In early July, I had the opportunity to go on a trip to Napa Valley with Drew, Vanessa (@thecheekybeen), and Shane (Vanessa’s husband), during our week-long trip to California. We spent five nights in San Francisco, and during that time we took a day trip to Napa Valley to experience wine country. This was my second time in Napa Valley, so I feel like I’ve gained a lot of knowledge of the best wineries over the course of the two trips. This blog post was definitely the most requested from the trip so I’m excited to share with you my favorite wineries in Napa Valley. 🙂 The ones I’ve selected are based off my judgment of view, quality/taste of wine, and overall experience.
- Schramsberg – Schramsberg was one of the first wineries I ever visited with Drew. They are known for their sparkling wine because they are one of last to use a ‘riddler’ to hand ferment their wines. The champagne is so good and we really enjoyed the tour and learning about the process.
- Cake Bread Cellars – Hands down the best wine we had during either trip, especially the red. It’s a beautiful property but the wines are what blew me away at this vineyard.
- V. Sattui – best vineyard for the experience. It’s picturesque and the wines are very good, but my favorite part was the Italian deli that is connected to the tasting room. Great for lunch or buying your own meat and cheeses with a bottle of wine for a picnic on the property.
- Joseph Phelps – This vineyard was a typical storybook winery of what you’d imagine Napa Valley to be like. Picturesque rolling hills and amazing wine that is much more commercialized than boutique. Drew and I took a blending class here because we love red blends.
- Domaine Carneros – Another sparkling wine vineyard but it checked all the boxes on amazing wine and great overall experience. The grounds are stunning, and most everyone would agree that this is a must-do on a trip to Napa.
- Stag’s Leap – Similar to Domaine Carneros, this one checked all the boxes in great wine and views. This vineyard has a tonnn or history so if you enjoy learning about the Valley this would be a great one to visit.
- Caymus – A classic vineyard with beautiful views, if you’ve conquered the last 6 in your day to Napa Valley, this is another solid vineyard to visit and round out your day.
Also – wanted to mention that we had a private car and transfer service this past trip to wine country and lovedddd our guide! He was very knowledgeable of the area, and we never would have seen all the best wineries or been able to sort through them without his help. If you’d like to book him, call the Hotel Adagio and request information for their drive Fitz. He is a contract driver for them, and works for himself, so he is bookable without staying at the hotel. You will not be disappointed.
What are your favorite wineries in Napa Valley? I definitely plan to take many more trips there in the future so would love to hear! Also – are there other areas of wine country I should visit? Let me know in the comments below!
