavors range from traditional truffles to fun combinations like Rosemary Carmel and PB& J. If you are not in the mood for wine, you can stop by and create your own box of chocolates.
After admiring all of the beautiful chocolate creations, we were greeted by our host and sat at the bar downstairs, the chairs were big and pink and might have been the most comfortable chair I have ever sat in! The bar faces an impressive wall of Buena Vista wines. Once settled, we immediately got ready for our tasting! We opted to do the Cabernet and Chocolate tasting. The tasting consists of four cabernets from different appellations in Napa Valley paired with four different chocolates from Earth & Sky.
Our first wine and chocolate pairing was the 2019 St. Helena Chateau Buena Vista Cabernet Sauvignon paired with cardamom chocolate. The St. Helena Cab had a very fragrant nose with hints of fresh raspberry and notes of vanilla. The wine was full-bodied with tastes of cocoa and spice. The spicy finish paired perfectly with the spicy notes of cardamom.
Next up was the 2019 Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Earth & Sky’s dark chocolate. This was my favorite wine of the pairing, and I am not just saying that because it was from Yountville! The nose was much earthier than St. Helena’s and had a hint of dark fruit and mocha. The palate was lush and lingered on the back of the tongue for the perfect sip.
After the Yountville Cab, we moved on to the 2019 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a blackberry thyme chocolate. This was my favorite chocolate of the bunch. It was so different that I wanted to return for another bite. The bright finish of the Rutherford Cab played off the brightness of the thyme flavor in the chocolate. This was my favorite pairing of the tasting.
Last up was the 2019 Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon paired with espresso chocolate. This was both the boldest wine and the boldest chocolate of the bunch. The wine is an intensely dark color, brought on by the warmer temperatures in the Northern part of the Napa Valley, and the palate is spicy with a touch of vanilla and ripe red fruit. The finish is full of tannins from the mountain fruit that plays off the intense flavor of espresso.
Whether you are looking for a glass with friends, a full tasting with chocolate or caviar, or a place to share a bottle on a date, Chateau Buena Vista in Downtown Napa is the perfect new addition to the growing tasting room scene.
Chateau Beuna Vista
1142 First Street
Napa, CA 94559
(800) 926-1266
https://buenavistawinery.com/chateau-buena-vista-napa/