Our Definitive Guide to Every Winery in Napa Valley: Breaking Down The Cost, Value + Our Honest Opinions on Each
Okay - maybe not every winery in Napa Valley, but every winery that we have visited. Consider this guide a running review, as we update it after each Napa trip!
With over 500 wineries in Napa Valley, it can be SO overwhelming to begin planning a trip. That’s where we come in! We’ve made it our personal goal to visit all 500 (you’re welcome!). In this guide, we share all of the important facts + deets, as well as our honest reviews of each.
If you’re looking for a complete Napa Valley guide, including where to eat, where to stay + extensive advice on how to make your trip successful, check out our Ultimate Girls’ Weekend Itinerary, Betches Napa Guide, + our Calistoga Mini Guide (coming soon!)
A Little Geography…
Map Courtesy of California Tourist Guide.
We’ve broken down the following winery reviews by town. When people say they’re visiting Napa, more often than not, they’re referring to the entire Napa Valley (and possibly even Sonoma County), not the city of Napa itself. Not only are the number of wineries in the Valley insane, but the area + distance between each can be significant. To execute the most fun + successful trip, we’d recommend either selecting one town per visit or day or at least ensuring that you’re booking tastings in a logical order geographically. The drive time from end-to-end (Napa to Calistoga) is about an hour.
Our Extensive Napa Valley Winery Review - By Town
Napa
Often considered the entrance to the Valley, Napa is largest town in the area. It feels noticeably busier + is where you’ll find many of the big hotel names - Andaz, Marriott, Hilton + more - as well as some of the larger restaurant names - Morimoto, Charlie Palmer, etc. It wouldn’t be our first choice as a place to stay as we love the charm + vineyard views found in accommodations in other towns, but it’s worth trying for yourself! You really can’t go wrong with anywhere in the Valley.
Number of Visits: 3
Price per Tasting: $40 for standard tastings with elevated experiences available
Best Known For: Sparkling wine. If you love champagne, you’ve probably heard of Taittinger. Domaine Carneros is the US brand/counterpart of the Taittinger company, so all wines are produced in the Taittinger style + share similar taste profiles.
Our Verdict: Lauren is a member of the Chateau + Magnum clubs at Carneros, so obviously, we love it! The tasting room is a beautiful chateau that’s a replica of the Taittinger family house, so a great photo opp.
Piazza Del Dotto Winery + Caves
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $45 per person, but Barrel Tastings (what they’re famous for) start at $80
Best Known For: An appearance on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, the over the top Versace-esque architecture + Cabernet Sauvignon
Our Verdict: Obsessed. Del Dotto has 3 locations in the Valley + we’ve been to 2. If you can swing it, we’d highly recommend springing for their Barrel Tasting. While $80 is certainly pricey, we believe the value to be one of the best. Not only do you get about 10 tastings (average is 4-5), they also serve you a wood fired pizza + bruschetta dish to accompany your tasting experience!
Historic Del Dotto Winery + Caves
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $45 with elevated experiences available
Best Known For: Cave tour + barrel tasting experience, as well as their Cabernet Sauvignon
Our Verdict: This is the second of the three Del Dotto locations that we have visited. The wine is, of course, incredible, but this property is also one of the oldest in Napa Valley, dating back to 1885, and the cave tour was unforgettable. You only need to visit one Del Dotto location on your trip, so if you’re looking for a more historic experience, choose this location. If you’re looking for something more Instagrammable, choose the Piazza. The wines, pricing, etc. are otherwise the same!
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $50 with elevated experiences available
Best Known For: Cab Sauv - It famously beat out French wine in a blind taste test in 1976 + that bottle is in the Smithsonian’s “101 Objects That Made America.” Their Cab catapulted American wine, and specifically the Napa Valley, into world recognition.
Our Verdict: If you love reds, this is a great stop to add (one of our followers even described it as “life changing!) The wine is, of course, incredible, our host was friendly + knowledgeable, + the views from our table were stunning. Our host even gave us an additional tasting to compare 2 of the cab sauvs - we love a good side by side comparison!
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $30 with elevated experiences available
Best Known For: Being part of the Gallo Family (owners of some of the most recognizable affordable grocery store brands - Andre, Barefoot, Apothic). William Hill is the high end winery of the bunch.
Our Verdict: If you’re looking for a spot toward the end of your day where you can sit out, drink good wine, + enjoy the beautiful (+ I do mean beautiful) views - this is your winery. We stayed for almost 2 hours enjoying our tasting + chatting and it was perfectly relaxing. If you’re looking for a spot where you’re going to learn a lot or have a host with you throughout, this isn’t it. If you’re staying at Silverado Resort, this is the perfect last addition as it’s just down the street (we walked!)
Next On Our List: Regusci, Truchard, Artesa Vineyards, Darioush
Yountville
Nine miles into the Valley (apprx. 20 minutes from Napa) lies the town of Yountville, our personal favorite. Yountville definitely feels like the most “bougie” of the towns in the Napa Valley + would be our top rec for a minimoon or anniversary trip where you might want to splurge a little more. We love its central proximity as well, easy to get to both Napa or further up the Valley to St Helena.
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $40 per person, with elevated experiences, such as picnics, cabana rentals + more available!
Best Known For: Sparkling wine. Similarly to the relationship between Domaine Carneros + Taittinger (mentioned above), Chandon is the US counterpart/brand of famed champagne house Moet et Chandon.
Our Verdict: While we LOVE sparkling wine, Moet isn’t our favorite champagne, so the style of Domaine Chandon wouldn’t be our first choice. However, everyone’s tastes are different, so you may love it. It’s still worth a visit to see if it’s for you, but the vibe definitely feels a bit more commercial. We always recommend starting the day with a sparkling tasting, so if Chandon is the most convenient location wise, it could still be a great pick for your visit!
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $50 per person with a total of 3 tasting experiences available.
Best Known For: Aesthetic. If you’ve spent any time on Instagram in the last few years, you’ve likely seen the highly Instagrammable restaurant conceptions from Restoration Hardware. Talk about genius. They have locations around the country, but this location is unique because of the Wine Vault in addition to the restaurant.
Our Verdict: RH Wine Vault isn’t technically a winery. Think of it more as a wine bar that serves flights of the most prestigious + awarded wines in Northern California. If you’re getting into Napa in the afternoon/after work on a Friday, we’d recommend an evening tasting at the Wine Vault before dinner. We wouldn’t suggest building it into your itinerary during the day when you could visit the actual wineries themselves instead.
Oakville
Just three miles from Yountville lies the town of Oakville. We haven’t spent much time in Oakville on our trips, so tbd on our ultimate verdict. We plan to dedicate a day or two to Oakville on our next visit + have received a few recs that we’ll include here for your trip planning purposes.
Next On Our List: Far Niente, PlumpJack, Opus One
Rutherford
Accommodation options for the town of Rutherford are pretty limited, so it’s likely not where you would actually stay on your trip. However, it is one of the most quintessentially “wine country” towns with vineyards as far as the eye can see just about everywhere you go. Many of the most popular wineries are concentrated in this area.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $40 per person
Best Known For: Sparkling Wine. Like the previous sparkling options mentioned above (Carneros + Chandon), Mumm is a US brand/outpost for a French champagne house - GH Mumm.
Our Verdict: If you’ve been following us for a while, you know bubbles are our go-to choice of wine. Because champagne can get a little pricey to drink on a weekly basis, Mumm’s sparkling is our favorite for our Real Housewives nights, sister hangouts, etc. Because we’ve purchased 100+ bottles in our lifetime - scary - we couldn’t visit the Valley without making a stop to Mumm. However, the vibe is definitely more commercial + impersonal, in our opinion, and while we still are loyal to the brand, it would be our lowest ranking sparkling rec for a tasting in the Valley.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $50 per person, but our host was generous enough to waive our tasting fees with a purchase of a bottle each. This pretty much never happens in Napa - unless you maybe bought a case or joined a wine club.
Best Known For: Cab. The Caymus Cab is famous worldwide + typically averages about $250 a bottle, but some vintages can sell for significantly higher. One of our favorite things about visiting the Valley is being able to taste some of the wines that you would never buy for yourself or that you’ve heard talked about for so long. The Caymus Cab is a perfect example.
Our Verdict: Honestly, we were meh on the experience at Caymus. We absolutely loved our host, who was super friendly, approachable + knowledgeable. We also loved that the family-oriented nature of the winery/the brand was evident. When many of the big names in Napa feel so commercial, we were surprised how laidback Caymus was given its prestige. However, ultimately, we weren’t crazy about the wine itself. Still worth a visit to see for yourself, but not one that we will be rushing back to! This could be, in large part, to the high expectations that we had going in, given the prestige of the brand.
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $40 per person with elevated experiences available. We’ve done the standard tasting, as well as the Garden to Glass experience.
Best Known For: A well-known name as they are a larger production winery. You’ve likely seen Cakebread wines in your local grocery store. They started with Chardonnay + are known for both that and their Cabs. Their mission is to have wines that you would sit around your table drinking while catching up with friends and eating good food.
Our Verdict: The grounds + buildings were beautiful, but overall would say the experience was good, not great. The food included in our Garden to Glass tasting experience was absolutely phenomenal, but on both visits, we have found that the wine tasting portion feels a little less hands-on and informative. However, that may be a better fit for you if you’re not as into the educational part of wine tasting! If you love Cakebread or frequently pick up bottles from Safeway/QFC, like we do bottles of Mumm, it’s definitely worth a visit to check out one of your faves, but otherwise we wouldn’t go out of our way to go back here.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $60 per person with many elevated experiences available.
