Napa Travel: Touring the Wineries
After all, wine is the reason you came
How to choose? That's the dilemma. Napa Valley contains well over 200 wineries, and most welcome guests with tours and tasting rooms. While enticing, the wealth of options can be overwhelming for all but the savviest of insiders.
Wine Spectator has eliminated the guesswork. We've focused on producers that offer something distinctive, such as a noteworthy history or spectacular vistas, in addition to the most important element, an entertaining, informative experience. This list just scratches the surface. Napa has dozens of other properties worth visiting, such as Clos Pegase and Hess, which have superior art collections, and Pride, with views from the top of Spring Mountain. But the following 10 estates are some of our favorites and represent an excellent reference point.
Cabernet is the undisputed champion in Napa -- a fact reflected by this list. But producers here offer impressive diversity, so don't overlook options such as whites, Syrah and sparkling bottlings. It's also well worth the effort to explore beyond the trodden path. Although the main drag of the valley -- Highway 29 from Oakville to St. Helena -- is lined with big-name estates, other areas reveal distinctive facets of California's most celebrated agricultural destination. Wander up to Calistoga, which retains its laid-back small town charm, and over to the rugged hinterlands of Pritchard Hill, which offers spectacular views of Lake Hennessey and west across the valley. And no visit to the region should end without a drive along the winding, rural Silverado Trail.
As a general rule, larger wineries, such as Mondavi, Niebaum-Coppola and Beringer, have longer hours, with regularly scheduled tours and more tasting and educational facilities. Smaller estates often receive guests by appointment only, because there's a good chance the tour guide is also an owner with work to do around the cellar. Certainly, both small and large estates can present a memorable experience. Always be sure to call ahead (and visit winery Web sites) to determine what's available and when, because hours and options change seasonally and even from day to day. And because county zoning restrictions forbid picnicking at all but a few Napa estates, it's wise to confirm before packing a basket.
At each of these properties expect affable staffs that are passionate about wine and know their stuff. Most vintners charge a fee for the tour or tasting. But given the depth of information conveyed and the quality and variety of wines poured, visits to these properties are among wine country's great bargains.
Beringer Vineyards
2000 Main St., St. Helena
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 963-7115
Web site www.beringer.com
Open Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost Tours/tastings $5-$65; tastings of three-wine flights $5-$15
With grounds bedecked with impeccably maintained gardens and stately 19th century architecture, Beringer evokes the Victorian era. An excellent assortment of reserve and single-vineyard wines offered at attractive prices is available for tasting and purchase in the elegant Rhine House, which still contains original stained glass from its 1884 construction. The five tours target different interests; beginners will enjoy the matter-of-fact clarity of the 30-minute "Introducing Beringer" tour, which summarizes the estate's history and the rudiments of wine appreciation; other options, like the 90-minute wine and cheese seminar (available from November through May), suit a more experienced audience.
Chappellet
1581 Sage Canyon Road, St. Helena
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (800) 494-6379
Web site www.chappellet.com
OpenBy appointment only
Cost Tours free; tastings $10 (applicable to purchases)
Chappellet justifies a detour from Highway 29. Located 1,200 feet up rugged Pritchard Hill on the eastern edge of Napa, the property offers soaring views of Lake Hennessey and across the valley. Unlike most Napa wineries, which have permit restrictions, Chappellet allows visitors who bring their own food to picnic on the oak-shaded lawn. The tour traces the route of the grapes from the vineyard to the winery, finishing with a tasting of five wines -- a recent lineup began with the 2002 Dry Chenin Blanc ($13 a bottle) and finished with the brawny 2000 Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon ($110).
Del Dotto Vineyards
1055 Atlas Peak Road, Napa
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 256-3332
Web site www.deldottovineyards.com
Open Daily, by appointment only, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost Cave tours and barrel tastings $20; bottle tastings $10
At Del Dotto they love oak, and a visit to the winery's 19th century caves is an oak fantasy. Their 90-minute tour, one of Napa's more distinctive and educational, offers samples of the same wines (mostly from their vineyard in Rutherford) stored in different vessels. The barrel options include Missouri oak cured for 36 months and Colbert barriques, which are made from 300-year-old trees in France and, at $1,000 apiece, are among the world's priciest barrels. All wines are available for purchase, though there is a three-bottle minimum. The knowledgeable staff is relaxed and affable, and the tour concludes with tastes of six bottled wines. The art collection is eclectic, and the wine shop provides nearly 100 high-end selections, most from California, France and Italy.
