Mesmerizing sunsets, mountain vistas and endless rolling vineyards, not to mention world-class food. No wonder Carol and Mike Hensley, owners of Reflection Printing in Houston, fell hard for the wine country culture when visiting the Napa Valley over a decade ago.
“We love the natural beauty, the friendly locals and
In order to stay in Houston, the Hensleys outsourced all aspects of the wine production in lieu of building a winery. Napa winemaker Jeff Fontanella crafts small batches of their favorite varietal, a premium Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and 400 cases are now being distributed in California, Washington, D.C. and Texas restaurants and shops. The opulent wine is made from Rutherford and Mt. Veeder fruit with blueberry and blackberry aromas, hints of smoke and chocolate and a velvety lingering finish. The Wine Spectator awarded the wine a score of 89 – quite impressive for a debut wine. The follow-up vintage is still in barrels along with a second wine, a reserve Cabernet.
Back in the real world, the Hensleys conveniently create all their wine promotional material at their own printing company. Along with running Reflection Printing, Carol concentrates on marketing the wine company while Mike focuses on distributors and wine contacts. (By the way, Mike graduated from my alma mater Memorial High School, as did sommelier Justin Vann, chefs Justin Yu of Oxheart, Grant Gordon of Tony’s and Kevin Naderi of Roost and My Table magazine’s Taylor Byrne Dodge.)
The future for Hensley wines? “We’d like to expand our red wines and hope to produce a Bordeaux blend. Another goal is to grow our label to 2,000 to 2,500 cases and add a tasting room or perhaps a co-op tasting room,” says Mike. The couple aims to spend about five months per year in California with their family. “It’s hard to beat a trek down the beautiful Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley,” says Mike.
Happy trails to the Hensleys!
Where to find the wine in Houston: La Griglia, Mockingbird Bistro, Backstreet Cafe, Brasserie 19, Roost and Sorrel Urban Bistro.
Good eats in the wine country: “First stop every trip to Napa is Mustard’s Grill in Yountville. We can’t get away without having the great onion rings and homemade ketchup. Mustard’s pours our wines, as does V Cellars in Yountville,” says Mike Hensley. At V Cellars you can purchase bottles or tastes of various daily-changing wines along with small cheese or taco plates.
The Hensleys’ short-term goal is to place their wines in celebrity chef Thomas Keller’s wildly popular casual concept, Bouchon.
When in the area, also visit: Domaine Carneros. The cool, breezy Carneros AVA is known for producing exquisite Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. This unpretentious sparkling wine house by Taittinger is one of the few wineries that offer sit-down table service on the veranda overlooking vineyard-carpeted hills or in the posh salon. Expect lovely tasting menus, including the option of assorted artisan California cheese pairings or caviar with sparklers or wines. Here’s a great video of the Pinot Noir winemaker, T.J. Evans, and a peek of the amazing views.
The Hensleys also recommend: Saddleback Cellars “right in the heart of Napa on Oakville Road. It’s a very laid-back place with picnic tables out by the vineyards. Listen to country and western music while you sample a huge list of great wines. The owner, Nils Venge, has been the winemaker for dozens of Napa Valley’s top wines.
“Fontanella Family Winery is on Mt. Veeder near the city of Napa. Jeff Fontanella is our winemaker for our Hensley Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, but he and his wife, Karen, also own this beautiful winery and make several award-winning wines.
“Reynolds Family Winery near the city of Napa on the Silverado Trail. Owner Steve Reynolds makes great wines and also comes to Houston often. He’s a very charismatic, friendly person who juggles multiple projects magnificently.
“Paloma Vineyard up on Spring Mountain just outside St. Helena. Owner Barbara Richards is an absolute perfectionist at making an award-winning Merlot. It’s a privilege to get to sit at her back patio table, look out across the valley and sample her wine.”
Don’t miss: The Napa and Sonoma regions are so close, they share the same area code. Zip over to the Sonoma area and hit the annual Kendall Jackson Tomato Festival, a huge sell-out every September at the peak of grape harvest and tomato season. Taste scores of tomato varieties, from cherry to giant heirloom, in hues of yellow, gold, red, purple and green with flavors ranging from tart to candy sweet. Each station features a different local restaurant dish made with fresh tomatoes and paired with a Kendall Jackson wine.