Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Beautiful Gardens & Landscaping

There are some Napa wineries that stand out for their beautiful gardnes and impeccable landscaping. IntoWine.com has scoured Napa to find the wineries that are worth checking out if only for the gardens. The list below is in no particular order.

Franciscan St. Helena - 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. Read more...

Peju Winery Rutherford (sculpture; stained glass) - 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. Read more...

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Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Art Lovers

Some Napa Valley wineries do a fantastic job of displaying art from both local and national artists. IntoWine.com has scoured Napa to find the wineries that devote time and attention to displaying art. The list below is in no particular order. Artesa Winery Napa (sculpture) - If you’re a buff of just about anything – art, architecture, the history of winemaking, great landscaping, or riding your bike- then this place is for you. Artesa has something for everyone, beginning with fountains that greet you at eye level as you make your way up to the tasting room. One of the few wineries with an artist in residence, Artesa decorates its grounds with sculpture and glass installations by Gordon Huether. Read more...

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Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Picnics

Planning a picnic in Napa? IntoWine.com has scoured Napa Valley to find the best wineries for picnics. The list below is in no particular order. Rutherford Hill Winery Rutherford - 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. Read more...

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Top 25 Most Awesome Tasting Rooms in California

Wine tasting is not merely the act of drinking wine, it is the total experience and that includes the physical space you are standing in when sampling Sauvignon Blanc or pondering Petit Verdot. Most wine tasting rooms seem like afterthought - a utilitarian, banal footnote to the wine itself. So...

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Top 75 California Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking (a non-dump bucket list if you will!)

In my last article, I listed the Top 75 French Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking . In this article I look at the “non-dump bucket” list for wines from California. This proved to be a different task. First, very few wineries have a long track record of making great wine. Secondly, while California is diverse, it does not have the diversity of climates and terroir and grape varietals of France. Still, it does produce some of the best wines in the world and any wine lover should make it a point to try as many of them as they can. Here is my list: 1. Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon – It’s hard to pick the first wine. This one is a great wine in every vintage and has been for a long time. Expensive but still possible to afford and made in large enough quantities to be found in grocery stores. Every lover of Cabernet should try this once.

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Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Napa History Buffs

Interested in the history behind Napa Valley and the evolution of the wines you are tasting? IntoWine.com has scoured Napa to find the wineries that devote attention to the history of Sonoma wine country. The list below is in no particular order nor is it by any means complete (given the long list of wineries that shaped Napa). Madonna Estate Napa - For Napa history buffs, Madonna Estate is a must stop. The original winery was founded by a bona fide Italian immigrant during one of the earliest waves of Napa vinification, in 1922. After being sold in the 1970s, a new iteration of Madonna was founded by some of the family heirs just a few years later. Today, they boast the distinction of representing four generations of winemaking. Read more...

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Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Beautiful Gardens & Landscaping

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Top 75 California Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking (a non-dump bucket list if you will!)

Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Napa History Buffs