Visiting Napa Valley

How to Get There:

Unless you have access to a private plane, fly into Sacramento or San Francisco and drive to Napa. Unless you really want to see San Francisco, I think the drive from Sacramento is faster (no traffic) than the drive from San Francisco.

What to Pack:

Everyone is dressed fairly casual in Napa. If it’s warm, shorts or casual dresses are appropriate. If it’s cool, blue jeans with a shirt or sweater. Wear comfortable shoes or sandals for the tours, the wineries have a lot of uneven surfaces and steps. (The winery staff get a laugh out of the women who show up to “the farm” in heels.) Bring a sweater or jacket for the cool wine cellars and dinner. I suggest bringing a pair of yoga pants and a jacket for early morning walks, biking or hot air balloon rides. 

Transportation:

If you have a large group or know you will be drinking (not just tasting) there are several private transportation companies as well as Uber and Lyft in Napa. Even if you’re not driving, start with your farthest winery at the beginning of the day and work your way back throughout the day. 

Places to Stay:

I would suggest staying in Yountville or St. Helena. Both are centrally located quaint towns with many restaurants and tasting rooms. You’ll still have to drive to the wineries for tours, but you could easily walk to tasting rooms and dinner every night in either town. Look at hotels, VRBO and Airbnb for places to stay. Pricing fluctuates a lot depending on the season and local events. 

Winery Tastings and Tours (The reason you’re going to Napa!):

Make a reservation, even at places that don’t require it. You will have a more personalized and pleasant experience if you make an appointment. Most wineries and tasting rooms offer elevated tastings so do a little research for the best possible experience.

Make an appointment for one winery in the morning, most open around 10:00 AM, stop for lunch and then plan to do one or two more winery tastings in the afternoon. Most wineries close between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM (with the final tour scheduled for 3:00 PM) while tasting rooms will be open as late as 7:00 PM. Rank the vineyards you want to go to and book your tops ones first, then fill in the rest of your time with your second and third choices.

Many vineyards use an online website called CellarPass for their tours and tastings. Set up a log-in the first time you book a tasting to save you time with additional bookings. Also, you can easily access, change or cancel any reservations on CellarPass.

There are hundreds of wineries in Napa so talk to your friends and research online before scheduling. If there are Napa wines you like, check their tour / tasting information online. You’re more likely to join the wine club if you already know you like their wine. Wine club members usually get a Club Member discount on purchases and access to exclusive wines that are not distributed through retailers, as well as invitations to private events.

Here are a few of the wineries I have visited or that were recommended to me. (click on any light blue words below to go directly to the associated website)

The Wine Train We took the wine train from Napa up to St. Helena the first time we visited Napa. If you’ve never been to Napa, this is a great thing to do on your first day to get a feel for the layout of the valley. Both Castello di Amorosa (The Castle) and Grgich Hills below can be combined with your wine train experience for a full or half day adventure.

Castello di Amorosa The mason work and details at the castle are amazing! There are a lot of events and concerts at the castle so check the website to see if anything is scheduled while you’re in town.

Grgich Hills Estate Mike Grgich first gained international recognition at the celebrated “Paris Tasting” of 1976 when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was selected as the finest white wine in the world.

Duckhorn Winery Estate Tasting We really enjoy the Estate Tasting. It’s a little more expensive but you are tasting the top Duckhorn wines in a private room with a different glass for each wine so they have time to breathe, plus they have a delicious cheese pairing for each wine.

Stags’ Leap Winery and Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars There are two wineries named Stags Leap located in the Stags Leap District. The difference is the placement of the apostrophe. If you like a Stags Leap wine, make sure you’re going to the correct winery. Both have great wines, but Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars had the Cabernet that beat the French Cabernet in Bottle Shock and their wines are quite a bit more expensive than Stags’ Leap Winery.  

Quintessa I strongly suggest the Quintessential Experience tasting. The wine is amazing, and the views from the pavilion are stunning. 

Domaine Chandon This winery doesn’t offer tours but has a beautiful patio and gardens where you can taste your wine with light snacks. The nice thing about this winery is there are no set times (unless you have more than ten people in your group) which means this is a nice add-on tasting after you’ve booked your other tours and tastings. Side note: Domain Chandon makes one of my favorite sparkling wines: étoile Rosé.

Schramsberg Winery If you like sparkling wines, I’ve heard this is a great place to visit.

Odette This is just a tasting, not a tour; it will take about 30 minutes. There are three different tastings to choose from. We purchased a case of their Adaptation Cabernet.

Jessup Cellars Highly recommended. This is just a tasting room in Yountville, but they offer many levels of tastings – some with food pairings.

Shafer I heard this is a great vineyard to visit.

Lindstrom Wines This is a small vineyard recommended by a Napa resident during one of our stays.