Domaine Chandon
1 California Drive, Yountville
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 944-2280
Web site www.chandon.com
Open May to October, daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; November to April, Sunday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; tours Thursday to Monday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., with an additional
5 p.m. tour on Saturday
Cost Tours free, tastings $9-$14
Strolling past the stone mushroom sculpture garden outside the Domaine Chandon entrance, a woman in her late 20s remarked to friends, "That was really cool. I learned a lot." All but the best-informed bubbly lovers would agree, because the 45-minute tour glories in the uniqueness of sparkling wine production, from the enzymatic breakdown of yeast cells in bottle to the VLM -- "very large machine" -- used to clarify the wine. Chandon is a large operation, so there's a decent chance that visitors will arrive to find the formidable bottling line clattering away. But the distinctive, oak-paneled barrel vaults above the serene patio dotted with modern sculpture invite relaxation, preferably over a glass of wine; eight sparkling wines are available for tasting, as are the still wines Chandon makes from the classic Champagne varieties.
Robert Mondavi Winery
St. Helena Highway, Oakville
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (888) 766-6328
Web site www.robertmondaviwinery.com
Open Daily; schedule varies day-to-day and season-to-season; tours run at various times
Cost Tours $10-$95; tastings of four-wine flights $15-$30
No producer in California stages a show like Mondavi, which entertains visitors with the flair expected of Napa's most famous estate. There are about 10 tours available, depending on the season, and three tasting rooms. The leisurely, one-hour standard tour moves through the To Kalon winery, home of the 56 5,000-gallon oak tanks used to ferment high-end Cabernet. It concludes with a tasting of four current releases, served with gougères hot from the kitchen (this being Mondavi, copies of the recipe are of course available). The To Kalon tasting room offers wines such as the 1994 Reserve Cabernet for sampling and purchase. Given the wealth of tours, the range of wines and the prominence of the estate, Mondavi is an ideal place to begin exploration of Napa Valley.
Niebaum-Coppola
1991 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 968-1161
Web site www.niebaum-coppola.com
Open Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; various tours offered throughout the day
Cost Tours $25-$50; tastings of three- or four-wine flights $12-$30; wines by the glass $3-$30
Niebaum-Coppola features a remarkable history, a magnificent property and the star power of its owner, director Francis Ford Coppola. The expansive 1887 Inglenook château, constructed in part from sandstone quarried on the site, ranks as one of Napa's eminent structures. The three tours -- one focusing on the estate's 124-year history, another on the vineyards and the last on the production process behind the winery's flagship Cabernet blend, Rubicon, satisfy diverse interests. Each tour concludes with a tasting, and the wine bar has about a dozen selections. Upstairs at the château, Coppola displays Hollywood mementos, including costumes from Bram Stoker's Dracula and four of the Academy Awards won for the Godfather films.
Joseph Phelps Vineyards
200 Taplin Road, St. Helena
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 963-2745
Web site www.jpvwines.com
Open Seminars and tastings by appointment only, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cost Seminars $15; tastings of five current releases $5, with $10 additional fee for the Insignia
>The producer of Insignia, one of Napa's best Cabernet blends, offers one of the valley's most educational visits. It's less a tour than a seminar, which varies according to the day. Cabernet lovers will delight in the Insignia blending session, while Rhône-variety fans might prefer to sample the components used in Le Mistral, a mix of mostly Syrah and Grenache. Another popular seminar allows guests to test their acuity in identifying 12 aromas common in wine. All sessions begin with a tasting of the Phelps current releases. Some older vintages are available for purchase, such as the outstanding 1998 Insignia at $135.
