Napa Valley Trip Planner

Palmaz is of the best wineries in Napa Valley.  The main building which houses the production facility is unparalleled.  All guests are given a private tour and tasting that details the history of the winery and their unique gravity flow wine making process.  The tasting concludes with a sit down food and wine pairing.  We all loved it.

Views = 5 stars
Wine = 4 stars
Tour = 5 stars
Property = 5 stars

You need to call in advance to make an appointment (707) 226-5587.  $80/pp.  Great for locals as well who are just looking to try 1 or 2 wineries closer to San Francisco.

Turnbull is a family owned vineyard right on highway 29 in the heart of Napa's Oakville region.  I visited recently with a small group and enjoyed the $30/pp gallery tasting, among some famous photographs by the likes of Ansel Adams and Berenice Abbott.  The large and modern tasting room was extremely welcoming and we particularly enjoyed the classic rock selections playing in the background.  The tastings weren't rushed at all, we were able to sit back and relax and learn about each of the 5 wines we tasted over the course of about an hour.  There was a surprise final taste of their port which was paired with chocolate... 100 points in my book.  We loved all the wines actually - they mostly produce Cabs, but we also really enjoyed their Merlot.  

Wines = 5/5
Tasting Experience = 5/5
Vineyard Grounds = 5/5

http://www.turnbullwines.com

Open to the public 10am-5pm daily - call in advance to book the gallery tasting: 

707.963.5839

or

reservations@turnbullwines.com

If you are traveling up as far north as Calistoga, I highly recommend stopping in for a taste at Ehlers Estate (as long as you are traveling with less than 8 people).  Advanced reservations are required for all parties, although they have a spacious tasting room with plenty of tables, inside and out.  They also have a couple of bocce courts which are fun to play while tasting!  Ehlers is the first wine club I joined, they have excellent Cabs and Merlots and the wine club is really reasonable.  Love this place.  Tastings are $35/pp.

Wines = 5
Views = 4.5
Property = 4.5 

For appointments, call 707-963-5972 or email info@ehlersestate.com

The winery is located in the northern part of St. Helena at 3222 Ehlers Lane.

http://www.ehlersestate.com

Hall Wines (St. Helena) has the most interesting art and sculpture on-site that I've seen at a winery in Napa.  The architecture is clean and modern, and there's something different around every corner.  Highly recommended for everything they offer.  Walk-ins are welcome.

Wines = 4
Views = 4.5
Property = 5

http://www.hallwines.com/

Cade is a beautiful new property owned by the PlumpJack group.  Wines were great, tasting room was large and modern.  Property was so high tech, you could charge your electric car in the parking lot.

Views= 5 stars
Wine= 5 stars
Property= 5 stars
Ease of Getting to = 3 stars

You need to make an appointment in advance, (707-965-2746) tastings are $40/pp.

Beautiful new winery in Calistoga complete with porch swings and an in-house chef. Wine tastings come with food pairings which were absolutely fantastic. The winery building is an upscale farmhouse, but has a comfort of a luxurious home. We joined the club, making Davis Estates part of my top 5 favorites in Napa Valley. Highly recommend!

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars has a beautiful new tasting room, the Fay Outlook & Visitor Center, complete with vineyard and Stag's Leap Mountain views.  It was just renovated and can accommodate walk-in parties of 4 or less without advanced notice from 10am-4:30pm most days of the year.  We loved our visit and the wines so much we became wine club members...the Cabs are excellent.

Views = 4.5
Wines = 5

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars is located at 5766 Silverado Trail, in the Stag's Leap District.  If you are planning to visit with 5 or more people, please call them to make an appointment: (707) 944-2020

https://www.cask23.com

Most scenic palm-tree lined driveway I've ever seen, plus a heavenly roof-deck. The Round Pond Estate offers tasting for $25/pp, and reservations are required.  If it's a nice day in Napa, which most are, I highly recommend this spot for the beautiful indoor/outdoor tasting room and the good wines.

