Some of My All-Time Favorite Wineries in Napa & Sonoma
There are a TON of wineries to choose from in Napa and Sonoma. I promise you can't go wrong with any of these.
If you’re ready to explore California wine country, Napa and Sonoma are two legendary wine regions every wine enthusiast should experience at least once. Here are a handful of my favorite wineries to check out while you’re there.
Patz & Hall Winery
Why Visit Patz & Hall?
You want to experience the characteristics of different vineyards in one sitting
You love Chardonnay and Pinot Noir OR you have yet to find a Chardonnay or Pinot Noir you can get behind (prepare to change your mind!)
You love quality hospitality and relaxing in a beautiful setting with a special glass of wine
You are staying in downtown Sonoma and would love to visit a winery a short Uber ride away
Pinot Noir is one of my all time favorite varieties and it’s safe to say I’ve had a wide array of styles of this special wine. However, I’ve never had a Pinot Noir quite like those of Patz & Hall in Sonoma. Let’s just say I’m a HUGE fan of this Sonoma gem.
This picturesque winery is located just a quick 10 minute drive from downtown Sonoma, making it the perfect stop after you’ve savored a Rhône inspired meal at the ever popular The Girl & The Fig. My family and I discovered Patz & Hall on our Christmas 2016 holiday to Northern California wine country. We wanted one last wine tasting stop following a delicious lunch at El Dorado Kitchen in downtown Sonoma before heading home down south. My parents had made an appointment at The Sonoma House at Patz & Hall knowing how much I love Pinot Noir and I have been in love ever since.
Patz & Hall specializes in single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sourcing from the very best small, family-owned vineyards of the two varietals in Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino. By focusing on the two varietals, Patz & Hall is able to elevate the defining characteristics of each vineyard and produces wines with impressive depth and elegant nuances that remain true to the terroir of the vineyard from which they came. In my opinion, this is one of the most exciting aspects of wine – getting a sense of a new place simply by opening a bottle and having a taste.
In addition to exquisite wines, Patz & Hall has a gorgeous tasting room and extremely hospitable staff. Hospitality done well makes you feel at home and that is definitely the vibe you get when tasting at this winery. Be sure to call ahead for an appointment and take in the views as you drive up the long, polished, cypress-lined driveway leading to the tasting room. You can taste wine seated outdoors near the vines, at the wine bar or arm chairs inside, or in the cozy member lounge if you decide to join the wine club.
Tasting Notes
2015 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay | Sonoma Valley | 15 Barrels
We learned the Durell Vineyard is a short 3 miles away from the Pats & Hall tasting room. 2015 was a very good year that followed a draught, thus producing very concentrated fruit. I could taste the complexities and textures produced from that dense fruit concentration. A little fresh peach, coconut, and sweet cedar on the nose with notes of pineapple, pear, and a bit of caramel on the palate.
2015 Durell Vineyard Chardonnay is a limited production Salon Society Exclusive Wine.
2014 Zio Tony Ranch Chardonnay | Russian River Valley | 22 Barrels
This vineyard is owned by the Martinelli family who has been growing grapes in California since 1887. The Martinelli brothers purchased the ranch from their Uncle Tony, hence the name, and turned an apple orchard into a luscious vineyard.
The bouquet is full of abundant notes of a variety of tropical fruits – cantaloupe, pineapple, peach, and mango with hints of smoke and spice. I could also smell the chalky minerals. The palate has a beautifully rounded mouthfeel with a great acidity, some fruit notes, and minerals.
This wine would pair well with a slightly spiced, creamy clam chowder or langoustines in a butter cream sauce.
2014 Moses-Hall Vineyard Pinot Noir | Carneros | 23 Barrels
A well balanced and enticing blend of both sweet and savory, this Pinot Noir delivers on all accounts. Aromas of black cherry and caramel give way to smoke, earth, and worn leather. On the palate, I got more red fruit, a nice warmth, and a tantalizing depth that started with well-structured tannins and smoothed out effortlessly on the palate. A truly beautifully integrated wine.
This wine is a limited production Salon Society Exclusive Wine.
2014 Bootlegger’s Hill Pinot Noir | Russian River Valley | 20 Barrels
A rich Pinot Noir with a bright acidity! The nose was slightly smokey with a bit of earthy must and hints of dried roses and black tea. This wine had elegant and complete layers that evolved on the palate. A big, rich Pinot that somehow manages to be precise and refined.
