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For close to 20 years, Napa Valley’s The Prisoner Wine Company was one of those cult premium brands, without vineyards or a winery to host its devoted masses. That changed in November, when owner and beverage giant Constellation Brands unveiled a sleek and modern tasting lounge that embodies all the dark and edgy vibes of that flagship bottle and its Francisco Goya label.
Located on Highway 29 in St. Helena, the new building features vaulted ceilings with a massive skylight, living and dining-room style tasting room, open-view kitchen and a private tasting gallery called The Makery that features the work of 10 Northern California artists. A reclaimed diesel tank serves as a chandelier, and everything is black, metal or gray with pops of blood red.
THE TASTINGS: This is not a traditional standing-room bar, but a lounge with reservation-only seated tastings. Choose from The Line-Up ($45), which features five wines and a complimentary pairing (an impressive charred eggplant dip on our visit); The Makery Journey ($65), a tour and tasting of the five wines held inside The Makery gallery; or The Makery Experience ($125), an assortment of chef Brett Young’s small seasonal bites each paired with a limited-release wine.
THE WINES: Winemaker Chrissy Wittmann’s wines are showing beautifully, including the original inky zinfandel-based Prisoner blend ($49); Blindfold ($32), a chardonnay with bright minerality; and Cuttings ($55), a dense, velvety cabernet sauvignon. But the reason to visit is to sample the new wines, which are only available on property and to wine club members. Among them: Syndrome ($30), a crisp, drink-year-round rosé with luscious watermelon and strawberry flavors, and Headlock ($60), a big, rich and memorable charbono.
A WORD ON THE MAKERY: If you’re an art or design buff, pay the extra $20 to do your tasting inside the studio, paying particular attention to the arresting pottery of Amanda Wright, with its bold black curves and zippers, as well as the installation by Agelio Batle, whose full-sized graphite skeleton should grace the next bottle of Prisoner wine.
DETAILS: Open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with the last reservation available at 5 p.m.
