Which Wine Tasting Rooms in Napa or Sonoma are either free, inexpensive, or provide the best value?

Thanks
Chris

I would recommend picking up the local brochures for coupons for free tasting. We got a really good one from the rental car agency. There aren't many places in Napa to taste for free these days which is probably a good thing as it weeds out those wanting a cheap drunk. The best stop for a free tasting is Sattui and there deli has great picnic items for an inexpensive lunch.

Searching for coupons is a good idea,
eating at V.Sattui may NOT be a good idea...

Read on from my local paper:

"A Little Something To Wash It Down
Thursday, February 17, 2005

By CHRIS SMITH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Maybe you, too, have heard of the beef in Napa Valley, the one in which a couple who lunched at the V. Sattui Winery's deli complained that they found
pieces of rat in their sandwiches."

"The owner of the St. Helena winery denounces the allegations as false and overblown, insisting that in fact the sandwiches contained only parts of field mice."

"In Dry Creek Valley, winemaker Rick Hutchinson of Amphora Winery heard the tale and promptly lauded Napa Valley for fearlessly seeking out new foods that might pair well with its wines."

R5

I just love the Sonoma wine road. http://www.wineroad.com/

We were up there twice, and the only one that charged to taste was Clos du Bois. Cost me $5, but I got a nice engraved wine glass for the price. Still in use -- love it.

I just got back yesterday and most of the wineries we went to in Napa charged between $5 and $15. The ones that cost more offer more tastes--usually 4 or more for $15. Every one of them let us share tastings so that cut the cost in half. We went to 10 wineries for less than $80 bucks over the weekend and definitely got our money's worth.

In Napa most of the wineries charge tasting fees of around $5-15, but they can also be less during the middle of the week at some of the more popular places.

Sonoma Valley tends to charge less than Napa, and many are free.

Sonoma County as Budman recomends is a great deal and offers an amazing amount of wineries with little tasting fees.

Certainly get a copy of Wine Country This Week when you arrive and check out the listings that show tastings fees hours etc..

You can also ask about applying the tasting fee to a bottle purchase, many wineries offer this and it kind of makes it feel like you are getting a deal on the wine. Not all will, but it doesn't hurt to ask.