Story By: Melissa Vogt // Photos Courtesy of Clif Family Winery
St. Helena’s Little Gem
Clif Family Winery brings together the very best in wine, cuisine, coffee, and cycling in the heart of St. Helena. As avid consumers of healthy foods and passionate cycling enthusiasts, Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford pioneered the tasty-but-still-healthy Clif Bar in 1992. These passions led to the creation of Clif Family Winery & Farm in 2004.
THE TASTING ROOM
Today, Clif Family Winery boasts an impressive variety of experiences and activities to enjoy at one of their two tasting locations in St. Helena. At the Tasting Room, guests choose from three wine tasting experiences ranging from $50 to $85. Each tasting includes seasonal culinary pairings from the Clif Family Organic Farm, which also supplies produce for their onsite Bruschetteria Food Truck—one of the best in the Valley and, without a doubt, a local favorite. For early morning risers or an afternoon pick-me-up, there’s an onsite coffee bar with barista specialties. And for those touring Napa Valley by bike, riders are encouraged to pit-stop any time of day at Clif Family, safely park their bike, and enjoy the fruits of the Valley via the wine tasting experiences, delicious farm-fresh cuisine, and full coffee bar.
THE NEW ENOTECA PRIVATE TASTING SALON
The Enoteca Private Tasting Salon is new to the Clif Family Winery scene and offers private wine tasting experiences for those looking for a more intimate experience. The Enoteca showcases the pinnacle of Clif Family wine and food in a beautiful, new tasting salon that overlooks breathtaking vineyard views and the Napa Valley’s iconic Mayacamas Mountain range. In this private experience, wine enthusiasts enjoy small-production Howell Mountain estate wines paired with seasonal dishes comprised of Clif Family Organic Farm produce.
THE CLIF FAMILY SUSTAINABILITY ETHOS
At Clif Family Winery, Gary and Kit are committed to living the lifestyle that inspired them to create Clif Bar and to open a winery that sustains the community and planet—offering those who seek sustainable practices a place they can feel good about supporting.
The Clif Family Winery is a place of community connection, where members gather and enjoy good company. The team works in partnership with local non-profits and organizations and directly supports the community through volunteer time and donations. In addition to their commitment to the community, the Clif Family team is passionate about sustaining the planet. They work to conserve and restore natural resources and run the Clif Family Organic Farm in harmony with nature. Clif Family’s emphasis on organic farming and the utilization of their seasonal produce for the Bruschetteria Food Truck and food and wine pairings offer the freshest and most sustainable approaches to onsite cuisine at the winery. The entire operation emphasizes conserving natural resources and reducing waste, providing a space that wine country visitors feel good about visiting.
A VISIT TO CLIF FAMILY
For all wine tasting experiences at the Tasting Room or Enoteca Private Tasting Salon, guests must make reservations in advance at www.cliffamily.com/visit. Reservations are offered daily; check the website for availability. For those looking for a less formal experience, guests can stop by the Bruschetteria Food Truck Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30am – 4:00pm (and until 6:00pm on Wednesdays for a special Street Food night) to enjoy tasty selections alongside Clif Family wine. Current release wines are available by the glass to enjoy with Bruschetteria favorites.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
709 Main Street, St. Helena, CA 94574
707-968-0625 // www.cliffamily.com