Cliff Lede Vineyards – Wine with a Side of Rock & Roll
Why Visit Cliff Lede Vineyards?
You love rock and roll
You enjoy sipping on vino in a charming outdoor setting near the vines where said wine came from
You didn’t have time to make an appointment and are looking for a winery with a bar to belly up to in Yountville
You like your wine with a side of entertainment
Founded in 2002 by its namesake, Cliff Lede Vineyards is a winery that exudes a welcoming, laid back charm on a gorgeous sixty acre estate in the Stag’s Leap District of Napa Valley. Formerly a sparkling wine house, Cliff Lede purchased the vineyards, visitor center, and caves in 2002. With an emphasis on producing wines from estate vineyards, Cliff has truly made the winery his own by producing noteworthy wines and allowing his love for rock and roll to shine through.
Not only are the vineyards named after various rock songs (think Elton John’s Your Song and Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon), there is also a backstage room which can be booked for private tastings. This room is killer! The Backstage Lounge regularly features rotating art exhibits. Upon our visit, the walls were lined with guitars signed by famous musicians and some seriously rad pieces of art and photography as well. The vibe at Cliff Lede is definitely cool.
In addition to the Cliff Lede Vineyards property, Cliff purchased a small winery in the Anderson Valley in 2002. He renamed it FEL in honor of his mother, Florence Elsie Lede. A couple of years later, the Lede family gained another vineyard in the Anderson Valley with a quality reputation for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. During a seated tasting at Cliff Lede, you get to taste wines from both the FEL and Cliff Lede labels. Thus, tasting wines with diverse backgrounds – Anderson Valley vs. Stag’s Leap District. The Cliff Lede portfolio now also includes the Poetry Inn, just in case you’re looking for accommodations near Yountville!
Tasting Notes
2015 FEL Chardonnay, Anderson Valley
Wine saw no new oak and did not undergo malolactic fermentation.
Similar style to a Chablis.
Crisp, bright, and fresh with notes of green melon, grapefruit, and Meyer lemon.
2017 FEL Pinot Gris, Anderson Valley
Super crisp with a lot of bright fruit acidity. Art and I had many jokes about loving acid with this one!
Grapes came from two vineyards in the deep end of Anderson Valley in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean. I could taste a salinity similar to a salty ocean breeze.
Aromatics of kaffir lime, verbena, and flint.
Bright acidity gives way to a delicately creamy texture on the palate. Partially aged sur lie for 5 months (35%)
The perfect wine for both spicy Asian dishes and delicate seafood. Think Thai green curry, Sichuan sautéed scallops and green beans, or butter poached langoustines.
2014 FEL Pinot Noir, Donnelly Creek Vineyard
Toasty nose. Wine saw 50% new French Oak during 16 month aging period.
Fruit forward, dark red fruit, cherry cola. Hints of vanilla and coffee too from the new oak.
Richer tannins than a typical Pinot Noir. Bright finish lingers on the palate.
2015 Cliff Lede Claret, Napa Valley
Red Bordeaux blend. “Claret” is Old English for red.
Dense ruby color.
Notes of stewed berries, caramelized fig, black cherry, vanilla, and espresso.
Extremely easy drinking, luscious red with silky tannins.
2014 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga
A Cabernet to drink now vs. later.
The vineyard is shaded by Diamond Mountain, producing less ripe grapes with thinner skins.
Delicate notes of cassis, lavender, violets, and black licorice are accompanied by truffle and mushroom flavors
A very elegant, almost ladylike Cabernet.
I preferred this Cabernet over the 2014 Scarlett Love.
2014 Cliff Lede Scarlet Love Rock Block Series, Stag’s Leap District
Rock Block series is an annual tradition of blending Cliff Lede’s most articulate vineyard sites.
This is a blend of two blocks – Grateful Dead’s “Scarlett Begonias” in the Twin Peaks vineyard and Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” in the Poetry Vineyard.
Deep notes of stewed cherries and black licorice with a long, lingering finish.
Domaine Carneros – A Bubbles Lover’s Dream
Why Visit Domaine Carneros?