Wines: 4.5
Property: 5
Views: 5

You can book reservations online at: http://www.roundpond.com
Or else, call in for reservations: 707-302-2575

Clos Pegase is located in Calistoga, the most northern part of Napa Valley, but completely worth the trek!  The property itself looks like a work of art - really interesting architecture and sculptures in surrounding gardens. Reservations are not required, so you can easily pop-in for $20-$30 tasting flight.

Wines = 4.5
Views = 4
Property = 5

For tours and cave tastings, you can make reservations online:
http://www.clospegase.com/tastings

Ram’s Gate is literally the first winery on the way to Napa (if you’re coming from San Francisco).

New ownership has done an overhaul on the old Roche property and turned it into a real gem!  Ram’s Gate offers a gorgeous tasting room with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating.  There’s also a menu filled with small bites that pair nicely with all of the wines.  I particularly liked the Pinot Noir.

28700 Arnold Dr  Sonoma, CA 95476-9700
(707) 721-8700
http://www.ramsgatewinery.com/

Artesa is conveniently located in one of Napa Valley's first regions if you are heading up from San Francisco; It's a lovely picturesque spot with very good wines!  Although, I have to comment that we were 2 minutes late for the 11am public tour and the woman manning the check-in desk wasn’t going to let us catch up (even though we were paying $20 per person)…a nicer tour guide caught onto our situation and let us go ahead, which turned out to be pretty good, but I would just reccommend tasting and walking around the grounds yourself.  There are some really neat sculptures and fountains to see.

1345 Henry Rd  Napa, CA 94559
(707) 224-1668
http://artesawinery.com/

Kuleto is a gorgeous winery on a hillside off the silverado trail.  When we visited we got a walking tour of the property which included hillside views of the vineyards, the reservoir below, and the incredible house and infinity pool.  Kuleto also had beautiful flowers everywhere we looked.  All in all it was well worth the trek off the silverado trail to experience this spot.  Call to make an appointment.

Winery Experience = 5/5
Wines = 4/5
Views = 5/5
Convenience = 3/5

2470 Sage Canyon Road
St. Helena
(707) 302-2209

A friend who used to work in wine research, referred us to Chappellet - and good thing we got the referral a month in advance of our trip, because you literally need to give these guys 30 days notice for a wine tasting.  It’s been rated a top winery for it’s reds several years in a row now.  We did the full tour and tasting of the property which entailed a walk through the production facility and on-site vineyard and wrapped up with a formal tasting back inside.  The tour guide was one of the best we’ve ever had in Napa, and we left with several delicious bottles of merlot and zinfandel.

Tours & Tastings range in price from $35 to $75 per person.

1581 Sage Canyon Rd, St Helena, CA 94574
(707) 286-4219

http://www.chappellet.com/

Quixote is a must-see in Napa.  The architecture (designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser) is so unusual and dramatic it’s worth visiting just for the aesthetics.  The wines (Petite Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon) are also both estate produced and excellent.
 
Winery visits are by appointment only:
Tuesday - Sunday: Tour and Tasting
10:00am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm

To arrange a visit, call:
707-944-2659
info@quixotewinery.com
 
6126 Silverado Trail
Napa, California

I visited Cliff Lede on a mission to find a good white wine for our wedding.  We ended up selecting their Sauvignon Blanc, (very refreshing).  The tasting experience was great, too.  They offer daily tours via golf cart, which head up to their production facility and end with a special tasting, but we just walked in for the Tasting Bar flight which was $25 a person (and they don’t mind if you share).  The tasting room looks and feels like being in someone's luxurious living room complete with a fireplace and a beautiful deck off the side, which offers outdoor seating in a rose garden. Both the reds and whites were good, but the SB was the best!

www.cliffledevineyards.com/

1473 Yountville Cross Rd, Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-8642

Cliff Lede is also home to the Poetry Inn, a luxury hillside hotel just a short drive from the tasting room.  One of the unique offerings is the largest part of the property, The Farmhouse, a beautiful home with a swimming pool…it’s available for monthly rental ranging from $15,500-$21,000.

http://poetryinn.com/home/poetry_inn

Darioush Winery has, without a doubt, the most striking exterior architecture in Napa... the Iranian owner essentially built a Persian palace for guests to come and enjoy his wine in.  Tastings are by appointment and conducted indoors (until they finally get their permit to host outdoor tastings this summer- they said to come back by July 2016 and they would have a new tasting terrace).  Anyhow, I think it would be worth revisiting - even for the $45 tasting price, which is waived if you purchase 2 or more bottles.

