he Lucchesi family origins lie in Provincia Di Lucca, Toscana, and we are the direct descendents from the civilizations of the Etruscans, the native culture of northwestern/central Italy, and first civilization of Italy and the Romans.I remember their Barbera from last fall being excellent, but when I went in last they only offered the "general, grow everywhere" wines, such as Merlot, Carbernet and Syrah. In my opinion the more exotic grapes do better in Nevada County and have a more unique taste.

This is an appointment only winery, and it has a quiet, more laid back feel than other places in Napa. The tasting room is really cute, with artwork and photography lining the walls. The wine maker's son, Julius even sells some of his beautiful photos at the winery.

Our server was the wine maker's daughter, Sam, and she was great. We tried several different wines, including a Chardonnay, Malbec, and my personal favorite, the Cab-Franc. Everything was super well done. The Chardonnay was sweet, and not overly buttery, the cab-franc was smooth and the Malbec full of flavor. Sam was even kind enough to let us try one of their Napa Jazz wines. Very good, with a fancifully designed label.

The best part? The wines are moderately priced. Most bottles cost around $30-40.

The scenic rolling hills of grapevines, and large, earthy smelling wine cellars are great for photo opportunities. When we visited, the vineyard was in bloom with wild flowers. Super pretty.

If you're in the Valley looking for great wines and an affordable price and gorgeous vistas without all the crowd, definitely give this place a try.

Established in 1982, Saddleback Cellars is a small winery located in Oakville, in the heart of the Napa Valley. 14.8 total acres are planted to 8.4 acres Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.9 acres Chardonnay, 1.75 acres Merlot, 1.1 acres Pinot Blanc, 0.3 acres Pinot Grigio and 0.3 acres Zinfandel.

Great wine, amazing staff and wonderful venue. I highly recommend you visit Stryker Sonoma winery. Beautiful views from the property and from inside the north-facing tasting room, which is enclosed by large windows. Friendly, knowledgeable staff, they are not pushy but are very generous.