To answer your question: I highly recommend a visit to Phelps , that has a beautiful property. For those who like full body cabernets and opulent Chardonnays , I recommend Bremer Family , that’s is also in the Howell mountain region ! For those with children , I recommend Frogs leap, cause tegy allow they to circulate in the vineyards while you do a tasting . And the library wines are wonderful! Cheers !
Bremer is a great example of a good experience with approachable pricing on their wines. They’re off the valley floor but not too high up to where it’s a ton of time getting there. Nice people there as well! We recommend them all the time.
You clearly have the pulse of your subscribers, John. And you seem to have the ability to predict what wine enthusiasts would benefit from and be most interested in. This is a classic example, in my opinion. I’m certainly taking down notes and saving this video for future reference. With this list of 9 of the best wineries to visit in Napa Valley, I know I will have the best time in this amazing wine region. As I always say, no other wine expert knows Napa Valley like you do. Thank you for this well-curated Napa Valley guide, and congratulations on your excellent video. Cheers and Happy Easter, John!
@@AttorneySomm I’m sure it will be very helpful to all wine enthusiasts who will visit Napa Valley. Such a brilliant idea to make this video! It certainly showcases your unrivaled knowledge of this region. A pleasure to watch and appreciate it!
Great list of wineries ! My most memorable experiences are visiting smaller, mom and pop, winery where you get to actually meet with and taste with the proprietor or winemaker
Enjoyable video. A favorite for my wife and me is Adamvs on Howell Mountain. We love their wines, but also the unique architecture of the tasting room and the tour of the property, including feeding a carrot to one of the donkeys, was a memorable experience standing out from the others. Their cabs are delicious with the very lovely tannins and complexity, but the Sauvignon Blanc really stands out as one of the best whites I’ve had from Napa Valley.
My wife and I spent a week in Napa last week. We visited Rombauer, Joseph Phelps, Merryvale, Frank Family and Markham. Rombauer was our personal favorite based on the wines and the views. It was also the cheapest tasting. Joseph Phelps was the most expensive, and I wasn't overly impressed with their wines except for their sparkling wine. Our hotel comped the tastings for Frank Family, Merryvale and Markham. Markham had the most interesting wines and ones that I could actually discern the difference in taste, unlike Merryvale and Frank Family. Markham also has an all-female wine team, which makes them almost unique in Napa. I wish I had seen this video before we took the trip; I definitely would've switched out Phelps for Mayacamas or Stag's Leap. Otherwise, these tastings are absurdly expensive and almost an affront. But it's breathtaking the amount of capital being invested in the valley based on the quality of the tasting rooms!
Last February for my birthday, our daughter arranged for a wine tasting at Faust Winery in St. Helena. They offered several excellent wines including a Cab blend that I really liked. They are located in an old house high on a hill where St. Clement winery existed previously. A wonderful winery to visit! You can also walk through their grounds within a forested hillside.
Thank you! Sounds like a tremendous visit! I have not yet visited Faust, but will certainly keep it in mind for my future trips to Napa Valley. Cheers!
Fun video, and great ideas. I’d love more for other regions. It would also be helpful to understand some of the costs associated with experiences like this.
I would also put Quintessa up with Opus for views and interesting tasting. We did barrel tastings of different wines from the property before blending. Was very interesting. The Faust Haus is also a cool place with great wine.
Thank you for these very worthy additions! This is exactly the sort of information I was hoping that the knowledgeable viewers who watched this video would be able to contribute! I've probably visited 100 plus wineries in Napa, but you have mentioned 3 that sound terrific that I have not visited yet. Cheers!
Awesome list, John. Totally agree on Mayacamas. Quintessa, Faust, Clos du Val and Nickel & Nickel are fun spots as well. Also both Silver Oak locations (Napa and Healdsburg) allow infants under 1 and are really great to visit.
@@AttorneySomm Update: I just visited Knight's Bridge Winery between Napa and Sonoma and it's my new favorite winery to visit. I hope you get a chance to go and try some of their wine on your next trip!
I would definitely check out Kenzo. The mountain drive was incredible and they have a great story. I got one of the best education experiences of any winery in Napa.
