Napa

Napa

Allora Vineyards

Allora Vineyards was established in 1999. The proprietors of Allora Vineyards are Terry and Nancy Klein. They manage their winemaking business along with their children, Kelly, Cortney, and Christopher Klein. Presently, 10 acres of grapevines are planted on the Klein's estate. Eight acres are Cabernet Sauvignon vines, and the remaining two acres consist of Cabernet Franc and Petite Sirah. Additionally, the vineyard employs a unique planting style in which vines are grown closely together, forcing each plant to produce only a small amount of fruit of the highest quality possible. Allora had its first harvest in the fall of 2002 and has been producing exceptional wine with each new vintage. You can visit Allora but remember that tastings are by appointment only and during the summer you will likely have to book a couple of months in advance.

Opus One Winery

Beautiful property with elegant tasting rooms and a lovely upper balcony for you to enjoy your "tasting" on. They don't do the typical 1oz tasting that most wineries offer. Opus One's tastings are full glasses of their two wines being offered that season.
Opus One, unlike many other wineries, offers intimiate tours just to your group. There's no feeling of being herded along with 15 other strangers, straining to hear what the winemaker or guide is trying to say.

Caleb, our guide, was perfect. He spent just the right amount of time on relevant topics and in each area of the winery. We saw the barrel room, the vines, all the sorting processes, the vats, the winemaking room, even some executive offices! This was service at its best. We were given the Overture (2009, I think), Opus One 2009, and Opus One 2006 to taste throughout our two-hour tour.

I wouldn't recommend this winery if you are with 15 friends on a party bus, looking to get drunk. Or if you're just looking to "check out" Napa for the first time. Or if you couldn't tell the difference between red wine or white wine with red food coloring . The money and the prestige are not worth it. It's a special treat to learn and experience Opus On

Green & Red Vineyard

I'm hesitant to tell anyone about this gem so I can keep this secret to myself but the zins are so outstanding that I suppose I should share. This is a small production winery that definitely focuses on quality over quantity but their price point is still so reasonable! If I were coming to the Napa Valley and only had time for one winery, I would come here, well worth the extra drive (it's sort of in the middle of nowhere). Appointment only and be prepared for the steep one way driveway.

D.R. Stephens Estate

n 1996, Don and Trish Stephens found their 35-acre property on Howell Mountain Road in the Saint Helena area of the Napa Valley. The old olive orchard that had been planted in the early 1850s and neglected since the early 1900s was a beautiful attraction to the land. After relocating most of this still-producing olive orchard, they made room to plant the seven and one-half acre Moose Valley Vineyard. In 2002, the first wine from this property was released, the D. R. Stephens Estate 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Moose Valley Vineyard.

Oberon Napa Valley

Oberon wines are crafted at The Michael Mondavi Family Estate, where they are also available for tasting and sale. The Estate is located on the southern end of Napa Valley – a tranquil spot overlooking lush vineyards and rolling hills.

Drinkward Peschon

Friends and wine professionals Lisa Drinkward, vintner of Behrens Family Wines and Francoise Peschon, winemaker of VHR, Vine Hill Ranch and began their project with the 2000 vintage. Like most great projects, it began with the simple words "..wouldn't it be fun..." And that's exactly how they’ve approached their venture ever since.

Rutherford Wine Company

We visited many wineries during our stay in Napa and thought that this was one of the best tours for the money. The location was beautiful and if you have nice weather, pack a picnic and plan to eat your lunch in their picnic area. Its located in an olive grove high on the hillside. Bring a camera.

Artesa Vineyards & Winery

he winery sits ontop of a hill, right at the napa/sonoma carneros region border. The building, architecture, and scenery are simply breathetaking. If you arive early enough in the morning, you can take a tour, where they walk you around the production facility downstairs. The wines are pretty pricey, but they are pretty darn good. A lot of the wines are estate grown pinots and chards, but they do source some amazing Cabs from upper valley. They are a very busy winery, but they are very attentive to each customer.

Artwork by Wine Artist Agata Zaborowski – Agata Art Gallery

Lail Vineyards

Lail Vineyards traces its Napa Valley roots back five generations to the founding of Inglenook in 1879 by Captain Gustav Niebaum, great-granduncle of Robin Daniel Lail. The venture carries forward the stories and patina of over 130 years of winemaking into the 21st Century. Today, the Lail family continues the quest to produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc of extraordinary elegance and brilliance.

Peter Michael Winery

n 1982 Sir Peter Michael established the Peter Michael winery on a square mile of rocky volcanic ridges that form the western face of Mount St. Helena in Sonoma County. From the beginning, the wine growing philosophy was modeled on the French tradition infused with a few modern influences: One, the vineyard terroir would be the single most important feature. Two, the wines would be elegant rather than overstated. Three, there would be a hundred-year commitment to the development of a great estate. Given this commitment to the product, only a limited quantity will ever be made. The winery estate is a breath of fresh air, a place I LOVE to visit and a view worth the trip. You must be on their mailing list to enjoy a Tasting/Tour. Next time I have a tasting, I am hoping to try some of their Chardonnay.

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