575 Best Sights in USA

Occupying the 1840s homestead of Cyrus Alexander, the valley’s namesake, this winery known for the widely distributed Sin Zin produces wines from Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a few more grapes. Tastings are old-Sonoma low-key; book Experience Cabernet Sauvignon to sample the Bordeaux-style blend Cyrus and other Cabs. Twice-daily free tours pass by the production facility and through caves dug deep into a nearby hillside. Daily vineyard hikes focusing on the land and the winery's history conclude with a box lunch and tasting.

Larry and Linda Long made wine out of their home in Truckee for 15 years before opening their down-home Amador County winery. Their son Michael is head winemaker, daughter Ashley his assistant. Estate-grown Zinfandel is the biggest seller, but this small operation also does well with Syrah, Barbera, Tempranillo, the Portuguese varietal Touriga (one of the Port grapes), and a Rhône-style GSM (Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre) blend.

Reprising the greatest hits of Burgundy (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir) and the Rhône (Grenache, Syrah, Viognier), Anaba hosts guests in a whitewashed board-and-batten hospitality center whose breezeway frames windswept Coast Range views. When planning the tasting room and adjacent production facility, founder John Sweazey and son John Michael ordered solar panels that supply the winery's power, supplemented by a previously installed wind turbine. Lower on the radar than many of its Carneros District peers, Anaba receives high marks from critics for its wines, particularly the Roberts Road Pinot Noir, Bismark Vineyard Syrah, and late-harvest Viognier.

Just a short drive west of White Salmon, this friendly boutique winery has one of the prettiest tasting-room settings in the area—it's high on Underwood Mountain, with outdoor seating that affords spectacular views looking east toward Hood River and deep into the Gorge. The cleverly named wines here—Puck, an Albarino, and Three Witches, a Rhône-style blend of Cinsault, Carignan, and Counoise—are paired with little amuse-bouche-style nibbles, typically chocolate, prosciutto, or fruit.

Here, the high-desert sun and nighttime chill work their magic on wine grapes such as Merlot, Zinfandel, and Sangiovese. In addition to tastings, the winery hosts a Saturday farmers' market (from May through November between 9 and noon) and sells grass-fed buffalo and other game and exotic meats such as venison, pheasant, and wild boar.

A narrow road meanders east from the Silverado Trail through Conn Valley to this 17-acre Howell Mountain estate. Grant Long Jr., its resourceful proprietor, made his first wine as a teen, starting his own label after proving his mettle at several Napa wineries. While guests sip on the cliffside tasting room's lofty deck, taking in views of vines sloping sharply into the valley, uniformly cheery staffers fill in the details of Long's compelling wine journey. The Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Mountains Proprietary Blend, both Napa Valley, and a Sierra Foothills Grenache-heavy blend stand out among a mostly reds lineup. Aonair (pronounced "ay-oh-nair”) advises making a reservation (required) at least a month ahead.

On the grounds of the eclectic 1924 mansion of Royal Riblet, the inventor of a square-wheel tractor and the poles that hold up ski lifts, you can sample Arbor Crest wines, enjoy the striking view of the Spokane River, or meander through the impeccably kept grounds (the house isn't open to tours). Note that no minors or pets are allowed on the Estate grounds. Arbor Crest's wines include Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnays from the Columbia Valley. Enjoy Sunday evening concerts (5:30–7:30) outside from early May through September; in winter there's live music by the fireside in the Wine Bar on Thursday through Saturday nights (6–8).

The winery that Gary and Nancy Andrus, owners of Pine Ridge winery in Napa Valley, founded in the 1990s has become synonymous with premium Oregon Pinot Noir. Because they believed that great wines are made in the vineyard, they adopted such innovative techniques as narrow spacing and vertical trellis systems, which give the fruit a great concentration of flavors. In addition to the standard flight of Pinot Noirs in the tasting room, Archery Summit offers educational tours of their gravity-flow winery and caves. You're welcome to bring a picnic, and as at many Oregon wineries, you can bring your dog, too.

