
Baldacci Family Vineyards
Michael Baldacci pours his family's Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon in a private tasting room.


Michael Baldacci pours his family's Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon in a private tasting room.

At 900 feet, Halleck is one of Sonoma County's highest vineyards.

Five single-vineyard Cabernets from different Napa soils, poured at a restored 1884 farmhouse.

A 14th-century Tuscan castle replica in Calistoga pours Italian-style wines.

The 1979 partnership of Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild set out to make one wine.

A certified organic estate in Rutherford where kids run through the vineyard rows during the Family Friendly Garden Tasting.

Dario Sattui re-opened his great-grandfather Vittorio's 1885 winery in 1976 with picnic grounds.

Three estates from the 1870s and 1880s planted Spring Mountain's first Cabernet Sauvignon.

Joseph Phelps created Insignia, California's first proprietary Bordeaux-style red blend.

The angular tasting room at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars hovers above the valley floor, with the Palisades rising just beyond the vines. The 1973 S.L.V. is the reason most guests book, but it's the Cask 23 in the cave that keeps them talking on the drive home.
Napa and Sonoma sit side by side, separated by the Mayacamas Mountains, but they couldn't feel more different. Napa is a single, focused valley — thirty miles of Cabernet royalty, where every other driveway leads to a world-class tasting room. Sonoma sprawls across 1,768 square miles of wildly varied terrain, from the fog-cooled Russian River to the sun-baked slopes of Dry Creek. Together, they make up the most storied wine region in the New World — and every corner of it is worth exploring.


St. Helena is Napa Valley's wine history in concentrated form — home to the oldest continuously operating winery (Beringer, 1876) and California's first tasting room (Charles Krug, 1861). Main Street's walkable mix of tasting rooms, restaurants, and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone makes it the cultural heart of upper Napa.

Rutherford is the birthplace of the 'Rutherford Dust' concept — a distinctively earthy, cocoa-like tannin quality in Cabernet Sauvignon coined by legendary winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff. Home to some of Napa's most historically significant estates including Inglenook (1881) and Beaulieu Vineyard (1900).

Russian River Valley is one of California's premier cool-climate wine regions, best known for world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Pacific fog rolls through a gap in the coastal mountains each morning, creating ideal conditions for these varieties. Beyond wine, the region offers redwood forests, river recreation, and small-town charm.

Sonoma Valley is the birthplace of California's commercial wine industry, dating to the 1850s. Flanked by the Mayacamas and Sonoma mountain ranges, it produces diverse wines across approximately 14,000 vineyard acres. The historic town of Sonoma and Jack London's home in Glen Ellen add cultural depth beyond wine.
Farmhouse inns to vineyard cottages — pick a base.

Olive and oak trees line the arrival path at Auberge du Soleil, where terraced rooms step down the Rutherford hillside in a modern take on French country design. Most guests spend sunset by the outdoor fire pits, and many never book anywhere else again.
HotelAuberge du Soleil terraces down a Rutherford hillside planted with heritage olive and oak trees.
HotelThe 20,000-square-foot spa runs on Calistoga's geothermal water and books out weeks ahead.
InnFive guest rooms above a three-Michelin-star restaurant in downtown Healdsburg.
HotelA 250-acre estate on land first settled in 1961, with wood-lined cottages scattered across oak groves.
ResortGuestrooms face Carneros vines from private patios connected by herb-lined paths to fire pits and a spa pool.
HotelEight bungalows with gourmet kitchens sit a few minutes' walk from Sonoma Plaza.

First time visiting Napa Valley wine country? Welcome! Wine tasting is more approachable than you might think. The wineries below are perfect for beginners — they're walk-in friendly, affordably priced, and highly rated by other visitors.

Browse the full set on napasonomaguide.com.

Wine tasting doesn't have to be expensive. These wineries in Napa Valley offer tastings for $40 or less — making them perfect for visitors who want to taste widely without splurging at every stop.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of Napa Valley, producing some of the most acclaimed wines in the world. The region's combination of warm days, cool nights, and diverse soils creates Cabs of extraordinary depth, with flavors ranging from dark cassis and black cherry to cedar, tobacco, and chocolate.

Yes, you can absolutely do wine country with kids — here's how to find family-friendly wineries, plan your day, and keep everyone happy.

Planning a wine country trip with a big group? Here's how to find the right wineries, book the best experiences, and make sure everyone has an amazing time.

Wine blending, cave tours, vineyard hikes, harvest experiences, and more — the coolest ways to go deeper into wine country beyond a standard tasting.