From its rich cabernets to its flavorful pinots, Napa Valley is renowned for incredible wine. But the wineries in this area offer more than just their outstanding varietals: Oenophiles can also enjoy beautiful grounds with European-inspired architecture, lush vineyard views and unique art installations. Just keep in mind that most Napa Valley wineries offer appointment-only tastings, so you’ll want to make reservations in advance or schedule a guided Napa wine tour.
To help you choose where to visit during your trip to wine country, we’ve rounded up a list of the best wineries in Napa Valley. Read on to see which properties are sure to leave a lasting impression.
(Note: Prices were accurate at the time this article was published.)
Rutherford Hill Winery: Rutherford
Reservations required: No, but reservations are strongly recommended, especially for weekends. Signature offerings: The View of the Valley Wine Tasting takes place on the winery’s new Valley Vista Terrace and includes a tasting of five seasonal wines for $75.
Head off the Silverado Trail, a popular route in the Napa Valley area, to experience Rutherford Hill Winery. This property is known for its full-flavored merlots, some of which are described as having a unique chocolate or coffee taste.
The beautiful estate is perched on a hilltop with a more than 100-year-old olive grove. It also features a nearly milelong cave system housing its maturing wine. The ATV Vineyard & AJT Cave Lounge Tasting lets visitors explore the vineyards and caves, and learn about the vineyard’s sustainable farming practices for $195 per person. Guests of this tour enjoy tastings of reserve-tier wines as well as a cheese and charcuterie pairing.
Address:200 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, CA 94573Phone number: 707-963-1871
Chateau Montelena Winery: Calistoga
Reservations required: Yes, except for the Taste of Montelena experience Signature offerings: Must-try wines include the property’s chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel varieties.
For a romantic experience, stop by ivy-covered Chateau Montelena to stroll through its dreamy Calistoga grounds and sample its robust wine offerings. Set against Mount Saint Helena, the chateau was built in the late 1800s to resemble the gatehouse of an English Gothic castle. The structure overlooks a garden, a lake and the property’s vineyards, which are ideal for a romantic stroll.
Wine tastings for visitors are offered daily. Tasting fees start at $60 per person for A Taste of Montelena, which has limited walk-in availability. Other tastings require a reservation. Chateau Montelena’s semiprivate, seated experiences range from tastings of current release wines to more exclusive vintages. Visitors must be 21 or older, and pets are not allowed here.
Address:1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515Phone number: 707-942-5105
[Read: 22 Most Romantic Getaways in California]
Chimney Rock: Napa
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: Due to diversity in the soil, the property features 28 distinct vineyard blocks, allowing a large variety of grapes to grow. Chimney Rock’s noteworthy wines include the cabernet sauvignon and Bordeaux red blends with hints of cassis and blackberry.
Situated on the Silverado Trail in the Stags Leap District, Chimney Rock is a must-visit Napa winery that features Cape Dutch architecture: a style prominent in South Africa that includes white stucco exteriors and other distinct elements. Visitors can admire the ornate wall sculpture of Ganymede — known in Greek mythology as the cupbearer to the gods — from the courtyard of the tasting room.
Highly regarded for its cabernet sauvignon, Chimney Rock offers the two-hour Vineyard Odyssey Tour & Tasting daily. This experience includes a tour of the estate, an overview of winemaking and an outdoor tasting session for $195 per person. Another option is Taste of Terroir, an hourlong tasting for $75 per person. This winery welcomes children and dogs.
Address:5350 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558Phone number: 707-257-2641, ext. 3218
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: Napa
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: The single-vineyard bottlings have led to worldwide recognition for the wines at Stag’s Leap, including the award-winning cabernet sauvignon.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is one of the top Napa Valley wineries located in the city of Napa. Founded in 1970, the company took home the top prize for its cabernet sauvignon in the 1976 Judgement of Paris wine competition. Today, Stag’s Leap offers multiple tasting options and is best known for its cabernet sauvignon, though it has also been recognized for its chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.
On-site experiences range from a signature tasting for $95 per person to a behind-the-scenes tour through some of the property’s scenic wine caves starting at $125 per person. Stag’s Leap does not accommodate guests younger than 21 or pets.