Beautiful views of the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee surround this 75-acre property co-owned by Kix Brooks of Brooks & Dunn. In addition to free tastings, Arrington Vineyards hosts live music on weekends (April to November), bonfires in chilly weather, and other seasonal events. Though there isn't a restaurant on the grounds, the gift shop stocks gourmet cheeses and truffles, and visitors are welcome to bring picnics and make use of the tables throughout the grounds.

From a distance the modern minimalist architecture of Artesa blends harmoniously with the surrounding Carneros landscape, but up close its pools, fountains, and large outdoor sculptures make their own impression. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from estate and sourced grapes predominate, but the winery also produces Albariño and sparkling wine, plus heavier reds including Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. You can sample them, sometimes paired with food, while enjoying views of estate and neighboring vineyards and, on a clear day, San Francisco.

The roadside tasting room of this producer of small-lot reds sits on the valley floor, but owner Brion Wise's winery and vineyards occupy prime Moon Mountain District acreage. The winery made its name crafting big bold Cabernets like the estate 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, later introducing Pinot Noirs from Northern California and Oregon. On the lighter side are two Chardonnays, two imported Champagnes, and a rosé named for Brion’s wife, Ronda. A tasting here may whet your appetite for a visit to the estate, by appointment only.

A beautiful view of the valley and wine made without pesticides or preservatives is what you'll find here. Badger Mountain was the first wine-grape vineyard in Washington State to be certified organic. The tasting room is open daily and you can go online to book a seated tasting time for inside, outside, or by the firepit with s'mores.

Under cooperative ownership and led by women, this longtime certified-organic winery 5 miles from the ferry landing produces around 1,200 cases a year from entirely island-grown varietals that thrive in the Puget Sound region. The winemakers compare their offerings to those that come from the Alsace or Loire Valley in France—on the light and fruity side—and you can enjoy a tasting of four pours for $18 on the winery's lovely sun-dappled patio. Kids will want to say hi to the draft horses that help till the fields. The tasting room is open Thursday to Sunday from noon to 5 pm.

Other wineries purchase about 90% of the grapes the Balletto family grows on 800-plus acres, with the remainder destined for its own label's wines. The house style—light on the oak, high in acidity, and low in alcohol content—yields food-friendly wines. Sipping Pinot Gris, rosé of Pinot Noir, or a brut rosé sparkler on the outdoor patio can feel transcendent on a warm day, though the Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs steal the show. The winery also makes Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, and Zinfandel.

Brook Bannister's appreciation for his mother's wine-industry achievements inspired him to, as he puts it, forsake his career as a furniture maker "to keep her dream alive." That dream, which Martha "Marty" Bannister initiated in 1989, was to make layered, graceful, age-worthy wines. Brook continues this tradition with the core lineup of Chardonnay, Riesling, several Pinot Noirs, and Zinfandel, supplemented in recent years by wines from lesser-known grapes like Ribolla Gialla. The gallery-style tasting room, opened more than a century ago as a bank, is an enchanting space to learn more about this multigenerational labor of love.

Owners Rob Griffin and Deborah Barnard offer a variety of fine wines, including excellent Merlot and Cabernet. The art gallery adds class to the wine-tasting experience.

Spring Mountain Road winds past oaks and madrones and, in springtime, sprays of wildflowers to this winery's lofty east-facing hillside setting. Most tastings are held outside to take advantage of views across the northern Napa Valley rivaling those from a balloon. Barnett's winemaker, David Tate, makes restrained balanced wines: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot from the steeply terraced mountain estate and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir sourced from prestigious vineyards. Quietly dazzling, the wines will draw your attention from those vistas. Tastings are by appointment.

Curved support beams swoop upward to a central peak at this winery, whose tasting space is as dramatic as the hospitality is down-home. The room sits amid a vineyard containing organically grown Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and several other grapes. The founding family's deep Mendocino roots and early adoption of sustainable practices are among the topics discussed at indoor and outdoor tastings.

