Stop by this charming boutique off the beaten path in downtown Napa for a wonderfully personalized experience! The wines are delicious, the atmosphere is casual but trendy, and they have a great partnership with the Michelin rated restaurant next door- you can skip the line there and have a plate delivered right to the tasting room! Definitely worth a visit.
Tasting visits are available by prior appointment from Wednesday to Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Three distinct experiences are offered for guests' enjoyment: The Terrace View Tasting, The Private Collectors Experience, and The Hillside Select Experience.
The Terrace View Tasting
The Terrace View Tasting provides an opportunity to take in the stunning sights of the surrounding hillside vineyards and the breathtaking views of Napa Valley and the Stags Leap District. Guests can enjoy a relaxing session featuring Shafer’s current releases, including Hillside Select, paired with a selection of cheese and charcuterie.
The Private Collectors Experience
Hosted in Shafer’s distinguished private tasting salon or private vineyard suite, The Private Collectors Experience includes a comprehensive lineup of current wines, alongside a library vintage of Hillside Select. This experience is enhanced with an elevated selection of cheese and charcuterie.
The Hillside Select Experience
The Hillside Select Experience is the winery’s most luxurious offering, focusing exclusively on Hillside Select. The visit begins with Billecart Salmon Champagne and Regiis Ova caviar, followed by a private tour of the estate in a Polaris Ranger vehicle. Guests will taste the current vintage of Hillside Select in the heart of the vineyard with panoramic views of the Stags Leap District. The experience concludes with a private seated tasting of three rare library selections of Hillside Select, showcasing Shafer’s flagship Cabernet Sauvignon at 5+, 10+, and 20+ years of age.
We popped into this beautiful tasting room. The lady behind the counter was very informative and sweet, and understood that we were in a bit of a time crunch so she poured our wines quickly while still giving us explanations of the grapes that were used to produce each wine. I thought the wines here were very different because they were blends of grapes grown in different regions. We had the general tasting ($15/person) and particularly enjoyed the pinot noir and the syrah. Art work from wine artist Agata Zaborowski - Agata Art Gallery
From the very beginning, Redmon Wines made a steadfast commitment to producing wines of the highest quality, with no shortcuts taken.
Located in St. Helena, CA, Redmon Wines is a family-owned winery with deep roots in the Napa Valley that span nearly 50 years. With over two decades of winemaking expertise, the winery’s small production wines have earned a reputation as some of the finest in the region. Visitors are warmly welcomed to explore the exceptional offerings of Redmon Wines.
The winery's small scale enables them to form genuine connections with their customers. They take great pleasure in sharing their story with newcomers and learning about the experiences that led them to Redmon Wines. Together, they build lasting friendships and expand the Redmon wine family.
Redmon Wines’ approach to winemaking involves French oak barrels, premier vineyards, and meticulous practices, ensuring that every bottle is a truly handcrafted product. Lisa Redmon, the driving force behind Redmon Wines, is originally from the close-knit community of Saint Helena, California, and her journey in the wine industry is deeply rooted in her upbringing.
In the early 1970s, Lisa’s family moved to Saint Helena and purchased the local A&W Restaurant, which they operated for 35 years. Growing up in this hardworking environment, Lisa Redmon developed a strong work ethic and dedication from an early age.
Begun in 1992 by Bruce and Barbara Neyers, Neyers Vineyards produces about 15,000 cases of wine annually. About 25% of Neyers Vineyuards' production is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on their 50-acre, organically farmed Conn Valley ranch. Neyers is far from the Napa Valley floor of over-run wineries. This winery requires a reservation; the reservations can be difficult to get but it is worth it. You will get a tour of their facilities and sample their high quality wines. The offering is three Chardonnays, three Syrahs, two Zinfandels, two Cabernet Sauvignons and one Merlot.
Ruston Family Vineyards is a vineyard and winemaking company situated in the Napa Valley. The family has been cultivating the west St. Helena hillside since 1941. Originally an old prune orchard, the land now supports grapevines of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. The vineyard produces artisanal wines from both their own grapes and purchased fruit, designed to be enjoyed with food, family, and friends.
