Experience the charm of Napa Valley beyond the well-trodden path with this curated list of my favorite wineries.
Living in the Bay Area, I’ve been fortunate enough to embark on numerous trips to wine country. Most of the time, we’ll just pop up to Napa for a little day trip and be home by dinnertime. It’s given me the opportunity to make friends with locals in the area, enabling me to discover new wineries and hidden gems that are usually overlooked.
These smaller, family-run wineries offer a predominantly natural approach, providing a unique and authentic wine-tasting experience, unlike any other. Join me as we explore the lesser-known corners of Napa Valley and uncover its true treasures.
Tres Sabores
My perpetual favourite – a small woman-led, family-run winery tucked down a windy dirt road. It’s run by a woman named Julie, who kickstarted the natural wine movement, and is particularly known for pioneering her exceptional zinfandels in Napa Valley. In addition to her friendly pups roaming the fields, you’ll also find lambs, chickens, fountains, and rose gardens – you’ll be sure to want to add some extra time into your trip just to wander the grounds.
Tasting Fee: $50, waived with a four bottle purchase
Location: St Helena
Hendry Ranch Winery
Family owned for more than eighty years, a visit here represents the quintessential Napa experience. I was lucky enough to get the tour with the owner George, and at just over three hours long it was both the longest and most informative I’ve ever had, so make sure you have at least a few hours to spare and soak it all in. Most of the tour takes place in the vines, where you’ll feel a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the main drag.
Tasting Fee: $75, waived with wine purchase of equal value
Location: Napa
Seven Stones Winery
This little winery was originally built as nothing more than a personal retirment project with the goal of home wine , and is petite even by Napa Valley standards. The wine they were making was so good, however, that owners were encouraged by their neighbours the Mondavis and Staglins (you might have heard of them?) to produce commercially. The result is a tasting experience that feels like visiting an old friend.
Tasting Fee: three bottle purchase
Location: St Helena
Antica
A California outpost of one of Italy’s oldest and most respected wine making family perched on the slopes of the Vaca Mountains. All of their wines are estate grown in Napa, and most are only available to purchase for those who make the journey to the tasting room. The elegant estate reflects the family’s Tuscan heritage, with breathtaking views of the Atlas Mountains from everywhere you look. Due to its small size and the fact that the tasting room is located in what is also the family’s home, you’ll need to be sure to call in advance.
Tasting Fee: $75
Location: Napa
Rutherford Hill Winery
Lovely little family run winery with spectacular views over Napa Valley. The staff here always take their time and are happy to share their abundance of information with us. On cooler days, their indoor tasting room built from towering timbers is wonderful, as is the full cellar tour. If the weather is fair and you have the time, though, I personally recommend grabbing a bottle and heading to one of their picnic tables in the scenic oak grove
Tasting Fee: $60
Location: Rutherford
Otra Vez Winery
I’ve been saving the best for last, and it’s one that I’m selfishly reluctant to even share at all. Vincent Arroyo is a rockstar in the world of winemaking, and after ’retiring’ and giving his vineyard to his daughter and son-in-law, he soon set up shop right across the street. The unassuming tasting room is just a bit of a man cave in a loft above some barrels in a barn, with an old lab who sits near your feet for good measure. Vincent himself sat us down, and poured us three vintages of the only wine he makes, and chatted about everything from his early days as an engineer to his favourite nearby hikes. The wine is outstanding, as one would imagine, but the experience of Vincent’s laid-back hospitality is truly what makes it special.
Tasting Fee: free (!!!) , but make sure to purchase some bottles
Location: Calistoga
