575 Best Sights in USA

The easygoing tastings at this down-home family farm take place in or just outside a small redwood-beamed structure. Porter Creek makes notably good wines, some from estate biodynamically grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Its vineyards climb up steep hillsides of volcanic soil that is said to impart a slight mineral note to the Chardonnays; cover crops planted between the vines provide erosion control in addition to nutrients. Winemaker Alex Davis also makes two wines from old-vine grapes, Carignane from Mendocino County and Zinfandel from Sonoma County, and his lineup includes Viognier and Syrah.

"If door is locked, ring bell," reads a sign outside the weathered-redwood tasting shack at this family-run winery known for red, white, and tawny Ports. The sign, the bell, and the thousands of dollar bills tacked to the walls and ceilings inside are your first indications that you're drifting back in time with the old-school Pragers, who have been making regular and fortified wines in St. Helena since 1979. In addition to Ports, the winery produces a late-harvest Riesling dessert wine. Some tastings take place in a garden outside the tasting room or on the crush pad.

The long driveway at homespun Preston, flanked by vineyards and punctuated by the occasional olive tree, winds down to farmhouses encircling a large, shady yard. Year-round, a small shop near the tasting room sells olive oil, organic produce, homemade sourdough bread, and other items grown or made on-site. Only estate organic grapes—Sauvignon Blanc, Barbera, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Viognier, Zinfandel, and several others—go into the wines here. Tastings and tables for bring-your-own picnics on the lawn require a reservation. Call ahead for same-day visits.

A wildly original local designer conceived the industrial-chic interiors for The Prisoner red blend’s tasting room. "Getting the varietals to play together" is senior director of wine making Chrissy Wittmann's mission with that wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Petite Sirah in a recent vintage). The aim's the same with siblings like the Blindfold Blanc de Noir—mostly white Pinot Noir (no skin contact, so no purple color), with some Viognier and Gewürztraminer. Some experiences involve boldly flavored cuisine that pairs well with the company’s fruit-forward wines.  A separate salon showcases the Domaine Curry wines of entrepreneurs Ayesha Curry and Sydel Curry-Lee, the wife and sister, respectively, of NBA star Stephen Curry.

"Come for the Primus, stay for the wines" is the unspoken motto of this winery the funk-metal band Primus's bassist and lead vocalist, Les Claypool, founded (as Claypool Cellars) with his wife, Chaney. The weiner stand out back and the 21st-century hippie-casual tasting room—a former boat-repair shack with an unpainted-wood interior and catchy Craigslist-castoff furnishings—are two signs this isn't an aren't-we-fabulous vanity project. So, too, are the cool-climate Pinot Noirs from Sonoma Coast grapes. Made by Ross Cobb, a local master of the genre, these wines would earn serious consideration no matter who fronted them.  On Fridays and weekends, frivolity reigns at Wines and Weiners, the latter Niman Ranch gourmet hot dogs.

Try the complex, mostly Rhône-inspired wines—such as Viogniers, Syrahs, and Grenaches—of this respected Rogue Valley producer that uses grapes from several areas, including its picturesque estate vineyard in the Jacksonville countryside, where the sunny tasting room is located. Sandwiches and cheese and charcuterie platters are available, too.

The rooftop patio's the draw at this three-level brick-walled tasting room opened by vintner Joseph Wagner, who grew up working at his family's Caymus Vineyards before starting successful brands on his own. Hosts inside the 1908 structure pour Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Wagner's Belle Glos, Böen, and Elouan labels, plus Napa Valley Quilt’s Chardonnay, Fumé Blanc, red blend, and Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings and Key to Building 1’s Albariño.   You can customize a tasting from the diverse portfolio.

All the world's a stage to Jean-Charles Boisset, Raymond's charismatic owner—even his vineyards, where his five-act Theater of Nature includes a series of gardens and displays explaining biodynamic agriculture. The theatrics continue indoors in the disco-dazzling Crystal Cellar tasting room (chandeliers and other accoutrements by Baccarat), along with several additional spaces, some sedate and others expressive. The lush wines include Cabernet Sauvignons and numerous Bordeaux-style red blends.  The Winemaker for a Day blending seminars here are entertaining.

Some ex–movie folks started Red Car, naming it after Los Angeles's old streetcars and producing wines out of Southern California before moving to West County. Coastal cool-climate wines are the specialty. The Estate Vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, among the best, come from grapes grown in the far-coastal Fort Ross–Seaview AVA. Also look for the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, rosé of Pinot, and Heaven & Earth Pinot Noir. The tasting room's hip country-casual decor pairs well with the rock playlist and the hosts' low-key approach.