The story of Ruston Family Vineyards begins with Fred Carpenter, who moved to California from North Dakota around 1907 with his family. They settled in the San Joaquin Valley. At the age of 17, Fred relocated to Oakland, where he studied engineering through a correspondence course. He later became one of the inventors of the jet pump, with his company based in Berkeley, CA. In 1941, seeking to escape the summer fog of the Bay Area, Fred and his wife Lana purchased a 40-acre orchard in St. Helena, which was the maximum distance they could travel on a weekly gasoline ration. They built a house and spent weekends and summers there until the 1970s, after which they lived there permanently until the early 1980s. A photograph of Fred and Lana working in the orchard appears on the back label of their wines.
While the prune business eventually paid off the property loan, it eventually declined. In 1975, the more level eastern section of the orchard was sold. In the mid-1980s, Fred and Lana’s daughter, Lorraine Ruston, moved to the ranch and planted Merlot vines on the remaining western slopes. Lorraine managed the vineyard herself, selling the grapes to local wineries.
In the mid-1990s, Lorraine’s son, John Ruston, and his wife, Janet Sapadin, were residing in New York City and working in the environmental field. Janet, a New York native from Washington Heights, Manhattan, and John shared a mutual interest in wine and cooking, which led them to recognize the winemaking potential of the vineyard. In 1996, John, Lorraine, and Janet decided to expand the vineyard and enter the wine business. The 1997 Merlot was the first wine produced under the Ruston Family Vineyards label. John and Janet left New York in 1999 to live in the old farmhouse. Their two daughters, born in New York and raised in Napa Valley, pursued higher education at UCLA and UC Riverside before branching out, leaving behind cuvées named in their honor.
Shypoke calls the Calistoga AVA home, with its Estate vineyard nestled in the northwestern corner of the world-famous Napa Valley. The dirt-to-bottle journey began in 1904 when Peter Heitz’s great-grandparents, having immigrated from Alsace, planted roots and established bonded winery #130 for the production of fine wines. Over five generations of grape growers and winemakers, the Heitz family has continued the vision and efforts initiated in 1904. Each wine honors the traditions of a family working together to farm heirloom vines and handcraft the resulting fruit into uniquely elegant and honest wines that reflect their place and vintage.
The Spence family's journey on Howell Mountain began in 1994 when Allen and Jacalyn Spence purchased a small piece of land situated at 1,900 feet. Initially, the property was intended to serve as a peaceful retreat from the fog and hustle of San Francisco. However, over time, Allen and Jacalyn realized that this mountain paradise would become much more than just a "weekend getaway."
After becoming full-time residents of Howell Mountain in 1996, Allen and Jacalyn dedicated years to restoring the neglected property. They pruned back the overgrown, 40-year-old table grape vineyard and renovated the orchard, ultimately reviving more than 50 fruit trees.
With the support of their new Howell Mountain neighbors, the Spences quickly became part of a vibrant community of winemakers, wine enthusiasts, and friends. This newfound passion culminated in 1998 at the "Taste of Howell Mountain" auction. Eager to try their hand at winemaking, Allen and Jacalyn placed a bid on a "home winemaker's kit." Their winning bid, which unexpectedly included 2,000 pounds of Howell Mountain Cabernet, marked the beginning of their winemaking journey.
Tom Burgess established Burgess Cellars in 1972, but these Howell Mountain slopes were first planted in the 1870s by Italian-speaking immigrants from the Swiss canton of Ticino. The Poncetta & Rossini families, in the way of their Alpine homeland, cultivated vines on the rugged mountainside at extreme elevations. With the same ambition and imagination, Lee Stewart planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah grapes on Howell Mountain’s steep hillsides, naming his winery Souverain, meaning “sovereign.” Subsequent Napa Valley greats also saw the high promise of the land. Before starting the historic Stag’s Leap and Grgich wineries, Warren Winiarski and Mike Grgich each learned his trade at the Estate known today as Burgess.
Founded in 1978 by Gary Andrus, Pine Ridge Vineyards is located in the renowned Stags Leap District of Napa Valley, celebrated for its exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon. Our mission is to craft some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon in the region.
Currently, Pine Ridge Vineyards boasts estate vineyards across five of Napa Valley’s premier appellations: Stags Leap District, Howell Mountain, Oakville, Rutherford, and Carneros. Our dedicated team, from vineyard to cellar, is committed to producing wines that reflect their exceptional origins with distinctive character and depth.