Domaine Carneros would probably be my favourite, I bet... They offer food pairing which for me is always a strong point 😅 I know I will sound unrefined and with a clunky taste but I actually I go against the current: I like bold, powerful wines, full bodied, full of oak notes but please give me velvety tannins 😂. I also love MLC and Lees ageing so yes to buttery, full bodied Chardonnays! In fact I also had a very buttery Albariño last year and it was amazing ❤
Thanks very much! Yes, Domaine Carneros is terrific! There is definitely still plenty of the wines like you describe too - something for everyone! Cheers!
That is a great question. It is unfortunate. I typically recommend just a couple visits a day. If you are intentional with visiting places from which you buy wine, that helps to keep it down too. And some smaller producers often charge less.
When times get harder than they are now they will wonder why nobody is coming through their doors. People are already going to other places instead of returning. It’s not good for the overall health of the valley. There are still many wonderful places that don’t charge massive tasting fees. Some need to decide if they are in the business to sell wine or collect tasting fees. If a place doesn’t wave a tasting fee with a decent wine purchase, it’s a red flag for us.
@@jamiedurf Yes I’m definitely a strong believer that they should waive fees with purchase. Tasting fees have gone up dramatically since my first visit 15-16 years ago.
@@AttorneySomm there used to be more entry level $25 $ $30 tastings but they are harder and harder to find. Some are being purchased by other bigger vineyards. Some of the places that didn’t used to charge now have to because non buyers took advantage. If they still don’t charge I only recommend people that will actually buy. Otherwise, they stay a secret.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Carneros, Mayacamas and Raymond (winemaker) are on our itinerary in a couple of weeks! Schramsburg, VGS Chateau Potelle, and Buena Vista also on.
On my trip to Napa, stags leap was a disappointment compared to tastings I had at other wineries. We expected it to be spectacular based on it's reputation and history, but the wine was just average.
Great question! When I visit wineries and walk the vineyards, I often take a sample of the rocks in the vineyard. So one of them is slate from Priorat, one is from Latour, another from the area for Guigal's La Mouline, galestro from Chianti Classico, etc. I'm a visual learner and that helps me remember.
@@sanjaypatelmd4669 Believe PNV auction is Feb 22. I’ll plan my stuff closer to the time. PNV events start on the Wednesday but you need to be trade or media.
@@sanjaypatelmd4669 I definitely saw a number of winemakers at the events. Not sure if they can bring guests or not. You might check with him/her about that. Definitely if you are a store owner, and the store registers with Sotheby's to be able to bid at the auction, and your store representative(s) register for PNV, you should get full credentials to attend the PNV events. Fortunately you have time to look into that now before registration opens.
That means you like at least 1-2 of them. Which of these do you like best? As mentioned, this is a list of places to give people ideas for visits other than just tasting room appointments, which I find can get quite repetitive and dull. If there are smaller more reasonably-priced places that offer interesting experiences, feel free to identify them here so people can consider those too. Thanks!
@@AttorneySomm the tasting rooms are getting nicer and more popular especially with the younger crowd. Sadly, it’s getting too $ for them to do some of the vineyard experiences at the wineries. You almost have to know someone who lives and works in Napa to get the inside scoop on what places and experiences are worth it. If someone is at the beginning of their wine journey and don’t know any better, they’ll be thrilled with the castle or sterling, but those places don’t really represent the Napa Valley imho and the wine is not great. The other issue is hotel cost, which is ridiculous. Sonoma and Suisun valley vineyards are getting more businesses because of Napa prices.
@@jamiedurf yes the wineries I selected were designed for people at various stages of their wine journey. I expect people may find 1-2 to work for them. It was not designed to be a complete itinerary. Beginners and those with children may enjoy the castle. More experienced tasters may enjoy Mayacamas, etc.
I like Del dotto …problem is I have almost 600 bottles of their wine so I am taking little break…. Opus one…I love the wine but didn’t like attitude of our tour guide….
I like Chapellet in Pritchard hill east side of Napa. Their 2013 and 2016 is one of the best rivaling the most expensive ones there from Bond/Promontory/Harlan and it’s priced not bad. I also recommend Corison in St Helena, Cardinale, Shafer(hill side select), Spotswood, Araujo, Seven Apart(Andy Erickson’s gig), and Amuse Bouche(Heidi Barrett’s gig). Andy Erickson and Heidi Barrette are former screaming Eagle wine makers and their wines are always good.
