In planning a trip to Napa I decided to contact Continuum. The website had no info on visiting so I called and was told they might be able to see us and would let me know. So I asked what the fee would be and was told it was $125 PP. Surely this has to be the most ridiculous tasting fee in Napa? BTW, I am not going.
Not sure that’s too out of line with many higher end Napa places at present. It’s been a while since I have visited, but happened across the Shafer web site recently and noted a $75/person visit/tasting fee. Led me to look at a few others out of curiosity and $75+ seems to be fairly common. Even at larger production places with wide distribution (like Caymus) $50ish was common.
I guess it depends on what people want out of a visit. Most of these are being packaged as an “experience”, not just walking in and tasting a few wines. In that vein it’s more entertainment $$ and many people are probably willing to pay for that.
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Some places have high tasting fees due to how infrequently people will come by and visit. They may only have 2-3 groups in a day, so often there is a lot of wasted wine, and they have to pay that person a livable wage relative to NorCal. Some wineries are limited to a certain number of visitors a day too, which can also add to the issues.
It can make a difference too, if you’re already a buyer/member or not. We visited Continuum a couple of years ago (as existing buyers) and didn’t have a charge.
If you want a fun wine experience, taste with a board member. It’s always free, and never a charge.
Examples:
Alpha Omega
EMH
Myriad/Quivet
Sojourn
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Heitz is still free!!! No appointment needed!
Alpha Omega was a terrific tasting experience…We had dinner at Mustards afterwards
good point Dan to support board members on here…I’ve tasted with all 4 producers and all were free and top notch and I bought wine from them after all the tastings 
Blankiet is another one if you buy several bottles they wave the fees. They did with me at least…
FWIW, my wife and I visited Continuum on our honeymoon back in 2015. Granted we were picking up a previously purchased order, and then bought some while we were there, but our fee was waived.
This was definitely more of an experience than a tasting. We got to walk the grounds, chat with the winemaker, tour the wine making facilities, and even try some newly pressed juice. We got to taste a sample of their Novicium blend as well as I believe the 2013 vintage paired with some cheese, nuts, crackers and their estate Olive Oil.
The grounds are beautiful, our hostess very knowledgeable and friendly - overall a great experience . But it was very much an experience and less a traditional tasting.
That’s not what their website says.
That’s some very useful context. It’s still expensive, but it sounds a lot different that saying the tasting fee is $125.
Does it say they don’t waive the fee with purchase, or just not advertise that they will?
Taken off their site:
FEES $75 per person, independent of wine purchases, charged at the time of reservation
What’s the producer of a single wine (yes they have a second label wine but who cares) that retails for $200 to do. They are basically openning one of their limited $200 bottles for your tasting. I’d rather pay the fee and avoid the hard sell at the end of the tasting.
How about Jean Edwards - Napa wine but tasting room in Sonoma, forever-participant in BerserkerDay??
JUST opened the tasting room - fee of $25 waived with $65 purchase
Why is their one wine a $200 bottle?
I couldn’t agree more.
Because it can be?
I can’t believe people here are justifying a $125 tasting fee, that’s just crazy! That’s $250 for two and you get maybe a glass (or less) per person total.
A place that charges more than $50 and doesn’t waive with a purchase is not something I’m interested in.