Schramsberg
1400 Schramsberg Road, Calistoga
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (707) 942-2414
Web site www.schramsberg.com
Open Daily, by appointment only, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost Tours free; tastings $20
Sparkling wine specialist Schramsberg boasts a lovely and historic property. Barber Jacob Schram -- who evidently liked to cut things -- cleared 40 acres of forest from the site in the 1860s, then began wine production. The estate hadn't produced wine for nearly 60 years when the current owners, the Davies family, undertook its resuscitation in 1965. A one-hour tour, which outlines the labor-intensive methods behind quality sparkling wine, winds through dimly lit 19th century caves, which are the most extensive in the valley. The venue exudes spooky allure -- pickax marks left by Chinese laborers are still visible, and a carpet of ropelike flora clings like dust-encrusted cobwebs to the moist ceiling. At $20 the five-wine tasting is a bargain, and includes the excellent Reserve and J. Schram bottlings.
Sterling
1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (800) 726-6136
Web site www.sterlingvineyards.com
Open Daily, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost Self-guided tour $10; tastings free with tour-$30
Sterling's stark white winery, mirroring architecture from the Greek island of Mykonos, is a wonderful anomaly in California wine country. Completed in 1969 on a bluff south of Calistoga, it has a commanding view south. Riding the tram from the parking area to the winery, visitors find themselves level with the tops of lichen-encrusted old pines. A self-guided tour follows the stages of wine production, with detailed explanation by Sterling winemaker Rob Hunter supplied on flat screen TVs. Mouthwatering scents of wine and toasty barrels set the stage for the tastings, offered in a choice of three rooms. The $30 option includes samples of the 1997, 1998 and 1999 reserve Cabernets.
St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery
8440 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford
Map this and nearby establishments
Telephone (800) 942-0809
Web site www.stsupery.comm
Open October to April, daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; May to September, daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Cost Self-guided tour free, guided tour $10; tastings $5 and $10
Education is the emphasis at St. Supéry, with clever touches such as a 75-year-old Zinfandel vine, preserved with its roots and a cross section of soil, and the "smell-a-vision" station, where visitors can smell characteristic wine aromas. If the guided tours at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. don't fit your schedule, there's an informative self-guided option. The tasting of five wines is well worth $5, with offerings such as the current release Sauvignon Blanc, one of California's best, and the 1999 Dollarhide Ranch Cabernet. Don't skip the demonstration vineyard illustrating different trellising methods.
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Chateau Montelena
1429 Tubbs Lane, Calistoga
Telephone (707) 942-5105
Tours Daily, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 9 a.m. through 4 p.m. $10 fee.
Built into a hillside and concealed by a dense stand of trees, this dramatic, French-inspired, 19th century stone structure resembles an old European castle. Chateau Montelena is a convincing, although comfortable, fortress. Its moat is a large pond with two islands, each with a Chinese pavilion, and numerous Chinese bridges. Stories of the company's colorful history are enough to recommend the tour, but stepping through the heavy wooden doors into the cool, cavelike winery adds another wonderful dimension to the experience. Upstairs, a snug, wood-paneled tasting room offers current releases. (6/6/2001)
Clos Pegase
1060 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga
Telephone (707) 942-4981
Website www.clospegase.com
Tours Daily, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Completed in 1987, Jan Shrem's Clos Pegase is dedicated to wine and art. The postmodern winery buildings, evoking an updated Greco-Roman look, were designed by architect Michael Graves. The main attraction here is the modern sculpture gracing the grounds. The best way to enjoy Shrem's sculpture garden (which includes "Twins" by controversial sculptor Richard Serra and a 6-foot thumb by France's César) is to tour with the winery-provided guidebook in hand. (6/6/2001)
Storybook Mountain Vineyards
3835 Hwy. 128, Calistoga
Telephone (707) 942-5310
Website www.storybookwines.com
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings Same.
Storybook Mountain does, indeed, evoke the spirit of a fairy tale. The winery is so named because its original owners were two brothers named Grimm (not related to the brothers of fairy-tale fame), who founded it in 1883. A tour begins on the steep hillside vineyard and then brings visitors into caves excavated by Chinese laborers in the 1880s. Here, you can leisurely taste Zinfandel, the only wine made at Storybook Mountain, while owner Jerry Seps, a retired history professor, reveals with gusto the story of the winery and his wines. (6/6/2001)
Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards
680 Rossi Road, St. Helena
Telephone (800) 946-3497
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings Only as part of tour.
