Sip, sip, hurray! Raise a (tasting) glass and say cheers to these stunning vineyards in California's Sonoma and Napa Valley.
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The 12 Best Wineries in Napa Valley to Visit Now
Updated on Aug. 14, 2024
Rolling hills, majestic chateaus, gorgeous vistas, verdant vineyards. It’s hard to beat the best wineries in Napa and Sonoma Valley when it comes to awe-inspiring scenery in California. And the vineyards listed below don’t just rest on their looks. Each offers delectable wines that you can sample on the premises, along with spots to kick back and enjoy the view, making these destinations an ideal spot for a mini vacation or a weekend getaway, whether it’s a girls’ trip or a romantic escape with your significant other. Most also offer guided tours of the winery and winemaking process and even opportunities for special culinary experiences.
When planning a trip, take into account that although Napa and Sonoma are both located roughly an hour north of San Francisco, and the main towns called “Sonoma” and “Napa” (usually referred to as “downtown”) are located just 14 miles apart from each other, there’s a big mountain in between and the regions themselves are somewhat sprawling. For this reason, it’s best to plan a day of tasting in one region or the other, not both in the same day. For overall aesthetics, Napa is usually associated with a more established tourism industry and more upscale offerings (think Michelin-starred restaurants and busy wine tastings), and Sonoma is often seen as more laid-back (think picnic spots and dirt roads), but both offer stunning scenery and world-class wines.
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Best for Chardonnay lovers
Far Niente Winery
Far Niente Winery perches at the top of a crest in the heart of Napa Valley’s Oakville, which is surrounded by beautifully cultivated gardens and sprawling vineyards. While the flowering gardens are gorgeous enough for a visit in their own right, it’s what’s happening underground that’s often the most memorable part of a visit (aside from the award-winning chardonnay, that is): a labyrinth of underground historic wine caves that you explore as part of a guided tour. Learn these wine terms before you visit.
Best time of the year to visit: Spring for the blooming gardens; fall for the changing golden ginkgo trees that frame the vineyards
Tasting prices: From $90 per person
Hero wine: 2019 Far Niente Napa Valley Estate Bottled Chardonnay
via tripadvisor.com
Best for A personalized food and wine experience
Hamel Family Wines
Hamel Family Wines sits at the base of the stunning Mayacamas Mountains, and a vineyard visit offers sweeping views across to the Sonoma Mountains and the lush surrounding valley. All tours include tastings of the winery’s well-known Cabernet Sauvignons, but the Reserve Experience is a stand-out option because you’ll be treated to pours and food pairings created just for your group. You’ll start with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc while you take a private tour of the vineyard. Then you’ll head to the modern wine cave for barrel tastings of unreleased Cabs, not usually available to the public. Finally, you (and your lucky companions if you bring them) will have a four-course meal created by a top chef and paired with the Reserve Series Cabernet Sauvignon.
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $75 per person; the Reserve Experience is $150 per person
Hero wine: 2018 Isthmus (a red blend)
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Best for Small groups
Charles Krug Winery
The oldest winery in the area (circa 1882) is also one of the best wineries in Napa. It houses the longest-running tasting room in California, so it’s safe to say the Mondavi family, who have run Charles Krug since 1943, know a thing or two about wine hospitality. (FYI, Robert Mondavi is a relative, but the wineries are unrelated.) During the pandemic, they opened new outdoor cabanas on the winery’s idyllic picnic grounds ideally suited for socially distanced wine experiences. Even if you don’t book a private space, the grounds here are stunning, and regular tours will also point out the grand spaces, including the carriage house, great lawn, vineyards, Redwood Cellar, and the family’s original homes. A trip here (or to any of these wineries) would make an excellent gift for the wine lover in your life.
Best time of the year to visit: Summer and fall
Tasting prices: Tastings from $45 per person; private cabanas require a minimum $400 food and wine purchase for groups of up to six (but no per-person minimum or fee)
Hero wine: 2017 Family Reserve Generations (a Bordeaux-style blend)
via palmazvineyards.com
Best for Cabernet lovers
Palmaz Vineyards
This stunning winery is located on a 600-acre estate with 64 acres of vineyards all set on mountaintop mesas offering expansive views of Napa Valley. Using modern technology and techniques, Palmaz has created a range of delectable Cabernet Sauvignon wines using biodynamic and organic practices. Another highlight: The winery is built into an 18-story cavern on the flank of Mt. George. As a result, Palmaz is able to utilize not only gravity-flow winemaking but also the natural temperature control of a cave. Private guided tours include a close-up look inside the cave, plus tastings paired with light hors d’oeuvres.
Best time of the year to visit: Spring, summer, and fall
Tasting prices: $135 per person
Hero wine: 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon
George Rose/Getty Images
Best for Foodies
Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens
Step into the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the French countryside. In addition to views of the vineyards, a trip here includes strolling through four acres of sprawling wine estate gardens—where you can, of course, sip some vino while you peruse the greens, herbs, and veggies.
Although this is one of the best wineries in Sonoma for coastal-inspired wines, the focus here is also on matching wine with food. You can opt for curated tastings of the winery’s limited-edition, single-vineyard estate wines, or go for a more culinary-focused food and wine pairing featuring organic, hand-picked produce from the culinary garden. One of the most popular options: the winery’s seasonal farm-to-table private outdoor dinner set under majestic walnut trees and featuring the day’s harvest paired with free-flowing Kendall-Jackson Estate wines. If you’re taking a California road trip, make sure to put this one on your list (and have a designated driver).
