575 Best Sights in USA

A boutique operation with a loyal following, Black Kite makes cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs critics often score in the mid-90s. The grapes come from prestigious Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley sites and the estate Jasper Freestone Vineyard, planted across the Bohemian Highway from the winery’s wood-clad hospitality house. The Freestone vineyard and hospitality space are named for surveyor Jasper O'Farrell, who owned much of the town in the 19th century. Longtime winemaker Jeff Gaffner crafts the Black Kite wines to last, but they're drinkable upon release. All visits are by appointment.  The winery also conducts tastings at its Windsor production facility.

Founders Tom and Sally Jordan erected the French-style château here in part to emphasize their goal of producing a single Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon each year to rival ones from the Napa Valley and France itself. Since taking the helm, their son John has overseen replanting much of the estate vineyard and a shift to all-French barrels for aging, further elevating quality. A sampling of the two current releases (and the estate olive oil) and a winery tour that includes a tasting are offered year-round. As part of these experiences and a few seasonal events, the executive chef prepares small bites and dishes whose ingredients come mainly from Jordan's organic garden. All visits are by appointment.

Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley and Humboldt County to the north are the strong suit of this winery sourcing from prestigious vineyards like Bootlegger’s Hill and Hallberg Ranch. Owner-winemaker Adrian Manspeaker spearheaded the winery's foray into Pinot Noir grown in his native Humboldt's coastal redwood country. His downtown Forestville tasting room provides the opportunity to experience what's unique about the grape's next Northern California frontier. Manspeaker also makes two Zinfandels; lighter wines include a Sauvignon Blanc, two Chardonnays, Vermentino, sparkling wines, and a rosé of Pinot Noir.   A wine educator conducts vineyard tastings from spring to mid-fall involving a tour or picnic lunch.

The purchase by LVMH's Moet Hennessey Wine Estates portfolio of the winery that Joseph Phelps founded in 1973 reinforced the Napa Valley's stature as an international luxury-lifestyle player. Phelps produces excellent whites, along with Pinot Noirs from its Sonoma Coast vineyards, but the blockbusters are the Bordeaux-style reds, particularly the Cabernet Sauvignons and Insignia, a luscious-yet-subtle Cab-dominant blend. Insignia, which consistently receives high scores from critics, is always among the current releases poured at the seated Founder’s Tasting, often held on a terrace overlooking grapevines and oaks. Other experiences, including wine and food pairings, unfold inside the main redwood structure, a classic of 1970s Northern California architecture.

With a gracious patio, koi pond, and fireplace overlooking the lake as well as a dark and inviting wine cave, this first-rate winery on the South Shore stands out for its superb Brut de Brut Champagne-style wine as well as for its Alsatian grapes, including Gewürztraminer and Riesling. Sparkling wines predominate and are even offered by the can (handy for a picnic).

John Williams planted the first grapes on Red Mountain in 1975, made his first Kiona Vineyards wines in 1980, and produced the first commercial Lemberger, a light German red, in the United States. Today the winery boasts a beautiful 10,000-square-foot tasting room with 180-degree views of Red Mountain and the Rattlesnake Hills, an idyllic setting for sampling top-notch late-harvest Riesling, Chenin Blanc ice wine, Sangiovese, Syrah, and many others. You can order charcuterie and cheese plates to enjoy inside or on the patio.

Since decamping for California, Hoosier winemaker Erik Miller, who named his winery after his Indiana hometown, has raked in awards for his single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a few other wines. Fans of the Pauline's Vineyard Grenache Rosé snag most of the supply within weeks of release. Some guests sit amid the potted plants fronting the industrial-parklike production facility, though the banter in the main tasting area, high rows of oak aging barrels its focal point, lures many inside. (The adjacent room for club members is a veritable party even midweek on some summer days.) Make an appointment if possible; call for same-day visits.

Wine Spectator christened a 2009 Pinot Noir by winery founders Dan Kosta and Michael Browne its wine of the year, securing their young brand's status as a premier Sonoma County producer. The duo departed in 2017, but the winery's zeal to create layered, intense-yet-refined single- and multivineyard Pinot Noirs and equally polished Chardonnays endures. Hosts conduct tastings of these collector-quality wines in well-appointed spaces amid the winery's facility in The Barlow maker complex.   Call for instructions or follow the website prompts to add your name to the winery’s mailing list, required to book a tasting.

About 12 miles north of Medford on the way to Crater Lake and near the area's two famous Table Rock hikes, Kriselle offers tastings in an airy, contemporary wood-frame bar with spectacular vineyard and Cascades Range views and spacious patio. The winery produces one of the best Sauvignon Blancs in Oregon, along with a superb Cabernet Franc. On weekends, Kriselle serves pizzas from its wood-fired oven.

Housed in the lower floors of a circa-1915 schoolhouse, this winery is one of the oldest in the Walla Walla Valley. It produces outstanding Bordeaux blends from single vineyards, as well as many other wine varietals and blends. In the past decade the winery has received more than three dozen awards for its wines. The tasting room is in one of the old classrooms, and details like chalkboards and books add to the ambience.

