posted 06-29-2012 11:38 AM            

Here is some general information: Napa Valley is about 25 or 30 miles from top to bottom. You have two main roads, the Silverado Trail on the east side is the prettier drive with fewer wineries along the distance. Many are off on side roads like those going up on Howell Mountain. The second main road is Hwy 29 which runs on the west side of the valley (many times there are only a couple miles or less between the two). Hwy 29 is loaded with wineries and most of the time, the older more established wineries. If you can plan your trip so that all of your wineries are on the same side of the road it eliminates fighting to get across the traffic.

Here is my advice on questions you asked:

I prefer to drive myself. That way, I can visit the wineries that I want to visit. For you, I would suggest that you go with one of the tour groups your first day to "get the lay of the land". There are several available and I would suggest that you call them and find out what wineries they visit and then pick the one that looks the best to you.

Then the other days you can go on your own. REMEMBER, you are there to "taste", not "drink". Taste during the day in the tasting rooms, then at dinner, you can drink. When tasting, we like to share because we never drink the amount, however small, that they pour. We tasted and whether we like the wine or not, pour out the remainder in their "spit" bucket.

When you drive on your own, try and stay in one appellation, ie., Howell Mountain, Stags Leap, St. Helena, etc. That way you will not have as far to drive between wineries. Secondly, take plenty of water and snacks to drink and eat between tastings. Drinking water is probably the most important to help keep you sober.

Again, there are two differences, Tour and/or Tasting. In my humble opinion, you only need to do one tour in conjunction with a tasting. The tour will take you through the winery and tell you the process in making wine. Then, after you know how it is made, just do the tasting which in many instances is cheaper than a tour and tasting. Many recommend one of the Berringer tours as being the best.

If you will go to this website, it will show you the wineries that are open to the public and the wineries requiring an appointment http://napavalley.com/visitorsinfo/Napa_Valley_Winery_Map.pdf

Maybe if you told us the varietals that you like, you would get some suggestions for specific wineries.

When we first started visiting, we made very few appointments . . . now it is almost all by appointment because we tend to like the smaller more intimate wineries and they tend to be appointment only.

Maybe this, along with the other suggestions, will help you make some decisions.

posted 06-27-2012 02:01 PM            

This is our first time to the area. We are staying a few days in Napa. How do the wineries work in terms of visiting them? Is it better to do a tour or drive to each winery? What are the best wineries to visit?