Top Boutique Wineries Along Highway 29 - Napa Valley

Additional Wineries to Consider on Highway 29

• Laird Family Estates - Largest family vineyard owner
• Cosentino Winery - Former golf pro becomes wine pro
• Sequoia Grove - Delicious Cabernet Sauvignon
• Hall Winery - Building new winery, the architect is Frank Gehry
• Flora Springs - Good variety of wines at value prices

Tips for your Napa Valley Wine Tour

You are encouraged to have a designated driver. Consider hiring a limousine or van service.

First time to a winery in Napa? Find out what happens in a typical tasting room.

Are you wondering about how to taste wine? Wine Tasting Techniques

Almost wineries in the Napa Valley charge a tasting fee. Expect to pay $10 or more to taste. Two people can always elect to share a tasting.

Plan a picnic lunch. This is one of wine country's greatest pleasures.

If you cannot picnic, enjoy a delicious lunch at one of Napa Valley's many fine restaurants.

We list premium lodging and budget lodging.

Pace yourself and make a day of wine tasting. Don't forget your camera.

Visiting three wineries in one day is enough to you keep you busy and content with the slow and easy pace of wine country.

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Winery Descriptions, Driving Directions, Tasting Room Hours

Turnbull Wine Cellars
This tasting room has a very inviting atmosphere. You can easily tell that these folks love their wines and want everyone to know and enjoy them. The wines are estate grown in the Oakville AVA. The Cab and Chardonnay are excellent. Turnbull is one of the few wineries in the Napa Valley making a Syrah. It is delightful. Another great bargain is the Old Bull Red. Turnbull is located a half mile north from the Oakville Crossroad, across the road from the Robert Mondavi Winery.

Tasting room open daily, 10 am to 4:40, (800) 887-6285
E-mail: bchambers@turnbullwines.com, Turnbull Wine Cellars

St. Supery Vineyards
When you visit this winery, you will find much more than fine wines. The winery has what it calls its Wine Discovery Center. There is a set of stations and demonstrations all about wine and winemaking. For example, you will find a station to help you understand the various aromas you might detect in a glass of wine. Spending just a small amount of time here will increase your knowledge and enjoyment of wine. The main building is rather modern and office-like, but the adjacent 1882 Atkinson House has been restored and provides visitors with a history of the Napa Valley. The wines of St. Supery are all excellent, and they have received many awards for their Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc. Look carefully for the entrance to this winery as you can easily miss it. It is located between the Oakville Crossroad and Rutherford Rd. on the right as you make your way north.

Tasting room is open daily. The summer hours 10:00am - 5:30 (May-Sept), winter hours 10:00am - 5:00 (Oct-April). (800) 942-0809, St. Supery Vineyards

Peju Province Winery
This is a small family owned winery making exceptional wines. Peju produces 12,000 cases of wine per year and it’s unlikely you will find the wines for sale any other place but the winery. The wines are distributed to many high-end restaurants or purchased by a long list of steady customers who can’t seem to wait to purchase the latest releases. Among their wines, the Cabs and Chardonnays are outstanding. One interesting wine that we liked was the Peju Province. It’s a Rhone style red wine served chilled. Peju is the next winery after St. Supery as you travel north on Highway 29. If you pass Rutherford Rd. you have missed Peju. Turn back!

Tasting room is open daily, 10 am to 6, (800) 446-7358
E-mail: hb@peju.com, Peju Province Winery

Grgich Hills Winery
Grgich Hills Winery is one of the most respected wineries in the Napa Valley. Much of that has to do with the legendary Mike Grgich. His fame began in 1976 as winemaker at Chateau Montelena. The Montelena Chardonnay was a surprise winner of the famous Paris blind tasting event of 1976. The event featured Napa Chardonnays against the world renowned French White Burgundies. Shortly after this historic wine event, Mike left Montelena and co-founded the Grgich Hills Wnery. More than 25 years later, and into his 80’s, Mike Grgich still manages the operations and winemaking at Grgich Hills. All of the six Grgich Hill wines are excellent and the Cabernet is exceptional. This is one of the most popular wineries on Highway 29.

Tasting room is open daily, 9:30am to 4:30, (800) 532-3057
E-mail: info@grgich.com, Grgich Hills Winery

Whitehall Lane Winery
Whitehall Lane is fast becoming one of the more recognized wineries of the Napa Valley. Since the Leonardini family of San Francisco purchased the winery in 1993, the winery has been racking up awards and accolades. The winery produces wine from 110 acres, much of which are located in the Rutherford AVA considered by many to be the best AVA for growing Cabernet grapes. The building's architecture and its color combination is eye-catching and blends with the surrounding vineyards. The tasting room is small and quaint and the staff is very cordial and informative. Whitehall Lane is located 2 miles north of Rutherford on the left as you drive north. Turn into the winery parking lot just past Whitehall Lane (road).

Tasting room open daily, 11 am to 6, (800) 963-9454
E-mail: greatwine@whitehalllane.com, Whitehall Lane Winery

Merryvale Vineyards
Merryvale is a winery producing excellent wines with a variety of offerings. Merryvale consistently receives recognition for its wines. The setting is very elegant and the tasting room very cordial. It’s a fun tasting room to visit with lots of interesting items to view and purchase. You must get a look at the elegant Cask Room. The Cask Room is a spectacular setting for social events, with a very long table running the length of the room. The walls on both sides of the table are lined by large casks of wine. The room is available for rental. The winery is located in St. Helena, next to Tra Vigne restaurant.

Tasting room is open daily 10 am to 6:30, (800) 326-6069
E-mail: info@merryvale.com, Merryvale Vineyards

St. Clement Vineyards
The tasting room at St. Clement is a beautiful Victorian mansion that sits up on a hillside overlooking the Napa Valley. From the tasting room you get a great view of the valley. The mansion has been beautifully restored and serves as a great setting for wine tasting. There are a few picnic tables that provide a spectacular view, but getting a table might be tricky because the winery is busy with visitors. The wines are excellent, most notably the Cabernet, Merlot, and the Chardonnay. The winery was recently purchased by Beringer but retains its winemaker and small production of wines. St. Clement is located one and a half miles north of St. Helena on the left side of the road as you head north.

Tasting room open daily, 10 am to 4, (800) 331-8266
E-mail: info@stclement.com, St. Clement Vineyards

Chateau Montelena
The winery is located just off the beaten path in the town of Calistoga. It’s a very beautiful and old winery producing outstanding vintages. The chateau was built in 1882. Get a look at the chateau from below by walking down from the parking lot. You will also notice an interesting man-made lake and grounds landscaped with a Chinese theme. Chateau Montelena brought worldwide attention to its wines in 1976 at the now famous Paris blind tasting of French and California wines. The 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was judged first above all of the French White Burgundies. The winery today continues to make outstanding wines. The tasting room fee might seem a bit pricey at $10 per person but the wines are so good you won’t mind. To get to the winery, don’t turn right at the stoplight at Highway 29 and Calistoga. Continue straight ahead for two miles. Turn right on Tubbs Lane. The winery is located at 1429 Tubbs Lane

Tasting Room open daily 10 am – 4, (707) 942-5105
E-mail: customer-service@montelena.com, Chateau Montelena