Location: Napa
Top Things to do in Napa
The 10 Best Things to do Good for Big Groups in Napa, California (CA)
Gold and silver may have been behind the hordes that flocked in the 1800s, but liquid gold - Chardonnays, Cabernet Sauvignons and Pinot Noirs - is behind the modern migration. This dream destination for wine lovers has an abundance of fine restaurants and inns. Horse posts have been replaced by bike racks, and pedal power is a great way to explore.
Restaurants in Napa
1. Jarvis Estate
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 319 reviews
Jarvis Estate is a family owned winery dedicated to crafting a limited quantity of preeminent wines from our sustainably farmed, estate vineyards in the rugged hillside, four miles east of downtown Napa Valley. The Jarvis Estate winemaking facility is entirely contained within 45,000 square feet of cave tunneled into the scenic Vaca Mountains,and is not only a visual masterpiece, but a technical masterpiece as well. Wines are produced only from estate grown grapes and are cave-aged to perfection prior to release. Varietals include: Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Verdot, Tempranillo and a two proprietary Bordeaux blends.
Reviewed By randybH2055JS - Kalamazoo, United States
This is such a cool place to visit. The entire winery is located within the massive network of man-made caves. Once the grapes go in, they never see the light of day until they emerge as bottled wine. You will tour the caves, see where the grapes are crushed, wine fermented, huge oak bariques, barrels, bottling area, tasting rooms, banquet rooms (huge), etc. Even an underground river which provides the proper natural humidity in the caves. Great winery story. You will hear about the "Science Project"...fantastic. Don't miss this one.
2. O'Brien Estate Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 672 reviews
We are by appointment only. Please go to our website to inquire about our experiences. We do not take phone reservations. The cost is $55.00 per person. We regretfully are not permitted to have anyone under 21 years of age nor allow any pets on the premises. Our award winning wines come from our 40 acres in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley. From grape growing to bottling, the entire winemaking process is managed at the estate. The vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. Our wines are sought after by collectors and have received many awards, including a recent 98 point score for our 2013 Unrestrained Reserve Bordeaux Blend.
Reviewed By mrg0137
O’Brien Estate was the first Napa Valley winery that really got my wife and I hooked on Napa wine when we visited the area for the first time a few years ago, and we became members at O’Brien after that trip. Since then, we’ve continued to enjoy their wines, and we try to stop in for a free member tasting every time we make a trip to Napa. This visit was our third visit to O’Brien Estate, and we had a very good experience. As compared to most wineries in the Napa Valley, O’Brien Estate is a very small producer. The winery is family owned, with a beautiful 40-acre property in the Oak Knoll District. The O’Brien family lives right in the house on the property, and when you come here for a tasting, you’re doing it right in their backyard and getting right to the heart of the operation. Because it’s so small, O’Brien doesn’t distribute their wines, selling them only at the winery itself and to wine club members. This exclusivity makes us feel that being wine club members is really worth it, since we know it’s the only way to have their wines at home on a regular basis. This was our third time doing the tasting experience at O’Brien, and it wasn’t our favorite experience in Napa either of the previous two times we came (although we loved the wine). On our first trip to Napa, we admittedly weren’t overly educated about the area or its wines, and the guy who did our tasting was quite rude and epitomized the standoffish reputation that Napa can sometimes have. The second time, after we had become members and knew a lot more about Napa wines, the tasting was much better, but still not great. The guy who did our tasting that time was absent for most of it and just gave off an attitude of not wanting to be bothered with us. He spent most of his time giving his attention to walk-in guests who had shown up without reservations, even though O’Brien doesn’t take walk-ins and is normally focused on making the experience very intimate. Those experiences were in the past, and we’ve still stayed loyal to O’Brien since we love their wine. I’m glad to report that the third time was a charm for having a great in-person tasting experience, this time with Marilyn. Marilyn hosted us and we had the