Event Hosting

Visitors to the Peju tasting room enjoy several unique experiences. They are walked through a systematic tasting, with an attendee carefully pouring and explaining as they go, while not being distracted by newcomers. If they wander into the newest wing of the tasting space, they can marvel at the exquisite quartzite floors that reportedly echo the owner’s impression of a stone Persian rug. Owner Tony Peju, originally of Iran, and his Austrian born wife, founded the winery in the mid-1980s after years of running a successful high end landscaping business. Their devotion to fine art, sculpture, and gardens is apparent as soon as one enters the drive, as the carefully pruned Sycamore trees beckon you in. Lush gardens and an antique stained glass window, coupled with their open-late reputation (unlike many of their neighbors, Peju’s doors are open until 6pm) no doubt help make this one of the most profitable tasting rooms in Napa.

For anyone who’s studied up on the key moments in Napa wine history, the Spurrier tasting of 1976 sits in high relief. The Paris tasting was a bona fide pitting of French against American wines, organized to showcase the superior quality of the French winemaking talent. To everyone’s surprise, the winner of the blind tasting was none other than the 1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars SLV Cabernet Sauvignon. While the winery has recently passed into new ownership (a joint venture between the Tuscan Antinori family and Ste Michelle Wine Estates), the SLV is still going strong; its current vintage is available in their tasting room as part of their Estate Tasting.

Finally, for those seeking a truly elegant wine country setting for an event or wedding, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is one of the few Napa venues set up to host weddings; they also offer cooking classes and wine and food pairing programs that feature both current releases and library wines (wonder if they have any of the 1973 SLV left?).

In a valley replete with still winemakers, Domaine Chandon represents a (relatively) unique opportunity to opt away from the cabs and chards and pick up a slim glass of sparkling wine. As one of the oldest sparkling wine producers in the Napa Valley, now owned by the luxury good conglomerate LVMH (that's Moet Hennesy Louis Vuitton), it wears an air of regal elegance. From the light-filled, sleek tasting room to the well-manicured landscaping and graceful stone sculptures that adorn the grounds, a stroll through this complex yields a feeling of refined serenity. And for those who want to learn about the art of sparkling winemaking, there are daily 30 minute tours, as well as private tours and tasting that can be arranged on request.

Known as one of the limited number of Napa wineries that have county permits for picnics, V Sattui offers mid-day tasters a chance to buy some bread and cheese and sit for a spell in the shade. While patrons cannot bring their own fixins onto the grounds, the on-site deli offers sufficient varieties of meat, cheese, bread, dips and oils to satisfy the most discerning of palates. The wines are not particularly noteworthy, but the three rooms of foodstuffs and other items are something of a shoppers’ paradise.

With lots of shopping, a wood-centric décor, mini art gallery in the back and an extensive tasting bar, the Merryvale winery clearly caters to the Napa tourist. The building has the distinction of being the first winery erected after the end of Prohibition, so Napa history buffs will appreciate its legacy, and those planning a private or corporate event will find the cask room, lined with a double tier of century old, 2,000 gallon wooden casks, utterly charming. Foodies are more likely to appreciate that this tasting room is located right across from the original Taylor’s Refresher.

Another historic property in the heart of Napa Valley, the roots of this winery date from the late 19th century. Current owner Bruce Markham came along in the late 1970s, producing his first vintage in 1978. In addition to traditional style wines, visitors to the tasting cellar can enjoy the rotating art installation and a selection of for-sale items.

While wine libraries are not uncommon in Napa, the space allocated for the purpose at Franciscan stands out. Lots of warm wood, long tables, and floor to ceiling storage make for an impressive but not overwhelming atmosphere for those seeking to schedule a private event or tasting, or interested in attending one of the winery’s daily educational seminars. Founded more than three decades ago, the winery today is owned by the behemoth Constellation Brands; however, it retains its warm, historic vibe and doesn’t feel overly corporate.

This historic winery enjoys the distinction of having been founded by Napa’s first female winery operator, Josephine Tychson. Josephine and her ailing husband purchased land, planted grapes, and built the first winery on the site in the 1880s, under the name of Tychson Cellars. Today, after more than a century of ownership change, Prohibition, and expansion, her portrait still graces the tasting room wall. Now owned by Kendall Jackson, the sunny, spacious tasting room (complete with piano) offers a selection of several cabernets, along with viognier, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, zinfandel and syrah.

A medium sized, family owned and operated winery that sits on the site of a former eucalyptus grove, Rutherford Grove Winery and Vineyards offers visitors flights of its estate grown cabernet and merlot, as well as sangiovese and sauvignon blanc. The Pestoni family, who still own and run the business, are descended from some of Napa’s pioneer winemakers, and over the past several decades have pioneered their own innovative methods for disposing of grape waste (skins, seeds and stems, also known as pomace) and reusing the remnants of grape seeds (see the Napa Valley Grapeseed Oil Company, with which third generation Pestonis are currently involved). Visitors will enjoy grabbing a glass at the tasting counter and browsing the grounds, or sitting under a shady umbrella in the ample picnic area.

If you have the drive time and the picnic basket, and you’re looking for one of the best outdoor eating areas in Napa, head up to Rutherford Hill, where you can sit in one of three dedicated picnic grounds and gaze out at the valley below. This Terlato family winery also offers daily tours, which include a stroll through their extensive cave systems. You can even book the caves (or the picnic grounds) for your own (non-wedding) event.