Yea, that Andretti. Since retiring from his race-car driving days Mario Andretti has refocused to making wine. There are food and wine pairings as well as tours offered here, but it’s the Tuscany-inspired atmosphere that will make you feel as though you’ve raced across the world.
Drop by for a morning tasting at the Oak Terrace where you can sip on bubbles while overlooking the gorgeous vineyard. This is the quintessential Californian vacation activity; even if you think you don’t like sparkling wine, you will.
Looking like it came out of a Star Trek planet that loves wine is the Opus One Winery. The architecture is a strange mix of Roman and sci-fi. If that’s not mesmerizing enough, grab a glass and fill up with some of the best wines California has to offer.
With five different wine tastings such as the Signature, Cheese and Charcuterie Tasting, and the Wine and Chocolate Pairing you’re in for a real trip with a visit to Luna. What chocolate do you pair with a white wine, you ask? White lemon chocolate, of course. Don’t leave without a sip of some bubbly!
Take a tour through the expansive caves on this tasting which will eventually lead you to the Chandelier Room, where you’ll find an endless combination of lights and roots that make up a superb chandelier. The tasting is further enhanced with the surroundings, as you’ll smell the wood and bricks that fill these amazing caves.
Located on top of Dragon’s Hill overlooking Dragon’s Lake you have a winery suitable for a Khaleesi. For a truly unique experience, rent one of the private pavilions for your tasting and enjoy an afternoon taking in the warming sun and watching time stand still.
Trinchero has remodeled their tasting room and logo alike. With a new look, you’re bound to feel at home as an in-the-know wine drinker with this speakeasy atmosphere. Their “A Taste of Terroir” tasting is one of the most unique tastings in the area. It is a horizontal tasting of single-vineyard Cabernets, allowing you to compare the subtle differences within the varietal. Finally, when people say “I like Cabs” you can reply with something like “me too, so long as they are layered with complexity and dark red fruit flavors such as black cherry.”
Try as we may, we just cannot ignore Domaine Carneros and its dominance of all top-winery lists. The gorgeously symmetrical estate begs for photos. That with the expansive terrace that looks over valley are the perfect combination for your Napa trip; with a glass of Taittinger, of course.
This one is for the lovers out there. Far Niente, with its sexy wines, has a very romantic estate and grounds that would be perfect for a wedding setting (but you probably won’t want to pay for that). This is also where you’ll be able to taste the deliciousness of Nickel.
For a stellar classic Californian Cabernet Sauvignon look no further. For how congested Napa can feel, Stag’s Leap feels just off the beaten path and for good reason. They have a creative setup in the small mountain where they store the wine in a series of caves. Check out the Foucault pendulum while there!
