575 Best Sights in USA

The sloping roof of this winery's tasting room and production facility mimics the gently rolling, limestone-laden landscape it occupies. The respect for the terrain that the architecture exhibits repeats itself in the farming and cellar techniques used to create Denner's mostly Rhône-style wines, which—along with Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignons, and a few other reds—routinely receive mid-90s scores from major critics. Appointment-only tastings indoors or out take advantage of hilltop views of Willow Creek District trees, vines, and pastures.

This winery produces Pinot Noir from grapes grown on-site, as well as wines made from local apples, blueberries, and other fruit.

This Italian-Argentine wine-making family with a 30-acre property at the Temecula Valley's northeastern edge takes a passionate and quirky approach. Winemaker Damian Doffo and his father, Marcelo, play music for their vines, whose grapes go into small-lot wines, among them a rich Syrah and the signature Malbec, from estate grapes. Tastings of these and other wines take place inside a refurbished garage. The family's racing and vintage motorcycles, which guests can view on free self-guided walking tours, are displayed in an open-air showroom nearby.

Launched in 2021 as a partnership between Jean-Nicolas Méo—whose family has been involved in Burgundy's wine industry for centuries—and music-executive-turned-winemaker Jay Boberg, this Dundee Hills venture brings traditional Burgundian wine-making techniques to Oregon soil. The tasting room is casual and homey, with a few nods to Boberg’s musical background (including a record player and curated playlists), and guests are invited to step out onto a viewing platform inspired by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium to watch the wine-making process in action. There’s also a massive deck that’s great for sunny-day tastings. Tastings are kept intimate and limited to two parties at a time, and cheese plates are provided at no extra cost. 

The maverick wineries sharing this exposed-brick tasting space a few storefronts south of Sonoma Plaza produce reasonably priced low-intervention wines and ciders. Northern California vineyards and orchards farmed sustainably or regeneratively supply most of the fruit. An intentionally communal spot to learn about the natural wine movement that eschews commercial fermentation and aging techniques, it feels more coffee shop than wine bar, so much so that you’re apt to find a local tapping away on a laptop at one of the well-spaced wooden tables.

Loire-style Sauvignon Blanc marketed as Fumé Blanc brought instant success to the Dry Creek Valley's first new winery since Prohibition, but this stalwart established in 1972 also does well with wines from Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. Founder David Stare's other contributions include leading the drive to develop the Dry Creek Valley appellation and coining the term "old-vine Zinfandel." The winery's history and wine-making evolution are among the topics addressed at tastings—outdoors under the shade of a magnolia and several redwoods or in the nautical-themed tasting room.

Founded by doctors Stan and Lisa Duchman, this bucolic vineyard features Italian-inspired gardens, a central villa, and grapes like the deep-purple Sangiovese and tart Dolcetto sourced mainly from the Texas High Plains AVA. Sample the award-winning Vermentino white while you stroll the gorgeous grounds. Homemade pizzas and seasonal bites are available at the restaurant, Thursday through Sunday.

Merlot's moment in the sun may have passed, but you wouldn't know it at Duckhorn, whose wines from this grape routinely score well. The Portfolio Tasting, a solid introduction to the label, might begin with a Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay before moving on to Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and a Cabernet Sauvignon or two. The elevated Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting explores the differences between vineyard sites. Sometime in 2026, this location will close for renovations, with hospitality moving to an affiliated space in Yountville. When the St. Helena facility reopens in 2027, both tasting rooms will host experiences.

Midwesterner Debra Mathy's farmhouse-style hospitality space is magazine pretty, but the overall feel is welcoming, with walk-in bar tastings usually possible and picnicking encouraged at tables facing the 35-acre property's Chardonnay vines. Mathy and winemaker Nick Briggs pride themselves on the winery's high-quality grape sources—four estate vineyards plus stars like Chenoweth for Chardonnay, Bacigalupi for Chardonnay and Zinfandel, and Bucher for Pinot Noir. Among other wines, Briggs makes Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs, and seven other Zinfandels from equally fine fruit.

Stop here to join a tour (reservations essential) of the huge wine caves beneath the vineyards and to participate in various types of seated tastings. Eberle produces wines from Bordeaux, Rhône, and Italian varietals and makes intriguing blends including Côte-du-Rôbles Blanc and Rouge and Cabernet Sauvignon–Syrah.

Southwest of downtown Medford amid a bucolic patch of fruit orchards, this winery and tasting room adjoins a stately 19th-century white-clapboard farmhouse surrounded by flower beds and vegetable gardens. Inside the tasting room you can sample and buy EdenVale's noted reds, a late-harvest dessert Viognier, and a first-rate cider produced with estate-grown pears.

