August Briggs Winery may be Napa Valley's new kid on the block, but owner-winemaker Joe Briggs has been around! After nearly ten vintages of roaming, Joe and his wines now have a permanent home in Calistoga. Now, in 2004, with the finishing touches applied, August Briggs Winery is humming with activity as it attracts visitors from around California, the United States, and the world. Joe's longtime goal to make great wines his own way - and under his own roof - has finally been realized.

Occasionally, you might find Joe himself behind the bar, holding forth on a variety of subjects, from baseball to Napa Valley weekend traffic to his taste in German Hefeweizen. But he reserves his greatest enthusiasm for the subject of wine, in particular August Briggs wines and the vineyards from which they're made. Conversation with Joe can range from the quality of the zinfandel fruit grown by the Frediani family next door to the winery (and Mrs. Frediani's handwritten invoices!), to the time and patience it's taken to figure out which pinot noir clones work best for him.

And along with expertise, Joe offers great hospitality. He's one of the last winery owners in the valley who doesn't charge his guests a tasting fee, which contributes to the casual atmosphere. A Saturday afternoon at the winery is so entertaining that most people would be willing to hand over a few bucks to sample Joe's pinot noir, syrah, and zinfandel. What they get, in addition to these, and other, delicious wines, is the understanding that they're at a Napa Valley winery that has truly arrived. The Winery is open Thursday - Sunday.