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This vaunted boutique winery with sweeping views specializes is a darling of those who appreciate exceptional Bordeaux wines, including one of the state's most accomplished Malbecs. The tasting room is modern, bright, and airy, and outdoor seating areas provide a spectacular backdrop for indulging in these rich wines, along with charcuterie and cheese platters.
A family from New Orleans founded this winery named for the dancing torchbearers at Mardi Gras. Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that go into separate estate wines flourish in the iron-rich Flambeaux Vineyard, up a winding road on the Dry Creek Valley AVA's western slope. Among the other wines made by Ryan Prichard, also of Sonoma's Three Sticks Wines, are a Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and an Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from sourced fruit. Book an Agricultural Experience at the vineyard for an intimate introduction. The Crescent City hospitality and views across the valley to Geyser Peak uplift a visit all the more.
The steel, glass, and wood architecture here discreetly astonishes but ultimately yields to the surrounding gardens, redwoods, vineyards, and distant hills, the entire ensemble a dramatic backdrop for tastings of this illustrious winery's Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Their grapes, grown far to the west in wild Pacific Coast terrain thought years ago too cool and harsh to produce fruit sufficiently ripe, undergo minimal cellar intervention during their transformation into wines recognized for their balance and vibrancy. Sessions unfold indoors or out, sometimes accompanied by small bites underscoring the wines’ food-friendliness.
The expansive winery on a 15-acre estate offers daily tastings, live music on weekends (plus Friday in summer and fall), and special events and programs such as Sunday yoga in the vineyard. Best-known wines include the estate Pinot Noir, Sparkling Rosé, and Le Mistral Joseph's Blend. Chefs in the on-site restaurant cook up small plates with wine pairing suggestions. Tours of the winery and organically farmed vineyards are available by appointment.
Six miles from the downtown Napa whirl, husband-and-wife team Jeff and Karen Fontanella's hillside spread seems a world apart. In addition to his formal studies, Jeff learned about wine making at three prestigious wineries before he and Karen, a lawyer, established their own operation on 81 south-facing Mt. Veeder acres. The couple braved an economic recession, an earthquake, and wildfires in the first decade but emerged tougher, if no less gracious to guests lucky enough to find themselves tasting Viognier, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon on the patio here. Tastings often end with a Zinfandel-based Port-style wine. Weather permitting, the reserve tasting includes the opportunity to stroll the estate, whose views south to San Francisco and east to Atlas Peak are terrific.
Four generations of the Charles family have farmed the land that produces this winery's vegan-friendly, all-estate lineup of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (aka rosé), and Pinot Noir. With the Pinots, winemaker Joe Webb employs various techniques to produce four very different wines, from the light Zero, aged solely in used oak barrels, to the "richer, riper" Paraboll, its flavors heightened by new French oak. After a tasting, you can picnic outside the casual wood-frame tasting room, enjoying a glass or bottle.
Established several miles south of Yakima in 2018 by a team of wine-loving architects, this stunning modern tasting room set on a hill with clear Mt. Adams views produces accessible Pinot Gris, Syrah, and several other balanced wines. The kitchen serves tasty flatbread pizzas and other wine-friendly fare, and the winery offers overnight stays in a couple of guest homes and a restored vintage Airstream.
Tokyo-born winemaker Akiko Freeman and her businessman husband Ken produce cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs critics hail for their grace and personality. Private tastings of these sensitively crafted wines usually unfold in the couple's ivy-covered cave, down a country lane 4 miles from downtown Sebastopol. The fruit comes from two estate vineyards and a few cherished Sonoma Coast sources; Freeman describes herself as an interpreter of these sites and a given vintage. The year's best lots go into the Akiko's Cuvée Pinot Noir. A pretty good barometer of how things played out, the blend concludes most sessions. It’s best to make a reservation here.
The tour at eco-friendly Frog's Leap is a fun way to enhance your wine education. Conducted by hosts with a sense of humor, the tour stops by a barn built in 1884, an acre of organic gardens, and a frog pond topped with lily pads. The winery produced its first vintage, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, in 1981, adding Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon the following year. Merlot, Petite Sirah, and the Heritage Blend of classic Napa Valley varietals, including Charbono and Valdiguié, are among the other reds these days. It’s best to make a reservation, but walk-ins are sometimes accommodated. The tour is recommended, but you can forgo it and taste under an arbor in the Garden Bar.
