Picking out the best small wineries Napa Valley has to offer is not easy. There is so much great wine and so many options it’s hard to choose. Fortunately, living in downtown Napa has given me some great perspective on this subject. I have explored over 200 Napa Valley wineries both on my own and with visiting friends. I have also become close with local winery tour guides and I have attended industry events. I have even been a secret shopper at some of the best tasting rooms in the area. As you would image this has let me to uncover all sorts of hidden gems during my time here. So I am writing this post to share a few small wineries that stand out among the rest.
My criteria was simple. I looked for hard working winemakers that have put their heart and soul into their product. At all these wineries you can buy good wine at a price that won’t break the bank. So if you are looking for a luxurious experience or a top-tier name, these are not the wineries to visit. However, if great wine with an intimate experience is what you are after, then these are the places to visit.
Twenty Rows
Located in downtown Napa this little hidden gem is walking distance from several hotels including the River Terrace Inn, Westin, and Andaz. It’s a bit like a sports bar inside a wine cellar. Surrounded by barrels, you can sit on one of their comfortable but not fancy sofas and enjoy a lovely cheese platter with their variety of Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel, Cabernet, and their newly released first time produced Chardonnay (which is amazing)! In addition to being a great wine, the place is run by the winemaker and his sons and their friends who are all down to earth good people.
Priority Wine Pass members get 50% off tastings or 2 for 1 tastings every time they visit (saves $25)
Avinodos
A little gem hidden in the new Crusher District (industrial park in lower Napa Valley). Is not much to see upon approaching the tasting room but once inside you receive one on one attention from the winemaker and owner Dan. He only makes two wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Malbec. Both of which are AMAZING! He also takes you into his ‘barrel room’ (or warehouse that is temperature controlled) and lets you taste out of his barrels. The small tasting room itself fits no more then 10 or so people, but is intimate, quiet, and cozy. What also makes this place special is his co-winemaker and mentor is Gustavo (a Mexican-American winemaker who was featured in the movie BottleShock and worked at Chateau Montelena in the 1970’s during the Judgement of Paris). In any case, this is a tasting experience you wont’ want to pass by.
Priority Wine Pass members receive 50% off tastings or 2 for 1 tastings ($25 Savings)
Brian Arden
I found out about this winery at a birthday dinner party for a friend of mine at Ca’momi in downtown Napa. It just so happened that the casual, easygoing, non-pretentious gentleman sitting next to me was Brian Arden himself. Newly married and in his mid-30’s this guy is someone who lives and loves wine. I ended up visiting his winery (on the Silverado Trail in Calistoga) the next day and was delighted to find it to be stunning and the wine delicious. He loves to make a bit of everything and sells wine on the cheap (its too good to be true) to make room for the new wine he wants to bottle and store. Bring a blanket and lunch here and buy a bottle. You won’t be disappointed.
Priority Wine Pass members receive 50% off tastings or 2 for 1 tastings ($25 Savings)
Best Small Wineries, Napa Valley – Your Selection!
So I shared my favorite small wineries Napa Valley that has to offer, but I want to hear from you! Do you agree? What else should be added to this list? Enter in the comments below!