Although only a short twisting drive from the Silverado Trail, Anderson's Conn Valley Vineyards, snugly set in a beautiful, narrow valley east of Napa's main benchland, has the feel of a frontier homestead. Because it is hidden behind hills, Conn Valley is often overlooked by travelers to Napa. Owners and winemakers Gus Anderson and son Todd, along with partners Phyllis (Gus' wife) and Dana (Todd's wife), planted their vineyards, built their modest home and winery, and lead their own tours and tastings. The tour includes a peek inside the winery (frugally housed in a green tin garage) and a visit to the low-ceilinged caves and surrounding vineyards. Straightforward and friendly, the Andersons are clearly passionate about their wines and the land that produces them. (6/6/2001)
Cain Vineyard & Winery
3800 Langtry Road, St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-1616
Website www.cainfive.com
Tours Twice weekly, by appointment only.
Tastings Same.
Nestled atop a mountain plateau high above the valley, Cain would be worth visiting even if it didn't produce wine that merits serious consideration. The serpentine 20-minute drive from St. Helena offers impressive views, and the rustic stone winery itself does not disappoint. Inside, a quick tank and barrel room tour is followed by a tasting of new releases. The tasting is a cozy, casual affair that offers a welcome contrast to the sometimes tumultuous tasting-room scenes in less rarefied venues. (6/6/2001)
Freemark Abbey Winery
3022 N. St. Helena Highway, St. Helena
Telephone (800) 963-9698
Website www.freemarkabbey.com
Tours Daily, 2 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m, $5 fee.
Freemark Abbey is on the site of a winery that was founded in 1886. It began its current incarnation in 1967 and is best known for its benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon from Bosché Vineyard. The winery is located in a small plaza that is also home to Brava Terrace restaurant. (6/6/2001)
Charles Krug Winery
2800 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena
Telephone (800) 682-KRUG
Website www.charleskrug.com
Tours Not at present.
Tastings Daily, 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Founded in 1861 by a Prussian immigrant, Charles Krug Winery succumbed to the ravages of phylloxera and Prohibition. In 1943, Cesare Mondavi purchased the winery, which is now owned by his son Peter and his family. (Peter's brother, Robert, left the Charles Krug winery in 1966 after a family dispute and started his own eponymous winery.) (6/6/2001)
Markham Vineyards
2812 St. Helena Highway N., St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-5292
Website www.markhamvineyards.com
Tours By appointment for trade only.
Tastings daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $3 to $5.
Clint Hulse, hospitality director at Markham Vineyards, is an accomplished artist and coordinates all the art exhibited at the winery. "Showing contemporary and representational art here has afforded us a way to educate people and adds a very agreeable dimension to the public's experience here at Markham," says Hulse. Exhibits change every two months. (6/6/2001)
Merryvale Vineyards
1000 Main St., St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-2225
Website www.merryvale.com
Tours By appointment only for trade only.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
No visitor to St. Helena can complain about Merryvale's accessibility -- the large, ivy-covered building sits squarely at the edge of town. This winery is best known for its Cabernet blends and Chardonnay. (6/6/2001)
Rombauer Vineyards
3522 Silverado Trail, St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-5170
Website www.rombauervineyards.com
Tours By appointment only: daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tastings Same.
The deceptively small, casual tasting room at Rombauer Vineyards, which sits atop a forested knoll off Silverado Trail, hides a busy nest of activity. An anthill-like complex is revealed as visitors descend catwalks through three levels of barrel and tank storage into a 25,000-square-foot network of caves. Rombauer's own brand is fairly small: 20,000 cases annually. The bulk of the winery, which effectively hollows out the hill, is dedicated to a thriving 80,000-case custom-crush business. After the tour, climb back up to the tasting room for a look at new releases and to peruse the inventory of older vintages and large-format bottles. (6/6/2001)
V. Sattui Winery
1111 White Lane, St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-7774
Tours Groups over 10, Cellar Club members and Wine of the Month Club members only, by appointment.
