Napa California Wineries: One Day Road Trip

Where one wine lover may love a small boutique winery, another will want one with their preferred wine types. As such, one cannot single out a winery and term it as the best. One’s satisfaction gets its basis from innate preferences which are not standard to all.

Given this understanding, this article does not delve into giving you one winery. It instead focuses on providing you with a selection of Napa California Wineries from which you can choose. Napa Valley attracts the most attention to its wineries when compared to other wine producing regions in the world. Its exquisite wines, as well as picturesque beauty, beckon millions of wine lovers to flock to Napa on an annual basis. In fact, this valley is the second most toured region in all of California after Disneyland.

Napa California Wineries

V. Sattui Winery (1976)

Deep in the heart of Napa Valley lies V. Sattui, one of the most visited wineries in all of Napa. It opens as from nine in the morning and closes at five during winters. During summer times, you can stay at the winery till six in the evening. The excellent thing about this winery is that you can pay a visit without having to make an appointment. It is open to the public all week.

V. Sattui is always coming up with new ways to engage their visitors. They recently added a concierge service. Guests love this winery for its classic Italian charm, its large wine selection, sprawling picnic grounds and personalized tasting tours. The staff present is quick to serve the needs of the guests, thus creating a lovely experience for all present.

Many people recognize this winery as one of the few that consistently receives top awards, courtesy of Brooks Painter. The winery relies on zinfandel grown on vineyards in the Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Los Carneros AVA and Mendocino County. Wines on site include red wine, white wine, rose wine, dessert wine, sparkling wine and reserve wine. This is one of the most amazing Napa California Wineries.

Brief history

This winery would not be here if it were not for the hard work of Vittorio Sattui. Having emigrated from Italy, Vittorio started the winery back in 1885 but had to shut it down during prohibition. Decades later, his great-grandson took it upon himself to realize the family business. He developed the winery as we know it today.

Experiences

The main tasting room is often full of visitors. It is a great place to connect with other wine lovers as you compare notes. This room is also available for booking for events such as weddings. If you wish to have an in-depth conversation on the wines, you can do so at the tower. Wine expert Marc Golic is often present for the tours.

For families, this is a great place to unwind as you let the children play at the picnic grounds. The winery provides delicacies prepared by Chef Stefano which you can pair with your wine to get the utmost experience. What’s more, the terrains are friendly to pets, and you can bring them along on your trips.

Upcoming events include Festa Italiana, crush parties, harvest ball, lobster fests and new release parties. The winery has such good wine that it relies on mouth-to-mouth marketing by loyal members. Some of its awards include having been named winery of the year four times in a row. For a fun-filled one day trip, V. Sattui is the place to be.

Check out the effects of climate change on California Wineries!

Castello di Amorosa (2007)

The story of how this great winery came to be is beautiful. Dario Sattui purchased the land on which it sits about two decades ago, hoping to replant historic vineyards. With 170 acres to his name, he was keen to replant the vines and had no plans of starting a winery. However, over time, he got an interest in building a winery in medieval style. Slowly, the idea developed into Castello di Amorosa.

Grapes grown on the land include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Primitivo, and Sangiovese. Some of the castle’s award-winning wines include but are not limited to La Castellana and Il Barone wines.

Experiences

This authentic Tuscan castle has thirteenth-century architecture. It features multiple levels from whence you can enjoy Italian style wines exclusive to the Castello. You get to explore the castle’s two levels while tasting five to seven reserved wines in the main tasting room. During the tour, an expert takes you through the qualities and history of each batch. Wine pairing takes place after that.
Mary Davidek offers California wine tasting and great food in the royal apartment. It is a highlight of the tour, where guests can relax and enjoy the high-quality wines presented. Guests also get to pair the wines with local cheeses.

Castello has an emphasis on red, white, sweet, rose, limited release and reserve wines. Guests also get to enjoy cellar selections and non-alcoholic wines. You can grab some gift cards and sets from the shop as you come to the end of the tour.

Events

There is ever something exciting around the corner in this medieval castle. From medieval midsummer feasts to hot Havana nights, guests always have something to enjoy. The harvest attracts many people who can’t wait to sink their toes in the grapes as they sip on vino.

Domaine Carneros (1987)

Claude Taittinger took time when putting this winery together, starting with a ten-year search for a worthy US partner. He came across Eileen Crane and knew that he had the right person with whom to embark on this venture. Having set aside 138 acres in Carneros, he got to work, with an emphasis on the production of sparkling wines. After a while, they added pinot noir to the collection.

All wines produced are from Carneros appellations, and the winery makes use of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. As at now, the winery has more than three hundred acres set aside for the vineyards. A true standout among a wide variety of Napa California Wineries.

Experiences

The chateau gets its architectural inspiration from the 18th century. It sits tall and proud in the midst of sprawling green lawns. Its construction came to an end in 1989. Guests get to explore formal gardens, grand staircases, and marble floors while taking in the view of the vineyards.

The grand setting makes for a great tasting experience. Members of the club also get to enjoy the French carriage house. It was once the most significant solar collection system amongst all wineries.

Daily tastings start at ten in the morning and continue through to five-thirty in the evening. Guests must make bookings before their arrival. The chateau is a fabulous place to host special occasions. Set in the eighteenth century in France, it encompasses royalty and beauty in one.

California wine gets better by the day; as wineries innovate ways to make their wines more attractive to their guests. With the Napa California Wineries covered, you are sure to find one suitable to your preferences. Here is to California Wine Tasting!