Top Wineries in Napa Valley
Like I said, we had the absolute blast in Napa but out of dozens of wineries here are my favorites that you HAVE to visit on your next trip.
Peju
This place was probably my favorite tasting wine on the whole trip. They had such a wide variety of wines and the staff was incredible. We had an appointment here at 10:30 in the morning on our second day in Napa, and hair of the dog has never been more true and it actually includes wine which was shocking. They eased us into their heavy cabs with beautiful sauvignon blancs and a delicious chilled sweet red wine, I’m not normally for sweet reds but this one was incredible. Set off the beaten path, Peju is secluded in their own grape vines and you feel like royalty pulling up into the round driveway to a castle-esque building. Peju is a must visit.
2. Jameson Ranch
Two words: therapy horses. While you are sipping on your glass of vino you get to pet mini therapy horses. I know I usually start my stories off a lot better than that but this had to be your first bit of information. Jameson Ranch is a two-story building with the tasting room on the second floor overlooking their dozens of acres of vineyard. We were greeted and sat at a table right against the window and flooded with natural light. Our server was quick with the pours and new the ins and outs of each wine. We loved this one so much my mom started carrying one of their wines in her wine bar. After a couple of tastes a woman came around holding the leash of the cutest shetland pony you have ever seen. He set his head right on the table for me to pet him and then sat his head in my lap, I was in love. Jameson Ranch trains these ponies for people in need and sends them to nursing homes, hospitals and schools, but not before a delightful life on a vineyard.
3. V. Sattui
V. Sattui was my favorite atmosphere. The tasting room sat right next to the Napa Valley Wine Train and had a massive yard filled with picnic benches, chairs, and stumps for you to sit and have lunch while you enjoy a bottle of their wine. Inside the tasting room was almost a full fledged market with a deli counter and everything. We loaded up on snacks and sandwiches and headed to the tasting room to pick our bottle. We sampled six different wines and landed on a heavy red blend which paired perfectly with our meal. We went and sat at a table and chairs underneath a huge oak tree and enjoyed our afternoon lunch.
4. Michael Pozzan
This vineyard will always be near and dear to my heart. We have carried Michael Pozzan in my mom’s wine bar for as long as I can remember. It was one of the first wines I ever tried and still, to this day, has the best cabernet. Michael Pozzan himself has even visited our wine bar on business trips out to Disney. So naturally we had to go see him. His set up is unique. Since he is a smaller producer, he bottles at the Napa Valley Wine Company, a massive cooperative with wine production of multiple different wineries. The tasting room has about seven different wineries in there but we went straight to Michael Pozzan. Thats not true, we were early to our appointment so naturally we tasted a couple others that were there but who’s counting? Now, normally you are only poured a 1-2 ounce pour of wine, a quick taste to sample the wine— Michael poured us half glasses, sometimes full glasses, and this is at 11 a.m. and he was drinking with us! He is an absolute blast. Their winery is run by the entire family and each member has their own wine they have created. His son Dante is now the head wine maker and, I might be biased because I think he is incredibly cute, but his Sailor’s Grave Cabernet is incredible.
5. Castello di Amorosa
Our first stop on our Napa Valley Wine Trolley and it was definitely memorable. The owner of Castello di Amorosa built an entire castle for his winery. A castle out of mid-century Europe and incredibly beautiful complete with a massive wine cellar, tasting room, and rooms for each wine at every stage. We had a guide who was born and raised in Napa greet our group at the front and give us a tour of the entire castle. We stopped in the cellar that was lined with barrels, our guide actually tapped one and gave us a sample! We ended in the tasting room which was deep within the rock walls of the castle. We sampled six wines each of our choosing. I will tell you this, this was one of our first wineries we visited on the trip and one of the most memorable.
Napa is a must visit. I had a blast with my parents and would love to go back on a girls trip and do it all over again. Even if you don’t know anything about wine, except that its made from grapes, you should still go and experience the art of wine making and the whole Napa adventure. And a hint to the wise, keep in mind the more you drink the more you’ll buy, so don’t buy all the wine at the first place, spread it out a bit.