Best Known For: Celebrity ownership, beautiful grounds + incredible wines. Inglenook is owned by Francis Ford Coppola, famed Hollywood director, screenwriter + filmmaker, who has another label + winery of his own further up the Valley.
Our Verdict: Inglenook was one of Lauren’s first tasting experiences in the Valley + it made a big impression. Our hostess/wine educator was so knowledgeable, helpful + attentive which elevated the entire experience. In addition, each tasting was accompanied by a complimentary cheese, chocolate, etc. which always helps to make the experience more special. Lastly, the grounds, chateau, vineyards, etc. are just stunning.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $45
Best Known For: Cabernet Sauvignon
Our Verdict: Love the vibe of Frog’s Leap. A super cute, farmhouse style winery set in a beautiful garden. Our tasting took place on a huge Southern style, wraparound porch which was fun to pass the afternoon on. In addition, the tasting flight was accompanied by a basket of goodies - crackers, cheese, nuts, chocolate, etc. which helped to make it an even better value. The wine doesn’t stand out as one of our favorites in the Valley, but it was pretty good + the value of the tasting experience was great. Most tastings in this price range include just a few tastings, no snacks + minimal attention/education from a Wine Educator which was not the case at Frog’s Leap.
St. Helena
St. Helena is probably tied with Yountville as our favorite town in Napa Valley. St. Helena feels so wine country + is where, in our opinion, a majority of the best restaurants are located. If you’re looking to eat a ton of good meals, this is the spot to be/stay.
Number of Visits: 3
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $45
Best Known For: Marketplace, food trucks + Italian style wines.
Our Verdict: V Sattui is one of our most frequented spots in the Valley, which we are somewhat embarrassed to admit. Honestly, the wine is pretty mediocre, but the reason we often add it to our agenda is for the plethora of food options + casual picnic tables to dine at. During a full day of wine tasting, being able to quickly + easily stop for lunch and snacks is so necessary. There are plenty of options for all dietary needs + budgets. You can buy affordable bottles to drink with lunch as well. If you aren’t stopping for lunch though, we definitely wouldn’t go out of your way just to taste the wines.
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $40
Best Known For: Cabs. Okay, many of the wineries on our list are known for their Cabs, but HALL really stands out. Must visit for any Cab lovers.
Our Verdict: HALL has two locations, but we’ve only visited the St. Helena location. The buildings feel decidedly modern, which stands out in the Valley, and they offer tours of the vineyard + grounds for a pretty minimal price. One of the most fun parts about HALL is the opportunity to an all Cab tasting if you like. Very fun to be able to taste 5 Cab Sauv’s side by side and see just how different the same varietal could be year to year, aged in different barrels, etc. Of course, if you aren’t a Cab lover, you can do standard tasting flights as well.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $60
Best Known For: Partnership with Schramsberg - one of our Napa Valley faves + a spot where Lauren is a member. Owned by the same family, Schramsberg produces the bubbly + Davies produces the reds. You can do a combo tasting at each property if you only have time for one tasting, but want to try both products.
Our Verdict: Quality wines and a very knowledgeable, hands on staff. The Davies property isn’t a sprawling estate or an Instagram worthy vineyard, but is definitely worth a visit. It’s relaxing and, due to its smaller size, is much less packed than other properties and feels so calm and private. We’d prioritize visiting the Schramsberg property first, but if you can’t get in or if it’s too far, Davies is a great alternative to still taste the final product!
Next On Our List: Alpha Omega, Joseph Phelps, Sinegal Estate Winery
Calistoga
Calistoga is often considered the “end” of Napa Valley, almost a 1 hour drive from the city of Napa itself. It is hands down the most laid back of all of the towns in the valley. The charming downtown area is lined with affordable+ approachable tasting rooms, as well as plenty of shops and restaurants. In addition to wine, Calistoga is famous for its hot springs, mud baths + spas. A perfect spot to stay for anyone who wants to do more than just drink wine during a visit.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $60
Best Known For: The castle. This winery is an exact replica of a medieval castle complete with farm animals, a moat, everything.
Our Verdict: Honestly? We could not wait to get out of here. Castello di Amorosa is owned by the same family that owns V Sattui mentioned above. We mentioned that V Sattui is a good stop more for the quick + easy picnic lunch, not the wine. Had we known that they were owned by the same family before visiting, we would not have booked a tour. The wine was - can’t believe we’re saying this - awful + the overall vibe was so gimmicky and touristy. We felt as if we were at a Renaissance Fair. If you want to see the castle itself, we won’t blame you for booking a tour, but if you want to taste good wine, please save your money.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $60
Best Known For: Sparkling wine. We’ve mentioned several other sparkling wine spots on our list, but Scramsberg stands out as the only true domestic producer in the Valley. All of the other big names - Chandon, Carneros, Mumm, etc. - are essentially outposts for French champagne houses.
