Sharing my Winery Experiences With You One Visit at a Time
T he Tasting Room Traveler is your chance to visit the tasting rooms of wineries large and small from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re planning a trip to wine country, daydreaming about wineries, or simply want to learn more about wine, I invite you to come along on my journey as we explore the places where skilled artists transform some of the world’s best grapes into magical wines, one tasting room at a time.
Raymond Vineyards
A visit to Raymond Vineyards is truly a unique experience – and offers something different for everyone. Located on Zinfandel Lane, which spans the Napa Valley just south of St. Helena between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, the Raymond Vineyards hospitality center is set back from the road a bit, behind organically- and biodynamically-farmed vineyards. Don’t be surprised if you see some sheep grazing away between the rows of vines surrounding the driveway – a touch of whimsy that merely sets the stage for what you’ll find once you arrive at the tasting room. Raymond Vineyards celebrated their first vintage in 1974, but...
Chateau St. Jean
C hateau St. Jean is a picturesque winery located along Highway 12 just south of Kenwood in the Sonoma Valley. Beyond a long driveway surrounded by estate vineyards sits the chateau itself, along with a large complex of equally-picturesque buildings housing the winery operations and indoor cellars. After parking in one of the ample on-site lots, you enter the winery through a large gateway offering nice views of a manicured European-style garden, with a path guiding you naturally toward the main hospitality area – a large main tasting room, which sits directly across from the 1920 chateau that was once the Summer home to the Goff family. It’s truly a grand property, and even though we spent over an hour there, I could easily see myself returning again...
August Briggs Winery
J ust shy of the town of Calistoga, near the North end of the Silverado Trail, you’ll find a blowing-dandelion sign announcing the August Briggs Winery, a tiny gem of a tasting room nestled snugly between several picturesque vineyards and an oak-studded hillside that marks the beginning foothills of where the Mayacama and Vaca ranges merge together at the top of the Napa Valley. We visited during a holiday weekend in early Spring, as the buds were just beginning to break on the vines, and I could imagine the views from their picnic areas during Summer and Autumn must be spectacular. As one of the few Napa Valley wineries offering complimentary tastings, I can also imagine this winery would get crowded during peak season, so I suggest visiting earlier in the...
Robert Craig Winery
T he tasting room for Robert Craig Winery is nestled in a quiet business park near Napa’s downtown, adjacent to the Napa River and overlooking a riverfront park. The modest, office-like exterior of the building betrays no hints of the modern yet inviting ambience you’ll find once you get inside. The main tasting bar seats about 8, and there are several other seating options as well. As an appointment-only tasting room, you’re likely to be some of the only (if not the only) guests, making this a quiet, unhurried, educational place to visit. After finishing his military service in the 1960’s, Robert Craig was part of a club in San Francisco that tasted numerous wines, and he discovered that mountain...
Paraduxx
T he Paraduxx tasting experience is like no other. Nestled between vineyards along Silverado Trail, just south of Rutherford, is a yellow farmhouse that serves as the tasting room and hospitality center for your visit to this amazing property. Paraduxx does not have a stand-up bar like most tasting rooms – rather, you choose a seat, indoors or out, and your selected tasting flight is brought right out to wherever you’re seated. What makes the experience at Paraduxx so unique is that it is at the same time personal, casual, and truly relaxing. We visited on a Sunday in mid-February, and didn’t arrange a reservation ahead of time, but I imagine that reservations are a must during peak season (and...
Long Meadow Ranch Winery
L ong Meadow Ranch is a sustainably-farmed ranch in the Mayacamas Mountains to the west of Napa Valley, producing fine wines, handcrafted olive oils, grass-fed Highland cattle, eggs, organic fruits and vegetables, and honey. In fact, their St. Helena tasting room and adjacent Farmstead restaurant and gardens are only a part of the Long Meadow Ranch experience, which includes LMR Rutherford Gardens and the 650-acre Long Meadow Ranch itself. Set back from the main highway a bit by a “green zone” of vines, vegetables, and fresh herbs, the Logan-Ives house that serves as the main tasting room is a restored 1874 Gothic-revival farmhouse, and is at once modern, timeless, and elegant. The...