Anyone know of any good Napa Valley destinations for a wine-tasting trip?!
Anyone know of any good Napa Valley destinations for a wine-tasting trip?
I'm taking a wine-tasting trip to Napa Valley, CA and I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions as to the best wineries or tasting rooms to visit...Thanks!
Answers:
Napa Valley has so many great wineries. The wineries in Calistoga tend to be smaller, more family owned wineries that charge less for tasting than other Napa cities.
Many people enjoy going to Sterling Vineyards. What makes this winery unique is that you ride a tram up to the top of the hill where you are seated and wine brought to you for tasting.
If you enjoy a good Cabernet, I'd suggest Silver Oak and Chimney Rock. Domaine Carneros has great sparkling wines and one of the very best views in the valley.
For a list of wineries in Napa with tasting rooms and more info visit: http://www.cheers2wine.com/napa-valley-w...
Try Frog's Leap Winery in Rutherford, CA right outside Napa. Small winery but excellent wine!
I HIGHLY recommend the Napa Valley wine Train trip, I went with my parents when I was little & all I remember is the Fantastic food & the beautiful scenery on the way there. Obviously, I didn't drink since I was about 5yrs old, but my parents had a wonderful time & I got to go too! I still enjoyed the trip & couldnt' believe how gorgeous the wine country could be. I grew up in San Jose Cali, so Napa was a beautiful shock to me.
You absolutely must ride the Wine Train!!
:o) Have a fantastic trip!
Beringer and Greystone cellars were beautiful to visit, if you love historic scenery. The 'artistry' of the vineyards themselves was just breathtaking. Have fun!
Most of the wineries I'm listing are appointment only, so call ahead and tell them that you want to set up a tasting appointment (it's not cuz they're snobby, it's written into the laws because they're not big enough):
Beringer
Etude (highly recommended!)
Turnbull
Heitz
Clos Pegase
Chateau Montelena
Keenan (appointment only, highly recommended!)
Guilliams (appointment only)
Pride (appointment only)
Venge (appointment only, highly recommended! maybe because he's a fellow Swede)
Watch out because there are a lot of tourist traps there. Go to the small wineries and you won't regret it.
I ABSOLUTELY recommend the Wine Country Tour out of San Francisco!!!
The tour starts at the Ferry Building in San Fran. You take a small tour bus over the Golden Gate, visit FOUR wineries (when I went, we visited V. Sattui, Domain Chandon, Luna, and Andretti), you get a picnic lunch, and you have some choice in the tastings you do.
The tour guide shares a lot of information about the region, the history, and the wine history... which I actually really enjoyed.
To return to the Ferry Building in San Fran, you take a ferry ride, which goes by Alcatraz and the Golden Gate.
My husband, who only went for my sake, really enjoyed this tour too.
It costs $90 per person, plus tasting fees at a few of the wineries, but it was worth every single penny.
The website for the tour is: winecountrytourshuttle.com
My two favorite wineries in the Napa area are Regusci and Provenance. Regusci is on Silverado Trail. They focus on just two wines, Cabernet and Merlot and both are excellent. Provenance is on Hwy 29, in St Helena. Their winemaker is Tom Rinaldi. He is the former winemaker at Duckhorn.
PEJU is not only beautiful, but the wine is really great, and many times they offer wine pairing opportunities with delicious food straight from their kitchen. This is a winery that is not as well known as a Mondavi, Cakebread or Beringer, but my husband and I found the folks who worked there were friendly and willing to answer our questions. We had actually visited Mondavi and Cakebread prior to visiting Peju and found that, although the education at Mondavi was excellent and the wine at Cakebread was delicious...Peju stood out for it's quaint, artistic aesthetic and friendly demeanor. Have a wonderful time!