I was thinking the same thing.
Will be up there next week. I will try to remember to take notes during each stop so I can do a post.
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One of our favorites in the Downtown Tasting room for Mayacamas on 1st Street in Napa. Close to the hotels and other tasting rooms, and they usually are pouring one or two library wines. Great people and hospitality there. Agree with Spottswoode but have not been there in several years.
Ed
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Thomas Rivers Brown venture:
If you’re in the Yountville area, Vine Hill Ranch. Bruce Philips handles. I think his email is on the website.
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We’ve visited Bruce at VHR. Agree that visit is about as good as it gets. We’re also heading to Mayacamas, but to the winery, which we’ve heard is amazing. Appreciate all the new suggestions.
Hall is one of our favorites to take people to.
Unlimited tastings and some $200 and $300 bottles opened.
You can also taste Walt pinot noirs.
Lots of great recommendations here. MacDonald is a no brainer if you can.
I’ll offer three, from three different locations:
-The Vineyardist. On Diamond Mtn. Visited on our 7th trip out last fall and thought it was hands down one of the most beautiful properties, experience (and wines) we’ve come across. Julie, who hosted us, has got to be one of the best hosts in the valley. Can’t recommend enough. Always surprised how under the radar this producer flies based in the location, winemaker (TBiagi), and massive scores (if you’re in to that)
-Continuum. On Pritchard Hill, or rather “Sage Mountain”. Surrounded by all the other big name Pritchard Hill wineries. The views, the structure with all the olive trees, and wines (only two) are fantastic
-Progeny. On Mt Veeder. Howard Backen designed new winery was completed about 2-3yrs ago. Very remote and very modern. Can do a chef paired meal. Progeny is an extension of O’Shaugnessey, with a focus on two Mt Veeder cabs, a Rhône style red and a Rhône style white.
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MacDonald has tastings, despite a 15+ year waitlist?
A couple favorites of mine…(meeting criteria noted in OP)
Peter Michael
Vineyard 29
Rudd
Palmaz
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Lewelling is fun.
+1 on Palmaz
There isn’t much talk of them often, but may be the most impressive winery in Napa from a tech standpoint. There is nothing like it anywhere.
If we go to Napa with first timers we always do Schramsburg the first day and Palmaz the last day. This shows the extreames from the oldest and really cool man made caves to the by far the highest level of tech in possibly any winery there is.
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Absolutely, we’ve visited Palmaz and it was great.
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Visited Napa back in November, and my favorite tastings were Kinsman Eades (at Wheeler Farms), Memento Mori, Vice Versa, and Morlet.
Going to be visiting Napa in a few months with a few first timers, and want to avoid too much sticker shock (thought it seems like every tasting is $50-$100 now). Can you let me know what this costs?
A second on Promontory. Really a special experience and the wines are killer. Ovid does a very nice tasting, and is up by Continuum and Colgin. Bevan is a blast, and the wines are really, really good. And finally even though it gets panned by this board, my favorite is Del Dotto. The reserve wines are very very good, and the experience is a really fun party.
Think it’s $200 per person but they will credit you if you purchase I believe. My wife and I couldn’t get a tasting time there last time we were in Napa. Heard the experience is second to none.
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Highly recommend Kapcsandy. Also vice versa was a great experience.
I forgot to mention Kenzo. Not much buzz on this site about Kenzo Estate, and I don’t get why.
The grounds, winery, and tasting room are worth a visit. The craftsmanship in the tasting room itself is top-notch (I am a woodworker). The wines are excellent (albeit not inexpensive). Heidi Barrett is the winemaker and David Abreu has a hand in the vineyard. Probably the best rose I’ve ever had.
Last time I went there, the helipad was full and I couldn’t land, so I went back to Screaming Eagle.
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I was looking to visit MACDONALD in late September but I was informed it doesn’t accept reservations in September and October due to those months being incredibly busy from a winemaking perspective, which is completely understandable.