Everyone who comes from out of town always asks me where to wine taste in Napa. But Napa is not the only wine tasting place close to San Francisco. I also love Healdsburg (read my Top 10 Healdsburg Tasting Rooms blog post here) and Sonoma (read my Top 10 Sonoma Wineries list here). Moreover, I adore The Russian River Valley (read my Russian River Valley Top 10 list here) and many more. So be sure to check out both Napa & Sonoma during your upcoming wine country visit. If you do head to Napa though, here is a list of the best St. Helena Wineries, and here is my Napa Valley Top 10 list. Read more below!
Top 10 St. Helena Wineries
Alpha Omega
One of the best St. Helena Wineries I adore is Alpha Omega. Established in 2006, Alpha Omega offers handcrafted wines that blend the Old World with the New World. Founded by proprietors Michelle and Robin Baggett, it is unlike your typical Napa Valley winery. Firstly, Cobin Baggett possesses a proclivity for cowboy boots, cowboy hats, and big, Western belt buckles. Secondly, Michelle Baggett, originally from Georgia, is just that—a fabulous hostess with that lovely southern hospitality. This down-to-earth, approachable, and talented couple relocated from San Luis Obispo to Napa Valley in 2006 to found Alpha Omega. 1155 Mee Ln, St Helena, CA 94574
The interior of the tasting room with picturesque views of the vineyards and the stunning water feature guests can enjoy while visiting Alpha Omega
Me and my most amazing hosts, Alpha Omega Owners Robin and Michelle Baggett, during their Winter 2018 Alpha Omega Winery pickup party that I attended. This was quite a party so I hope to go back again because it was such a blast.
Alpha Omega Winery did a toy drive at their pickup party where members donated toys to the children impacted by the recent Campfire Fire in Northern California. Certainly, what a lovely way for the winery and their members to help those impacted by the horrible wildfire!
The Alpha Omega Winery VIP Tasting Building that I toured and tasted in with proprietors Michelle and Robin is spectacular. It is super luxe yet also comfortable and feels homey. Therefore, I suggest you do a tasting here if you visit Alpha Omega.
Chappellet Winery
Chappellet Winery is a beautiful family owned winery with picture-perfect views, stunning wines and the most stunning garden. Those of you who enjoy gorgeous Gardens check out the Most Beautiful Winery Gardens Blog post here.
Chappellett WInery is a must-visit sitting on the eastern hills of the Napa Valley and is home to lovely Cabernet Sauvignons making it one of the best St. Helena Wineries. Their tastings and selection of fabulous blends are accompanied by the amazing Chappellet team at the winery. I also had a chance to chat with Winemaker Richard of Chappellet Winery in an interview so make sure to check that out! 1581 Sage Canyon Rd, St Helena, CA 94574
Charles Krug
Charles Krug dates back to 1861 when it was founded by Charles Krug, a Prussian immigrant, teacher, revolutionary, and visionary. After his death, the winery was held in proprietorship through Prohibition. Subsequently, Italian immigrants (and parents to Peter Sr. and Robert) Cesare and Rosa Mondavi purchased the winery in 1943 and rebuilt it to accommodate modern winemaking.
Today, Charles Krug Winery owns 850 Napa Valley acres from Carneros to Howell Mountain. I’ve actually toured Howell Mountain with Co-Proprietor Peter Mondavi during a media stay at the Winery. This one of the best St. Helena Wineries to experience because of its rich Napa Valley history and stunning wines. 2800 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574
The tasting room was remodeled a few years ago and is incredible!
Duckhorn Vineyards
Most Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers have heard of Duckhorn Vineyards or their sister brands, Decor, Paraduxx, and Goldeneye. Duckhorn is another staple in St. Helena that I suggest all Cabernet Sauvignon drinkers visit. The tasting experience here is lovely. I suggest the food & wine pairing. Certainly, wine is always better with some cheese and nibbles. You really can’t go wrong with whatever tasting you pick! 1000 Lodi Ln, St Helena, CA 94574
The fabulous cheese & wine tasting experience I enjoyed and recommend you try!
Ehlers Estate
Ehlers Estate is one of the many St. Helena Wineries that I’ve had the pleasure of visiting a few times. Most recently, I enjoyed their breakfast tasting experience, which pairs their wines with Bouchon Bakeries pastries. What a fun way to start the day! Ehlers has a tasting room that feels like an old barn. Moreover, their wines are spectacular. They actually made me adore Merlot so I suggest you check out Ehlers Estate when planning a visit to St. Helena. Read more about Breakfast at Ehlers Estate on the blog here. 3222 Ehlers Ln, St Helena, CA 94574
Hall Wines
Next on the list as a Top St. Helena Winery is Hall Wines, a Napa Valley gem that represents critically acclaimed artisan Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Their St. Helena Tasting room is located at the base of the Mayacama Mountains, offering guests stunning views. Hall Wines offers many different tasting and winery tours for new and long-time cabernet lovers. This beautiful spot has so much to offer from it’s award-winning wine, kind staff and comfortable seating areas. Definitely make sure to take a visit! 401 Saint Helena Highway. South, St Helena, CA 94574
Joseph Phelps Vineyard
Another incredible must-see among the St. Helena Wineries is Joseph Phelps. This is one of the most historic wineries in Napa Valley. It was founded by Joseph Phelps and is now run by his four children. After a recent renovation, Joseph Phelps Winery & Tasting Experiences is beyond stunning. With some of the most beautiful vineyard views on this list, Joseph Phelps will delight you with stunning scenery, amazing wines, rich history, and lovely tasting experiences to be enjoyed. In sum, I can’t get enough! 200 Taplin Rd, St Helena, CA 94574
Ovid Napa Valley
Ovid Napa Valley may be the toughest winery on this list to get into. That’s because they only see a small number of visitors per day and prioritize mailing list customers. However, if you can snag an appointment, you will not regret it. The building is spectacular, designed by my favorite architect Howard Backen, and the tasting experience is just as impressive. Ovid produces four red wines: their flagship Ovid, a Cabernet Sauvignon, Hexameter a Cabernet Franc, Loc. Cit, and an estate Syrah. 9558, 255 Long Ranch Rd, St Helena, CA 94574
Raymond Vineyards
For a guided, hands-on guest experience paired with delicious biodynamic wines, Raymond Vineyards is a must-see. Raymond Vineyards not only offers guests delicious wines, but they also have various tasting experiences, such as Winemaker For A Day. I’ve done it and it was a lot of fun. See a full list of the wine tasting experiences available at Raymond Vineyards here. It certainly belongs on my list of top St. Helena Wineries! 849 Zinfandel Ln, St Helena, CA 94574
Rombauer Vineyards
Rombauer Vineyards in St. Helena is a stunning winery with the most incredible views and a fabulous selection of wine. Located on a nestled on a tree-covered hill just off the Silverado Trail the Rombauer Vineyards tasting area is picture perfect. You can see the Maycamas Mountains and have views of spectacular gardens with an abundance of plants and flowers. Rombauer has stunning wines to pair with these views that are incredible, especially their Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and two red Cabernet Sauvignon blends. 3522 Silverado Trail N
St Helena, CA 94574
I also recently joined the Romabuer team in their 2021 Atlas Peak Harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon and learned so much about the Rombauer Winemaking process. Make sure to read all about my My 2021 Rombauer Vineyards Harvest Day here.
Here I am at with the amazing CEO Bob & Winemaker Luke who guided me through an extensive and delicious tasting.
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What do you think?