Napa and Sonoma
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Napa and Sonoma - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Sort by:
42 Recommendations
{{numTotalPoiResults}} {{ (numTotalPoiResults===1)?'Recommendation':'Recommendations' }}
0 Recommendations
Loading...
-
1. Domaine Carneros
A visit to this majestic château is an opulent way to enjoy the Carneros District—especially in fine weather, when the vineyard views are spectacular. The château was modeled after an 18th-century French mansion owned by the Taittinger family. Carved into the hillside beneath the winery, the cellars produce sparkling wines reminiscent of those made by Taittinger, using only Los Carneros AVA grapes. Enjoy flights of sparkling wine or Pinot Noir with cheese and charcuterie plates, caviar, or smoked salmon. Tastings are by appointment only.
1240 Duhig Rd., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-257–0101Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $40 -
2. Fontanella Family Winery
Six miles from the downtown Napa whirl, husband-and-wife Jeff and Karen Fontanella's hillside spread seems a world apart. In addition to his formal studies, Jeff learned about wine making at three prestigious wineries before he and Karen, a lawyer, established their own operation on 81 south-facing Mt. Veeder acres. The couple braved an economic recession, an earthquake, and wildfires in the first decade but emerged tougher, if no less gracious to guests lucky enough to find themselves tasting Viognier, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon on the patio here. Tastings often end with a Zinfandel-based port-style wine. Weather permitting, the reserve tasting includes the opportunity to stroll the estate, whose views south to San Francisco and east to Atlas Peak are terrific.
1721 Partrick Rd., Napa, California, 94558, USA707-252–1017Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $65 -
3. Mayacamas Downtown
Cabernets from Mayacamas Vineyards placed second and fifth respectively on Wine Spectator magazine's 2019 and 2020 "Top 100" lists of the world's best wines, two accolades among many for this winery founded atop Mt. Veeder in 1889. One of Napa's leading viticulturists, Annie Favia farms the organic vineyards, elevation 2,000-plus feet, without irrigation; her husband, Andy Erickson, is the consulting winemaker. The grapes for the Chardonnay come from 40-year-old vines. Aged in mostly neutral (previously used) French oak barrels to accentuate mountain minerality, the wine is a Napa Valley marvel. The Cabernet Sauvignon ages for three years, spending part of the time in oak barrels more than a century old. Erin Martin, a Napa Valley resident with a hip international reputation, designed the light-filled storefront tasting space. Experiencing these magnificent wines downtown—white wines–only and red wines–only tastings possible—may entice you to visit the estate.
1256 1st St., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-294–1433Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $35, Closed Mon. and Tues. -
4. O'Brien Estate
Barb and Bart O'Brien live on and operate this 40-acre Oak Knoll District estate, where in good weather guests sip wines at an outdoor tasting area adjoining the vineyard producing the fruit for them. It's a singular setting to enjoy Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay wines that indeed merit the mid-90s (sometimes higher) scores they garner from critics. Club members snap up most of the bottlings, with the rest sold at intimate tastings (reservations are required; book well ahead). All visits include vineyard and winery tours and an account of Barb and Bart's inspiring path to winery ownership. The superb wines and genial hosts make a stop here the highlight of many a Wine Country vacation.
1200 Orchard Ave., Napa, California, 94558, USA707-252–8463Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $75 -
5. Oxbow Public Market
The 40,000-square-foot market's two dozen stands provide an introduction to Northern California's diverse artisanal food products. Swoon over decadent charcuterie at the Fatted Calf (great sandwiches, too), slurp oysters at Hog Island, or enjoy empanadas at El Porteño. Sample wine (and cheese) at the Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant, ales at Fieldwork Brewing's taproom (at 1046 McKinstry, near Fatted Calf), and barrel-aged cocktails at the Napa Valley Distillery. The owner of Kara's Cupcakes operates the adjacent Bar Lucia for (mostly) sparkling wines and rosés. Milestone Provisions is a combination butchery, restaurant (California country cuisine including sublime fried-chicken sandwiches), and creamery known for velvety ice cream. Among the few nonfood vendors here is Napa Bookmine, which also operates a larger store elsewhere downtown.
