To help narrow down the search, we’ve rounded up 20 wineries offering top-notch wine, history lessons, scrumptious food, breathtaking estates, set-jetting, dramatic architecture, cozy onsite accommodations, ancillary activities including live music, hiking or yoga, and more winery dogs than you can shake a stick at.
Today, according to the California Wine Institute, 610,000 acres are planted with vines in 152 AVAs and 6,200 wineries operate from Redding down to San Diego. Between giant corporations with art collections and publicly traded stocks, boutique labels blending in old barns and retro gas stations and garage dabblers, 229 million cases were produced in 2023.
Gentleman Farmer Wines
WHERE: Downtown Napa
Napa has a bit of an elitist reputation and, because it’s not entirely unearned, tastings can be a little intimidating for wine novices and first-time valley visitors. But that’s never the case at the Gentleman Farmer Bungalow, a 1926 California Craftsman rehabbed by married vintners Jeff Durham and Joey Wolosz as a “studio for gustatory wellbeing” where they put their spin on an hours-long wine tasting accompanied by a delicious homemade spread that they experienced years ago at a Bordeaux winemaker’s house.
Between the copious amounts of cast iron and enamelware, vintage Playboys in the bathroom, a Julia Child-themed alter, dark wood, a navy tile backsplash, and genre-hopping playlist, the salon strikes a perfect balance of cultured, quirky and inviting. Watch, glass of Gentleman Farmer in hand, as they gracefully move about the open kitchen to put the finishing touches on elevated family favorites and decadent wine country classics such as beef bourguignon pot pies, pierogis, berry clafoutis, and bacon-wrapped blue cheese dates. Pastries, pickles, marshmallows, and even wine gums are made from scratch and often served on heirloom dishware with a side of engaging personal stories and area history.
There are breakfast, lunch, and dinner time slots. There’s even a Breakfast of Champions option where either a 5K run along the river with Jeff or a guided meditation with Joey precede the feast.