Tamber Bey Vineyards was founded in 1999 by vintner Barry Waitte, who saw an opportunity to turn his love of wine into a full-time venture. His first step was purchasing a 60-acre vineyard in the Yountville Appellation, a region known for producing high-quality wine grapes. He then acquired an 11-acre property in the prestigious Oakville Appellation, planting three acres of Cabernet Sauvignon that would eventually be dubbed the Oakville Estate Vineyard.
With a strong foundation in place, Waitte set out to assemble a team that could bring his vision for Tamber Bey wines to life. He brought on Thomas Brown as the company’s founding winemaker, and in 2003, Tamber Bey celebrated its inaugural release: the 2001 Two Rivers Vineyard Chardonnay, Merlot, and a Cabernet-based red wine. The Two Rivers Vineyard was named in honor of the “two personalities” of the Napa River, which borders the property. Later, the vineyard was renamed the Deux Chevaux Vineyard as a tribute to Waitte’s first two Arabian horses, Tamborina and Bayamo.
In 2012, Waitte expanded Tamber Bey’s operations by purchasing the 22-acre Sundance Ranch in Calistoga. Here, he received approval to convert a 15,000-square-foot covered riding arena into a state-of-the-art winemaking facility. The facility, designed by Thomas Rivers Brown with 36 closed and open-top fermentation tanks, was up and running for the 2013 harvest. Tamber Bey also maintains two 5,000-square-foot barrel rooms at different climate zones to ensure optimal aging for its wines.
Today, Tamber Bey’s portfolio of wines is crafted under the guidance of winemaker Derek Flegal. The wines are made from Waitte’s estate-grown fruit in Napa Valley’s Yountville and Oakville AVAs, as well as grapes carefully sourced from select vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and Lake counties. In addition to its own wine production, Tamber Bey also provides custom crush services for 20 clients.
But Tamber Bey is more than just a winery – it’s a true wine country experience. The property is home to over 20 horses, including performance Arabians, retirees, rescue horses, and miniatures. Visitors can taste Tamber Bey’s wines in the original barn clubhouse, which was designed by Napa Valley architect Howard Backen. The tasting room is surrounded by a 16-stall barn, where guests can mingle with the horses and enjoy the stunning views of Mount St. Helena and the Palisades. It’s a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of Napa Valley and its world-class wines all in one place.
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Cassandra Carper
4 months agoI heard great things about Tamber Bey from my sister who visited last year. My husband, in-laws and I were in the area so we decided to stop by without a reservation. We bought a bottle of wine and sat on the lovely patio- steps away from the beautiful horses. Despite it being a busy afternoon for tastings, Cole was extremely attentive- he gave us excellent service and information about the property which left a lasting impression! It was the perfect Sunday afternoon and we will be back!
Natalie
11 months agoLanded here after a while of no luck searching for a pet friendly establishment on a last minute road trip to wine country. Arriving without reservations and just in time for a last tasting, we were welcome with open arms and it was such a relief to a dog mom of a 70+lb Goldendoodle. We enjoyed our tasting and were just so happy to have somewhere beautiful and welcoming to stretch out our legs, doodle included. Beautiful grounds with a gorgeous view of Mt. St. Helena. The tasting area is spacious enough for the seating areas to be spread out comfortably throughout terrace/garden and along the stables. Amazing hospitality, delicious wine and intriguing property history. We cannot wait to go back!
Ashley Farr
a month agoWhat a LOVELY experience! I visited Tamber Bey with my parents in mid-March. We opted to do the lunch and tasting experience. The wines were delightful and the service exceeded our expectations. It was the perfect mid-day tasting, allowing us to fuel up on a delicious picnic style lunch while tasting beautiful crafted wines! AND THE HORSES! What a unique and beautiful setting!! I highly recommend adding Tamber Bey Vineyards to your list during your visit to Calistoga!!
Laura G
2 weeks agoCher was our host and she was so fun and hospitable! The atmosphere and views are gorgeous. Tamber Bey has a wide selection of excellent wines served to you in a relaxed setting . Highly recommend! Bonus you may get to pet some beautiful and sweet horses!
Steve Medbery
3 weeks agoVery interesting winery with high end small production wines which is also a horse ranch. Lots of fascinating things to see. Cherilyn, our team rep was very knowledgeable in hosting us and pointed out many notable features of the winery. We found it a very unique, pleasurable and memorable experience.