610 and 644 1st St., Napa, California, 94559, USA -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
-
6. Quixote Winery
Extravagance infuses this boutique Stags Leap District operation, most notably in its architecture but also in the Petite Sirahs and Cabernets. Founder Carl Doumani spent years wooing the Austria-born architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser, whose sensibility has been compared to Antoni Gaudí's, to design the winery and production facility. Per Hundertwasser's insistence on replicating natural forms, the sod-roofed structure, clad in red brick and colorful ceramic tiles and topped with a gold onion dome, has no straight lines. Philippe Melka became the consulting winemaker in 2016, his rich, velvety style a complement to the ebullient setting. Winery visits are by appointment only. The wine-and-food pairings here (book at least three days ahead) are exceptional.
6126 Silverado Trail, Napa, California, 94558, USA707-944–2659Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $80 -
7. Robert Biale Vineyards
Here's a surprise: a highly respected Napa Valley winery that doesn't sell a lick of Cabernet. Zinfandel from heritage vineyards, some with vines more than 100 years old, holds the spotlight, with luscious Petite Sirahs in supporting roles. Nearly every pour comes with a fascinating backstory, starting with the flagship Black Chicken Zinfandel. In the 1940s, the Biale family sold eggs, walnuts, and other farm staples, with bootleg Zinfandel a lucrative sideline. Because neighbors could eavesdrop on party-line phone conversations, "black chicken" became code for a jug of Zin. These days the wines are produced on the up-and-up, steps from the 10-acre property's tasting area. A stone's throw from Zinfandel vines, with far-off views of two mountain ranges, the open-air space has a back-porch feel. Visits are by appointment; call ahead for same-day.
4038 Big Ranch Rd., Napa, California, 94558, USA707-257–7555Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $50 -
8. Robert Craig Winery Tasting Salon
Based way up Howell Mountain but with meticulously farmed hillside sources on both sides of the valley, Robert Craig has established a loyal following for its textured, full-flavored Cabernet Sauvignons. Hosts pour the wines inside a refurbished 1890s downtown Napa Folk Victorian and on its front porch and redbrick patio. Tastings, by appointment but usually possible on short notice, often begin with a Sonoma County Chardonnay or, while it lasts, La Fleur Craig Grenache Rosé from Howell Mountain. One trait all the wines share is how well they age. The Zinfandel from Howell Mountain's Black Sears Vineyard does its varietal proud.
1553 2nd St., California, 94559, USA707-252–2250Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $35 -
9. Shafer Vineyards
Its Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon has long been one of the Napa Valley's most sought-after bottlings, and Shafer conducts small appointment-only tastings at a hospitality space with views of the rugged Stags Leap District incline where the prized wine's grapes grow. A Terrace View Tasting usually starts with the Red Shoulder Ranch Carneros Chardonnay, followed by TD-9 (a Cabernet Sauvignon–based Bordeaux blend), the One Point Five 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and Relentless (a Syrah–Petite Sirah blend), concluding with the 100% Cabernet Hillside Select. The Private Collectors Experience includes an older Hillside Select vintage. Expertly farmed and masterfully balanced, Shafer's collector-quality wines deserve the high praise they receive.
6154 Silverado Trail, Napa, California, 94558, USA707-944–2877Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $125, Closed Sun.–Tues. -
10. Trefethen Family Vineyards
Superior estate Chardonnay, dry Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and the Malbec-heavy Dragon's Tooth blend are the trademarks of this family-run winery founded in 1968. To find out how well Trefethen wines age, book a reserve tasting, which includes pours of limited-release wines and one or two older vintages. The terra-cotta-color historic winery on-site, built in 1886, was designed with a gravity-flow system, with the third story for crushing, the second for fermenting the resulting juice, and the first for aging. The wooden building suffered severe damage in the 2014 Napa earthquake, but after extensive renovations it reopened as the main tasting room. The early-1900s Arts and Crafts–style Villa, situated amid gardens, hosts reserve and elevated tastings. All visits require a reservation.
