Napa Wine Tasting in 1 Day
Okay, so the title is a little deceiving. One day is not enough time to thoroughly explore all Napa has to offer. There are bike tours, Hot Air Balloon tours, and the famous Napa Valley Wine Train. However, if you are short on time, then I suggest the following wineries. They give you a little bit of everything: sparkling & still tastings, great views, cave experience, and large vineyard to family estate experiences. Please note that we toured on a Monday, so crowds were minimal. If you plan your trip on a Saturday or Sunday, be prepared for larger crowds, especially at Sterling & Domaine Carneros.
Domaine Carneros is a post card worthy experience! Owned by the Taittinger family, this French Chateau is a replica of their winery in Champagne, France. Not to surprise, this winery is known for its sparkling options, which I highly recommend you give a try! Their outdoor terrace is lovely and the perfect place to sample their wines with an amazing view.
Reservations Required for Tastings & Tours
Tastings $30-$40, Tours $50
Lite food options available
Hours: 10am-5:30pm
1240 Duhig Rd, Napa, CA 94559
reservations@domainecarneros.com
If you are looking for epic views and a unique experience, then Sterling should definitely be on your list! Sterling is located up on a hill, and requires an aerial tram to get there (included in your tasting fee).
Reservations Not Required for Tastings
Tastings: $35-55
Tours: $55-75 (Reservations required)
Hours: 10am-5pm
1111 Dunaweal Lane, Calistoga, CA 94515
cs_sterling@sterlingvineyards.com
The ultimate cave experience! Del Dotto allows you into their wine caves and tastings come straight from the barrel. It’s hard to get a better Napa feel than this! Del Dotto has three locations: Historic Del Dotto, Del Dotto Estate, & Piazza Del Dotto. We chose Del Dotto Estate in St. Helena due to convenience for our route, but all locations offer their “Cave Experience & Barrel Tasting.”
Reservations Required
Bar Tasting: $45
Cave/Barrel Tasting: $60
Hours: 10am-5pm
1445 St. Helena Hwy S, St. Helena, CA 94574
Reservations: (707) 963-2134
Turnbull is a a family run estate winery. As an estate winery, Turnbull owns each piece of land their grapes are grown on and have control of every step of the winemaking process. Turnbull was the perfect end to our day in Napa. We were able to sit outside in their lovely garden and enjoy our wine tasting at our own leisure.
No Reservation Required
Tasting: $40
Also offer Private Estate Tastings for $80 (reservation required)
The Route
We stayed in Yountville at the Hotel Villagio. I absolutely LOVED it here. Yountville is smaller and more relaxed than neighboring Napa and is also home to the famous French Laundry & Bouchon Bakery! The Hotel Villagio was undergoing renovations while we were there, but the staff made sure that it did not interrupt our stay. Breakfast was included and had everything you could think of before a day of wine tasting!
As for the route, we started the furthest winery, Domaine Carneros. We drove here to save money on transportation. Afterwards we dropped our car back off in Yountville and took Uber/Lyft to the rest of the wineries. Traveling out to Sterling next and then working our way back. This itinerary could work the same if you are staying in Napa, St. Helena, or any of the other towns. Start at the furthest winery and work your way back!
I hope this guide helps you on your trip to Napa Valley! If you need any more information feel free to send me a message!
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