Unlike most of his neighbors, third-generation farmer Tom Gamble doesn't trumpet his boutique winery's tasting room with a sign along St. Helena Highway. When confirming guests' (required) appointments, the concierges describe the mailbox to look for. The low-key branding is among the clues that a visit here is less about flash and more about substance. Gamble, whose family settled in Oakville more than a century ago, sells grapes to A-list wineries, reserving a portion for wines that include collector-quality single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, a Bordeaux-style red blend, a Bordeaux-style white blend, and a Sauvignon Blanc. Hosts pour these wines in a farmhouse and the winery barn. The amiable Gamble often drops by tastings to say hi.
During private tastings at this 100-acre property, you may find yourself swept away by husband-and-wife Justin Miller and Karin Wärnelius-Miller's passion for their land and determination to craft collector-worthy wines. Justin grew up on the ranch, which his father purchased in 1963; Karin emigrated from Sweden with her parents, who owned vineyards and a winery nearby. Chardonnay, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, and the rare-in-California Scheurebe are among the white grapes grown here. Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varietals go into the flagship Tesserae red blend. Justin and Karin jointly make their small label's wines, only releasing the red after eight years in bottle. Visit the winery’s website and join the mailing list to schedule a tasting, which includes a vineyard tour.
A lengthy driveway curves a steep hill to this winery with knockout Russian River Valley views. The namesake founder departed two decades ago, but successive winemakers have crafted the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs in similar ways, picking early to preserve acidity and focusing on "expressing the site" or appellation. The Elevation Tasting of single-vineyard wines provides a good introduction; other tastings in the two-tiered tasting room or on its exterior terrace involve a winery tour or library wines. Visits are by appointment; same-day reservations are possible on weekdays, but call ahead.
Business and life partners Joey Wołosz and Jeff Durham welcome guests to their refurbished 1926 Craftsman bungalow for intimate tastings of small-lot rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Bordeaux-style reds. Dishes cooked in the moment in an au courant demonstration kitchen accompany the wines. An eloquently told story lies behind everything from the furnishings, dinnerware, and articles like the rescued tabernacle converted into a Julia Child shrine to family recipes, among them Yountville native Durham's version of malfatti, a century-old Napa variation on ravioli. This rarefied experience is intentionally akin to dropping by a relative's home for a lovingly prepared meal that elevates the conversation and vice versa. Reservations are essential for breakfast, lunch, and dinner experiences, but "when the door is open," walk-ins can sip by the glass or bottle.
It's worth the 20-minute drive from downtown Yakima to experience a tasting at this beautiful family-run vineyard specializing in blends of Rhône and Bordeaux varietals and both lightly oaked and unoaked Chardonnays. During the warmer months, music concerts are held in the amphitheater, with breathtaking mountains forming the backdrop.
On a clear day this Spanish hacienda–style winery's Vista Terrace lives up to its name as guests at seated tastings sip sparkling and still wines while taking in views of Los Carneros AVA and beyond it San Pablo Bay. The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes from the vineyards in the foreground are the product of old-world wine-making knowledge—generations of the founding Ferrer family made Cava in Spain—but also contemporary soil-management techniques and clonal research. Hosts well-acquainted with the winery's history as its appellation's first sparkling-wine house serve wines by themselves, with tapas and other small bites guests can order à la carte, or as part of full culinary pairings best booked at least a day ahead.
Pam and George Hamel Jr. purchased a vineyard mainly for the scenery but quickly got bitten by the wine bug: the family now owns four biodynamic, mostly dry-farmed (no irrigation) vineyards. Collector-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, the flagship Isthmus red blend, and a bottling each of Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache, and Zinfandel account for the bulk of production. Pam and George's son John, who makes the wines, also supervises the farming, striving for "purity of fruit" that, he says, requires little of him post-harvest. He's too modest. His choices during fermentation and aging beget magnificent wines. Appointment-only tastings take place at the steel-and-glass Estate House, where guests indoors or on the broad stone terrace take in valley and mountain views.
Olive trees ring the outdoor wine garden attracting most of the action at Greg and Lindsay Hamilton's roadside tasting room. The two—he's from Scotland, she's a Californian—started their journey as vintners making garage wine together. These days, Sonoma Valley native Jess Wade crafts a sparkling blanc de noirs, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and two blends—a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre), and The Phoenix (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot). The last wine's name refers to Greg and Lindsay's rise from the ashes of the home they lost in the 2017 Wine Country fires. The Hamiltons credit the calamity with spurring them to achieve their goal of establishing a wine brand more quickly.
The private tastings at this hillside winery known for collector-worthy Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs take maximum advantage of the Sonoma Valley views. James Zellerbach, a businessman and later U.S. ambassador to Italy who became smitten with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on trips to Burgundy, founded Hanzell (his wife's name was Hana) in 1953. At the time, neither grape had much of a foothold in California, but his hunch that each would do well here paid off. A few acres of Cabernet Sauvignon planted later provide grapes for the Bordeaux red blend that closes most sessions, led by gracious, well-informed hosts proud of this winery's legacy, organic farming practices, and studiously crafted wines.
