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Patricia Howe Wines

Truly Handmade Wines from the Napa Valley
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Winemaking 
We have a strong love of traditionally made sparkling wines from over 20 years in commercial winemaking at both Domaine Chandon and Mumm Napa Valley (including production time at Moet Chandon in France and Domaine Chandon in Australia).
My winery, 16019, is one of--if not the--smallest freestanding bonded wineries in the United States, with a mere 104 square feet. My case production is therefore quite limited, and every wine is truly handmade. Not a "garagiste"...a "shediste"!
 
Small volume sparkling winemaking is a challenge, but the concepts for making quality wines at any volume are the same. We also have a great appreciation for any of the pinot variants (blanc, gris, meunier, noir, and even chardonnay).
Our specialty is sparkling wine, made in the traditional method of Champagne, using the classic varieties of Chardonnay, Pinot noir, Pinot gris, and Pinot Meunier.
In the true tradition of sparkling winemakers familiar with the champagne method, the ability to make good red Pinot Noirs runs hand-in-hand with sparkling wine production,
so we are proud to also offer still wines from this noble grape.
 
What is Truly Handmade?
 
Our "16019" wines and sulfite-free "Pat's Gold Label" vinegars are Truly HandMade,not "handcrafted" - a term used by many of the largest wineries in the world.
This is Truly Handmade:
The only electrical power used in our production is temperature control. Grapes are hand picked, hand pressed or crushed,
transferred with gravity or gas pressure,
and bottled, corked, labeled, and foiled by hand. Sparkling wines are hand riddled and hand disgorged, hand dosed, and hand corked and wired.
 
 
 
 

 Technical Resources for the Enologist

As an enologist (see my resume)  I believe that understanding the chemistry and microbiology of the process is critical to making high quality wines.  To help others, I write articles and give presentations across the US on these and other technical enological and wine production topics.
As a sensory scientist, I appreciate the complexity of the psychology, physiology, and biology of all of the human sensory systems. Sensory analysis is a science, and the winery technical tasting room should be a well lighted, well ventilated area where critical evaluation of wine can be conducted.