Raymond winery was a suggestion from the author of: ‘The Best of Napa Valley’ who we happened to chat with over lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co.  He said we had to go to Raymond and ask to see the Red Room… well the Red room was one of several impressive tasting rooms, all unlike anything I’ve seen in Napa before - definitely recommend this place!

Oh and I almost forgot to mention the best part- they are super dog friendly (an entire collection of their wines is named after the owner's bulldog, Frenchie), so if you do bring your dog to the vineyard, it will be well cared for- they have a cute dog kennel with video surveillance that pipes into the main tasting room, so you can keep an eye on your pet while they play with the others.
 

Winery Experience = 5/5
Wines = 4/5
Property + Unique Tasting Rooms = 5/5
 

http://www.raymondvineyards.com

Some friends from NYC were visiting Napa while I was last home for Christmas, so we looked for a place that would have a full experience tour and tasting, which Inglenook offered. For $50 a person, we were given a 90 minute tour of the property which included a walk through the vineyard and various buildings on-site (including the production facilities, private event spaces and wine caves), as well as the robust history of the winery and we ended up in a small private tasting room where we got to enjoy all of the latest production wines with a little cheese. The Cab was excellent.

Inglenook Experience, Offered Daily
$50 per person, plus tax | 90 minutes
Limited to 10 guests

1991 St Helena Hwy, St Helena
(800) 782-4266

https://www.inglenook.com

Larkmead is a beautiful spot for a private wine tasting.  It was recently remodled by the well-known architect, Howard Backen - the outcome is a lovely modern farmhouse complete with rocking chairs and fireplaces.  Appointments are required in advance and they run $100/pp.  Visits include a tour following by an intimate tasting either indoors or out.  Their wines have been highly scored by Wine Spectator over the years and run over $100/bottle. 

Winery Experience = 5/5
Wines = 5/5
Value = 4/5
 

https://www.larkmead.com

This is my favorite sparkling wine experience in Napa Valley.  Excellent tour guides take you through man made caves that store all the aging wine.  The tour concludes with a seated tasting.  You need to call ahead and make reservations - they are quite popular, so seriously plan ahead!  

Cave tour event times are:  9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m.,  12:00 p.m, 1:30 p.m, & 2:30 p.m.

To request a tour event reservation, call (707) 942-4558 or book on their website:  http://www.schramsberg.com/visit.html
 

Wines = 5/5
Tour = 5/5
Experience = 5/5

Viader is home to a small, beautiful winery perched on top of Howell Mountain.  Tastings here are a bit pricey ($50/pp), but if you're going for romance, the tables for 2 are pretty perfect.  Call ahead to make a reservation.

Views = 5/5, most gorgeous deck for tasting!
Wine = if you like Cab Franc, this place is for you!
Convenience =3/5, it's a bit of a drive up Howell Mountain

Address: 1120 Deer Park Rd, Deer Park
Phone: (707) 963-3816

http://www.viader.com

PARADUXX is an impressive spot right off the Silverado Trail about midway up Napa Valley.  We visited in the fall and the vineyard colors were incredible!  On a warmer day we would have enjoyed the outdoor tasting area, but there were plenty of spots inside as well.  The wines were really great and came with little cheese pairings.

7257 Silverado Trail
Napa Valley
(888) 354-8885
reservations@paraduxx.com

See more at: http://www.paraduxx.com/Visit#sthash.DP5LXNII.dpuf

Wonderful spot - great wines, great tour, beautiful views.  The English gardens were also neat to see.  The tour took us through all the gardens and caves on property and concluded with a seated tasting.  We really liked all of the wines and would highly recommend visiting Newton!

