Tres Sabores means three flavors, and the three Julie Johnson farms for are terroir, vine and spirit. The estate sits on the western Rutherford bench of the Napa Valley, a CCOF certified organic farm and Napa Green certified, worked without tilling and without irrigation.
The vineyard grows Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot, and the Zinfandel vines went in the ground in 1972. Around them the farm carries heritage olives, Meyer lemons, pomegranates and an heirloom garden, along with bluebirds, red tail hawks, a flock of guinea fowl and a herd of sheep that mow and fertilise the rows.
Fermentations run on the ranch’s own ambient yeasts, so each bottle is a reading of that particular piece of ground. Beyond the estate, Julie sources from growers she knows by name in Carneros, Lake County, the Sierra Foothills and the Santa Cruz Mountains, which is how a Rutherford Cabernet house also ends up making Barbera, St. Laurent and Picpoul Blanc.
The story behind the labels
Short films from Tres Sabores's own vineyard footage. When they go live on Vesper this is the same conversation, except you can ask questions and buy the bottle while it is still in their hand.
They throw away most of the crop on purpose
Most Napa Cabernet is pulled and replanted long before it turns fifty, because the yields fall away and the arithmetic stops working. These vines went in the ground in 1972 and are still dry-farmed, so the crop is modest before anyone touches it, and the thinning takes away more. Every one of those calls is made by hand, spur by spur, by someone walking the row and judging that vine on that day.
Wines
A tasting room Tres Sabores can open from the cellar.
Vesper is live video and a checkout in the same window. Independent wineries broadcast from where the wine is actually made, talk through what is in the glass, and sell it direct without you leaving the stream. Most bottles worth knowing about never reach a shelf near you. This is how you meet them, and the people who made them, anyway.
- 1Follow, and get the call
Following Tres Sabores means a notification the moment they switch the camera on. Tastings are announced here, not buried in an email list.
- 2Watch and ask
The winemaker pours what is in front of them and talks through it. Chat is open, so the thing you actually wanted to know gets answered on camera.
- 3Buy direct, mid-pour
The wines being poured are purchasable on the spot. Tres Sabores is the seller of record and ships the order themselves. Vesper only earns a commission when a bottle sells.
Frequently asked
What is Vesper?
Vesper is a live tasting room for independent wineries. Wineries broadcast live video from the cellar or the vineyard, talk through what they are pouring, take questions in chat, and sell those wines direct in the same window. Tres Sabores is the seller of record and ships orders itself. Vesper takes a commission only when a bottle sells.
Where is Tres Sabores located?
Tres Sabores is based in St. Helena, CA.
What wines does Tres Sabores make?
Tres Sabores produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, St. Laurent, Red Blend, Picpoul Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, White Blend, Rosé, with vintages spanning 2022–2025.
Can I buy Tres Sabores wine online?
Yes. You can buy Tres Sabores's wines directly on Vesper, ranging from $32.00 to $124.00. The winery ships your order directly.
Does Tres Sabores host live tastings?
Tres Sabores can host live tastings on Vesper where you watch the winemaker pour and buy featured wines as they're presented.
Do I need a ticket or a reservation to join a tasting?
No. Live tastings on Vesper are free to watch and open to anyone. Follow Tres Sabores and you are notified when they go on camera. You only pay if you decide to buy a wine.
Can I learn how Tres Sabores makes its wine before buying?
Yes. This storefront carries a short film from Tres Sabores's own vineyard footage, covering they throw away most of the crop on purpose. They are free to watch, no account required.
Who ships my order, and who am I buying from?
Tres Sabores. On Vesper the winery is the merchant of record: it sets the price, takes the order, and ships the wine directly to you. Vesper handles the video, the checkout, and the payment, and earns a commission on the sale.
Be in the room when Tres Sabores pours
Following puts you on the list for their next live tasting. Watch from wherever you are, ask the winemaker anything while the bottle is open, and buy direct from the winery in the same window.