One of Chelan's several acclaimed operations with female founding winemakers, this upper North Shore winery with a bordello-inspired tasting room has helpful staff and a pretty outdoor picnic area. The winery's playful approach extends to the interesting lineup, including two crisp and bright rosés that feature Gamay Noir grapes grown in the Chelan Lake AVA, the Blanc de Noir sparkling wine called "Good in Bed," and the Shameless Hussy label with its red blend of Syrah and Merlot and its fresh and fruity Viognier. There's also an aromatic vermouth aperitif that pairs perfectly with light tapas. The winery has a tasting room in downtown Leavenworth, too.
Pinot Noir lovers appreciate the subtle differences in the wines Hartford's team crafts from grapes grown in several Sonoma County AVAs, along with fruit from nearby Marin and Mendocino Counties and Oregon. The winery also produces a Chenin Blanc and several Chardonnays and old-vine Zinfandels. If the weather's good, enjoy a flight on the patio outside the main winery building. At private library tastings, guests sip current and older vintages.
A 2022 and 2023 recipient of a James Beard Foundation nomination for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program, this intimate vintner and farm set down a shaggy dirt lane produces lean elegant wines, from estate-grown Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris to a complex red blend of Sardinian and southern Italian grapes. Winery experiences are offered in a smartly furnished tavern room and always include the chance to feast on Hiyu's exquisite farm-to-table-style cuisine: book either the tavern tasting with six small plates, or the more substantial family-style farmer's lunch.
The founders of this woodsy hilltop winery 7 miles south of Apple Hill tasted Châteauneuf-du-Pape on their honeymoon, sparking a lifetime passion for Rhône wines made in classic French style. Mourvèdre is a specialty, by itself and in blends with Grenache, Syrah, or both. Carignane, Counoise, and other Rhône reds are also made, along with whites that include the Roussanne-dominant Patriarche Blanc blend. Taste these estate wines in a space with views extending 75 miles on a clear day.
Estate-grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are among the standout wines made by Holman Ranch, which pours samples in its chic tasting room and on two patios in the historic Will's Fargo tavern building. The 15-acre ranch itself is just up the road, set amid rolling hills that were once part of the Carmel mission's land grant. You can take winery and vineyard tours by appointment
A country lane edged by vines and residences leads to this multibrand winery whose unhurried tastings, often outdoors, have a backyard-casual feel. One of his colleagues likens HQ's winemaker, Russell Bevan, to "a water witch without the walking stick" for his ability to assess a vineyard's weather, soil, and vine positioning and intuit how particular viticultural techniques will affect wines' flavors. Bevan farms judiciously, striving later in the cellar to preserve what nature and his efforts have yielded rather than rely on heavy manipulation. Guests can choose flights from three brands, all of which make Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux red blends: Elyse (also two whites, a rosé, and Zinfandel), Addax (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), and Institution (Napa Valley Proprietary Red). Tastings are held three times a day by appointment.
This rising star among Southern Oregon wineries specializes in two varietals the region generally isn't known for: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The cooler higher-elevation setting is perfect for these grapes usually associated with the Willamette Valley, and you can sample them, along with a refreshing dry rosé of Pinot Noir—with one of their impressive cheese-and-charcuterie boards, perhaps—amid the cushy seating in the airy modern tasting room and sweeping patio, with its grand mountain views.
At this 30-acre lavender farm and wine-making operation set in a stylishly modernized farmhouse a little northwest of Zillah, you can sample first-rate, mostly Bordeaux- and Rhône-style vin, along with a brick-oven-baked pizza made with a dough recipe passed down by one of the owner's Ukrainian families. You can also attend concerts, chef dinners, and other special events.
"Darn fine barn wine" is the motto of this throwback operation whose oldest vines—Zinfandel in a block that fronts the winery—date to 1908. Owner Jim Rickards purchased 60 hillside acres 2 miles north of Geyserville in 1976 and restored the vines, later planting Cabernet Sauvignon and other grapes. Amiable hosts staff the barn's tasting room, but the tree-shaded south-facing patio invariably lures most patrons outside for the vineyard views. Estate and sourced grapes go into wines well worth the modest tasting fee, among them Gewürztraminer, Muscat Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Viognier whites and reds that include Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and the spicy but elegant old-vine Zin. Make a reservation on Friday and Saturday in summer.