Thanks very much! Appreciate the very worthy suggestions! Enjoyed my visits to Chappellet, Corison and Shafer as well! I'll be releasing a stand-alone video on Corison soon, which is one reason for not including that winery here. Cheers!
Great question! The 19 is an enjoyable wine if you can get a great deal on it, but it is certainly not a must buy. Also, for what it is worth, I see the 2021 on sale now for only $79 on wine dot com and I like the 21 vintage better.
@@AttorneySomm Thanks! (I am always looking forward to a great investment,but at the same time; i will not lose money...) So far your videos have proven to be gold! (investment. )
Funny you and I were just talking about visiting the Mayacamas tasting room versus the main winery on the comments of a previous video. I booked my visit to go to the main winery after you said it was worth it.
@@AttorneySommI went to Mayacamas yesterday, and it was exactly how you described. I knew I could trust your recommendation! I had a personal tour with David in an ATV all over the property.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars also includes grapes from their sister winery, Antinori Family Winery, up the hill from Stag’s Leap along Soda Canyon Road. We know the winemaker at Antinori very well, and she produces some excellent wines there also!
Thanks very much for mentioning that! An excellent point. Yes, Antinori is doing an excellent job in Napa Valley - they have vineyard sources in Atlas Peak.
Thank you! I would describe it as crowd pleasing. It’s ready to enjoy on release. I’ve taken it to dinners with more casual wine enthusiasts and it was well received there.
Yes, in the vast majority of my videos. The problem is that its going out. Last video I had to re-record half the clips because it didn't pick up audio at all for certain segments.
everyone is willing to use all sorts of oak, used, almost no toast, this and that and yet, nobody has enough courage to make red wine without oak. you can go through a month long tour in Napa, visit 60 wineries and end up not tasting single wine without oak. I find this extremely amusing and funny😅
@@AttorneySomm yes, some will use clay, some will use ceramics, some will even use marble and wine will still end up in oak, neutral or otherwise. I find it extremely curious that red wine without oak does not seem to exist in a mainstream wine scene. when was the last time you have tried a red wine that was not aged in oak?
They're making what is expected of them by most of their paying customers. If you look at smaller producers, you'll find some focus on non-cab reds with much less oak.
To answer your question: I highly recommend a visit to Phelps , that has a beautiful property. For those who like full body cabernets and opulent Chardonnays , I recommend Bremer Family , that’s is also in the Howell mountain region ! For those with children , I recommend Frogs leap, cause tegy allow they to circulate in the vineyards while you do a tasting . And the library wines are wonderful! Cheers !
Thanks very much! These sound like excellent suggestions. Much appreciated!
Bremer is a great example of a good experience with approachable pricing on their wines. They’re off the valley floor but not too high up to where it’s a ton of time getting there. Nice people there as well! We recommend them all the time.
@@jamiedurf Thank you! Appreciate the suggestion!
You clearly have the pulse of your subscribers, John. And you seem to have the ability to predict what wine enthusiasts would benefit from and be most interested in. This is a classic example, in my opinion. I’m certainly taking down notes and saving this video for future reference. With this list of 9 of the best wineries to visit in Napa Valley, I know I will have the best time in this amazing wine region. As I always say, no other wine expert knows Napa Valley like you do. Thank you for this well-curated Napa Valley guide, and congratulations on your excellent video. Cheers and Happy Easter, John!
Happy Easter Margaux! Thanks very much. Hopefully this video will be helpful for people who visit Napa Valley! Cheers!
@@AttorneySomm I’m sure it will be very helpful to all wine enthusiasts who will visit Napa Valley. Such a brilliant idea to make this video! It certainly showcases your unrivaled knowledge of this region. A pleasure to watch and appreciate it!
Great list of wineries ! My most memorable experiences are visiting smaller, mom and pop, winery where you get to actually meet with and taste with the proprietor or winemaker
Thank you! Yes, you are very right! Those can definitely be some of the most memorable visits!