Address:5766 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558Phone number: 707-261-6410
Castello di Amoroso: Calistoga
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: This 14th-century castle winery has many impressive rooms, towers and terraces that are worth seeing, including a former torture chamber. Book the Diamond Estate Tour & Wine Tasting for $75 per person to get a guided tour of the castle.
For a wine tasting fit for royalty, stop by Castello di Amoroso in Calistoga. The estate’s Italian-style medieval castle features five towers, 100-plus rooms (95 of which are devoted to winemaking) and 1,000-pound doors made in Italy. Plus, the regal property boasts a church, a drawbridge, secret passageways and a loggia. It has hosted famous visitors like actor Robert Redford, NFL player Joe Montana and rock star Jon Bon Jovi. Children can visit this winery for a general admission fee of $25 and get a cup of grape juice, but they will not be allowed on tours (unless you book a private one).
At Castello di Amoroso, oenophiles have access to a variety of tours and tastings, some of which can be paired with cheeses or chocolates. The winery produces all kinds of vinos, such as pinot grigio, pinot noir and a “Super Tuscan” blend. It also sells single-vineyard wines. Take a self-guided castle tour and enjoy a five-wine tasting starting at $60; other food-friendly experiences include guided tours, charcuterie pairings and a luxurious tasting focused specifically on cabernet sauvignon. Visitors can even stay overnight in Monastero le Vallesi, an Italian monastery that is more than 1,000 years old.
Address:4045 St. Helena Highway, Calistoga, CA 94515Phone number: 707-967-6272
Domaine Carneros: Napa
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: This winery is for those who love bubbly drinks. Bubbles & Bites: Tour the Mediterranean is a multicourse tasting that includes five sparkling wine pairings with dishes from Greece, Italy, Tunisia and Lebanon for $99 per person.
Sip wine in a French-inspired chateau at Domaine Carneros, which resembles the 18th-century Château de la Marquetterie in France. Enjoy a reservation-only seated tasting on a terrace overlooking the estate and pair your sips with charcuterie and cheese. Standard tasting flights start at $45 per person. The winery’s award-winning sparkling wine and pinot noir are standard crowd-pleasers.
Travelers seeking an even more special experience should sign up for The Art of Sabrage to enjoy the property’s celebrated wines paired with meat and caviar, starting at $125 per person. Domaine Carneros even offers a vegan cheese pairing option and caviar flights. All visitors must be 21 or older, and pets are not allowed here.
Address:1240 Duhig Road, Napa CA 94558Phone number: 800-716-2788, ext. 150
Inglenook: Rutherford
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: The property’s signature red wine, Rubicon, is named after the river Julius Caesar crossed in 49 B.C.
Francis Ford Coppola and Eleanor Coppola are proprietors of this winery and chateau in Rutherford, which includes both the original Inglenook chateau (constructed in the 1880s) and the Niebaum-Coppola Estate Winery. Inglenook is home to a European-style bistro, cave cellars and an open-air courtyard with a reflecting pool. Kids ages 12 and older are allowed at this winery, but pets are not.
Inglenook produces varietals like syrah and sauvignon blanc. Its wine tastings start at $75 per person; you can also learn more about the property with the Private Cave Tour & Tasting for $135 per person, or book one of the other experiences offered.
Address:1991 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford, CA 94573Phone number: 707-968-1100
Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves: St. Helena
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: At this Venetian-style estate, wine lovers can sample varietals like cabernet sauvignon, including the property’s signature vino The Beast.
Del Dotto Estate in St. Helena honors the Del Dotto family’s heritage with elegant wine caves, Italian marble and large chandeliers. In the caves, visitors can enjoy the Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting, starting at $120 per person. The experience includes both white and red wines, some poured directly from oak barrels sourced from around the world. Guests younger than 21 and pets cannot visit this winery. Besides the Del Dotto Estate in St. Helena, this winery also has locations in Napa that offer tastings: Piazza Del Dotto and Historic Del Dotto.