1160 Oak Knoll Ave., Napa, California, 94558, USA707-255–7700Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $50 -
11. Acumen Wine Gallery
Highly structured Cabernet Sauvignons from Atlas Peak grapes are the calling card of Acumen, which presents its wines in a combination tasting lounge and art gallery done up in glass, brass, copper, and reclaimed wood. Philip Titus, also the winemaker at the esteemed Chappellet Winery, has been making the affordable but well-crafted Mountainside tier and collector-quality Peak wines since 2020. Tastings at this downtown Napa salon require an appointment, though walk-ins are accommodated if possible, often the case if you're stopping by for a glass or bottle of sparkling or still wine.
1315 1st St., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-492–8336Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $20 glass, $50 flight -
12. Arch & Tower
While its Oakville winery undergoes renovations, a project expected to last until summer 2025, the Robert Mondavi Winery will pour its wines (along with a few other luxury brands) in downtown Napa's 1877 Borreo Building. Erected using stone quarried a few miles away in Soda Canyon, the two-story Italian Renaissance–style building has large windows and an outdoor terrace with views west to Main Street. A tireless promoter of the Napa Valley as California's preeminent winegrowing region, the late Robert Mondavi elevated Sauvignon Blanc by labeling his bottlings with the more exotic name Fumé Blanc and made Bordeaux-style reds of renown from To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville. Visits to taste these and other selections, many of them winery exclusives, require a reservation. At time of writing, there was no plan to keep the Borreo Building location open after the Oakville winery reopens in 2025.
930 3rd St., Napa, California, 94559, USA888-766–6328Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $65 -
13. Artesa Vineyards & Winery
From a distance the modern, minimalist architecture of Artesa blends harmoniously with the surrounding Carneros landscape, but up close its pools, fountains, and large outdoor sculptures make their own impression. As might be expected in this region, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from estate and sourced grapes predominate, but the winery also produces Albariño and sparkling wine, plus reds that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Tempranillo. By appointment you can sample them, sometimes paired with food, while enjoying views of estate and neighboring vineyards and, on a clear day, San Francisco.
1345 Henry Rd., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-224–1668Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $60 -
14. Ashes & Diamonds
Barbara Bestor's sleek white design for this appointment-only winery's glass-and-metal tasting space evokes mid-century modern architecture and with it the era and wines predating the Napa Valley's rise to prominence. Leading the wine-making team record producer Kashy Khaledi assembled are Steve Matthiasson, known for his restrained style and attention to viticultural detail, and Diana Snowden Seysses, who draws on experiences in Burgundy, Provence, and California. Bordeaux varietals are the focus, most notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc but also the white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon and even the rosé (of Cabernet Franc). With a label designer who was also responsible for a Jay-Z album cover and interiors that recall the Mad Men Palm Springs story arc, the pitch seems unabashedly intended to millennials, but the wines, low in alcohol and with high acidity (helpful with aging), enchant connoisseurs of all stripes.
4130 Howard La., Napa, California, 94558, USA707-666–4777Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $60 -
15. Bazán Cellars
In 1973, teenager Mario Bazán traveled north from Oaxaca, Mexico, intending to earn money to start a grocery business back home. Five decades later, he's still in the Napa Valley. After proving his mettle as a vineyard laborer and later foreman at Robert Mondavi, Opus One, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Mario opened his own management company, these days overseeing a few hundred acres of vines. With his wife Gloria, a former pediatric dentist from Michoacán who makes glass jewelry, he founded Bazán Cellars in 2005. The gregarious Gloria manages the expat couple's modest downtown Napa tasting room, where Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, and Pinot Noir set up the stars, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Reservations are a good idea on weekends.
1000 Main St., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-927–5564Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $14 glass, $55 flight -
16. Bouchaine Vineyards
Tranquil Bouchaine lies just north of San Pablo Bay's tidal sloughs—to appreciate the off-the-beaten-path setting, step onto the terrace of the semicircular hilltop tasting room and scan the skies for hawks and golden eagles soaring above the vineyards. The alternately breezy and foggy weather in this part of the Carneros works well for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These account for most of the wines, but also look for Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Riesling whites, along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Meunier, and Syrah. Some outdoor tastings take place on the terrace, others in the garden below it.