Enjoyable video. A favorite for my wife and me is Adamvs on Howell Mountain. We love their wines, but also the unique architecture of the tasting room and the tour of the property, including feeding a carrot to one of the donkeys, was a memorable experience standing out from the others. Their cabs are delicious with the very lovely tannins and complexity, but the Sauvignon Blanc really stands out as one of the best whites I’ve had from Napa Valley.
Thanks very much! That’s a new name for me. Appreciate the tip!
My wife and I spent a week in Napa last week. We visited Rombauer, Joseph Phelps, Merryvale, Frank Family and Markham. Rombauer was our personal favorite based on the wines and the views. It was also the cheapest tasting. Joseph Phelps was the most expensive, and I wasn't overly impressed with their wines except for their sparkling wine.
Our hotel comped the tastings for Frank Family, Merryvale and Markham. Markham had the most interesting wines and ones that I could actually discern the difference in taste, unlike Merryvale and Frank Family. Markham also has an all-female wine team, which makes them almost unique in Napa.
I wish I had seen this video before we took the trip; I definitely would've switched out Phelps for Mayacamas or Stag's Leap. Otherwise, these tastings are absurdly expensive and almost an affront. But it's breathtaking the amount of capital being invested in the valley based on the quality of the tasting rooms!
Thanks very much! I appreciate you sharing your experiences!
Yes, the tasting fees are definitely getting to be quite oppressive in many instances.
Last February for my birthday, our daughter arranged for a wine tasting at Faust Winery in St. Helena. They offered several excellent wines including a Cab blend that I really liked. They are located in an old house high on a hill where St. Clement winery existed previously. A wonderful winery to visit! You can also walk through their grounds within a forested hillside.
Thank you! Sounds like a tremendous visit! I have not yet visited Faust, but will certainly keep it in mind for my future trips to Napa Valley. Cheers!
Fun video, and great ideas. I’d love more for other regions. It would also be helpful to understand some of the costs associated with experiences like this.
Thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it. Appreciate the feedback. 👍🍷
I would also put Quintessa up with Opus for views and interesting tasting. We did barrel tastings of different wines from the property before blending. Was very interesting.
The Faust Haus is also a cool place with great wine.
Thank you for these very worthy additions! This is exactly the sort of information I was hoping that the knowledgeable viewers who watched this video would be able to contribute! I've probably visited 100 plus wineries in Napa, but you have mentioned 3 that sound terrific that I have not visited yet. Cheers!
Great! I went to Napa last year and did 12 wineries in 5 days. It was quite the trip, will do fewer next time. But I regret nothing about it.
@@2meta435 Sounds like a fantastic trip! My first trip was like that too.
💯🙌🏻👏🏻
@@gabriela_dng Thank you kindly! Cheers!
Awesome list, John. Totally agree on Mayacamas. Quintessa, Faust, Clos du Val and Nickel & Nickel are fun spots as well.
Also both Silver Oak locations (Napa and Healdsburg) allow infants under 1 and are really great to visit.
Thanks very much! Greatly appreciate your input! 👍🍷
@@AttorneySomm Update: I just visited Knight's Bridge Winery between Napa and Sonoma and it's my new favorite winery to visit. I hope you get a chance to go and try some of their wine on your next trip!
@@rjlang2919 Thank you! Appreciate it! I’ll be back no later than February.
I would definitely check out Kenzo. The mountain drive was incredible and they have a great story. I got one of the best education experiences of any winery in Napa.
Thanks very much! Appreciate the suggestion! Sounds fantastic! That is one of the few that I have not visited yet.
Domaine Carneros would probably be my favourite, I bet... They offer food pairing which for me is always a strong point 😅
I know I will sound unrefined and with a clunky taste but I actually I go against the current: I like bold, powerful wines, full bodied, full of oak notes but please give me velvety tannins 😂.
I also love MLC and Lees ageing so yes to buttery, full bodied Chardonnays! In fact I also had a very buttery Albariño last year and it was amazing ❤
Thanks very much! Yes, Domaine Carneros is terrific! There is definitely still plenty of the wines like you describe too - something for everyone! Cheers!
What are your thoughts on the elevated cost of tastings at many Napa wineries?
That is a great question. It is unfortunate. I typically recommend just a couple visits a day. If you are intentional with visiting places from which you buy wine, that helps to keep it down too. And some smaller producers often charge less.