Winery Experience = 5/5
Wines = 5/5
Tour = 5/5
Views = 5/5
Convenience = 4/5

It's a bit of a drive up Madrona Avenue off Highway 29 in St. Helena. $40/pp, reservations required - you can make them online, or by calling: (707) 963-9000

http://www.newtonvineyard.com

Tamber Bey is an awesome spot if you're looking for something off the beaten path, up in Calistoga.  The winery is situated on an equestrian estate, just down the street from Chateau Montelena and a unique Geyser, named Old Faithful.  It's only another 15 minutes north of St. Helena and they allow you to BYOP (bring your own picnic).  Our host, Cher, was fantastic - she brought the tastings to our picnic and gave us the full history of the owners & the wine.  We are big fans of the people, the place and the wine here.

Winery Experience= 5/5
Wine = 5/5
History by Cher = 5/5

Call ahead to make an appointment, or book online.

1251 Tubbs Ln, Calistoga, CA 94515
(707) 942-2100

http://www.tamberbey.com/Visit-Us

Most beautiful building in Napa Valley...hands down! (Great gardens, too) Chateau Montelena is famous for winning a French competition for best white wine back in the early 70s when the French were the only well recognized producers of fine wine.  Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay won in a blind taste and put California's Napa Valley on the map.  It's a great spot to visit up in Calistoga, and they are still making great Chardonnay.  

Winery Experience 5/5
Wines 5/5
 

1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga
707 942 5105

https://montelena.com

Heitz is amazing because every other winery I know of now charges for tastings, but they're still pouring their Cabs, Chardonnay, Grignolino, and Zinfandel free of charge.  As you can imagine, the tasting room was quite busy when I stopped in - full of visitors who had clearly realized they could taste there for free.  I think I was the only person who bought something - the port wine, which came in two sizes and was quite delicious.  Since Heitz is in such a central location off Hwy. 29, I would recommend stopping in just to check things out.  Their are gorgeous views out the back of the tasting room.

Wines = 4/5
Value = 5/5 (or better, since tasting was complimentary)
 

http://heitzcellar.com

Candlelit Caves, Barrel Tastings + Chocolate...need I say more?  Del Dotto gives a great experience and you certainly get your moneys worth with wine.  I've heard it referred to as 'Del Blotto' because they are generous with servings.  You can obviously drink what you want, but they will offer tastings by the barrel so you can taste the differences in the oak.  Really nice people and beautiful cave experience. 

1445 St Helena Hwy (Highway 29)
St Helena
(707) 963-2134

http://www.deldottovineyards.com/Visit

Failla Wines is a neat little spot off the Silverado Trail in St. Helena. They offer a cozy lodge tasting for $20/pp (waived for every 2 bottles purchased).  The setting is intimate, the tasting is seated and the pinot noirs are pretty great - we tasted 3 - each from different properties- after a splash of Chardonnay.  The lodge itself is pretty small, but there was also seating on an outdoor deck/front porch.  

You do need to make reservations in advance, but the online booking option on their website is very easy to use:

http://www.faillawines.com/#about

You'll likely find that Failla also offers a walking tour of the property which includes a tour of their wine caves... likely a superior experience to the lodge tasting.  We opt-ed for the cheaper tasting which totally met our needs, but didn't blow our socks off.  If you like Pinot Noir, though, this is an excellence place to visit.
 

Winery Experience = 3/5
Wines = 3.5/5 (I'm not a big fan of Pinot Noir)
Value = 5/5
Online Booking = 5/5

Etude is a great stop, especially if you're just up in Napa for the day, visiting from San Francisco.  Etude is located in Napa's southern most region, Carneros.  They are open daily for tastings at their walk-in tasting bar.  They also have some outdoor seating.