Address: 1445 St. Helena Highway S., St. Helena, CA 94574Phone number: 707-963-2134
HALL St. Helena: St. Helena
Reservations required: No, except for certain experiences Signature offerings: Not only can you taste world-class wines, but visitors can also experience the large collection of art on the property — a unique Napa Valley offering. HALL St. Helena also has a high-tech, state-of-the-art facility for crafting its small-lot red wine.
Art lovers would be remiss to leave Napa Valley without visiting HALL St. Helena, a winery that mixes contemporary artwork with fine wines. To fully immerse yourself in the property’s art, book the 90-minute HALLmark Tour (at $75 per person), which includes a tour of the grounds as well as more information about winemaking and some of the winery’s artwork. At the end of the tour, you’ll enjoy a seated tasting of four award-winning wines and a cheese pairing in a private salon. You can also download the Hall Wines St. Helena Tour app for a self-guided art tour.
The estate is known for its cabernet sauvignon, merlot and sauvignon blanc varietals. Book the Art of Cabernet experience for $60 per person to sample some of the vineyard’s best cabernet sauvignons. Guests must be at least 21 for most of the experiences, but kids and pets are welcome to enjoy the wide open green space outside — featuring a signature “Bunny Foo Foo” sculpture. Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended. HALL also has private experiences available at its Rutherford location by reservation only.
Address:401 St. Helena Highway S., St. Helena, CAPhone number: 707-967-2626
Opus One Winery: Oakville
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: A joint venture between Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, this winery is known for its classic Bordeaux-style wines.
Known for its Opus One and Overture wines, Opus One Winery is an estate located in Oakville that comprises four vineyards growing five Bordeaux grape varieties. For $125 per person, visitors can sip wine overlooking a courtyard amid century-old olive trees for an hour. Alternatively, upgrade to the 90-minute Opus One Experience for $200 per person to tour the winery and vineyards. You’ll also learn about the estate’s winemaking practices as you enjoy a glass of vino. This winery is only for guests 21 and older; it is not pet-friendly.
Address:7900 St. Helena Highway, Oakville, CA 94562Phone number: 800-292-6787
Joseph Phelps Vineyards: St. Helena
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: Joseph Phelps Vineyards is known for its Insignia wine: a red blend that typically combines cabernet sauvignon, petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec.
You’ll find a variety of interesting tastings at Joseph Phelps, a winery and vineyard located off the Silverado Trail outside of St. Helena. Joseph Phelps is known for its flagship Insignia wine, as well as cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir and sparkling wine. Spend a day enjoying farm-to-table wine and food pairings via a variety of tastings, which include the Taste of Place ($350 per person) and the Vineyard Hike and Tasting ($250 per person). This winery does not permit children or pets to visit.
Address: 200 Taplin Road, St. Helena, CA 94574Phone number: 707-963-2745
Far Niente: Oakville
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: One of this winery’s highest rated wines is the age-worthy 2021 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, which has earned 99 points and sells for $300 per bottle.
Far Niente was founded in 1885 by a participant in California’s gold rush. Its Italian name means “without a care.” The stone winery, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is best known for its chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon, offers 13 acres of laid-back gardens filled with colorful azaleas, redwoods, acacias and dogwoods. There are also large wine caves where vintage varietals are aged in French oak barrels.
Experiences start at $120 per person for a private hourlong tasting with five wines. Visitors can also upgrade to a 90-minute group tasting that includes a guided tour of the estate starting at $130 per person, or sample Cave Collection library vintages alongside food pairings for $275 each. Far Niente is part of the Coombsville Vintners and Growers. Note that this winery is not able to accommodate guests younger than 21 or any pets.
Address:1350 Acacia Drive, Oakville, CA 94562Phone number: 707-944-2861
Frog’s Leap: Rutherford
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: While Frog’s Leap does a variety of wines well, its cabernet sauvignon varieties are the best. Get a sample of one of the 2019 vintages if you can.
According to Frog’s Leap, “Time’s fun when you’re having flies!” Along with its playful motto, the Rutherford winery — which was founded in 1981 — is recognized by its trademark Red Barn. Frog’s Leap farms its grapes organically, without irrigation. Top wines from Frog’s Leap include cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, merlot and zinfandel. Wine experiences start at $45 per person for a flight of four wines at the family-friendly Garden Bar, which welcomes well-behaved dogs on a leash. Guided tours with tastings can teach you more about topics such as the property’s sustainable producing or the Rutherford AVA.
