Fodor's Expert Review VGS Chateau Potelle

Sophisticated whimsy is on full display at the Chateau Potelle tasting room. Jean-Noel Fourmeaux, its bon vivant owner, fashioned this jewel of a space out of a nondescript 1950s bungalow south of downtown St. Helena. The residence, decorated with contemporary art (some wine-themed), and the Moroccan-tented outdoor patio are the scene of leisurely paced, sit-down, appointment-only tastings, some accompanied by gourmet bites from Napa's La Toque restaurant. Fourmeaux prefers fruit grown at higher elevations because he believes the extended ripening time grapes require in a cooler environment produces more complex and flavorful wines. His Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and other reds support this thesis. The Chardonnay stars among the whites. Be sure to ask what "VGS" stands for.