My Favorite Wineries
in Napa Valley
There are a number of wineries in Napa Valley that I enjoy visiting during my Napa Vacations. This section provides an overview of my favorite Napa wineries. Given the size of the area, the region grows a number of red wine varietals and there are plenty of Napa Valley wineries to choose from. I have a number of favorites that I think you will enjoy.  Napa has a number of larger wineries that you might recognize, that have tasting room open to the public. This makes it easy to travel around valley, tasting wine with little to no planning. At the same time, it also has a lot of smaller, family run wineries that are not as well know.
Many of these smaller wineries in Napa Valley do not have open tasting room hours, but will schedule appointments. I highly recommend that you make at least one appointment with one of these wineries in Napa Valley. This gives you a very personalized experience, gives you the opportunity to ask numerous questions about Napa and really learn about the winery you are visiting. In my recommendations below, I’ve provided information on whether the winery has an open tasting room or if you need to call to make an appointment. A Cab Lovers Dream: Hall Winery If you like Cabernet Sauvignon wine, then you should try one of the best wineries in Napa Valley, Hall Winery. This family owned boutique winery has a number of really great Cabernet Sauvignon wines. They currently have two tasting rooms in Napa Valley. The St. Helena tasting room is the main tasting room and is open during the day for tasting. They also have a tasting room not too far away in Rutherford. This second tasting room is by appointment only. The Cabernet Sauvignon wines at Hall Winery are bold and tasty. Some are a little pricey, but are worth it. They run from $40 to $100 per bottle. Other red wines that are featured at Hall Winery are Merlot wine and Cabernet Franc wine. St. Helena Tasting Room Information
401 St. Helena Highway South
St. Helena, CA 94574 Web Site Address: www.hallwines.com Tasting Room Hours: Open Daily 10am – 5:30pm Tours: By Appointment Only, Call 866-667-4255 Rutherford Tasting Room
56 Auberge Road
Rutherford, CA 94573 Tasting Room Hours: By Appointment Only, Call 866-667-4255 Tours: By Appointment Only, Call 866-667-4255
Beautiful Property, Amazing Syrah: Spring Mountain Vineyard Another one of my favorite wineries in Napa Valley is Spring Mountain Vineyard. This beautiful winery is nestled up in the hills in Napa Valley and is a gem for those that love Syrah wine. It’s an absolutely amazing place that grows a variety of different red wines. The winery has a rich history and you should sign up for a tour if you are in the area. Due to the amount of land and the elevation differences around the vineyard, Spring Mountain Vineyard is able to produce an amazing variety of red wines. My favorite is their Syrah, but they also have a few noteworthy Cabernet Sauvignon wines, and an amazing estate grown blend called Elivette with Cabernet Sauvignon (80%), Petit Verdot (9%), Merlot (7%), and Cabernet Franc (4%). Spring Mountain also sells some library wines and reserve wines from previous years. The wines here are also a bit more expensive, ranging from $55 to around $125, but they are fabulous. 2805 Spring Mountain Road
St. Helena, California 94574-1775 Web Site Address: www.springmtn.com Tasting Room Hours: By Appointment Only Tasting Fees from $25 - $50, Book through their site Tours: By Appointment Only, Tour is $50, Book through their site
So Many Different Red Wines to Choose From: Beaulieu Vineyard If you are looking for wines that are a little less pricey, but still have great flavor then try Beaulieu Vineyard. One of the most popular wineries in Napa Valley, this winery has a large selection of wines for every budget. Beaulieu Vineyard also distributes some of their wines widely, so it might be a more familiar brand. I have three favorites at BV including their Cabernet Sauvignon wine, Pinot Noir wine, and their Merlot wines. Beaulieu Vineyard was one of the first wineries I visited and I really began to enjoy their wines. Since some of the wines are widely distributed, it was also easy to access and try a variety of the wines that they have available. If you are looking for a simple wine with great flavor, then you should try Beaulieu Vineyard wines. Other reds at this winery are Petite Syrah wine, Sangiovese wine, Syrah wine, Zinfandel wine, Pinot Noir wine, Shiraz wine, and several red wine blends. 1960 St. Helena Highway
Rutherford, CA 94573 Web Site Address: www.bvwines.com Tasting Room Hours: Open Daily 10am – 5pm Tasting Fees: $10 - $20 per person Tours: Available by Appointment Only, Call 707-967-5232 Other Information: Private tasting is also available by appointment. This is a great option for larger groups. Call 707-967-5232 to book an appointment.
A Tram Ride to the Top, Amazing Views of Napa Valley: Sterling Vineyard Sterling Vineyard is one of the wineries in Napa Valley that is hard to miss. This winery looks like a white castle sitting on top of a hill in Napa Valley. It has amazing views of the valley and is one winery that you just can’t miss. Accessing the tasting room is an adventure. The only way up or down is by riding a 10 to 15 minute tram to the top. Once you get to the top, you have a couple of options. You can take the trail to the right for a self guided wine tour. This tour is a great way to learn a little about wine making, Napa Valley and Sterling Vineyard. If you are there at the right time, you can also see some of the wine making in progress. Toward the end of the tour, you will have a chance for an amazing view of many of the other wineries in Napa Valley from the deck at Sterling. Spend some time here before heading in for your tasting. Once you are done checking out the view and you are done with your tour, you return to the tram area and head over to the tasting room. When we were there, we decided to do our tasting on the back deck which was a popular choice. The wine tasting was also fun since there were a few people on the back deck ready to pour our next selection. Once you are done with your tasting, it’s time to head back to the tram. At this point, you take a slightly different route back down which gives you even more of a view of Napa Valley. 1111 Dunaweal Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515 Web Site Address: www.sterlingvineyards.com Tasting Room Hours: 10:30 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday; 10 am to 5 pm, Saturday -Sunday Tasting Fees: Tram ride with tasting is $20. There are additional tasting options for an additional fee. Tours: Private tasting and tours are also available by appointment, call 800-726-6136.
Sparkling Red Wine Anyone?: Schramsberg Vineyards If you are a fan of sparkling wine, you can’t leave Napa Valley without touring Schramsberg Vineyards. One of the few wineries in Napa Valley that makes sparkling wines, the tasting experience here is a lot of fun. At this time, they only do private tours that end with a tasting. It’s also a great way to learn more about how sparkling wine is made, how it’s different than other wines and you can get all of your questions answered. Schramsberg produces a number of sparkling wines and most are a blend of red and white wine. My favorite, of course, is their Blanc de Noirs. This sparkling red wine is made primarily from 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. This wine retails for around $38. Their others wines range from $20 to $100 for their more premier wines. 1400 Schramsberg Rd.
Calistoga, CA 94515 Web Site Address: www.schramsberg.com Tasting Room Hours: By Appointment Only Tasting Fee: $35 for Both the Tour and Tasting Tours: There are five tours a day at 10:00 AM, 11:30 AM, 12:30 PM, 1:30 PM, & 2:30 PM. Book an appointment only or call 707-942-4558
Most of the wineries in Napa Valley with open tasting rooms are closed on all major holidays. Prices are estimates and may change at any time. Return to the Napa Valley Vacation page from the Wineries in Napa Valley page
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