Best time of the year to visit: May through October
Tasting prices: Tastings start at $20 per person; farm-to-table dinner from $195 per person
Hero wine: Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay
via @lacremawines/instagram.com
Best for Pinot Noir fans
La Crema Estate at Saralee’s Vineyard
Nestled in the heart of the Russian River Valley, the lovely La Crema Estate is framed with flowers and leads to stellar views of Pinot Noir vines in the verdant terraced vineyards. Head to the grand three-story historic barn for tastings of Chardonnay, sparkling Blanc de Blancs, Brut Rosé, and their renowned Pinot Noirs in spaces decorated with rich woods, grand vaulted ceilings, and large picture windows that show off the lush landscape. Order a picnic lunch or a charcuterie board to enjoy outside, where you can sip wine and take in the views from the terraces, patios, or umbrella-shaded tables. If you’re on the West Coast, a visit here makes an excellent fall weekend getaway.
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: $30 per person
Hero wine: 2016 Saralee’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
via pineridgevineyards.com
Best for Outdoor lovers
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Located in the heart of the iconic Stags Leap District, this stunning Napa Valley winery is tucked beneath a ridge of pines and boasts an extensive view of the rugged palisades. It’s a popular destination for visitors to the area, having won a TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award for eight straight years. Guests can explore the sprawling grounds and steep, walled vineyard that winds back from the Silverado Trail via guided hikes from May to July. (Wine lovers would be hard-pressed to find a better hiking trail in the country.)
There are also intimate tours of the wine caves—located 30 feet below ground, stretching nearly one mile, and housing more than 3,000 barrels of wine. And, of course, there are tastings of both reds and whites, including Pine Ridge’s Chenin Blanc and Viognier blend. (Don’t miss the sparkling version of this well-balanced sipper, too!)
Best time of the year to visit: May through July, when hikes are offered
Tasting prices: From $55 per person
Hero wine: Chenin Blanc and Viognier blend
via tripadvisor.com
Best for Breakfast lovers
Ehlers Estate Winery
They say early birds catch the worm, but early risers at Ehlers Estate will catch the first pours of the day while they watch the mist lift from the vineyard—and that sounds a whole lot better to us. Morning tastings take place at 9:30 a.m., when the vineyard is at its quietest and most serene. You’ll feel like you have the entire valley to yourself as you arrive to find freshly baked croissants awaiting you. Knowledgeable tour guides will then pour five current releases and share stories about the history of the property.
When you’re done with your croissants and wine, explore the winery, which is located in the northern part of Napa Valley’s acclaimed St. Helena appellation, where grapes have been cultivated since the mid–19th century. The vineyard is strictly organic and produces exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Sauvignon Blanc. Before pouring your next glass, find out what the indent at the bottom of a wine bottle is all about.
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $75 per person
Hero wine: 2016 Portrait (a red blend)
George Rose/Getty Images
Best for Sparkling wine fans
Domaine Carneros
If you love champagne, then you’re probably familiar with the Taittinger name. Only bubbles produced in the actual region of Champagne can carry the eponymous name, but for the next best thing, head to this French-style estate and vineyard, founded by the Taittinger family of Reims, France. A grand chateau greets you as you traverse the verdant vineyards, at which point you’ll head to the tasting room to sample a range of Méthode Traditionnelle sparkling wine. Extra bonus: California-created bubbly is often a fraction of the price of its French counterpart, so you’ll actually be saving at this top-rated Napa Valley winery. (Just go with it.)
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $40 per person
Hero wine: Estate Brut Cuvée
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Best for Sustainable wines
Quintessa Winery
There are few spots in the Napa Valley that can rival the sweeping views of the Rutherford region from the scenic overlook of this winery. The undulating hills of the estate include 100 acres of protected natural woodland and the sparkling water of Dragon Lake. The winery uses organic practices to promote a “balanced ecosystem full of life on the estate,” including using the natural positioning of the hills to send grapes to its cellars, and the wines are produced using organic and biodynamic farming methods. Settle into a private pavilion for views of the estate while you sip Quintessa’s highly coveted jewel-toned reds (their most recent release, the 2018, scored a 99 out of 100 from wine critic James Suckling) and aromatic Illumination Sauvignon Blanc. Order a case of either and you’ll have plenty of eco-friendly gifts to give out to friends and family.
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $95 per person
Hero wine: 2018 Quintessa (estate red)
via @seghesio/instagram.com
Best for French-style Zinfandels
Seghesio Family Vineyards
Seghesio Family Vineyards takes an old-world approach to winemaking and produces Zinfandels in vineyards that channel the countryside of Burgundy. Located in the charming town of Healdsburg, it offers a few prime spots for sampling: You can sip in Seghesio’s tasting room (called The Grove), or bring a group for an afternoon of Bocce & Bottles, where you’ll get to—you guessed it—play a few rounds of bocce while you imbibe. If you fall in love with this classic backyard game, you may want to buy a set for your own home.
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $25 per person; Bocce & Bottles requires a minimum half bottle per person wine purchase
Hero wine: 2019 Sonoma Zinfandel
via tripadvisor.com
Best for An Instagrammable moment
Castello di Amorosa
We’re not saying the wine isn’t good here—it certainly is, and the Italian-style wines have won many awards, including the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Gold Medal in 2018 and Double Gold in 2019—but when there’s an actual castle to gaze at, it’s sometimes hard to focus on anything else. Designed in the style of a 13th-century Tuscan castle, the majestic 107-room building crafted from 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled stone offers authentic touches right down to the medieval moat and drawbridge and the torture chamber (!) in the basement. Because of the castle’s allure, there are child-friendly tours here as well, making it one of the best wineries in Napa (or maybe the best) to visit with the family. Have your wine puns ready!
Best time of the year to visit: Fall
Tasting prices: From $45 per adult for the wine tasting and tour; $25 for children for the castle tour and nonalcoholic grape juice
Hero wine: Cabernet Sauvignon
