Just wondering which is the best wine tour company to go with while in SF. I know of Tower Tours and Gray Tours......does anyone have a better suggestion? Not particular on which area we go to but would like to get a good idea of how wines are made and to go to a few good tastings.. thanks in advance.

Tour if you must but it's not necessary to pay someone else to lead you around in Napa IMO.
The wineries stretch out for miles and you can walk into most and taste as you please. Tours of the larger wineries run frequently. The popular ones can require reservations, but there's often extra space. It's all quite relaxed and easygoing.
Personally I think part of the fun is just selecting some wineries and heading off at your own pace.
Have you been there before, curious?

Suggest you do some research into what types of wines you enjoy and then rent a car and tour on your own. The tours are too limiting and it's easy to drive for yourself. Rental cars are easily available in SF if that's where you are staying.

Hi!

There is no need to take a tour. Get a good map and look for the wines/wineries you like - mark them off as you go down the road. That way you go at your own pace and if you get to a place you don't like - move on.

I did a self-tour earlier this year - loved the personal tour I rec'd at Cline Vineyards in Sonoma and also the tour given by Gloria Ferra Champagne Vineyard(sp?).

Another tip. We flew into Sacramento to avoid the Bay area traffic and got cheaper air fares to boot. (And a $19 a day midsize rental car from National).

We loved the Frog's Leap wine tour. Just call ahead and they'll plug you in.

We went to Napa in May and debated the tour option. We opted to meander on our own and highly recommend it. The goal is not necessarily to see as many as possible but to pick a few quality ones and spend your time there. We got the best tour at Stag's Leap- very informative and great wine (free,too!)afterwards in a small group setting. I felt like we were on a private tour. We also liked walking the grounds and gift shop at the Francis Ford Coppola winery, though a little commercial.
If you did want to do the tour option, there are a couple of neat bike tours with back-up van support for when things get messy after the second vineyard!