Napa Valley is home to more than 400 wineries, and many offer more than just simple tasting experiences. Whether you’re looking to roll up your sleeves and play winemaker for a day, take in Napa Valley’s beautiful vistas from a unique vantage point, or experience a pairing you won’t find anywhere else, Napa Valley has something special just for you.
Perched 300 feet above the town of Calistoga, Sterling Vineyards offers panoramic views of Napa Valley. An aerial tram carries visitors up the hill to the white stucco winery that stands out dramatically against the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges that flank Napa Valley.
While tasting Sterling’s award-winning wines, guests may roam beautiful outdoor terraces and elegant tasting rooms inspired by the sun-bleached island of Mykonos. Well-marked walkways and motion-sensitive DVD screens allow guests to take their time during a self-guided tour of Sterling Vineyards’ winemaking facilities.
The setting at Chateau Montelena winery is one of the most remarkable in the Napa Valley. It features an Instagram-worthy stone castle carved into a hillside above a garden, lake and vineyard that stretches to the base of Mount Saint Helena.
While they appear to be groomed, the gardens are mostly wild, growing where and how nature intended. If you take the time to walk the path around the lake, you will be surrounded by plants native to the area, including redwoods, oak, madrone, and toyon.
You’ll visit three of the premier wineries, where you’ll journey through fermentation facilities and wine caves and enjoy a brief lecture on learning how the grapes are prepared for blending, bottling, aging, and distribution. Conclude your visit with a glass of wine or two for a taste of California grapes at each.
In between visits to wineries, you will head to Yountville at the V Marketplace, the Historical Sonoma Square or the Oxbow Public Market for a delicious lunch at your own cost and explore the town yourself.
According to klook.com; extranomical.com; visitnapavalley.com. Source of photos: Internet