Though the Independence area is more known for hops than vineyards, Red Gate produces a wide variety of wines, from Pinots to Syrah, Tempranillo, and even port-style dessert wines. The small, pub-like tasting room has some of the most reasonably priced flights in the area and live music events throughout the year.

This tasting room and retail shop serves wines by the glass from a few dozen Sonoma County producers. Each week a different operation takes center stage, with vintners, winemakers, or staffers discussing their wines during meet-the-makers happy hours. Convene by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne's CHEV, separate projects by the founders of Kosta Browne, are among the labels represented, along with Chenoweth, Lombardi, Scherrer, Trombetta, and other local brands. If you've never heard of them, there's your reason to check this place out.

Among the many vineyards throughout the Rogue Valley, Rellik stands out both for producing well-balanced wines (including a quite tasty oak-aged Cabernet Sauvignon) and for having a herd of curious friendly alpacas, which makes this a fun stop for the entire family. You can admire and even pet the alpacas, and sip wine while snacking on cheese and charcuterie in the tasting room or on the shaded patio. The vineyard is just over a mile up the road from historic downtown Jacksonville.

A few hundred feet off the busy highway, surrounded by conifers and overlooked by vineyards, Rex Hill seems to exist in a world of its own. The winery opened in 1982, after owners Paul Hart and Jan Jacobsen converted a former nut-drying facility. It produces first-class Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling from both estate-grown and purchased grapes. The tasting room has a massive fireplace, elegant antiques, and an absorbing collection of modern art, though summer visitors may prefer to enjoy their wine on the dog-friendly patio or out in the beautifully landscaped garden.

Centered on a two-story 1904 manor house constructed from Napa River stone, this tasting space amid Restoration Hardware's food, wine, art, and design compound is an excellent spot to learn about small-lot Napa and Sonoma wines. Collector-revered labels like Corison, Lail, Matthiasson, Mayacamas, and Spottswoode are represented, the wines in good weather poured by the glass, flight, or bottle in "outdoor living rooms" behind the stone structure. Oozing RH fabulousness, the Wine Vault can feel like a scene on a busy day, but the wines are the real deal.

Rio Grande Vineyard & Winery, just over 4 miles south of Old Mesilla, is worth a look. The comfortably appointed tasting room has a fine view of the Organ Mountains, and proprietor Gordon Steel is congenial and informed.

In recent years, Robert Hall Winery—known for its Bordeaux-based reds, Rhone-based reds and whites, and sparkling wines— has become a regional leader in sustainable and regenerative viticulture at its 130-acre estate. The pet-friendly, kid-friendly property has an on-site kitchen with a seasonal menu, and you can taste wine (from $25) and sign up online in advance for various tours, including the Sustainability Tour and Tasting ($75), Cavern Tour and Barrel Tasting ($75), and Paired Culinary Experience ($75).

Arguably the most influential participant in the Napa Valley's rise to international prominence, the late Robert Mondavi established his namesake winery in the 1960s. In an era when tasting rooms were downscale affairs, Mondavi commissioned architect Cliff May to create a grand Mission-style space to receive visitors. The winery is best known for Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, which Mondavi marketed as the more elegant-sounding Fumé Blanc, but also makes wines from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and several other grapes. The winery closed in 2023 for extensive renovations, expected to be completed by early 2026. Until the Oakville property reopens, tastings will take place in downtown Napa at Arch & Tower in the Borreo Building, 930 3rd Street.

Stop at this 40-acre estate to sip wines under the wisteria-covered pergola, nosh on farm-to-table dishes (so fresh the organic veggies still have their greens attached), and gaze at the vineyard views. Winemaker Max Marshak specializes in Rhone varieties, unusual white wines, and deep reds.

It's truly a family affair at this winery founded by Reynaldo Robledo Sr., a migrant worker from Michoacán, Mexico, and María de La Luz Robledo. Son and winemaker Everardo Robledo's lush reds, among them several Cabernets and a Tempranillo from grapes grown on 350-plus estate acres in several counties, stand out among the wines poured in a modest interior space or on a covered patio that juts into a Pinot Noir vineyard. Over these wines, preceded perhaps by a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Noir, guests hear inspiring multigenerational tales, sometimes firsthand from Everardo or one of his siblings.  Picnickers and pets are welcome here.

Claiming a pretty site, with patio tables overlooking the vineyards, this winery has an airy tasting room with an equally romantic view. Production is small, and fans on the winery's mailing list snap up most of the bottles, but Rochioli is still worth a stop to sample wines that usually include the estate Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and one other. Because of the cool growing conditions in the Russian River Valley, the whites' flavors are intense and complex, and the Pinot Noir, which helped cement the Russian River's status as a varietal powerhouse, is consistently excellent. Tastings are by appointment.