1250 Cuttings Wharf Road, Napa
(in Carneros, just off Highway 121)
 

http://shop.etudewines.com

Viansa is one of the first wineries on the drive up to Napa Valley from San Francisco.  It's a nice stop, the tasting room is open to walk-ins and the grounds are really pretty.  It's actually a popular wedding venue for all stated reasons above.

Winery Experience = 3/5
Wine = 3.5/5
 

Miner is a nice stop along the Silverado Trail in Oakville.  They accept walk-ins for groups of 5 or less at their tasting bar, or you can call ahead for a more in-depth tour that might involve viewing their caves or production facilities.  The walk-in tasting charge is $25/pp.  We shared a couple tastes and sat outside on their front porch.  Lovely views, great experience.

Basic Tasting Bar Winery Experience = 4/5
Wines = 4/5
Views of Napa Valley= 4/5
Convinience = 5/5
 

http://minerwines.com

Caymus Vineyards has beautiful gardens... an excellent place to go in the spring and summertime.  Their palm trees are the nicest looking ones I've ever seen.  They offer a seated tasting which you need to make reservations for in advance - they limit it to 8 people, it's 45 mins long and costs $40/pp.  It's also one of the only wineries that still gives you a souvenir wine glass to take home.

To schedule a tasting appointment, contact them directly: reception@caymus.com or 707-967-3010

http://caymus.com

B Cellars Vineyards and Winery is located in a picturesque spot along Oakville Cross road in the heart of Napa Valley.  I was drawn to B by the extensive food and wine pairings they offer in their beautifully modern tasting room, complete with an open kitchen.  Some of the experiences include a walking tour of the property and wine caves, while simpler tastings are just hosted in the main room and each wine comes with a delicious cheese or chocolate pairing.  This is a great spot to make a light lunch out of your visit to Napa - I featured a photo of the 'B Bites' which are a pretty sufficient little meal.  Oh and for anyone not drinking, they offer a juice pairing which is fantastic - real wine grapes, no alcohol and totally delicious - I included a photo of that as well!

Call ahead to make a reservation: (877) 229-9939
703 Oakville Cross Rd, Oakville
 

Frank Family is a quaint little tasting room off HWY 29 in Calistoga.  They have excellent wines and a cozy atmosphere.  While walk-ins are welcome, this is a popular spot, so it may be a good idea to call ahead.  Tastings are $20 - $30/pp.  We loved our experience here.

Winery experience = 4.5/5
Wines = 5/5
Property = 3/5

http://www.frankfamilyvineyards.com/visit_us

If you are heading to the northern part of Napa, between St. Helena and Calistoga, you should pop-into the Castle off HWY 29, Castello di Amorosa. You don't need advance reservations - they are open every day of the year besides Christmas and the walk in tour and tasting gives you access to the inside of the castle and 5 wines to taste for $25/pp.  Children (minors) are $15/pp.  There are several other guided tours that you can register for in advance on their website:

http://www.castellodiamorosa.com

Winery Experience = 5/5
Wines = 4/5
Convinience = 4/5

Rombauer is my favorite chardonnay.  It's the epitome of a robust California chardonnay, super oaky and strong.  I don't have more photos from our stop(s) at Rombauer, but I had to include it on the blog.  It's a great stop in St. Helena off the Silverado Trail.  The tasting room is tiny, but they welcome walk-ins.  I really recommend this place to people looking for a great wine experience.

https://www.rombauer.com

Alpha Omega is a little gem of spot right along highway 29 in St. Helena.  While it's the first place I've seen with Valet Parking, they were very welcoming and not overcrowded - plenty of spots to sit and taste outside by the pool and surrounding vineyard.  We did the basic tasting for $30, but there are also some estate red flights for $50 and up.  The wines were great, so would recommend to anyone passing by!