You love champagne and sparkling wine
You want to experience how sparkling wine is made
You want to savor your bubbles in luxury at an eye-catching château
You would like to experience a piece of France in California wine country
You want to support badass women in the wine industry
Have you ever had Taittinger Champagne? Elegant, refined, and exquisite are just a few words I would use to describe this phenomenal champagne. Exquisite to say the least because each time I’ve had Taittinger, I’ve spent at least $40 per glass! And I’d do it again because Taittinger is heavenly.
If you’ve ever driven between Napa and Sonoma, you have definitely admired the elegant château watching over Domaine Carneros’ 138 acre estate.
Little did I know until my visit to the Napa Valley winery that Domaine Carneros was founded by the legendary Taittinger family in 1987. Domaine Carneros focuses on making distinctive sparkling wines via méthode traditionnelle, just as Taittinger does in Champagne, as well as luscious estate grown Pinot Noir. What makes the méthode traditionnelle so distinctive is allowing for the secondary fermentation in bottle along with extensive bottle aging ranging from 3-6 years.
Now, if a French counterpart, estate grown Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and a luxurious château weren’t enough, Domaine Carneros has been at the helm of female winemaker Eileen Crane for the past 30 years. Get it girl! In my opinion, you don’t see enough female winemakers out there, so it’s super cool to see Eileen’s longevity with this incredible winery. Think of how exacting her palate must be with all of the blending required to make phenomenal sparkling wine! What’s even crazier is that Eileen started as a tour guide at Domaine Chandon and worked her way up to become winemaker and President of Domaine Carneros.
The wine tour experience starts amongst the Chardonnay vines in front of the château and continues with a tour of the winemaking, bottling, riddling, aging, and disgorging areas in the winery. You get to experience the méthode traditionnelle step by step. We lucked out and got to see the La Rêve Blanc de Blancs, Domaine Carneros’ most extraordinary bottle of wine, being disgorged, receiving the dosage, and getting corked and foiled. Yes, I was totally geeking out on this process! The tour ends with a taste of the Famous Gate Pinot Noir paired with artisan cheese.
Tasting Notes
2013 Ultra Brut
51% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay. $45.
Spent 3 years aging in the bottle.
Very dry, brisk, and refreshing.
A light toastiness with hints of lime, tropical fruits, and green apple.
Clean and elegant. Would pair exceptionally well with oysters.
My favorite!
2012 Estate Brut Cuvée
58% Chardonnay, 42% Pinot Noir. $35.
Spent 3 years aging in bottle.
Twice as much sugar as the Ultra Brut.
Aromas of fresh flowers, honeycomb, and baked brioche.
A more creamy texture on the palate.
2011 Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs
100% Chardonnay. $115.
Notes of meyer lemon, pineapple, and Crème brûlée.
A long, lingering, well-rounded finish.
This wine spent 6 years aging in bottle (hence the price), meaning longer contact with the lees leading to a a more creamy texture.
2014 Brut Rosé
41% Pinot Noir, 59% Chardonnay. $42.
Spent 3 years aging in bottle.
A vibrant sparkling wine buzzing with both fruit and floral notes.
Notes of fragrant strawberries and peaches.
2015 The Famous Gate Pinot Noir
100% Pinot Noir from 3 different clonal selections.$80.
Velvety, luscious texture characterized by black cherries and raspberries mixed with hints of smoke.
Schramsberg Vineyards – Historic California Sparkling Wine
Why Visit Schramsberg Vineyards?
You want to experience a piece of Napa Valley history.
You love sparkling wine and want to learn more about the production process.
You want to explore wine caves over a century old.
You’re looking to visit a gorgeous estate in Napa Valley.
I first heard of Schramsberg while working at Adelaida pouring wine for a couple in the tasting room. We got to talking about my love for sparkling wine and they told me if I love sparkling wine, then I definitely need to visit Schramsberg in Napa Valley. I was dying to visit, but on each of my trips to Napa in 2018 Schramsberg was fully booked! Needless to say, when my family and I decided to take a trip up to Napa for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, I immediately jumped on the Schramsberg website to book our visit. And let me tell you, Schramsberg was worth the wait!
A Historic Napa Valley Winery
Schramsberg was founded in 1862 by German immigrants Jacob and Annie Schram. Actually, the winery was originally founded under the name Schramsberger, but we’ll get to that later. Jacob, the son of a German sparkling winemaker, first immigrated to New York City and worked as a barber. He saved every penny and later moved to San Francisco where he fell in love with Annie. Soon, the Schrams purchased 200 acres of property in Calistoga in 1862 for $1 per acre! They planted this hillside property with vineyards for still wine production and the 2nd bonded winery in Napa Valley was born. The Schrams, along with Charles Krug and the Beringer brothers were the major pioneers of the Napa Valley wine industry.