This winery's owner envisioned his sleek hospitality space as "a country club" for experiencing wines by the glass or flight, with or without the charcuterie and cheese sold on-site (tapas on Friday and weekends). The tasting room and adjoining patio edge the 32-acre estate vineyard, which you can hike. Winemaker Scott Johnson's red blends and Cabernets stand out, as does the unconventional, canned, dry-hopped Viognier sparkler (Johnson also brews beer).

Although its neighbors Inglenook and Beaulieu are far older, this winery claims a slice of Rutherford history: guests enter the verdant courtyard tasting area via the town’s 1872 redbrick former post office. Geographical and varietal diversity is a primary goal, with grapes from Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino going into reds that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. Viognier often stands out among the several whites.

Founded in 1974 by Pat and Joe Campbell, this established winery covers 600 acres on four separate vineyard sites. The tasting room is set in the beautiful rolling hills at the foot of the coast range overlooking the vines. The focus is on Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Blanc. Be sure to also try the limited bottling of their Pinot Noir Rosé if they're pouring it.

The perks of staying at the Four Seasons Napa Valley include the resort's on-site winery and 4.7 acres of vines, but the classy-rustic hospitality center also welcomes nonguests. One goal of consulting winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown is to bring more attention to the Calistoga AVA’s virtues, particularly the appellation's volcanic soils. The supple reds on-site winemaker Jonathan Walden creates from them—the Cabernet Franc from Kenefick Ranch next door and a few single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons among them—prove this mission worthwhile. A talented upvalley chef oversees the wine-and-food pairings. 

Old-timers recall the superb apples grown at 115-acre Hallberg Ranch, since 2000 an elite Pinot Noir vineyard. Winery founder Brice Jones coveted this land for its temperate climate and layer of Goldridge sandy loam soil atop a bed of Sebastopol clay loam. Along with dry-farming (no irrigation), this soil combination forces vine roots to work hard to obtain water, yielding berries concentrated with flavor. Less than 10 miles from Hallberg, the winery farms the 30-acre estate Pinot Hill Vineyard, whose wines are often denser and more complex. Hosts at the ranch's contemporary tasting room pour Pinots, a Pinot Noir Blanc, and a Pinot rosé, retracting its floor-to-ceiling windows in good weather to create an extended open-air space steps from the vines.

Chris Walsh, a former sommelier, crafts taut natural wines, among them Pinot Gris, Zinfandel, and Primitivo. Walsh presents them three days a week at a combination tasting room, restaurant, and gallery with seating indoors and out. Some fans drive for miles for the house burger.

You're apt to see or hear hawks, Canada geese, and other wildlife on the grounds of Etude, known for sophisticated Pinot Noirs. Although the winery and its light-filled tasting room are in Napa County, the grapes for its flagship Carneros Estate Pinot Noir come from the Sonoma portion of Los Carneros, as do those for the rarer Heirloom Carneros Pinot Noir. The wine-making team also excels at single-vineyard Napa Valley Cabernets. In good weather, hosts pour the reds, plus Chardonnays and sometimes Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris, on the patio outside the wood-and-glass tasting room. 

When David Lett planted the first Pinot Noir vines in the Willamette Valley in 1965, he was setting in motion a series of events that caused Willamette Valley Pinot Noir to be recognized as among the best in the world. Affectionately known as Papa Pinot, Lett, along with several other pioneering winemakers, nurtured the Oregon wine industry to what it is today. Today, David's son Jason Lett is now the winemaker and vineyard manager, and continues to make Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay that reflect the gentle touch that has always characterized Eyrie wines. In recent years, many small wineries have sprung up in the neighborhood around this historic winery.

In 1975, Susan and Ed Auler planted a test plot of grapes in a corner of their ranch. It quickly grew from ¼ acre to 7½ acres, and is now the oldest winery in the Hill Country. They source Texas-grown grapes from their two estate vineyards as well as a handful of other vineyards, each with its own distinct terroir. On your visit, taste the fruits of their labor in highly rated ExTERRA single-vineyard labels. Two guest rooms are available for overnight stays.