Opus One just so happens to be Jimmy Fallon's favorite wine maker...I found this out myself one night that I ran into him at the 21 club...true story!  Anyway, Jimmy has expensive taste, as this is a pricey winery.  The tours start at $75/pp, but the quality of the wine is great and the architecture of this place is neat to see.  You can read more about it on their website:

http://www.opusonewinery.com

Winery Experience = 4/5
Tour = 4/5
Wines = 5/5
Convenience = 5/5

Silver Oak makes fabulous red wine, and they have a lovely vineyard in the Oakville region of Napa.  It's really convenient if you're just going up to Napa for the day and they offer multiple tastings ranging in price from $25 - $40/pp.  You do need to call in advance to make a reservation, but it's totally worth it!  Oh and you get a souvenir glass - (I love that)!

http://www.silveroak.com/visit-us/napa/

Winery Experience = 4.5/5
Wine = 5/5
Property = 4.5/5
Convenience = 5/5

Mumm is a lovely spot for sparking wine in the Rutherford area of Napa. It's a great place for groups - for that reason, it can get crowded on the weekends.  There are two seated patio options...one that offers tastings from $18 - $25 and another that starts at $40/pp.  Both offer great views and allow you access to the grounds, including any art installations they have at the moment.  If you are traveling with less than 6 people, you can just walk-in.

Wines = 4/5
Winery Experience = 4/5
Property = 4/5
Convinience = 5/5
 

https://www.mummnapa.com

If you like long drives, and traveling off the beaten path, this place is for you! Ferrari-Carano Winery is north of Napa Valley, all the way up in the Healdsburg/Geyserville area. That said, it's well worth the trip - they have some of the most beautiful grounds & two separate tasting rooms to try. They have really good Chardonnay and 100% Cabernet.  Fume Blanc is also interesting.  Tastings are also more reasonable this far north - $10 and $20 flights are offered.  No appointments required.
 

8761 Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA

http://www.ferrari-carano.com/

While spending the weekend in Healdsburg for a wedding, we visited the scenic Ridge Vineyard at Lytton Springs.  I had tried Ridge Zinfandel at a restaurant years earlier and remembered it well, so wanted to drop-by.  Thankfully, like many wineries in Sonoma/Healdsburg, no reservations were required, so we pulled up and were able to grab a great table overlooking the vineyard.  Tastings in this region are also much more reasonable.  We tried a couple different flights, one for $10 and another for $20... the wines were nice and fun to compare between the two tasting options.  Would definitely recommend this spot if you are visiting Healdsburg!

https://www.ridgewine.com/visit/lytton-springs/

650 Lytton Springs Road  
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Phone 1.707.433.7721 

Lambert Bridge is a gem of a winery in Sonoma!  We visited in the fall and the foliage was incredible!  It was a little too cold to sit outside - they have a lovely lawn area with picnic tables and umbrellas- so we ventured into the main tasting room which was warm and inviting!  We tried both the classic and signature wine flights and left with a few bottles of our favorite - their 2013 Zinfandel.  Lovely spot, highly recommend to anyone visiting the Healdsburg region of Sonoma Valley.  No appointment required if you're a party of 5 or fewer.  They also host a number of seated tasting - some including food and wine pairings - call  to inquire & book.

http://lambertbridge.com

Lambert Bridge
4085 W Dry Creek Rd,
Healdsburg, CA 95448
(707) 431-9600

If you're looking for a personalized, intimate wine tour (and don't mind a bit of a trek), Buehler Vineyards is perfect for you!  After meandering up a 10-15 hill climb, we arrived at Buehler and were welcomed by a small pasture of horses.  Down the driveway, in the ivy-covered tasting room, we were greeted by one of the great-grandsons of the original Buehler family - and he couldn't have been nicer!  He proceeded to take us on a nearly 2 hour tour, out to the vineyards, into the production facility, and down to the bottling station.  We wrapped up in the tasting room - the wines were delicious and totally reasonable (and the entire tasting and tour was complimentary)!  We left there with a couple of cases and have been enjoying each bottle ever since!

Wine Tour/Hospitality= 5/5
Wines themselves= 4.5/5
Scenary at Vineyard = 4/5
Convenience = 2/5

Buehler Vineyards
820 Greenfield Rd
St Helena, CA 94574

http://www.buehlervineyards.com/explore.html