Where to Eat: (make your dinner reservations in advance, many restaurants use OpenTable)

Thomas Keller has several restaurants in Napa. The most famous is the French Laundry, but if you can’t get in there or aren’t interested in a really fancy meal, try Ad Hoc and Bouchon Bakery. Bouchon has great pastries and amazing macarons. The line is down the block for the fresh pastries in the mornings, but it goes fast and it’s worth the wait.

The Chef’s Table at Farmstead Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena. This is a delicious four course meal with wine pairings, they accommodate all dietary restrictions with advance notice. If you eat at the chef’s table, they have wine pairings for each course and continually top off your glass, so make sure you have a driver. I’m sure the food in the restaurant is great as well and the restaurant often has live music.

Archetype in St. Helena has wonderful food and cocktails. We had Sunday brunch here.

Bistro & Bar at Auberge du Soleil Have lunch or dinner on the patio of the Bistro & Bar. This is a popular sunset destination and they don’t take reservations, so make sure you get there well before sunset to see the beautiful colors over the valley.

Farm at Carneros Inn Located at an amazing resort. The dinner was delicious, and the desserts were very unique. It’s Southwest of Napa so if you stay in St. Helena, it might not be worth the drive.

Bottega A classic Napa restaurant owned by Chef Michael Chiarello. If you go here, try to go early and walk around Yountville. There are many shops and tasting rooms in Yountville so you could easily spend an afternoon here; then finish with dinner at Bottega.

RH A beautiful indoor / outdoor restaurant with 100-year-old olive trees inside the Restoration Hardware store. A great place for brunch or lunch. Insider Note: You can request Mimosas for the table by the bottle instead of the glass.

Bistro Don Giovanni A nice Italian restaurant. Request a table outside. 

Gott’s Roadside in St Helena Stop here for a delicious burger and beer between wine tastings. The shakes are amazing if you want something sweet and cold. Don’t miss the daily specials listed by the register. This is a Napa Institution and it gets busy so try to arrive a few minutes before Noon. 

The Grill at Meadowood Also check out The Restaurant Bar. This restaurant is at another amazing resort.

Morimoto Napa If you like Chef Morimoto, don’t miss the opportunity to eat at his restaurant. Finish with the signature dessert: Fiery Salty Caramel Chocolate Tart and have your camera set to video.

Oxbow Public Market in Napa is a cute indoor market with several restaurants, a little grocery and a few shops. A fun place to browse through and purchase some snacks or souvenirs and/or have a casual dinner.

Helpful Napa Valley websites:

Napa Valley Michelin Rated Restaurants This site lists all of the restaurants who earned Michelin Stars, Bib Gourmand or L’assiette ratings.

Visit Napa Valley This site has hotels, restaurants, wineries, things to do, maps, and more.

Napa Valley This site has a little more detail about each of the Napa Valley towns, experiences you can book, suggested itineraries, etc.

Napa Valley Vinters This site has history and information about Napa Valley as well as details about all of the local vineyards and wineries.

Wine Tasting Tips:

Wine tasting can seem overwhelming if you have never been before. Here are some tips on how to be best prepared to have your best day wine tasting. 

Eat Breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that is especially true when you are wine tasting.

Don’t wear perfume: A huge part of wine tasting is smell. It is important that nothing interferes with your sense of smell while you are wine tasting.

Bring lots of water: It is really important to drink water throughout the day. Wine tasting can be dehydrating, especially in the warmer months. You will feel much better if you drink water before and during your tasting.

Turn off your cell phone: Once you have taken a picture of the vines and the tasting room turn off your cell phone and really enjoy your experience.

Taste, don’t drink: When you are tasting wine do not be afraid to use the dump bucket. The dump bucket is there for you to use when you are ready to move on to the next wine. Only finish the wines you really love. Your host will not be offended if you dump your wine! 

Wine is just fermented grape juice: Do not feel intimidated by any wine experts in your group. A true wine lover will enjoy teaching and listening to someone who is new to wine tasting. However, wine snobs are insufferable and should be avoided at all costs.

Everyone’s palate is different: Don’t feel pressured to like a wine because it’s highly rated or has won awards. However, give each wine three sips to really taste the wine before dumping.

Don’t be afraid to ask a question: There are no stupid questions. Tasting hosts are trained to answer all kinds of questions about wine and are there to teach you. You will have the best experience if you show your host that you are interested in the wine, process and history.

Tip for a good experience: If you receive excellent service or a special experience a small tip is always appreciated.

Buy wine to take home: A lot of the wines you will try will be “winery exclusive” which means that you will only be able to taste them and buy them there. There are lots of ways to get your wine home so don’t let that stop you from taking home what you like. If you like something buy it!

Watch the movie Bottle Shock before you go to Napa Valley. You’ll hear it mentioned at least once while you’re there.