Fodor's Expert Review Nichelini Family Winery

A scenic drive east of the Silverado Trail slips past Lake Hennessey to Nichelini, which bills itself as Napa County's oldest continuously family-owned and operated winery. Erected in the late 1800s by Anton Nichelini, an Italian-Swiss immigrant, the old winery structures he built still cling to a steep embankment where the road skirts a cliff. Anton's great-great-granddaughter Aimée Sunseri makes whites that include sparkling wine and barrel-fermented 100% Semillon. The latter wine, Caterina, is named after Anton's wife. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Bordeaux-style blends are the primary reds. At tastings, hosts recount how the Nichelinis adapted to the Napa Valley's evolution since their winery's bonding in 1890.