Tastings Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., $7.50.
V. Sattui, a family-owned winery since 1885, is located just south of St. Helena along Highway 29.
Surrounding the stone winery building is a 2 acre tree-shaded picnic grove. V. Sattui also boasts a large gourmet cheese shop and deli featuring nearly 200 imported and domestic cheeses, meats, homemade salads and desserts. In the V. Sattui Winery gift shop the emphasis is on area artists and wine paraphernalia produced locally. The rear of the building is dominated by a long L-shaped bar where up to 30 people at a time can taste Sattui's wines at no charge. On a recent sunny day visitors were tasting mustard at the cheese counter, the tasting bars were humming and about 300 picnickers were happily lunching under the oaks at the many picnic tables Sattui provides. (6/6/2001)
St. Clement Vineyards
2867 St. Helena Hwy. (Route 29), St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-7221
Website www.stclement.com
Tours By appointment only: daily, 10 a.m. & 2 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. when Daylight Savings Time is in effect). $5 fee (refunded with purchase).
The patio at the base of this 19th century Victorian mansion offers an impressive vista of the valley floor vineyards stretching east. Step through the front door, cross the sitting room and enter an intimate tasting bar where you can sample new releases and purchase wines. A charming stone winery, housing gleaming modern equipment, lies behind the house. Take one of the two short daily tours through the subterranean cellar that once doubled as a pre-Prohibition winery. (6/6/2001)
Spottswoode Winery
1902 Madrona Ave., St. Helena
Telephone (707) 963-0134
Website www.spottswoode.com
Tours and Tastings By appointment only, Tuesdays and Fridays at 10 a.m.
Spottswoode's original stone structure, once known as the Kraft Winery, was built in 1884. Closed during Prohibition, the winery was reborn some 50 years later when Mary Novak and her late husband, Jack, purchased a vineyard and started their own label. A new, expanded winery facility has recently been constructed around the old barrel-building. (6/6/2001)
S. Anderson Vineyard
1473 Yountville Crossroad, Yountville
Telephone (707) 944-8642
Website www.4bubbly.com
Tours Daily, 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. $5 fee includes tasting.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $5 fee (or free with tour).
After visiting the big Cabernet producers and sparkling wine houses, check out one of Napa's smaller wineries that happens to produce both. S. Anderson may be a modest-sized operation, but its tour offers depth. After an introduction to the Anderson family's history and a brief stop in the garage-size winery, head to the deep hillside caves for a tasting. Chilled bubbly and the cool cave air help beat the valley's summer heat. (6/6/2001)
Cakebread Cellars
8300 St. Helena Highway, Rutherford
Telephone (707) 963-5221
Website www.cakebread.com
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $5 to $10, includes glass.
Dolores and Jack Cakebread are dedicated to educating the public to wine-and-food pairing, and their winery hosts an array of special events and classes aimed at bringing out the best in food and wine. Check out their website and sign up for the quarterly newsletter to keep abreast of what's cooking. Tours include an introduction to Napa Valley viticulture whith a stroll through the 82-acre estate, a step by step look at the winemaking process, and a guided tasting. (6/6/2001)
Domaine Chandon
1 California Drive, Yountville
Telephone (707) 944-2280
Tours Daily, hourly on the hour 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m to 6 p.m., $3 to $5 per glass.
Because of local zoning laws, you will find only one restaurant located within a winery. But, oh, what a restaurant. Domaine Chandon, built in the late 1970's, is owned by Moët Hennessy-Louis Vuitton. Executive chef Robert Curry delights locals and visitors with a unique style of California-French cuisine. This sparkling wine producer also qualifies as a destination to view architecture and verdant gardens. The winery itself was designed to reflect both Napa Valley and Champagne, with native stone walls, arched entries and curved wooden rooftops. (6/6/2001)
Napa Wine Company
7830-40 St. Helena Hwy. (Route 29), Oakville
Telephone (800) 848-9630
Website www.napawineco.com
Tours None.
Tastings By appointment only.