When times get harder than they are now they will wonder why nobody is coming through their doors. People are already going to other places instead of returning. It’s not good for the overall health of the valley. There are still many wonderful places that don’t charge massive tasting fees. Some need to decide if they are in the business to sell wine or collect tasting fees. If a place doesn’t wave a tasting fee with a decent wine purchase, it’s a red flag for us.
@@jamiedurf Yes I’m definitely a strong believer that they should waive fees with purchase. Tasting fees have gone up dramatically since my first visit 15-16 years ago.
@@AttorneySomm there used to be more entry level $25 $ $30 tastings but they are harder and harder to find. Some are being purchased by other bigger vineyards. Some of the places that didn’t used to charge now have to because non buyers took advantage. If they still don’t charge I only recommend people that will actually buy. Otherwise, they stay a secret.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Carneros, Mayacamas and Raymond (winemaker) are on our itinerary in a couple of weeks! Schramsburg, VGS Chateau Potelle, and Buena Vista also on.
Thanks very much for weighing in! Hope you have a fantastic time!
Plumpjack, Cade and Darioush are some of my favorites to visit
Schramsberg caves are impressive as well
Thanks very much! Excellent suggestions! Yes, those are all terrific as well!
On my trip to Napa, stags leap was a disappointment compared to tastings I had at other wineries. We expected it to be spectacular based on it's reputation and history, but the wine was just average.
Thank you for the feedback.
What's up with the rocks on the bookcase?
Great question! When I visit wineries and walk the vineyards, I often take a sample of the rocks in the vineyard. So one of them is slate from Priorat, one is from Latour, another from the area for Guigal's La Mouline, galestro from Chianti Classico, etc. I'm a visual learner and that helps me remember.
When you go to Napa please let me know…
Thank you. The past few years I go for Premiere week only. I’ll be there for PNV next year too.
@@AttorneySomm do you have next year dates?
@@sanjaypatelmd4669 Believe PNV auction is Feb 22. I’ll plan my stuff closer to the time. PNV events start on the Wednesday but you need to be trade or media.
@@AttorneySomm I have friend of mine who is a wine maker is that count? I may have to invest in some wine store to be qualified.
@@sanjaypatelmd4669 I definitely saw a number of winemakers at the events. Not sure if they can bring guests or not. You might check with him/her about that.
Definitely if you are a store owner, and the store registers with Sotheby's to be able to bid at the auction, and your store representative(s) register for PNV, you should get full credentials to attend the PNV events. Fortunately you have time to look into that now before registration opens.
what's with the mike? was waiting for the karaoke to start
Lapel mic has been erratic.
Most mentioned are bigger, overrated and overpriced imho.
That means you like at least 1-2 of them. Which of these do you like best? As mentioned, this is a list of places to give people ideas for visits other than just tasting room appointments, which I find can get quite repetitive and dull. If there are smaller more reasonably-priced places that offer interesting experiences, feel free to identify them here so people can consider those too. Thanks!
@@AttorneySomm the tasting rooms are getting nicer and more popular especially with the younger crowd. Sadly, it’s getting too $ for them to do some of the vineyard experiences at the wineries. You almost have to know someone who lives and works in Napa to get the inside scoop on what places and experiences are worth it. If someone is at the beginning of their wine journey and don’t know any better, they’ll be thrilled with the castle or sterling, but those places don’t really represent the Napa Valley imho and the wine is not great. The other issue is hotel cost, which is ridiculous. Sonoma and Suisun valley vineyards are getting more businesses because of Napa prices.
@@jamiedurf yes the wineries I selected were designed for people at various stages of their wine journey. I expect people may find 1-2 to work for them. It was not designed to be a complete itinerary. Beginners and those with children may enjoy the castle. More experienced tasters may enjoy Mayacamas, etc.
I like Del dotto …problem is I have almost 600 bottles of their wine so I am taking little break…. Opus one…I love the wine but didn’t like attitude of our tour guide….
Thanks very much for sharing your thoughts! Wow, that is a lot from one producer!
@@AttorneySomm John those days I was not watching your channel … now I know better.
