Would you like some wine with your glass of wine? Napa Valley is a place where wine lovers can rejoice, relax, dine, and likely feel a little tipsy. After three days in the region, we have some tips to make sure you have only the best drinks in your hand.
Wineries to Visit
Below is our ranking of the wineries we visited during our trip. Everyone has different tastes and preferences, though, so use this as a guide to learn about the specialties of each winery and figure out where you want to visit!
1. Frog’s Leap: This was our favorite of the vineyards we visited from an atmosphere and wine perspective. The wine was more like an “everyday drinking” wine, and the vineyard makes you feel as if you are visiting someone’s home. We were able to do the free wine tour and tasting, which is a great experience, and I highly recommended it if you would like to visit this vineyard. Please make reservations for this tour ahead of time as it does book up.
2. Inglenook: This was the most beautiful of the vineyards we had a chance to visit – a perfect setting for a wedding. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to do a tasting since the winery was full with reservations, but we were able to go to their cafรฉ. There we enjoyed a bottle of wine and some cheese on the patio. Definitely recommend this vineyard with a reservation!
3. Opus One: AMAZING! Opus is beautiful and refined. The tasting room was under renovation when we visited, so the experience was slightly different from their normal tasting experience. The sommelier was very friendly and knowledgeable, and he provided great recommendations around Napa. The wine was also a treat, but be prepared – it is quite expensive. we would definitely recommend this vineyard as a must visit while in Napa.
4. ZD Wines: The sommelier at Opus recommended we visit ZD wines. This winery is a wonderful, small vineyard with a very nice view. However, we didn’t realize they specialize in Chardonnays, which is not our favorite varietal. Nevertheless, we were pleasantly surprised. The Chardonnays and other wines we tried were very good, and we would definitely recommend this vineyard. It does not require a reservation, but it is small, so reservations are encouraged.
5. Caymus: This was our first stop on the vineyard tour, and it was definitely one of the more touristy experiences. The tasting is $50, and it includes $50 off the price of a bottle of wine from their shop. This is definitely a nice and appreciated perk. Don’t get your hopes up, though, because this isn’t standard practice across vineyards. The reserve cabernet sauvignon here is great, but it is a little pricey and in our opinion not worth the $200 price tag. Their $80 cabernet is a great alternative if you are wanting to bring a little bit home.
6. Peju: Peju is a winery we knew about before heading to Napa. Unfortunately, we were a little disappointed with our visit. We have had quite a few of their wines previously and enjoyed them, but overall, we would recommend experiencing a difference vineyard. The tasting experience just wasn’t anything special. Don’t get me wrong, though – we still love the wine. We just had higher hopes. If you would like to visit here, know that the vineyard is very beautiful, and a reservation for a tasting is not required.
7. Darioush: Like stepping into a Roman paradise, Darioush is definitely worth a walk around. We enjoyed a wine and cheese tasting here, which was great and a very personal experience. There were only three of us on the tour, so it made for a lot of conversation about the wine and the foundation of the vineyard. The area has a great atmosphere. However, this is not on our “must visit” list of vineyards in Napa. It is slightly overpriced, and we didn’t enjoy the wine as much as we did at other vineyards.
Where to Eat
- Model Bakery: We tried the original breakfast sandwich, which comes with the bakery’s famous English muffin, as well as the chocolate croissant. Both were DELICIOUS! In case you don’t believe us, the English muffins were chosen as one of Oprah’s favorite things in 2017. Also, the bakery is within walking distance from the Westin, so that’s another plus!
- Bouchon Bakery: Highly recommended by all of our friends who have visited Napa, and Bouchon did not disappoint! In addition to their wonderful coffee, they have a great selection of cookies and pastries. The only downside is that Bouchon is a little bit of a drive from downtown Napa.
- Brix: Our favorite dinner of the trip. We tried the scallops for our main course and were not disappointed. While this restaurant isn’t at a winery, they have a huge selection of wines to choose from, and they have great wine pairing recommendations for your dinner.
- Gott’s Roadside: Great faster, casual option for dinner in downtown Napa. Definitely recommend some type of burger and milkshake!
- Ritual Coffee Roasters: Great coffee for a pick me up in the morning.
- Morimoto Napa: Great quality food and sushi, but at a hefty price. This wouldn’t be our first choice for dinner in Napa, but we would recommend it if you are craving sushi.
Other Tips & Tricks
- Where to Stay: The Westin Napa Valley – Very nice hotel in downtown Napa with great amenities. It’s within walking distance of a ton of restaurants and shops. In addition, it’s across the road from the wine train. If you are wanting to explore many different areas around Napa and have Marriott points, we would recommend the location of this hotel. However, it is quite far from some of the vineyards. Therefore, we would recommend mapping out the vineyards you would like to visit beforehand to see if downtown Napa is the best location for you.
- Suggested Day Trip: Looking to take a break from wine? Consider taking a quick drive to Muir Woods National Monument, which is less than a two hour drive from downtown Napa. However, keep in mind that if you plan to visit Muir Woods, you must reserve parking ahead of time. There is no cell phone service there to bail you out. We also suggest you consider getting the annual national park pass, which is only $80 a year. Muir Woods has a hefty $15 per person charge for entrance, and a family of four (or a group of four friends) can enter with one national park pass.
Happy traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan