Potential Wineries to Visit in Napa

[Bud_Carey]

+1 on Tanner!!!

[Shay_A]

I also recommend Rarecat, they have a wonderful selection of wines and are great people. The tasting is very intimate at the owner’s home. I work with the winemaker, Joel Aiken, on other projects. Joel was the winemaker at BV for 27 years. So if you enjoy the GdL’s from 1985-2010 then you will have an idea of what to expect. And of course I can always host tastings for my Chiron wines in Calistoga if you are looking for some mountain cabs and grenache.

Other Recs:
Theorem
Paravel
Aiken Wines
Flint Knoll
Sarah Francis
And I love what Todd and Tom have created at Dakota Shy
And make sure you get Tanner if you go to David Arthur, he’s one of the best hosts in the valley

I can’t recommend Theorem enough. One of the star visits of my last few trips out to Napa. TRB wines on Diamond Mtn. Absolutely beautiful wines and property. Make sure you get Isaac as your host!

[Kurt_L]

Go to Mending Wall! I’ve been working remotely this year in sonoma, paso, and bay area and have done a lot of tastings. Mending wall was the best—such a great place to visit, and very covid friendly. They only seat one party at a time.

[Andrew_Demaree]

I worked and lived at Seavey Vineyard for 4 years. It’s an amazing place and very personal. It’s a good 15 minutes outside of St Helena but it feels like a different world. Only 4 wines, so the pace is slow. They were very under-the-radar until ~3 years ago, and have increased their prices ~50% (deservedly).
Secluded areas like Conn Valley (Seavey) or Prichard Hill (Chapellet, David Arthur, etc) are remarkably far off the beaten path, especially as one needs to drive slowly and carefully down winding country roads while 1/2 the traffic may have chosen not to spit. I would focus on one of these areas and hit up 3 wineries in that location. There isn’t a good way to get from Conn Valley to Prichard Hill (save by boat).

Good call on Seavey. Wonderful people, excellent wines, and a beautiful property that doesn’t feel the least bit touristy.

[Zachary_Mancini]

Definitely go to continuum. Went there last week. Was absolutely fantastic. If u can get into promontory. That’s one of the best wineries I’ve ever been to.

[BenjaminL]

Definitely go to continuum. Went there last week. Was absolutely fantastic. If u can get into promontory. That’s one of the best wineries I’ve ever been to.

The winemaker, Steve, at Continuum is one of the best people in the industry, IMHO.
I haven’t been to Promontory yet- but I was there when it was Diamond Oaks and it has an amazing view. Promontory was billed as a less exclusive Harlan/Bond, but they still wax poetic about practicing the techniques of Masanobu Fukuoka, which seems utterly absurd applied to such a labor-intensive crop!

[Greg_Hirson]

Definitely go to continuum. Went there last week. Was absolutely fantastic. If u can get into promontory. That’s one of the best wineries I’ve ever been to.

The winemaker, Steve, at Continuum is one of the best people in the industry, IMHO.

He sure is.

[Michael_D]

Two of the most impressive tours (IMHO), and at opposite ends of the spectrum, are Schramsberg and Palmaz.

Schramsberg is amazing with the old original hand dug tunnels and the hand riddling of the bottles. There are only a very few others where the caves are not modern machine made. As well the history of being the first US Sparkling Wine in the White House is really cool.

On the other end of the spectrum is Palmaz, possibly the most high tech, yet classic feeling winery on earth, and the Cabs are really good as well.

Palmaz is a place I recommend to all my friends with engineering degrees…and those who like tech. I love the place. They make some pretty tasty wine too!

To the original question…
David Arthur cabs are a favorite of mine. I used to get a couple 1147’s each year before their price points went north of $200.

[Tom_R_W]

Very much agree with the Chappellet recommendation out Pritchard Hill way.
I like to mix in wineries that in addition to great wine have great views and are open to allowing a group to eat lunch on their property. One hill over from Pritchard Hill, further up Sage Canyon road is Kuleto. We had a fabulous private tasting outside with some of the most expansive and beautiful views in Napa, it was stunning. I set the lunch up in advance when I booked our tasting. Our group got a couple tables in a secluded spot on their patio and spent a relaxing hour after the tasting, munching on the Dean & DeLuca sandwiches, etc we brought and washing it down with a Kuleto Rose and Zin.
Really a memorable stop for our group.

[David_Baum]

Is Kuleto even there anymore after the fires? Dean and Deluca is long gone

[Tom_R_W]

Is Kuleto even there anymore after the fires? Dean and Deluca is long gone

Jeez!! I didn’t know. Kuleto is definitely not open for tours. Sad. Our last trip was the 2018 harvest.
I didn’t know about DeLuca either. Just don’t tell me something happened to the Oakville Grocery or Gotts!

[blarmston]

Oakville Grocery is still around- I was there 10 days ago…

[TomC]

Oakville Grocery was bought by Jean Charles Boisset a couple years ago… should be in good shape for some time.

Boisset talks about the future of the Oakville Grocery: A different kind of...

[Andrew_Dodd]

Favorites when I was there were in 2018:
Continuum
Ovid
Chappellet
Realm
Rochioli
Dumol
Carlisle
Shafer
Kosta Browne, although that one has obviously changed a lot

The only one I attended that I wish I hadn’t: HALL. Our tour guy was some grouchy old ex military guy. Yelled at my wife and I for talking when we weren’t even aware he was our tour guide or the tour had started yet. The tour itself was okay, kind of forgettable. The wines are obviously solid, if not overpriced. And the tour concludes with a ruse to clearly drink some wine, leave your credit card here, and GTFO. Most wineries do it to some degree, but your could feel the heavy hand of marketing and Texas billionaires. I shit you not, you exit through the gift shop. I was surprised I didn’t have to try and find my car in the Mickey Red or Goofy Green parking lot once I got off the monorail. Pass. I guess after getting drunk with Gary Pisoni and laughing when my mom fell down the stairs on top of him…most other tours are going to pale in comparison

[TomC]

Favorites when I was there were in 2018:
Continuum
Ovid
Chappellet
Realm
Rochioli
Dumol
Carlisle
Shafer
Kosta Browne, although that one has obviously changed a lot

The only one I attended that I wish I hadn’t: HALL. Our tour guy was some grouchy old ex military guy. Yelled at my wife and I for talking when we weren’t even aware he was our tour guide or the tour had started yet. The tour itself was okay, kind of forgettable. The wines are obviously solid, if not overpriced. And the tour concludes with a ruse to clearly drink some wine, leave your credit card here, and GTFO. Most wineries do it to some degree, but your could feel the heavy hand of marketing and Texas billionaires. I shit you not, you exit through the gift shop. I was surprised I didn’t have to try and find my car in the Mickey Red or Goofy Green parking lot once I got off the monorail. Pass. I guess after getting drunk with Gary Pisoni and laughing when my mom fell down the stairs on top of him…most other tours are going to pale in comparison

That’s too bad about your Hall visit… but understandable. We stopped by there in 2018 as well, just did a tasting session at the bar. In general I find an odd correlation at wineries between size/wealth and art, and Hall exhibits both in volume. The wines themselves are actually quite good, some that are definitely way up there in price and others that are actually reasonable vs the Napa norm. But your experience will definitely depend on the employee assigned to interact with you, and with larger operations there’s definitely a sense that some do it for the paycheck while others have a genuine interest and passion.

[MICHAEL_C_R_O_M_W_E_L_L]

+1 on the Hall horse**it. Will never go back.

[Ryan_A]

Promotory
Vine Hill Ranch (VHR)
Dana Estates
Franzia
Vice Versa

[MMunger]

Other Recs:
Theorem
Paravel
Aiken Wines
Flint Knoll
Sarah Francis
And I love what Todd and Tom have created at Dakota Shy
And make sure you get Tanner if you go to David Arthur, he’s one of the best hosts in the valley

I can’t recommend Theorem enough. One of the star visits of my last few trips out to Napa. TRB wines on Diamond Mtn. Absolutely beautiful wines and property. Make sure you get Isaac as your host!

Absolutely +1 on both Theorem and Dakota Shy, both are amazing!!
The Dakota Shy Oakville Ranch Cab Franc is unbelievably tasty!!

[Bob_C]

Had an amazing birthday last year spent at these 3 wineries all within a mile or two of one another:

The Vineyard House
Futo
Promontory

The Vineyard House has some really solid QPR wines - Not cheap, but really solid for where they are located.

[Steve_Crawford]

Had an amazing birthday last year spent at these 3 wineries all within a mile or two of one another:

The Vineyard House
Futo
Promontory

The Vineyard House has some really solid QPR wines - Not cheap, but really solid for where they are located.

how long has melka/maayan been making wine for VH? have you had their wines before and after them taking over?

from my time living in napa i always found JN to to be a little odd, maybe interesting is a better word.