Our First Trip To Napa!

My husband and I just got back from a dream trip to Napa. We focused primarily on Napa Valley, though there is one Sonoma recommendation below. We’re going to need an entirely separate trip (or 2!) to tackle that region.

Perhaps the biggest highlight for me as a wine lover was just how much I learned by being physically present. You can sip on wine all day long, but if you’re not interacting with the people who make it and sell it, you’re missing out on a lot of information.

A couple of quick takeaways!

1. Wine is subjective! The characteristics that I like are unique to my personal preferences and taste. They’re almost certainly not exactly the same as your preferences. And hilariously, what my husband likes I sometimes think is crazy. The reviews below are one person’s opinion based on one experience. Keep that in mind.
2. This was a luxury Napa trip. I say this because sticker shock is real. My husband and I waited to go to Napa until we could do it the way we really wanted, and it’s not cheap. A lot of the tastings were on the pricier side, with a few splurges to boot. Same with restaurants, we didn’t hold back. There’s a few budget-friendly wineries on this list, but not many.
3. Reservations are required almost everywhere. This seems to be the norm post-Covid. Book well in advance — during the busiest times of year, that means months, not weeks.
4. A lot of wineries can’t ship to certain states. This was the biggest surprise to me. There are workarounds for this, but note that some of the wineries will not ship to certain states where they have distribution based on laws and regulations. Ask first!

Alright, now that we got those things out of the way, let’s dive in! I’m including a Table of Contents here so that you can quickly jump around to each winery that we visited for a review, however if you’re interested in my personal favorites, check out Ari’s Recommendations.

Hess Persson Estates

I’m not sure I’ll ever forget our tasting at Hess Persson, and it might be because it was our very first tasting ever in Napa, but more likely because it was truly memorable.

K. Laz Wine Collection

I think it’s extremely worthwhile to add a few tastings at wine collections into the mix. These are distributors of many different wines. After a heavy red wine tasting, it was nice to taste some whites and lighter reds. We loved K. Laz.

Stag’s Leap

Note that there are two different wineries with extraordinarily similar names. This one, Stag’s Leap, and another one called Stags Leap (no apostrophe).

Ovid Napa Valley

Very much a splurge, Ovid is one of those high-end places where it’s helpful to know somebody who has tasted there before or is already a wine club member. The wines are delicious, but at that price point, it’s hard to justify when there are so many options in Napa.

Spire Collection

Prepare to be wowed. Spire was another great collection which showcased the versatility of grapes based on their terroir. They represent wineries and vineyards all over the world, which was a nice deviation from trying mostly big Napa Cabs. Appointments only available via email.

Bremer Family Winery

Bremer Family Winery is a hidden gem. Nothing about it is pretentious, from the property to the people leading the tastings who are extraordinarily down to earth. Amazing value.

HALL Wines

Our experience at HALL Wines was the most informal of our trip. There’s a large tasting room adjacent to a patio with outdoor seating (certain sections are for members only), and guests can float in and out as they like. Very casual vibe.

Cakebread Cellars

Cakebread was one of the few vineyards where we were already familiar with the wines. In fact, their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay make recurring appearances at Thanksgiving when we host. I don’t think I’d return here, there are better tastings in the valley, but it was fun nonetheless.

Amizetta

If you want breathtakingly stunning views, Amizetta is the winery for you. One of the few remaining completely family owned and operated wineries in Napa Valley. Be prepared to drive up very steep, windy mountain roads to get here or… hire a driver. Located on the southern side of the beautiful Howell Mountain.

Hestan Vineyards

The Hestan Vineyards are located about 45 minutes away from their tasting room in Yountville and are only available for private tours and tastings made in advance. The Yountville location, however, features all of their amazing Hestan Culinary cookware so you can shop and sip at the same time.

Keplinger Wines

The owners, Helen Keplinger and DJ Warner, a wife and husband duo, are making some of the most elegant and refined wines in Napa. At Keplinger, grapes are sourced from uniquely selected vineyards and then Helen, a master winemaker, turns them into something exquisite.

Mumm Napa

There are only a few wineries in Napa making sparkling wine. Mumm Napa, probably the most well known, has taken inspiration from Champagne-style wines and modernized the process to increase efficiency. The end result is delicious.

Schramsberg Vineyards

A tour of Schramsberg will leave you speechless. They’re continuing to make Champagne-style sparkling wines in the old world way, from the aging process down to the riddling of wine bottles (part of the traditional process used to produce Champagne).

Paraduxx

We really wanted to love Paraduxx more — a lot of you recommended it! The ambiance is beautiful. In fact, the courtyard where they hold most of their tastings is one of the most serene settings for non-private tastings. Unfortunately, we just didn’t love the wine.

Scribe Winery

This winery is an absolute gem! You can tell that everyone who works at Scribe is immensely happy to be there. Set in the southern part of Sonoma, the property is stunningly beautiful, but with a relaxed, laid-back vibe.