Wine Tasting at My Top 5 California Wineries

I love visiting California wineries and wine tasting all their diverse flavors of wine. Here are my 5 favorite California wineries and their top wines. Also listed are websites for accommodations and California winery tours.

The wineries of Napa Valley are all along Hwy 29, which runs north and south.

Prager Winery

This California winery is located in St. Helena. Their wines are exquisite and can only be purchased at the winery or at their website. Prager's is a family owned and operated winery since 1979 and produces 3,600 cases of wine a year. The first time I visited, the owner pointed to a spider web on the window and call it his website.

Wine tasting fee is $5.00 which allows for 4 samples of any of their wines. They produce many varieties of ports, vintage, late bottled vintage, a tawny and a couple of white ports. Along with these dessert wines, they have table wines like Petite Sirah and a late harvest Riesling.

www.pragerport.com/homeframe1.html

V. Sattui Winery

This winery is also located in St. Helena and produces a wide variety of wines. It is family owned since 1885. Beside the winery there is also a gourmet deli and store where you can buy food to eat outside for a wine picnic on the grounds. It can be quite busy during the weekend. Wine tasting fee is $5.00 for 6 samples. They sell all their wines at the winery and online. My most favorite wine is the Madeira, which is a rich bouquet wine that is great to sip after dinner. They produce a wide variety of wines from dry whites to sweet desserts.

www.vsattui.com

Trentadue Winery

Located in Geyserville just off of Highway 101 this California winery is a diamond in the rough. They make a very good port wine, Trentadue Chocolate Amore. It is heaven in a bottle. The port wine comes only in 350 ml bottle for $20.00. For dry port wine drinkers they also produce a Petit Sirah port that my husband raves about is $25.00 for a 750 ml bottle. The grounds are very scenic and you can host events their throughout the year. Wine tasting fee is $5.00 for ports and $5.00 for classic wines.

www.trentadue.com

Chateau St. Jean

This California winery is located in the Sonoma Valley and their grounds are very scenic. It's a very beautiful and you can host an event there from weddings to family reunions. They are off of Highway 101 on California highway 12. It's a very scenic drive to the California winery. I enjoyed sipping their Riesling and Gewurztraminer wines both are very good. They are clean fruity wines that at $15.00 are quite reasonable. www.chateaustjean.com

Charbay Winery and Distillery

This California winery is quite unique in that it is also a distillery. They are celebrating 25 years as an independent California winery. Located in St. Helena, this winery has tasting everyday for $20.00 which will be put towards any three bottles you buy. I have enjoyed their Black Walnut liqueur for many years, very expensive, fifteen years ago it was $60.00 for a 350ml bottle but worth every sipful. They produce flavored vodkas, tequilas, brandies, and aperitif with their wines.

www.charbay.com

Lodgings in Napa: Also spread along the highway

You can get accommodations at Inns, B & B's, motels/hotels, and high-end spa resorts. They priced from $65.00 a night at the Calistoga Village Inn and Spa to The Carneros Inn at $430 a night.

www.napavalley.com/lodging

Wine Tours

Wine tours can be more to your liking than just going from winery to winery. These tours offer ride such as in a limousine, complimentary champagne and they visit many wineries. Down side it doesn't include wine tasting fee at the wineries. Beau Wine tours includes a catered gourmet picnic lunch, 4 bouquet wineries, and pick up at any Napa or Yountville hotel for $99.00 per person.

For description of many Napa Touring Companies, visit www.napavalley.com/thingstodo/tours/featured.html