Nestled under mature shade trees down a dirt lane near Dixon's quaint village center, this producer of first-rate wines is the oldest vintner in the northern part of the state. La Chiripada's Viognier, Special Reserve Riesling, and Dolcetto have all earned considerable acclaim. Also consider a tasting of the nicely crafted New Mexico Port, which pairs well with dessert. There's a small art gallery, and tastings are also offered a few miles away at Blue Heron Brewery.

Playful labels by artist Jeanne Greco, whose past clients include Aerosmith, Mattel (for Barbie), and the post office, are the first indication that something offbeat is afoot at Lang & Reed. The second: the wines themselves. In the land of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, husband-wife owners John and Tracey Skupny focus on Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. In making the former, John strives to create wines that are "delicious and fruity but not simple." He succeeds. Son Reed Skupny's worldwide quest for wine knowledge found him in the Loire Valley, eventually becoming obsessed with crafting noteworthy Chenin Blanc. His Chenins, clean on the palate with pleasing acidity, achieve his objective. Lang & Reed pours its wines in a restored Victorian, sometimes on its front porch. Tastings are by appointment.

Founded in 1895 but planted with grapes even before that by San Francisco's free-spirited Lillie Hitchcock Coit, Larkmead was named by her for the meadowlarks that once flitted upvalley. The 115-acre vineyard's diverse soils represent a microcosm of the entire Napa Valley, contributing to the luxuriant complexity of the Merlot-based Firebelle Bordeaux blend and the collector-worthy Solari Cabernet Sauvignon. The intuitive artistry underlying the wines also plays out in the hospitality building’s barn-chic design, the chalk pastels and other works by Kate Solari Baker, whose parents purchased Larkmead in 1948, and the colorful gardens her daughter, Ann, created. Most tastings begin with a brief tour passing by the 3-acre Research Block devoted to alternative grape types and viticultural techniques to cope with climate change, a long-standing concern.

Immaculately groomed grapevines dazzle the eye at John and Nancy Lasseter's winery, and it's no accident: Phil Coturri, Sonoma Valley's premier organic vineyard manager, tends them. Even the landscaping, which includes an insectary to attract beneficial bugs, is meticulously maintained. Come harvest time, the wine-making team oversees gentle processes that transform the fruit into wines of purity and grace, among them a Sémillon–Sauvignon Blanc blend, the Enjoué rosé, and Bordeaux and Rhône reds. Evocative labels illustrate the tale behind each wine. In good weather, guests hear these well-told stories at tastings on the winery's outdoor patio, whose views include the vineyard and the Mayacamas Mountains, where the Lasseters purchased a second vineyard. All visits to the Glen Ellen property are by appointment.

As a longtime wine-industry marketing director, Bettina Sichel knew the potential pitfalls of winery ownership, but when she discovered a uniquely situated volcanic-soiled Sonoma Mountain vineyard for sale, she plunged in enthusiastically. Because her 14 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon vines face east, the mountain shelters the grapes from the hot late-afternoon sun and excessively cool Pacific influences. Sichel's wine-making team includes organic-farming legend Phil Coturri and winemaker Randall Watkins. The estate Cabernet and another called Counterpoint are the stars at the downtown Glen Ellen tasting room, along with a rosé from the vineyard's oldest vines. The grapes for three whites come from sourced grapes.

Nineteenth-century miners knew that gold was nearby if they found the type of volcanic rocks visible everywhere on this winery's property. The rocky soils and vineyard elevations as high as 2,800 feet play pivotal roles in creating Lava Cap's fruit-forward yet elegant wines. Zinfandel, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Sirah star among the reds, Chardonnay and Viognier among the whites. After a tasting you can picnic on the patio and enjoy Sierra foothills vistas.

Vintner Douglas Stewart takes pride in his contrarian views about farming and winemaking. Bucking accepted California wisdom, he planted his vines tightly together, mimicking French practices, and with his sparkling wine—of Pinot Gris rather than Chardonnay and/or Pinot Noir—he selects only the high-quality middle portion of the initial press. Stewart earned raves from influential critics and a loyal following for his initial Pinot Gris and later for two sparklers, a rosé, and several Pinot Noirs.

The rocky clay soils of this winery's northeastern sliver of the Russian River Valley AVA combine with foggy mornings and evenings and hot sunny afternoons to create the swoon-worthy Zinfandels (critics love 'em) produced here. The estate 1910 Block Zinfandel comes from old-style head-trained vines planted more than a century ago. Fruit from this block adds richness and depth to the flagship Russian River Zinfandel, whose grapes also come from nearby sources. You can taste Limerick Lane's Zins and a few Rhône-style wines in or outside a restored stone farm building with vineyard and Mayacamas Mountains views. Tastings are by appointment; call ahead for same-day visits.