I like Chapellet in Pritchard hill east side of Napa. Their 2013 and 2016 is one of the best rivaling the most expensive ones there from Bond/Promontory/Harlan and it’s priced not bad. I also recommend Corison in St Helena, Cardinale, Shafer(hill side select), Spotswood, Araujo, Seven Apart(Andy Erickson’s gig), and Amuse Bouche(Heidi Barrett’s gig). Andy Erickson and Heidi Barrette are former screaming Eagle wine makers and their wines are always good.
Thanks very much! Appreciate the very worthy suggestions! Enjoyed my visits to Chappellet, Corison and Shafer as well! I'll be releasing a stand-alone video on Corison soon, which is one reason for not including that winery here. Cheers!
Mayacamas is a great experience and their wines are excellent
Thanks very much! Completely agree with you!
❤
Hi John, my personal favorite in Napa valley is Seavey Vineyard near the foot of Howell mountain. Great wines from a small family owned winery
Thanks very much! That one is still on my list! Appreciate the suggestion!
Great insight as usual! Very good info, John! Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! Thanks very much for the kind feedback!
Stags Leap Artemis 2019 (cab sauv) Do you have an opinion? (Is it worth investing in a few bottles?)
Great question! The 19 is an enjoyable wine if you can get a great deal on it, but it is certainly not a must buy. Also, for what it is worth, I see the 2021 on sale now for only $79 on wine dot com and I like the 21 vintage better.
@@AttorneySomm Thanks! (I am always looking forward to a great investment,but at the same time; i will not lose money...) So far your videos have proven to be gold! (investment. )
@@injashiran Glad to hear it! Thank you!
I still dream about my tasting at Cardinale 😍
Fantastic wine! Thank you!
Funny you and I were just talking about visiting the Mayacamas tasting room versus the main winery on the comments of a previous video. I booked my visit to go to the main winery after you said it was worth it.
Thank you! Yes, that discussion was fresh in my mind when I recorded this video. I definitely think the winery is the way to go. Hope you enjoy it!
@@AttorneySomm I’m glad I got you thinking about the topic for this video. It’ll help other people who will be visiting Napa.
@@dougronald561 Yes, I figured lots of people will be planning their summer trips soon. Hopefully it will be useful.
@@AttorneySommI went to Mayacamas yesterday, and it was exactly how you described. I knew I could trust your recommendation! I had a personal tour with David in an ATV all over the property.
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars also includes grapes from their sister winery, Antinori Family Winery, up the hill from Stag’s Leap along Soda Canyon Road. We know the winemaker at Antinori very well, and she produces some excellent wines there also!
Thanks very much for mentioning that! An excellent point. Yes, Antinori is doing an excellent job in Napa Valley - they have vineyard sources in Atlas Peak.
Enjoyed the video John. I love Italian wine, so hearing about Castello di Amorosa was intriguing. The property looks beautiful. How's the wine there?
Thank you! I would describe it as crowd pleasing. It’s ready to enjoy on release. I’ve taken it to dinners with more casual wine enthusiasts and it was well received there.
Great video! Thank you for including the Castello. Cheers!
My pleasure! Thanks very much! Appreciate the kind feedback!
Have you tried using a lapel mic? Might be more natural to your talking style.
Yes, in the vast majority of my videos. The problem is that its going out. Last video I had to re-record half the clips because it didn't pick up audio at all for certain segments.
Napa Valley is great! Thanks for sharing.
My pleasure! Thank you!
Darioush is worth a visit- styled after Persepolis🍷
Thank you! Appreciate the suggestion!
everyone is willing to use all sorts of oak, used, almost no toast, this and that and yet, nobody has enough courage to make red wine without oak. you can go through a month long tour in Napa, visit 60 wineries and end up not tasting single wine without oak. I find this extremely amusing and funny😅
There are some who mature a percentage in amphora. Neutral oak is used too.
@@AttorneySomm yes, some will use clay, some will use ceramics, some will even use marble and wine will still end up in oak, neutral or otherwise. I find it extremely curious that red wine without oak does not seem to exist in a mainstream wine scene. when was the last time you have tried a red wine that was not aged in oak?
@@Ruirspirul think I’ve had some Aglianico matured in stainless in the past year.
They're making what is expected of them by most of their paying customers. If you look at smaller producers, you'll find some focus on non-cab reds with much less oak.