Napa Wine Company sits across the street from the Oakville Grocery. The valley's premier custom-crush facility makes wine for some 60 different labels, including a few of the hottest in the area. In its small tasting room, nine brands are available for tasting and purchase, though only four to five wines are open at any one time. Discover and stock up on wines from producers like Pahlmeyer, Larkmead and Fife Vineyards. Tasting is by appointment only, but if you stop by during a lull in the cellar activities, you may be able to set up an immediate appointment. (6/6/2001)
Oakville Ranch Vineyards
7781 Silverado Trail, Oakville
Telephone (707) 944-9665
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings Tastings at 1142 Main St., St. Helena; call for information.
There is much to see in this modern, no-frills winery on the eastern side of the Silverado Trail. Large windows that open onto the tank and barrel rooms reveal the guts of the winery. Rows of new stainless steel tanks and stacks of new oak barrels echo a semi-industrial theme. Cigar smokers will appreciate the small walk-in humidor that houses a wide selection of brands. Fine views across the valley can be savored from a second-story deck, with or without a cigar. (6/6/2001)
Opus One
7900 St. Helena Hwy. (Route 29), Oakville
Telephone (707) 944-9442
Website www.opusonewinery.com
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. $25 fee.
The stunning exterior of Opus One, which rises majestically from the valley floor, looks strangely like a cross between a rocket launchpad and a Mayan temple. Cofounded by Robert Mondavi and the late Baron Philippe de Rothschild (of Bordeaux's Château Mouton-Rothschild), the $26.5 million winery reveals an interior conceived with an eye toward aesthetics. A gravity-flow system moves wine deep underground to a breathtaking semicircular barrel room. Opus' Bordeaux-style red wine is as outstanding as the architecture, as well it should be for the $25 per-taste fee. (6/6/2001)
PlumpJack
620 Oakville Crossroad, Oakville
Telephone (707) 945-1220
Website www.plumpjack.com
Tours None.
Tastings Daily, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. $5 fee.
One of Napa's newest and hottest wine-making sites is PlumpJack winery. Part of the Getty family-and-friends-owned PlumpJack restaurant and resort portfolio, the winery, surrounded by whimsical, spiraling fences, displays a kind of planned disarray. The tasting room, which builds upon a theme of absurdity and elegance, pours current releases and winery-only bottlings for a small fee. Although the winery may look like a stage prop, the wines themselves have depth and carry a serious price tag. (6/6/2001)
Rutherford Hill Winery
200 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford
Telephone (707) 963-1871
Website www.rutherfordhill.com
Tours Daily, 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., $5 fee.
Located on a lofty plateau above Napa Valley, Rutherford Hill Winery makes its home in a formidable redwood barn that could easily double as an airplane hangar. An airy tasting room features new releases and winery-only reserve wines, as well as cigars and gifts. There is history here, too, as this was once the old Souverain Winery, built in 1973 by then-builder-contractor Joseph Phelps. For a look at the winery and cave interiors, go on one of the three daily tours. The cave opens to reveal 40,000 square feet of high-ceilinged tunnels burrowed into the hillside. After a brief cave walk, taste barrel samples, on tap for quick pouring, in one of the dark passageways. (6/6/2001)
Silver Oak Cellars
915 Oakville Crossroad, Oakville
Telephone (800) 273-8809
Website www.silveroak.com
Tours By appointment only: Monday to Friday, 1:30 p.m.
Tastings Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $10 fee includes glass with company logo.
Silver Oak's new Cabernet Sauvignon releases disappear from retail shelves virtually before they arrive. In fact, the winery is about the only place to taste, let alone purchase, current vintages. Now a stately stone building, the winery bears little resemblance to the old, run-down dairy farm purchased by founders Ray Duncan and former Christian Brothers winemaker-monk Justin Meyer a quarter-century ago. Silver Oak also maintains a winery and extensive vineyard holdings in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley. The Sonoma wines, as well as the Napa Valley Cabernet, are also sold at the Oakville facility. Collector sets, including verticals and large-format bottles, can be purchased here. (6/6/2001)
Chateau Potelle
3875 Mt. Veeder Road, Napa
Telephone (707) 255-9440
Website www.chateaupotelle.com
Tours None.
