Top Five Wineries in CA Wine Country??
 

Please name your top five favorite wineries in the Napa/Sonoma/Healdsburg area. You can include short reasons why if you like. I've never been before and I'm trying to narrow down the list!

Thanks,
WF

Rafanelli for red

La Crema for white

Iron Horse for champagne

Ferrari-Carano for beautiful Italian villa and, recently, good fume blanc

And, hummm, only five? we're allowed ONLY five??? :)

La Crema also has some nice Pinots and Syrahs.

In Healdsburg, Davis Family & Sapphire Hill (right across the street from each other) have really nice Pinot Noirs.

Pezzi King (I believe) just recently moved their tasting room to downtown Healdsburg. Their 2000 Zins were exceptional.

I agree with A. Rafanelli - both Zins & Cabs.

There's five that come to mind and are releative in close proximity with the exception of La Crema. A. Rafanelli is about 15 minutes away on West Dry Creek Road. You gotta make an appointment to visit them. Well worth it in my opinion. ((b))

Cakebread.

V. Sattui- not so much for the wines, which are good, but not exceptional, but they have a deli which is great and includes free tastings of cheeses and (depending on the day) pate. You can buy food and wine and have a picnic on their lawn.

If you like champagne, there are a couple I recommend. Domaine Chandon is a beautiful winery with good champagne. There is also one which used to be called S. Anderson (ask around, the locals will know what it's called now) where you can tour the caves. Very good champagne, too.

On the Silverado Trail is a hole in the wall with very good wines, Dutch Henry.

Back to food, close to Healdsburg is J Winery which serves good wines and gourmet appetizers (not free) with the wine tasting. They have a room where you can sit and do that, but if they're full or you want to save money, you can have the appetizers served at the bar.

Have a great time. I live about 30 mintues from Napa and love to go up there to taste. There are many good ones; it's hard to go wrong.

Ah yes, the delicious Field Mouse
sandwhich from V.Sattui-think I would pass on this place wingfoot, they were
having kitchen "problems" prior to
the lady who found rodent in her sandwhich-ick!

As for favorite wineries, I discover a new one every couple of weeks, ah the joys of living here!
Near Healdsburg I adore <b>Nalle</b> for zin! Doug Nalle and his family are a load of fun and they are so not pretentious about wine.
<b>Roshambo</b> is another fun group-their
building is very hip and modern-tasting their is fun.
Everything at <b>Gary Farrell</b> is good.
Down by Sonoma town, seek out <b>KAZ</b>
One of the smallest boutique wineries,
they do some VG blends.

In Napa county my favorites are
<b>Robert Sinskey</b> for pinot and cab, <b>Duckhorn</b> if they are not pouring Paraduxx, buy a bottle. You will find these on the less traveled
Silverado Trail which paralells
the very busy Hwy. 29.

Do enjoy your first visit!
R5

Hess in Sonoma - after all, unless you're really, really into wine - it's kind of the same thing over and over again. Hess has a wonderful art collection you can peruse as you sip your selection. It definitely breaks things up a bit.

Here's my list:

1. Domaine Chandon in Yountville
2. Ledson in Sonoma
3. Chateau Souverain in the Healdsburg area (actually Geyserville)
4. Imagery in Sonoma for their Viognier
5. Freemark Abbey in St. Helena Cheers! ***kim*** ((l))

Sterling, Domaine Chandon, Chateau St. Jean, Carmenet, Beaulieu

I like (in no particular order):

Shafer (tour not so great, though)
Schramsberg
St. Clements
Opus (neat spaceship looking building)
Joseph Phelps

You didn't specify if you wanted the wineries with the best tours, or best wines.

1. Mondavi for best tour
2. Sterling for best view
3. Coppola for best gift shop, movie momentos, building, etc
4. Silver Oak for best wine
5. Lambert Bridge for best picnic area (many others in Somona Valley are excellent also - not so many in Napa)
6. Domaine Chandon for sparkling wine &amp; nice setting
7. Ferrari Carano for best garden
8. Berrenger for best building

Stu Dudley