Our team at Taste of Purple recently ventured out to Napa, CA in search of good wine and better company. Our journey proved to be not only a fun filled adventure with good friends but also an educational experience. Of the many (and trust us many is an understatement) wineries we visited, one of our absolute favorites was Frias Family Vineyards.
F stands for Friendly. When touring wineries in the Napa area, you’ll find no shortage of ornate, lavish tasting rooms with a team of experts looking you up and down while telling you how to enjoy your wine. This is not what you’ll find at Frias. From the moment you walk into their tasting room, you’ll feel exactly as we did – at home. The family run environment is casual and friendly, and not at all pretentious – just how we like our wineries.
F stands for Family. Their tasting room is run by brothers Fernando and Manny, who are as knowledgeable as they are enjoyable. Growing up in wine country has its benefits in this industry. Napa has a small town feel, and the Frias boys, who went to school with several other wine makers, know everyone and everything about the Napa wine making region. We were thoroughly entertained by their stories and antics and deeply touched by the story of their beginnings.
Starting with a love story beginning in a Mexican town square, Grandpa and Grandma Frias met and fell in love. It was a typical story of boy meets girl, boy marries girl, boy becomes mayor and then has to flee to America due to political unrest. Ok not so typical a story, but certainly fascinating! As a result of their move to America, Manny Frias fell in love with the world of wine and made a promise to himself to one day own land in the Napa Valley.
Over forty years later Manny and his wife Maria, along with their five children, have seen that dream become a reality in Frias Family Vineyard.
F stands for Frias. One thing rings true when you meet the Frias Family – they are passionate about wine. And we are passionate about the wines they create! Everything we tasted we enjoyed, but the team favorite was by far their 2013 Oakville Block 5 Cabernet. Delightfully inky in the glass and fruit forward on our palates. We recommend cellaring this bottle for a couple years, but if you choose to enjoy it right away, give it a swirl in our Vino2 glass to fully open up its wonderful flavor.
Many thanks to the wonderful family at Frias for opening up your doors to our quirky little team. We loved every sip of it!
When it comes to visiting California, there is a massive array of stellar places for people to enjoy, especially if they’re interested in traveling through the heart of America’s wine country, Napa Valley. Any appreciator of delicious wines likely knows at least a little about the most famous wine region in the country, which features more than 500 different wineries for people to explore. Most of these wineries offer a range of top-quality services, from intimate wine tastings to behind-the-scenes tours of the vineyards, wine cellars, and more!
Approximately 95% of all the wineries in Nappa Valley are family-owned and operated. Each features a long history of fascinating stories and traditions for people to learn about when they visit. But with hundreds of wineries for people to choose from, how can anyone select just one or two to explore on their next trip to Nappa? Thankfully, our wine specialists from Taste of Purple have taken the liberty of exploring some of the best-rated wineries in the area, so we can tell you about our experience and help you locate the best location for your next trip! Below, we’ll cover everything you’ll want to know about our trip to the Frias Family vineyard and let you in on some reasons why you should consider heading there yourself.
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Our Visit to The Frias Family vineyard
Every person we had the pleasure of interacting with was an absolute delight to be around. We found ourselves having one of the best experiences we’ve ever enjoyed on our winery excursions. Not only did we walk away having had a fantastic winery experience, but we also walked away with some newfound friends.
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The unique tasting room at the Frias Family vineyard is renowned Are you looking to elevate the class and sophistication of your wine-drinking experience at home? Our specialized providers of elegant glassware at Taste of Purple are proud to provide everyone with a fantastic selection of specially-made wine glasses that adds the perfect amount of air to your every swirl.
Now that we’ve covered the essential details of our trip to the Frias Family Vineyard let’s explore some of the other key reasons everyone planning to visit the beloved Napa Valley should consider taking a trip to the vineyard for themselves! From private events and exquisite wine-tasting experiences to a fantastic shop of some of the most delicious wines, there’s a little something for every wine lover to enjoy at Frias!
A Visit to Remember
The expert wine creators and aficionados at the Frias Family Vineyard offer visitors the opportunity to participate in exquisite wine tastings featuring their most coveted Cabernets in a relaxing environment with an easy-going conversation among friends. Their tastings are available for groups of six people are less and can be booked by online appointment on their website. Tastings include a fee of $65, but it’s waived by purchasing a case of one or more of their specialty Cabernet per couple. The Frias Family is also proud to provide a wide selection of other recommended winery partners, lodgings, restaurants, and drivers for those visiting the area.
Aside from their specialty wine tastings, they also allow guests to book areas of the property for private events, specifically their Man Cave. For more information on booking a venue for your next event, please consider contacting them at info@friasfamilyvineyard.com or filling out a contact form on their website with any questions or comments you may have.
Additionally, if you’re planning your trip to Napa Valley at some point in late August of 2022, consider purchasing a few tickets to the 2022 Frias Annual Release Party! The event is scheduled to take place on August 27th and will be an excellent time for all those in attendance. Tickets are currently available to the general public for $150 each and come at a discounted price for certified Wine Club members.
Choosing to join their unique club also provides wine lovers with many benefits, including two annual shipments of their specialty Oakville AVA and Spring Mountain wines with preferred shipping rates depending on your membership tier. Membership also comes with complimentary tastings for you and your guests at the North Napa Man Cave, priority access to newly released wines, and invitations to members-only On The Road Events.
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Final Thoughts From Taste of Purple
Anyone looking to enjoy a trip through Napa Valley at some point this year should strongly consider visiting the Frias Family Vineyard. The Frias offers guests the opportunity to enjoy a unique, friendly, and overall wonderful experience full of good conversation and even better wine! It’s sure to be a trip that your family and friends will be able to look back on with great fondness for many years to come.
If you’d like to get the most out of the wine you purchase from their vineyard, consider investing in a few of our specialized, hand-crafted aeration glasses from Taste of Purple today. You can also look through our collection of other educational resources to learn everything you could ever want to know about the fantastic world of wine and wine creation. We also offer a selection of other expertly-written reviews covering our trips to various vineyards and wineries across the country, so read through a few to learn about some other fantastic destinations for your future trips.
When enjoying a nightly glass of delicious, fine wine, it’s essential to have a selection of top-quality glassware that can help enhance its flavor through aeration. Our team of specialized glassware aficionados at Taste of Purple is proud to offer access to glassware that can add some needed air to every sip.