Busy enough throughout the day, the hip-casual downtown tasting room and sidewalk patio of vintners Matt and Sara Licklider often fill up after 5 pm, when service shifts and only wine by the glass or bottle is offered (no flights), and their peers from other indie wineries materialize to unwind. Lioco produces Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and "outliers" like Cortese, an Italian white, and old-vine Valdiguié, a French red. Matt describes the wines as "high tension, high energy," intentionally "a little more fresh and zingy,” partly because the grapes are harvested on the early side, when acidity is still high. An additional benefit: the wines are also lower in alcohol. Matt and Sara are often on hand to share their story, with vinyl from their collection providing the soundtrack.

Critics favoring fruit-forward, Bordeaux-style reds with silky-smooth tannins often wax rhapsodic over this winery’s collector-quality offerings—high-90s scores and 100s are not atypical. Guests settle into leather chairs and sofas at the exposed-brick storefront for Cabernet-focused tastings of wines overseen by Matt Sands, whose international résumé includes producers in Napa and New Zealand. Top-flight consultants like Michel Rolland and Philippe Melka also weigh in. Alejandro Bulgheroni, an Argentine-born entrepreneur with worldwide winery holdings, established Lithology.  Bulgheroni’s St. Helena estate on Meadowood Lane hosts more intensive tastings.

David Lucas was one of the first local producers to start making serious wine, and today the Zinfandels he and his wife, Heather Pyle-Lucas, make are among Lodi's most sought-after vintages. The Lucases, who previously worked at the Robert Mondavi Winery (she also made wine at Opus One), also craft a Chardonnay with subtle oak flavors and a Zinfandel rosé. Tastings, by appointment, often take place on a patio with a vineyard view.

Fun, relaxing, and pet-friendly Lula is among the Anderson Valley wineries closest to the coast. Lula produces Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, rosé of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and a red blend, but the several Pinot Noirs, each flavorful and with its own personality, are the highlights.

The elegance and attention to detail in this West County winery's landscaping and contemporary architecture extends to the wine-making. Expect handcrafted Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with long luxurious finishes, especially on the Pinots. Well-informed pourers in the indoor and outdoor spaces serve patrons enjoying garden and vineyard views of the 100-acre estate. Tastings can include cheese, charcuterie, caviar, or a full lunch. The Quail Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir, a blend of some or all of the 15 clones grown in the vineyard just outside, consistently performs well, but all the wines are exceptional. Tastings are by appointment.

With its translucent polycarbonate panels, concrete floor, and metal framing, this winery's high-ceilinged tasting room strikes an iconoclastic, industrial-sleek pose in rural Lodi. The Soucie Vineyard old-vine Zinfandel and the Trio and Duality red blends are three to seek out, but all the wines here are good.

Somewhat unusual for the Pacific Northwest, this boutique winery with a small, airy tasting room and a verdant garden patio specializes in Italian varietals—Moscato, Dolcetto, Sangiovese, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and a few others. Owner Franco Marchesi hails from Italy's Piemonte region, and he's earned serious kudos for his finesse as a winemaker.

The winery's name references the Sonoma Coast fog rolling off the Pacific, allowing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes to ripen more slowly than further inland. With spare elegance, the loungelike tasting room's soft lighting, soothing white tones, and alternately gray, dark brown, and light mahogany hues also evoke the shoreline. The winemaker and owner have worked together previously; this project evolved out of a yearning to craft cool-climate, appellation-specific wines from high-pedigree sites.  Flights are poured until 5 pm, after which hosts serve wines by the glass (no reservations taken) until closing.

Just down the road from Maryhill Museum, this expansive winery enjoys the same phenomenal views up and down the Gorge. The largest tasting room in the Gorge has a good-size gift shop as well as a market selling cheese, charcuterie, and other gourmet goodies. Maryhill produces dozens of wines at a variety of prices—the reserves, including stellar Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Chardonnay, tend to earn most acclaim.

A flight of delicate yet full-flavored wines blended specifically for pairing with Japanese cuisine—an Albariño, a Chardonnay, a rosé of Malbec, and a Cabernet Franc—is among the tasting options at this Oak Knoll winery founded by real-estate developer Brian Cunat and his Japanese-born wife, Miki. Chelsea Barrett, the daughter of two famous winemakers, shows a similarly graceful touch with the other Materra wines, which include a Viognier, the estate Chardonnay, and several quietly powerful Bordeaux reds. They're usually presented in a stately salon, though when the weather’s fine, some tastings unfold outside near the vines. The wines and the hospitality here over deliver for the price.

Mathew and Tony Bruno, Italian-American brothers whose grandfather introduced them to wine making via his homemade efforts, renovated a roadside mid-1890s Queen Anne–style residence into a designer showcase for their highly regarded wines. They source grapes for a Blanc de Blancs sparkler, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, rosé of Grenache, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon from several Napa and Sonoma appellations, but there's a strong Rutherford connection: 2 miles from the Queen Anne, Mrs. Thomas Rutherford, the wife of the town's namesake, planted the vineyard where the flagship Cab’s fruit grows. As eye-catching as the tasting room's interiors are, the back porch's vineyard views southeast to Atlas Peak steal the show. Tasting options include all whites, all reds, and pairings with chocolate or cheese and charcuterie. The hospitality is first-rate.