Tastings Thursday to Monday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tucked in a hollow high on Mount Veeder, Chateau Potelle takes some effort to find, but the tranquil site and views of the surrounding vineyards are reason enough to make the trek. Outside the cozy, rustic tasting room, visitors are likely to be greeted by a friendly dog.
Tastings for all but the winery's top V.G.S. wines are free. Picnic tables beckon tasters to stay and share a bottle of Chateau Potelle with lunch or a snack. (6/6/2001)
Chimney Rock Winery
5350 Silverado Trail, Napa
Telephone (800) 257-2641 or (707) 257-2641
Website www.chimneyrock.com
Tours By appointment only.
Tastings daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m, $7 includes glass.
Hack and Stella Wilson spent a good portion of their lives in South Africa, and while there fell in love with the architecture of the area. In 1988, when they built their Chimney Rock Winery, they opted for a Cape Dutch theme, with Dutch gables and French Huguenot touches. The retail tasting area further reflects the Wilsons' desire to create a homey atmosphere. Stella's collections of trivets from England and blue and white Dutch ceramics decorate the walls near a large fireplace. She also oversees the gardens, and they don't disappoint, with fist-sized roses interplaying with wisteria and many annuals. Zimbabwe Shona sculpture tucked around the garden adds a nice touch. (6/6/2001)
Artesa
1345 Henry Road, Napa
Telephone (707) 224-1668
Tours 11 a.m., 2 p.m.
Tastings Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $2 to $6 a glass.
Artesa's impressive bunkerlike, hilltop design offers perhaps the best views of Carneros anywhere. Beyond the rolling vineyards lies San Pablo Bay, and on a clear day you can see San Francisco. On blazing summer days, slip inside and admire the company's interesting collection of antique winemaking equipment, which contrasts neatly with the stark, modern glass-and-steel winery interior. (6/6/2001)
Domaine Carneros
1240 Duhig Road, Napa, Calif. 94559
Telephone (707) 257-0101
Website www.domaine.com
Tours 10:15 a.m. to 4 p.m., free.
Tastings Daily, 10:30 a.m to 6 p.m., $4 to $5 per glass.
Champagne Taittinger's Domaine Carneros is a French-inspired palace gracefully perched on a hill in the Carneros district. It was designed to evoke the 200-year-old Château de la Marquetterie, a castle near Epernay built in the Louis XV style, which has been owned by Champagne Taittinger since before World War II. A painting of Madame de Pompadour, a gift from Claude Taittinger, dominates the foyer leading to the marble-floored, high-ceilinged tasting area. (6/6/2001)
Pine Ridge Winery
5901 Silverado Trail, Napa
Telephone (800) 575-9777
Tours By appointment only: daily, 10:15 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m. $10 fee includes tasting.
Tastings Daily, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. $5 fee (without tour).
Surrounded by terraced vineyards and the steep, craggy hillsides of the Stags Leap District, Pine Ridge Winery is a veritable playground. The front lawn, which resembles a small city park, is shaded by pine trees and sprinkled with picnic tables, a barbecue pit and swings. Before tasting, explore the demonstration vineyard for a quick lesson in viticulture or step into the long, barrel-lined cave that stretches off the tasting room. Need a methuselah or two? The tasting room displays a variety of large-format bottlings and older vintages that are available only at the winery. (6/6/2001)
Truchard Vineyard
3234 Old Sonoma Road, Napa
Telephone (707) 253-7153
Website www.truchardvineyard.com
Tours By appointment only: Monday to Saturday.
Tastings Same.
Located on a quiet stretch of Carneros off Old Sonoma Road, Truchard Vineyard is a mom-and-pop operation with a twist of elegance. Proprietors Tony and Jo Ann Truchard live a few steps from the winery and are surrounded by their 200 acres of rolling vineyards. With friendly enthusiasm, the couple lead visitors through their vineyards and the quaint, cramped redwood winery. An elaborate cave system, which will add another facet to the homespun atmosphere here, is in its final stages of construction. The winery offers a wide array of consistently outstanding wines for tasting and purchase. (6/6/2001)
