My nephew is coming out from the east coast for his 21st birthday and per his request he wants to go to Napa. Planning on spending a day in Napa and then heading back to the East Bay. Was going to start at Pride with a vineyard tour and end at Alpha Omega as I have some Era to pick up. Any recommendations for a 21 year old that has never been to Napa? Haven’t been to David Arthur in a while, does he still do his memorable tastings?
Del Dotto…
Schramsburg is a great tour especially for a newer wino, also the Still on the Hill was fun.
^^ This… maybe Silver Oak, good place to meet girls on a girls trip… Assuming he’s like I was when I was 21.
Also thought Darioush was a nice place for a younger person…
Sounds like you’ll be with him. What a treat to be able to introduce him to fine wines. My son just turned turned 21 and while he’s been exposed to many great wines at home 
I’m really looking forward to taking him wine tasting.
Those are both great tours where he will learn a lot – probably enough touring for a newbie. For other stops I would go where you guys can try many different wines and chat about them. Phelps is a good one.
Why don’t go up 29 in the morning, noon, then lunch in St. Helena, then down (south) Silverado. Stop at the usual stops and he will see what is Napa. If you just go to special places, he will not see all. Stop 4 tastings rooms before 1, then 4 more in the afternoon
David Arthur is not doing those any more, tasting are $50 with prior appointments, for current wines.
What does your 21 year old nephew like? Young people aren’t all created the same. Some people here are suggesting places that make… big… wine. Is that what your nephew is into?
1 winery in the AM (with tour), lunch with wine, 1 winery in the afternoon (with tour). He will not be spitting and does not need more than this.
I agree with Hardy. I don’t think hitting 8 tasting rooms in a day would be much fun, personally, and it certainly wouldn’t be my plan for introducing a 21 year old to fine wine.
I went twice when I was 21, about 40 days apart. I loved going on tours, since I didn’t have a great handle of how wine was made, and barrel tasting was really neat.
Schramsberg and Pride will be excellent tours. Chappellet would also be nice, and Corison for a total change of pace would be cool, and it’s easy given the location. They also offer some older library wines, which I’d suggest exposing him to so he can learn more about the differences of wine styles and how wine ages. I thought the educational tastings were far and away better than places like Darioush, Plumpjack, Flora Springs, Hall, etc. that just had tasting rooms (or rather, places that I did not tour).
2 tastings in one day is bologna. There is no reason not to do 3 or 4 over a 6 hour period. He’s 21, which does not mean he’s a virgin to drinking, and have a talk about being responsible before hand. Or, just get a driver or drive yourself and let him cut loose a bit.
David is rarely at the winery any more. He used to do a single tasting per week, but now he has a ‘hospitality person’, Tyson, who does the tastings.
It’s very professionally done, but it’s not like the ‘old days’.
Thanks for the responses/suggestions. My nephew is a very responsible kid and doesn’t appear to do a lot of drinking. Though, appearances can be deceiving. So, I don’t think he/we will be up for 8 tastings in a day. I think 4 solid tasting would be good so looking to fill in the afternoon. He is a bio-science major so will probably be into the wine making aspect on top of the drinking. We will be hitting SF the night before, so will be a little more low key day. Something more than sitting at a picnic table at Lewelling or hanging on the porch with Barbara at Paloma, but less than the throngs at Mondavi, Peju, etc…
Thanks for the heads up on David Arthur, I had heard the tastings were no longer like the ‘old days’. Those were some good old days:-)
I was thinking maybe Larkmead, but have heard their tastings are no longer the same. Haven’t been in a few years. Have not been to Corison or Darioush, what are their tastings like? I also have some wine to pick up at Carter Cellars so was thinking maybe a Mike Smith tasting? Also, was thinking Redd-Wood would be a good spot for dinner has anyone been?
I’ll echo Schramsberg, fun tour. Chappellet is also a good suggestion. Reverie is a beautiful site to picnic and relatively unknown.
If you can arrange it, a Mike Smith tasting is not to be missed!!!