Address:8815 Conn Creek Road, Rutherford, CA 94573Phone number: 707-963-4704
Cliff Lede Vineyards: Yountville
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: You’ll want to sip a glass of one of the winery’s Platinum Wines, which include the 2021 Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon.
Founded in 2002, this family-owned winery sprawls across 60 acres in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. The property is divided into two main vineyards: the Poetry Vineyard, which is known for its flagship cabernet sauvignon, and the Rhythm Vineyard.
Take your pick of several wine experiences at Cliff Lede, including some private options. Wine tastings start at $50 per person with the Bar Tasting, while the alfresco Reserved Tasting on the veranda is $70 per person. Children are welcome to join select tastings, and there’s even a Family Fun Day tasting hosted on select Sundays. This offering includes three wine tastings for the adults plus juice boxes and snacks for the kids. Reservations can be made online or by phone. Dogs are permitted outdoors.
Address:1473 Yountville Cross Road, Yountville, CA 94599Phone number: 707-944-8642
V. Sattui Winery: St. Helena
Reservations required: No, but reservations are highly recommended, especially for weekends. Signature offerings: Michelin-starred chef Stefano Masanti oversees the on-site deli and house-made gelatos, which are just as much a highlight as the wine.
V. Sattui Winery has been a family institution in Napa Valley since 1885. It was originally founded by Vittorio Sattui and was reestablished by his great-grandson in 1976. This vineyard offers handcrafted wines that can only be purchased on the property or online. The estate has an iconic stone tower, a terrace and beautiful gardens for wandering through with a glass of wine.
Stop by the deli and marketplace to pick up artisan snacks for a picnic on the lawn, or order culinary delights from a weekend food truck. A variety of wine tasting options are available, starting at $45 for a one-hour indoor tasting. You can also enjoy an outdoor tasting, a guided tour, or an experience paired with chocolates or charcuterie. V. Sattui is one of the most family-friendly wineries in Napa, and dogs are permitted to join their vino-loving humans outdoors.
Address:1111 White Lane, St. Helena, CA 94574Phone number: 707-963-7774
Pine Ridge Vineyards: Napa
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: Book the Cellar 47 Cave Tour & Tasting for $125 per person to sample wine in a beautifully decorated tasting lounge inside one of the wine caves.
Known for its world-famous cabernet sauvignon, including its flagship FORTIS wine, Pine Ridge Vineyards is a 160-acre property in the heart of the Stags Leap District, with sweeping views of the palisades. A guided tasting starts at $60 per person for a 60-minute experience. Other experiences allow you to tour the cave system. The most casual option is a 90-minute bottle service experience in the garden, which allows both kids and well-behaved dogs.
Address:5901 Silverado Trail, Napa, CA 94558Phone number: 800-575-9777
Larkmead Vineyards: Calistoga
Reservations required: Yes Signature offerings: Wine tastings take place in the Lark Room and Gallery of Larkmead Vineyards’ beautiful modern farmhouse.
Established in 1895, Larkmead Vineyards is a historic estate situated on 115 acres. It offers a variety of wines — including multiple bottlings of cabernet sauvignon, a red blend and a very limited-production sauvignon blanc — using sustainable and organic farming practices. Wine tasting is available seven days a week, with experiences ranging from $90 to $150, by appointment only. All visitors must be 21 or older. Dogs are permitted outdoors.
Address: 1100 Larkmead Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515Phone number: 707-942-0167
Why Trust U.S. News Travel
Lyn Mettler has more than 25 years of experience writing about travel, and her tips have been featured in many publications and podcasts. She has traveled to more than 12 countries, hosts a popular travel podcast and shares her insider travel tips at SecretsofaTravelJournalist.com.
Sharael Kolberg is a U.S. News & World Report contributor with great knowledge of Napa Valley wineries. Having lived in the Bay Area for nearly 15 years, she has made several trips to nearby Napa Valley and particularly appreciates the beautiful grounds and architecture.
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The 17 Best Wineries in Napa Valley, According to Locals originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 04/08/25: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