entire winery to ourselves, and she really took the time to make it fun and informative. She was a great host and we’re glad to have had such a nice experience this time. Tastings at O’Brien are held outside for most of the year, in picturesque seating areas right by the edge of the vineyard, much closer than you get to the vines at almost any other winery we’ve been to in the area. In this case, since it was chilly in January, our tasting was held inside the barn, but Marilyn still invited us to have a glass of chardonnay while taking a quick walking tour through the vineyard, which we enjoyed (walking in the vineyard was not offered to us on previous visits). It was a beautiful afternoon to be outside, and we learned a lot about the process of preparing for each growing season and even how the process of replanting works when a portion of the vineyard has outlived its useful life. The O’Briens’ adorable dog, Heidi, was also there and ran around the vineyards with us while we took our walk. Hanging out with Heidi is always a highlight of a visit to O’Brien Estate. After touring the vineyards with Marilyn, we settled down inside for a tasting of all of O’Brien’s current releases – merlot, two Bordeaux-style blends (Romance and Seduction), and the cabernet sauvignon. We’ve had all of these before, and especially love Seduction and the cabernet sauvignon, but it’s always fun to do another tasting and have a chance to relax and talk about the wine. They also provide a nice cheese plate to accompany the wine as well. They’ve just set up new seating areas for tastings in the barn, so it was a nice change of pace to do a tasting there for the first time, although in warmer weather, it is still preferable to be outside overlooking the vineyard. Our time with Marilyn was very enjoyable, and we spent close to 90 minutes with her, just talking about all kinds of things, from dogs, to the happenings at O’Brien, to Napa in general. It was informal and laid-back. We really enjoy the wines at O’Brien Estate and think a stop here is worth it (reservations are required and can be made online). The blends are priced in the $70-$80 range per bottle, and the cabernet sauvignon is now just under $100 a bottle, which I think are good prices for the quality of wine produced. We enjoy our membership at O’Brien, and even if you don’t become a member, a tasting there is a wonderful way to spend a portion of a day, in the world of a laid-back, small producer. I am very glad that we had a great tasting experience this time with Marilyn, and we now look forward to similar positive experiences in the future!
3. Caldwell Vineyard
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 75 reviews
Owner John Caldwell (JFC) is known by many names but here in legendary Napa Valley, he’s a legend all his own. Over the last 40 years John has built Caldwell Vineyard into what is arguably one of the greatest and most unique wine estates in the world. With 28 different clone-specific grape varieties, Caldwell also has the distinction of being the one of the first U.S. wineries with its own barrel cooperage, something only seven other wineries in the world can say. Everyone here embodies his spirit- it's a whole new way of experiencing fine wine.
Reviewed By mahays15 - Cleveland, United States
Jenna, the Estate Concierge, was fabulous to work with while arranging our visit. When we got to Caldwell, the day of our visit, we found a great facility which was quite interesting, highlighted by a tasting room in the wine cave. Mario was our host. The wine, cheese, meat and potato chips were really great. This was the highlight of our trip to Napa. Thank you Caldwell.
4. Palmaz Vineyards
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 148 reviews
Reviewed By 208MaryK208
Fabulous tour with views of vineyard- tasting starts there and then continues through the wine making process. Finishing part is the food and wine pairing ... Outstanding!
5. Truchard Vineyards
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 48 reviews
Reviewed By annieo398 - London, United Kingdom
Was late in the season but the weather was still perfect. Had such a lovely wine tour & tasting at Truchard Vineyards. The cellar-master gave us the tour and was knowledgeable, personable and made the visit all the more special. Not usually white wine drinkers, my boyfriend and I thought the Chardonnay was absolutely delicious. The reds were also incredible and we tasted wide variety due to the generosity of the staff. Would 100% recommend, we had a better time than some of the larger wineries we also visited.
6. Porter Family Vineyards
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 71 reviews
If you would like to inquire about a visit to the vineyard, please give us a call.
Reviewed By AZ_Desert_Bella - Gilbert, United States
If you're looking for a genuinely family-run, boutique winery in Napa that produces phenomenal wines and an unforgettable experience, Porter Family is it. This was far and away our favorite tasting/tour on our trip. When I was planning, I obsessed for months. There are so many choices! To be honest, Porter Family nearly didn't make the cut because it was quite far from the others we were visiting. At the last minute I decided to include it, and boy am I glad I did! Florencia was our host, and she is phenomenal. Friendly, knowledgeable, hospitable. You will feel like an old friend catching up rather than a customer! She remembered so many little details from our phone conversation, asked about our trip, and insisted on taking photos of us. We were greeted with a glass of chardonnay (the only non-red they produce, FYI) and taken on a walk through the vineyards. The winery is GORGEOUS, views for days. They have just 20 acres, as compared to many others that have hundreds and hundreds! We made our way to the cave and were treated to an absolutely gorgeous presentation with wine, cheese, and chocolates. So romantic and quite unexpected, especially at such a reasonable price! We were totally unhurried and chatted with Florencia as we sipped and ate. The wines themselves, we loved. We struggled to pick a favorite, but especially loved the red blends. We also learned that Porter Family works with students to design their labels and award scholarships, and does several events benefitting children and other incredible causes. It just keeps getting better and better! You literally cannot buy these wines anywhere other than from Porter Family. Not so much as a restaurant in Napa! We think that is super cool and joined the wine club. We can't wait to receive our shipments and introduce our friends! I truly believe if you visit here, you will have a new bar as to what a wine tasting should be like. Skip the big names and support a true family run operation.
7. Judd's Hill Winery and MicroCrush
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 678 reviews
Judd's Hill is owned and operated by two generations of the Finkelstein family. Bunnie, Judd and Holly Finkelstein are vintners dedicated to producing ultra-premium, handcrafted wines in small lots while highlighting them in entertaining and engaging customer experiences. Our family has been making wine in Napa Valley since the 1970s and continues to produce signature wines that are fruit-driven, concentrated and just simply delicious.
Reviewed By MarciV_13 - Whittier, United States
We wanted to do something different in Napa this time and the Wine Blending Day Camp turned out to be the highlight of our trip to Napa! CJ was so informative and fun! We tasted the wines individually first and then blended three options. After some discussion and more tasting we selected our blend. Next, we siphoned the wines out of the barrel, then bottled, corked and labeled our first signature blend. We can’t wait to go back with friends!!
8. Stags' Leap Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 254 reviews
Stags' Leap Winery is truly a hidden gem in the highly acclaimed Stags Leap District. Located off a long, private road, our nineteenth-century stone winery and Victorian era Manor House are nestled against the Stags Leap Palisades east of the Silverado Trail. We invite you to make a reservation and visit this magical place with its beautiful gardens and stylish wines including the award-winning field blend, Ne Cede Malis, and opulent "The Leap" and "Audentia" Cabernet Sauvignon. We are open by appointment only and are unable to accommodate drop in guests due to traffic restrictions on our private road.
Reviewed By KCHouseman
This is a must stop for Napa Valley wine lovers. Amazing Cabernets and so much more. Make an appointment for the tour and learn a true understanding of how Napa Valley became one of the true premier Cabernet Sauvignon capitals of the world.
9. Darioush Winery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 437 reviews
A Napa Valley wine experience - fine wines and hospitality designed to share our worldly perspective. Join us for an experience designed to engage the senses.
10. Pine Ridge Vineyards
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 375 reviews
Located in the heart of the iconic Stags Leap District, Pine Ridge Vineyards offers intimate cave tastings and stunning views. Join us for an unforgettable experience, and discover the elegance and diversity of our highly acclaimed estate wines, sourced from 160 acres of vineyards in Napa Valley’s most renowned growing regions.
Reviewed By GGWD - Tampa, United States
This winery is excellent. The facility and grounds are beautiful, the wines were absolutely amazing (loved all of them) and they take care of our military with free tastings. Really really good wine and a great experience. Highly Recommended!!