Our Verdict: Loved! Lauren is a member of the Wine Club at Schramsberg as well. (We weren’t lying when we said we love our bubbles!) The tasting is incredibly informative and they are famous for their cave tour. Their wine has also the White House choice for sparkling wine dating back to the Nixon era. How cool! Seriously so many fun facts + history here, along with insanely good wine. You’ll have to visit + see for yourself!
Number of Visits: 2
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $25
Best Known For: Sustainability. Random, but this really stood out to us. All of Lawer’s wines are sustainably farmed + limited production. Their focus on sustainability extends beyond winemaking, but to their staff. Even as a small winery, they committed to paying their entire staff while shutdown during COVID-19 and commit to paying their farmers+ laborers one of the highest rates in the Valley.
Our Verdict: Lawer was Kelda’s first wine club - yay!! Big moment. While it’s currently a tasting room, not a traditional winery or vineyard, they have plans to grow + open a spot for visitors on their vineyard. They’re currently just a year old, so lots of growth + expansion to come. If you’re staying in Calistoga, we’d definitely recommend stopping in for a tasting before dinner. We tasted with Cante on both visits + he was the best! Super attentive, personable + knowledgeable.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $50
Best Known For: Sparkling + Cab.
Our Verdict: Frank Family was opened by a former President of Disney after his retirement - how cool! Sounds like our retirement dream too. We absolutely loved our tasting at Frank + can’t wait to go back. The sparkling rose + chardonnay were standouts for us and we can honestly still taste the rose. So crisp + delicious. $50 was a bit steep for what you get. Just 4 tastings with none of the add-ons that are sometimes common at other spots when you get into the $50+ pricing. However, we think this is because of the quality and high price point of the wines we tasted, so it felt well worth it in our opinion.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $25
Best Known For: Chardonnay + Red Blend
Our Verdict: Maldonado is technically a tasting room, like Lawer, not a traditional winery/vineyard. If you’re looking to plan a more affordable, lowkey day just visiting tasting rooms in downtown Calistoga, you could add Maldonado to your list, but we wouldn’t go out of our way to visit. The wines + overall experience were just okay, but we’re committed to adding every spot we’ve visited to this list. Even those we aren’t crazy about!
Next On Our List: Sterling Vineyards, Chateau Montelena
Sonoma
Okay, Sonoma is not technically in Napa Valley, but we’re including it at the end of our list because we know many people include it during their visit. Sonoma is the second biggest town after Napa in the area. It feels more low-key, in our opinion, than most of Napa Valley + it’s easier to find wineries that offer more affordable tastings. In addition, there are more options for reasonable accommodations. If you plan to do most of your tastings in the Napa Valley, we wouldn’t recommend staying in Sonoma as you’ll spend a lot of time driving. Sonoma has a ton of great spots to visit as well, so if you’re staying there, we’d try to keep most of your tastings to this area as well.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: Tastings start at $20
Best Known For: Italian style wines
Our Verdict: Really enjoyed our visit to Jacuzzi. The price point is absolutely the best that we’ve found in the area, but the value for the price is great as well. Most spots in the area with a tasting in the $20 price point would be at a tasting room, not a winery, and be a super basic experience. Jacuzzi’s grounds are beautiful - they even host weddings - and they do include snacks to accompany as well. It’s also one of the only spots that we’ve visited that encouraged buying wine by the bottle to enjoy on site. We would definitely return.
Number of Visits: 1
Price per Tasting: $45
Best Known For: Barrel tastings + family oriented influence
Our Verdict: We’ve only visited the tasting room in Sonoma Square - which is a great spot to stop into before dinner - but we’ve heard wonderful things about the winery location as well. Roche also offers the ability to do a tasting flight or to just order by the glass or bottle which we love. We’ve been to so many spots that we would have loved to have a glass of one of our favorites, but couldn’t necessarily spring for the bottle, so love having this option!
Next On Our List: Larson Family Vineyards, Cline Cellars, Ram’s Gate Winery, Buena Vista Winery
There you have it - the most up to date list of all of the wineries that we’ve visited in the Napa area, as well as a few in each area that we plan to visit soon, in case you’re looking for even more options!
If this guide is giving you information overload or analysis paralysis, below are our current top five favorites/must visits - in no particular order.
Del Dotto
Schramsberg
Domaine Carneros
Inglenook
Frank Family
As a reminder, for comprehensive guides to planning a full itinerary, including hotel recommendations, must visit restaurants + all of our best tips for a successful trip, check out our Girls’ Trip guide HERE, our guide in partnership with Betches HERE and our guide to a weekend in Calistoga HERE (coming soon!).