In 1870, Jacob hired Chinese laborers who were in California working on the railroads to dig into the mountainside on the property, creating Napa’s first hillside caves for wine storage. The tufa soil proved too soft for the use of dynamite, crumbling in on itself with each blow. So the laborers proceeded to dig by hand with pickaxes and shovels. Over the course of 10 years, they managed to dig half a mile deep into the mountainside. Upon visiting the Schramsberg caves today, you can still see the pickaxe scars on the walls of the caves!
By 1880, Schramsberg was producing around 10,000 cases of still wine per year with major distribution as far as London. The wines produced included Zinfandel, Riesling, Sauvignon Vert, and Burgundy. In 1905, Jacob died and his son Herman inherited the property. Shortly after, Schramsberg ceased operation and closed in 1912 as it is thought that Herman did not want to carry on the family business. With the commencement of prohibition in 1920, the winery remained closed for several decades.
Just shy of a decade later Jack and Jamie Davies decided to make the move from Los Angeles to Napa Valley purchasing the 200+ acre Schramsberg estate in 1965. The Davies acquired the estate with the intention of fulfilling their dream of making world-class sparkling wines. At this time, the Davies chose to change the name of the winery to Schramsberg from the original Schramsberger and planted varieties intended for sparkling wine production – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
By 1972, the Davies received an exciting request from the White House for 13 cases of the 1969 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc. They had no idea what the wine was intended for, but were happy to fulfill the request. The Davies soon discovered their wine was used for the famous “Toast to Peace” during the state dinner in Beijing, China. President Nixon wanted to begin opening trade with China and the Schramsberg bubbles were the sparkling wine of choice for his toast with Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. President Nixon helped put Schramsberg, and thus Napa Valley wines, on the global stage. Somehow, the glasses used by President Nixon and the Chinese Premier even made their way back to the Schramsberg estate. Schramsberg bubbles have been served at each state dinner ever since.
Jack and Jamie also opted to continue the work of the Chinese laborers and dig the wine caves further into the mountainside. What took the Chinese 10 years only took 7 months with the help of modern technology. Today, there are just over one mile of caves at the Schramsberg estate housing 3.5 million aging bottles of sparkling wine. The caves are naturally 58°F with 80% humidity because of the tufa soil, the perfect conditions for cellaring wine. There is also a funky looking fungus growing on the walls of the caves which sounds gross, but looks like a grey cotton candy and actually helps to maintain the optimal humidity levels of the caves.
Schramsberg sparkling wines are produced in the traditional method with the second fermentation occurring in the bottle. This means all 3.5 million of those bottles need to be riddled in order to remove the yeast sediment from the bottle. About one third of the bottles are still riddled by hand! The other two thirds of the bottles are riddled using the more efficient method of gyro palettes. Most of the bottles are stored within the walls of the caves by stacking bottles directly on top of each other horizontally from floor to ceiling. This is insane to see! Quite literally a wall of sparkling wine bottles built from the ground up. Sometimes a bottle or two will burst due to the effects of fermentation and the vacant space left by the bottle will be filled with PVC pipes in order to maintain a sound structure. If you love sparkling wine, you will love touring the Schramsberg caves!
Tasting Notes
2015 Brut Rosé
This was by far my favorite sparkling wine of the lineup. Dry yet delicate and aromatic with notes of melon, peach, and apricot. Very elegant.
2009 J. Schram
A sparkling wine dedicated to the winery’s founder. 86% Chardonnay, 14% Pinot Noir. Aged 8 years in the bottle. Notes of toasted almonds and pears with bright acidity. More autolytic notes due to extended aging.
2014 Blanc de Noirs
90% Pinot Noir, 10% Chardonnay. Youthful with a crisp texture. Easy to see how this wine will benefit from additional aging. Dry with notes of lemon zest and red apple.
2009 Schramsberg Reserve
82% Pinot Noir, 18% Chardonnay. Aged 8 years in the bottle. The most savory of the lineup. Notes of toasted nuts, baked apples, brioche bread. Lovely and rich. Perfect sparkling wine to accompany a main course.