Hamden McIntyre, a prominent architect of his era responsible for Inglenook and other 19th-century wineries, designed the centerpiece 1885 stone winery here. Abandoned in the wake of Prohibition and only revived beginning in 1979, Far Niente now ranks as one of the Napa Valley's most beautiful properties. Guests booking a private tasting learn some of this history while sipping Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, a Pinot Noir from the affiliated EnRoute label, and Dolce, a late-harvest white dessert wine. Another session takes in the winery and its aging caves, while the Cave Collection library tasting pairs older vintages with seasonal bites. Nearly 200 ginkgo trees lining the driveway glow a vibrant yellow in fall.

An architect's spirited redesign of an 1876 Victorian—brooding exterior and heavy ground-floor hues contrasting with bright, open, and airy upstairs spaces—mimics the dark-and-light themes of Germany's Faust legend. Up a terraced hill from Highway 29, Faust Haus serves as a showcase for estate Coombsville AVA wines like The Pact (as in Faust's pact with the devil), a balanced, fruit-forward Cabernet Sauvignon critics love for its complexity. Tastings, some including wine-friendly food, unfold inside the house or on exterior terraces, one of which looks east to Howell Mountain.

Known for its grand Italian villa and manicured gardens, this winery produces Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Sauvignons, and several other wines. Although whites have traditionally been the specialty, the reds—particularly the Bordeaux-style blend called Trésor—also garner attention, and some guests come just for the dessert wines. The villa's terrace and sycamore grove host many tastings.

A boutique winery with stylish coastal decor, Fletcher Bay focuses on Bordeaux grapes along with Tempranillo and Sangiovese sourced from Washington State's Yakima and Walla Walla valleys. The casual, dog-friendly winery, set in the Coppertop Business Park, has a kids’ play area, an enclosed patio with a fireplace and heat lamps, and live music every Wednesday evening. There's also a tasting room right in town ( 500 Winslow Way E) and a rooftop wine garden above it, with live music Sunday evenings.

Sonoma County’s only female Black-owned winery occupies a 30-acre east-facing slope, formerly an apple orchard, above the verdant Laguna de Santa Rosa. Proprietor Rosalind Manoogian and her French-born winemaker, Jérôme Chéry, produce food-friendly Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and a Pinot Noir rosé. In good weather, nearly everyone takes to the patio to drink in the vineyard and Russian River Valley views. Musicians, usually smooth jazz, perform on some summer weekends. From Monday to Thursday, the winery requires reservations made at least a day ahead; they're recommended on weekends, though walk-ins are accepted when possible.

Highway 1 twists north past rocky cliffs to this ridge-top winery. Many experts deemed the weather this far west too chilly even for cool-climate varietals, but Fort Ross Vineyard and other Fort Ross–Seaview AVA wineries proved that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir could thrive above the fog line. The sea air and rocky soils here produce wines generally less fruit-forward than their Russian River Valley counterparts but no less vibrant. With its barnlike tasting room and outdoor patio overlooking the Pacific, Fort Ross provides an appealing introduction to its region's wines. It’s best to make an appointment; call before 11 am for same-day visits.

The famous film director sold his namesake winery, but the hospitality complex he once called his "wine wonderland" still contains memorabilia from his movies and those of other Coppola family members. A bandstand reminiscent of one in The Godfather Part II is the centerpiece of a large pool area, where in season you can rent a cabine (changing room with shower) and bask poolside, perhaps ordering food from the adjacent café. The more elaborate Rustic restaurant overlooks the vineyards. Walk-ins are welcome to view the movie exhibits and sip a few of the winery's 40-plus wines at the bar, but reservations are recommended for seated experiences.

Former Disney film and television executive Rich Frank founded his namesake winery in 1992, but the wine-making history here dates to the 19th century—portions of an original 1884 structure, reclad in stone in 1906, remain standing today. Frank Family makes sparkling wines, as did Hanns Kornell on this site for nearly four decades. The high-profile wines, though, are the Carneros Chardonnay and several Cabernet Sauvignons, particularly the RHF and Winston Hill blends. Tastings, some held in the glass-walled vineyard's-edge Miller House hospitality barn, are sit-down affairs.

Located right on the main highway between Portland and wine country, Fratelli Ponzi Fine Food and Wine Bar offers the opportunity to sample wines from both the Ponzi Winery and small local producers without straying far from the beaten path. It's a good place to stop to sample current releases of Ponzi wines and locally produced wines by the glass.

This 57-acre vineyard and winery offers picturesque mountain views from its deck as well as a dramatic dining room. Since 2010, Frogtown wines have won more than 200 medals. Winemakers Craig and Sydney Kritzer believe it is one of the most awarded wineries in the country not located in California. Wine tastings are offered Wednesdays through Sundays. Lunch is available Thursday to Sunday in their Italian bistro-café. Reservations are recommended.