When it comes to tasting in Napa, there is a tasting room, estate, and vineyard around every corner. However, when going to Napa it’s far more about the experience itself than the wine. This list is far from inclusive, but includes some of our favorite winery tours in the Valley. There’s plenty of options with a variety of price points to enjoy.
Keep reading for our favorite places after the jump!
Sterling Vineyards: This vineyard takes wine tasting to new heights (literally). As the only winery with an aerial tram in the world. It provides phenomenal views as you ascend over the Napa Valley. Located in Calistoga, it has a slightly more relaxed pace, as you take yourself along a self-guided walking tour. While their red wines are amazing, for the warm weather, I absolutely love their Sparkling Rose. New York Times has rated this as one of the top wine tasting experiences in Napa and I must admit, I’d have to agree. With the architecture of Greece in mind, each stop along your tour is an elevated outdoor patio so you can embrace the views of the valley as you enjoy your tasting. This is a must-see experience for Napa and will be on the list everytime I visit.
Domaine Carneros: Tasting at this estate is on everyone’s list and for good reason. While Napa is known for their robust reds, Domaine Carneros specializes in phenomenal sparkling whites. If you’re one who loves anything bubbly make sure to add this stop. Take your time to tour the estate, walking around and enjoying the property. We enjoyed our tasting from the terrace as we took in views of the Valley.
Inglenook: From the famous Coppola family of wineries, this wineries signature is the Rubicon. A robust blend of red. When visiting this winery, make sure to taste this glass and go on a tour where you get to play. At the end of our tour, we were escorted to a private tasting room where we got to play winemaker and combine single varietals of wine to make our “Rubicon.” Then, we compared our blend to their signature glass. It was fun and involved a bit of chemistry, which I loved.
Cline Cellars: If you’re looking for a laid back and affordable experience, make sure to head to Cline for wine tasting. On the grounds they also have a tour of a few replicas of missions that were built along the California coast. This is one of the best tours for the budget minded, with a private sit down tasting and tour for under $20.