The late Rodney Strong was among the first winemakers to plant Pinot Noir in the Russian River Valley. His namesake winery still makes Pinot Noirs, but it's known more for Cabernet Sauvignon. The large brand has a stylish tasting room, though from April through October many guests sit on an umbrella-shaded vineyard-view terrace sipping wines from several Sonoma County appellations. Some tastings include the Cabernet-heavy Bordeaux-style Rowen Wine blends from a hilly ranch in far northern Sonoma County.  The winery hosts summer outdoor concerts; Alanis Morissette, Blues Traveler, and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram have performed in recent years.

The Anderson Valley is particularly hospitable to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, the two varietals used to create Roederer's sparkling wines. The view of vineyards and rolling hills from the patio is splendid.

Famous for its Napa Valley Chardonnays, Rombauer farmed foothills Zinfandel for years, so it wasn't a total surprise when the winery acquired an existing facility here. Inside the brightly lit tasting room or at umbrella-shaded tables, you can enjoy a flight that might include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sierra Foothills Zinfandel or sip these wines by the glass or bottle.

"Iconic" is an adjective often associated with Rombauer Chardonnays, particularly the flagship Carneros bottling. Sometimes described simply as "buttery," the wines express, at their best, equal parts ripeness, acidity, and creaminess, with vanilla accents courtesy of oak aging. Purchased in 2023 by Gallo, the winery also makes Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, sparkling, and dessert wines. Most guests book a full tasting, but it's also possible to sip by the glass or bottle in the landscaped garden.  Outside food is permitted at garden sessions (reservations recommended).

Redwoods and cedars tower over the downtown garden patio of this under-the-radar producer of Bordeaux-varietal wines. Alison Doran, whose first wine-making gig was as a harvest intern in the 1970s for André Tchelistcheff, the premier California winemaker of his era, extracts rich flavors from grapes grown in Romeo's half-century-old southern Calistoga vineyard. The Napa Valley Cabernet is a bargain for the quality; the Malbec and Petit Verdot are also strong suits, as are the Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Verdot rosé. Musicians perform on summer weekends, when pizza parties also take place.

Sophisticated wines come from Round Pond, but the valley-floor estate also produces premium olive oils, most from olives grown and crushed on the property. Guests participating in the olive oil tasting, held across the street from the winery, pass through the high-tech olive mill and sample the aromatic oils. Hosts at the winery tasting room pour Round Pond's well-rounded red and many other wines. The flagship Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has the structure and heft of classic 1970s Rutherford Cabs but acknowledges 21st-century palates with smoother, if still sturdy, tannins. Tastings are by appointment only. The full Il Pranzo lunch incorporates products made and produce grown on-site.

Live music on Fridays and weekends attracts an eclectic clientele to this winery specializing in single-vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, but it's worth a stop anytime. In good weather, most guests enjoy tastings under pergolas, shade trees, and umbrellas as woodpeckers pilfer acorns from nearby oaks, caching their booty in the redwood roof of the property's hop-barn-style structure. The countrified setting has been known to induce "couch lock," causing patrons to while away hours sipping wine and nibbling on gourmet food boards, sandwiches, and salads (lunch is served daily). Some folks even settle in with a book, an option that wine service by the glass or bottle makes all the more tempting.

A short drive down a country lane leads to this winery whose founder, Nils Venge, made history as the first U.S. winemaker to earn a 100-point score from the critic Robert Parker. The wine that earned this distinction was a Cabernet Sauvignon for nearby Groth. These days, Venge makes two Cabs for his own label, along with Pinot Blanc, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, and several others guests sample by appointment at vineyard's-edge picnic tables. Saddleback's presentation is decidedly retro compared to its tonier Oakville neighbors, but the stories, wines, and mountain views east and west cast a memorable spell.

This pioneer helped dispel the conventional wisdom that only the French could produce great Pinot Noir. With their subtlety and balance, Saintsbury's wines continue to please. In recent years the winery has expanded its reach from Los Carneros to the Green Valley of the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast, and elsewhere in California with equally impressive results. Named for the English author and wine lover George Saintsbury, this unpretentious operation also makes a few Chardonnays and a Chenin Blanc. Visits are by appointment only. When the weather cooperates, tastings take place in a rose garden.

White, rosé, red, and dessert wines are all in the portfolio of this winery founded in 1975, reinvigorated by second owner Carolyn Rafaelian of Alex and Ani jewelry fame, and now the domain of acclaimed local foodies Marissa Stasheko and James Davids, who have substantially upgraded the winery's dining options. If you've ever wondered what a Rhode Island Red (not the chicken!) might taste like, here's your chance to find out. Several of the wines are award winners. In the winery's tasting room you can sample five of them and keep the glass.