Grape growing at Bartholomew Estate, surrounded by a 375-acre park with 3 miles of trails (no fee to hike), dates back to an 1840s vineyard a Native American man planted during California's Mexican era. These days, the park's nonprofit foundation makes Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Zinfandel, and other wines mostly from vines it farms organically. Tastings often take place on an oak knoll overlooking some of them, with Sonoma Valley as the bucolic backdrop. You can also purchase a bottle and picnic in a separate grove.  On Fridays and weekends, a talented caterer prepares Mediterranean appetizers (order ahead) that pair well with the wines. 

Established in 1983, this is Maine’s oldest winery (yes, that’s how young the state’s wine history is). But no matter; the results are worth a visit, so long as you’re a fan of fruit-based alcohols. Owner Bob Bartlett (who gives personal tours) bases his on pears, apples, raspberries, and wild blueberries—all key crops of Maine. Ask, too, about the small-batch rums using organic molasses, blackberry liqueurs, and raspberry brandies. Hours can vary, so it’s best to call ahead.

In 1973, teenager Mario Bazán traveled north from Oaxaca, Mexico, intending to earn money to start a business back home. Five decades later, he's still in the Napa Valley. After rising through the ranks as a vineyard laborer and foreman, Mario opened his own management company, now overseeing a few hundred acres of vines. He and his wife Gloria, who is from Michoacán, founded Bazán Cellars in 2005. Sauvignon Blanc, rosé, and Pinot Noir set up the stars, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The influential André Tchelistcheff (1901–94), who helped define the California style of wine making, worked his magic here for many years. BV, founded in 1900 by Georges de Latour and his wife, Fernande, makes several widely distributed wines, but others are produced in small lots and available only at the winery. The most famous, the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which debuted in the late 1930s, has scored as high as 100 points in recent years.  Book a Hewitt Vineyard Cabernet Tasting to sample wines from a heralded Rutherford vineyard.

Winemaker Andy DuVigneaud of Bee Hunter prefers vineyards close to the ocean because the cool climate requires grapes to stay longer on the vine, preventing them from ripening before their flavors fully develop. His delicious output, poured with enthusiasm in a former car repair shop, includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, dry Riesling, rosé of Pinot Noir, several Pinot Noirs, and a few other reds.

As you pull up to this opulent Mediterranean-inspired chateau nestled in the foothills a few miles east of downtown Ashland, it's easy to understand why it's a favorite destination for weddings. But the winery's elegant Pavilion Tasting Room is also a memorable spot to sip Belle Fiore's excellent Cabernet Francs, Rieslings, and other finely crafted wines. There's an art gallery, too, and light dining on the upper level, which has a gracious terrace.

Known for valley-floor Cabernet Sauvignons, this far-northern Napa Valley winery also produces Merlot and the Maximus Red Feasting Wine, a Cab-heavy red blend nicely priced considering the quality. On the lighter side are a Chardonnay and the Maximus White Feasting Wine blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Muscat. When the weather's pleasant, flights of current-release whites and reds unfold in a garden whose pergola frames vineyard and Calistoga Palisades views. Other tastings, in the living-room-like salon or the winery, highlight the Cabernets. An engaging game here teaches participants about wines' aromas, and there's a blending seminar.

The excellent estate-grown wine is part of the reason to drop by this vineyard hugging a hillside on the north shore of the lake. You'll also want to soak up the sweeping Lake Chelan and mountain views from the tasting room—with its large south-facing windows—and the terrace. The patio is a pleasant setting to enjoy Neapolitan-style pizza, artisan sandwiches, and gelato from the on-site bistro, Cafe Myth.

Guides conducting Benziger's popular tram tours explain the biodynamic practices employed in farming the estate vineyard and the benefits of the 360-degree sun exposure its bowl-like setting enables. The former include extensive plantings to attract beneficial insects and the deployment of sheep to trim vegetation between the vines, tilling the soil with their hooves and fertilizing it. Known for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and multiple red blends, the winery is a beautiful spot for an alfresco tasting, even if you don't take the tour.

The appointment-only tasting room at Berghold recalls an earlier wine era with its vintage Victorian interior, including restored, salvaged mantlepieces, leaded glass, and a 26-foot-long bar. The wines—among them Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Zinfandel—pay homage to French wine-making styles.