Have Fun at These Napa Wine Tasting Rooms

Castello di Amorosa Wine Cellar / Photo By Ryan Buterbaugh via Flickr

Napa Valley, California is home to dozens of world-famous wineries, drawing wine-lovers from around the globe. Visitors sidle up to the bar at one of the many Napa wine tasting rooms to sniff, sip and savor various vintages from this fertile, temperate climate. Guests have their choice of visiting small family wineries, historical estates, or downtown Napa wine tasting rooms for an opportunity to taste different winery’s vintages side by side.

Each tasting option offers a different and authentic Napa Valley tasting experience. Most estate vineyards will have tours on which you’ll get to explore the vineyards and learn about the history of the land and how the grapes are grown. You’ll discover why particular varieties grow better in certain places, which will round out your tasting experience nicely. At small family vineyards you’ll get a much more personal experience, getting the chance to meet the people who own and run the place and hear what life on the vineyard is like.

Here are some of the most highly recommended Napa wine tasting rooms.

1. Artesa Vineyards & Winery
   This will definitely be an estate experience featuring gorgeous 360-degree views of Napa Valley and the San Francisco Bay. Artesa is set atop a hill in the Carneros area of Napa Valley, and is called the Jewel of Carneros. It is owned by the Raventos Family of Spain, which has been producing wine since the mid-sixteenth century.
2. Baldacci Family Vineyards
   As the name suggests, this is a quaint family vineyard owned by Tom and Brenda Baldacci. They purchased it in 1997 and began making wines in 2000, naming them after family members.
3. Darioush Winery
   Darioush Khaledi was raised in the Iranian wine-growing region of Shiraz before moving to the United States and founding Darioush Winery. This winery is known for its beautiful architecture modeled after the Persian capital, Persepolis.
4. Domaine Carneros
   This vineyard was founded in 1987 by Champagne Taittinger and is known for its sparkling wines. Its chateau is an imitation of the Chateau de la Marquietterie in Champagne. Tours and tastings occur daily, with table service tastings.
5. Mason Cellars
   Located in downtown Napa’s Oxbow District, this Napa wine tasting room is known for its jubilant atmosphere and delicious Sauvignon Blanc.

No matter the wine tasting experience you’re looking for, you’ll find it in one of these Napa wine tasting rooms. If you’re more interested in wine education then head to one of our historical estates for a tour and classic tasting. Maybe the culture of wine-making is more to your taste, in which case a family vineyard is definitely what you’ll want. If a night out downtown sounds like fun then try out one of the downtown establishments. Consider staying with us here at the historic Churchill Manor in downtown Napa when you come for your wine-tasting experience.