1075 Buchli Station Rd., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-252–9065Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $60 -
17. Brown Downtown Napa
In 1980, the parents of the current owners of the Napa Valley's first Black-owned estate winery purchased 450 acres east of St. Helena in Chiles Valley, planting a vineyard in 1985. A decade later the second generation—siblings Doreen and David Brown, later joined by sister Coral—established the family's label. The estate Zinfandels and Cabernet Sauvignon, made by David, are perennial winners for their bold elegance, with another star the punchy, accessible Chaos Theory blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a grape or two more. The Browns pour their wines in a high-ceilinged loftlike salon—exposed red brick and steel beams, tall arched windows, and teal walls—on the second floor of a 1905 downtown Napa structure that for its first six decades housed the Napa Valley Register newspaper. Reservations are required.
1005 Coombs St., Napa, California, 94559, USA1-707-963–2435Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $50, Closed Sun. and Mon. -
18. Chateau Buena Vista
A palette of pink, lavender, teal, and gold, a blingy crystal chandelier, and a generous dose of leopard print and multicolor feathers buoy the atmosphere at the Napa outpost of the Wine Country's oldest winery, established in Sonoma in 1857. In this dapper setting, with Sinatra, Bublé, Fitzgerald, and other crooners and chanteuses on the playlist, you can sip sparkling wine by the glass or bottle, and Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon by the glass, bottle, or flight. Two experiences worth considering are a pairing of Cabernets with gourmet chocolates and another of sparkling wine with caviar. Walk-ins are usually welcome, though it's best to make a reservation for the tastings involving food.
1142 1st St., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-703–5677Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $20 glass, $40 flight -
19. CIA at Copia
Food fanatics and the merely curious achieve gastronomical bliss at the Culinary Institute of America's Oxbow District campus, its facade brightened by a wraparound mural inspired by the colorful garden that fronts the facility. You could easily spend a few hours checking out the wine and culinary options; visiting the well-curated shop, theme exhibitions, and Vintners Hall of Fame wall; or attending (book ahead) classes and demonstrations. Head upstairs to the Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum. Named for the Williams-Sonoma kitchenwares founder, it holds a fascinating collection of cooking, baking, and other food-related tools, tableware, gizmos, and gadgets, some dating back more than a century.
500 1st St., Napa, California, 94559, USA707-967–2500Sight Details
Rate Includes: Facility/museum free, class/demo fees vary -
20. Clos du Val
Searching in the early 1970s for the best non-European site to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, this French-owned outfit's founding winemaker selected land now called Hirondelle Vineyard. He chose well: Clos du Val (in French, "small vineyard of a small valley") built its reputation on its intense estate Cabernet, made with the Stags Leap District vineyard's fruit. Grapes for the much-praised Bordeaux-style red blend also come from Hirondelle, the French word for "swallow," a bird species prevalent here. Guests sample these wines plus Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and sometimes others in a glass-fronted vineyard's-edge hospitality center (reservations required, same-day visits possible). In good weather, hosts retract the windows, unifying the tasting room, its flashy interiors by St. Helena–based designer Erin Martin, and the adjoining patio.
5330 Silverado Trail, Napa, California, 94558, USA707-261–5212Sight Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from $40 weekdays, $75 weekends
-
{{ (numCurrentPage-1)*numPageLimit+index+1 }}.
{{ item.neighborhood }} | {{ item.first_keyword }}{{ item.review }}
{{ item.address }}{{ item.phone[0] }}{{ item.details.title }} Details
{{ item.details.content.toString() }}View Tours and Activities -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
No sights Results
Please try a broader search, or expore these popular suggestions:
There are no results for {{ strDestName }} Sights in the searched map area with the above filters. Please try a different area on the map, or broaden your search with these popular suggestions:
