Napa Valley wines have a well known reputation for being rather pricey. When there is so much terrific wine to be had in California it is difficult to spend the high price tag to taste and to purchase.

We were over on Howell Mountain to taste Jon Jones’s newest releases at Paravel and arranged for an afternoon tasting in Yountville at Elyse.

Elyse’s tasting room is in a cottage just off Highway 29 south of the town of Yountville. It’s comfortable interior is perfect for tastings and from the looks of it, on warm days, the grounds offer some beautiful outdoor patio/ garden tastings.

Elyse wines are Nancy & Ray Coursen’s dream first realized in 1985 with the production of 286 cases of Zin. Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah now make up their portfolio of Elyse wines. For Napa, these wines are a little easier on your wallet while being truly amazing in character.

Three different wines are produced here under the name HQ Winery. Addax and Institution are the other two. All are the creations of the highly regarded winemaker, Russell Bevan.

Our tasting was exceptional. With Garrett Lyon we tried the newest releases of Elyse, the iconic 2019 Morisoli Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2021 St. Peter’s Church Zinfandel, and a taste of the 2021 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir from Addax. Exceptional wines with a good price point. A perfect afternoon in Napa Valley!

Thank you so much Garrett!