I have visited Calistoga many times over the years and I thought what better thing to do than to create a collection of my Top 10 Wineries in Calistoga so that you can have the most fabulous time next time you visit!
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What to Wear in Wine Country?
Everyone always asks me what to wear when they’re wine tasting or visiting Wine Country. To help with the planning I’ve created a guide of some of my favorite wine country essentials below when planning a trip to Wine Country!
Bennett Lane Winery
Bennett Lane Winery makes the most beautiful Calistoga Wines and is a favorite of mine. This family-owned winery is so unique with such an incredible team. Every time I visit we enjoy lovely wines in their garden overlooking the vineyards which are super special. Any Cabernet Sauvignon lovers will adore the beautiful Bennett Lane Wines and their intimate guest experience is not to be missed! 3340 CA-128, Calistoga, CA 94515
Bennett Lane Winery’s Tasting room is quite charming. They don’t have private tasting rooms but guests are welcomed to enjoy either a standing tasting at a wine bar or in these seating areas for more extensive guided tastings.
The stunning garden setting for our lunch at Bennett Lane Winery!
Bennett Lane GM Stefanie Longton and Winemaker Rob Hunter
Select photos by Elise Aileen Photos
Canard Vineyards
Another family-owned winery I have gotten familiar with over the years is Canard Vineyards. Owned by Rich and Carolyn Czapleski this winery produces 8 estate wines including Coucher de Soleil Rosé, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Throwback, Adam’s Blend, The Rescuer, our Reserve Zinfandel, and a Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon by winemaker Brian Graham.
Although they are not open to the public, if you are in the know, (which you are now by reading this) you can give them a call to set up a formal tasting in their amazing home located at the winery. Those of you animal lovers like me will be welcomed by Peaches the Pig who is the sweetest. Definitely a must-see on a tour of all the Calistoga Wineries! 1016 Dunaweal Ln, Calistoga, CA 94515
The beautiful 2013 Canard Cabernet Sauvignon we tried during our tasting. This was extremely elegant, smooth, and rich. My kind of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Arriving at Canard Vineyards with a lovely warm welcome from Peaches the Pig! What a cutie pie.
Chateau Montelena
Another incredible and quite historic winery in a French-style Chateau you must visit is Chateau Montelena. While touring the many Calistoga Wineries, I had the pleasure of visiting Chateau Montelena to enjoy a Five Decade Dream tasting led by Winemaker Bo Barrett & Matthew Crafton which was out of this world. Read more about that tasting here and be sure to visit Chateau Montelena when you head to Calistoga! 1429 Tubbs Ln, Calistoga, CA 94515.
Davis Estates
Davis Estates was one of the first Calistoga Wineries I shared on the blog. It’s only a few years old; but, they have a stunning winery. They produce such lovely wines and food pairings in a stunning Calistoga setting. Read more about Davis Estates on the blog here.
The stunning views from the Davis Estates Winery of Napa Valley. One of the most beautiful Calistoga Wineries.
The delicious culinary & wine pairing experience at Davis Estates.
Frank Family Vineyards
As Frank Family Vineyards puts it, “Great Wine Happens Every Day”, and that couldn’t be more true than at this incredible Napa Winery. Sparkling wines were the first wines made at Frank Family Vineyards and they have continued to create four sparkling wines today. Make sure to visit this special spot to try their incredible Blanc De Blancs, Brut Rosé, Rouge and Lady Edythe Reserve Brut. 1091 Larkmead LaneCalistoga, CA 94515
Girard Winery Napa Valley
During a media tour of Calistoga wineries, we stopped at Girard Winery. This was an exciting stop as we tried a few different wineries meeting various team members from Girard, Sterling, Clos Pegas, Canard, and Twomey. What a fun way to try a bunch of Calistoga Wineries in the setting of the beautiful new Girard Winery!
We were welcomed with a glass of this beautiful Sparkling Rose Wine. This was so perfect after tasting mostly Cabernet Sauvignon for the past few days. I enjoyed it so much I asked for a little extra splash. It was super light, delicate, and easy to drink and enjoy! This was hands down my favorite wine during this stop at Girard and a wine I would love to add to my personal cellar.
Knight’s Bridge Winery
Knights Bridge Winery is a gorgeous winery in Calistoga that I first learned about through their generous involvement in Meals on Wheels San Francisco. I serve on the Steering Committee for the MOWSF Annual Gala and Knights Bridge has been a generous donor for as long as I can remember. I love when a business gets involved in the local community, especially when it’s for such a good cause. Don’t forget they have a fabulous tasting room in Downtown Calistoga too! F1373 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga, CA 94515.
I then had a chance to visit them and was blown away. Not only by the gorgeous winery, designed by legendary Howard Backen but also the stunning guest experience and of course the gorgeous wines! Their rosé is so good it features in my 2022 Favorite Rosés Blog Post. I always have an absolutely fabulous time at Knight’s Bridge Winery and it’s a must-visit in my opinion.
Poggi
Another great brand I got to know during my media trip with the Calistoga Wine Growers was Poggi. During our first night of the trip, we had a fabulous dinner at SolBar. Throughout the evening, they paired various wines with the divine SolBar cuisine. I particularly enjoyed Poggi Wines since they were incredibly smooth, silky, delicious, and extremely feminine. Sometimes I can tell when a woman is the winemaker or overseeing the wine production as they’re extremely elegant and sensual. The Poggi Wines were spectacular and one of the Calistoga Wineries I highly recommend you try! Read more about our dinner at SolBar here.
Silver Oak Twomey
Whilst in Calistoga I enjoyed wines from Silver Oak Twomey, and this beautifully fresh, vibrant Sauvignon Blanc. I adore Silver Oak and have experienced their Napa Valley and recently opened Alexander Valley Wineries, read more about Silver Oak Alexander Valley here. Obviously, I had to stop in to check out their Calistoga branch and it was fabulous, make sure you go to your nearest Silver Oak for the best experience!
Spire Collection Tasting Room
Spire Collection is a lovely tasting room located on Bennett Lane, among the many Calistoga Wineries. This is the premier wine collection group within Jackson Family Wines and at Spire Collection’s Tasting Room they showcase approximately 16 brands some of my favorites include Veritie (read more about Verite Wines here), Maggy Hawk, Cardinale (read more about Cardinale here), Capensis, Gran Moraine, Zena Crown, and Lokoya Winery (read more about Lokoya Winery here).
What do you think?