Varietal Tours ...
Varietal Tours will include a cross section of wines, but there will be an emphasis on the grape of choice. You may have too drive a little bit further than on a regional tour but we will send you to the wineries that we found make the best wines of your favorite grape. Varietal tours often focus on boutique wineries so you will also have some appointments to schedule. It takes a little more planning, but it is well worth it if you are interested in visiting some special wineries making your favorite type of wine.
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NAPA
Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux Blends
It isn't hard to find great Cabernet in Napa. There are a lot of wineries making Cabernet, and more than a handful do it really well. After tasting Cabernet at over 100 different wineries in Napa we have narrowed it down to our favorites. We have done the leg work, now you can enjoy the fruits of our labor, literally. It you love Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a "don't miss" tour!
Petite Sirah
Petit Sirah is not similar to Syrah. Petit Sirah is called petit due to the size of the grapes. The greater ration of skin to grape gives it greater intensity and more tanins for ageability. A well made Petit Sirah is a wonderful glass of wine that can often be enjoyed early or aged for years to come. There are only a few excellent producers of Petit Sirah in Napa so it wasn't easy to find them, but since we did we designed a tour so you can enjoy them.
Chardonnay
Napa is home to some of the best Chardonnay in the world, but not every winery makes a great one. We have traveled the wine country to find the best producers of Chardonnay. There are several different ways to make Chardonnay so we have tried to find you the best selection possible.
Sparkling Wine
Are you a fan of sparkling wine? There are only a few wineries in Napa that make sparking wines so we have made sure to add the best of them to this tour. Even though there are only a few they are far apart and vary greatly in quality and value. Selection is key if you really want to make the most of your day so we have taken the guess work out of it for you. It is an excellent mix of both sparking and still wines.
SONOMA
Cabernet Sauvignon / Bordeaux Blends
A great Cabernet will usually spend extended time aging in an oak barrel and will have a good balance of acidity and alcohol. Many of the best Cab grapes are found on hillsides or sloped vineyards as the extra stress on the vines create bolder flavors in the grapes. While Napa is more highly recognized for producing Cabernet Sauvignon, the best Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends of Sonoma are quite noteworthy. This tour focuses in on the best of the best.
Zinfandel
Zinfandel is lighter in color than both Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Although it is a light bodied red wine it's moderate tannins coupled with high acidity give it a bold taste. Due to it's bold taste Zinfandel is often recognized as an excellent wine to pair with spiced barbecue dishes Although there are several wineries making good Zin in Napa, our favorite Zin producers are in Sonoma in the Dry Creek Region.
Syrah
Syrah is one of the darkest full-bodied red wines. It has dark flavors from sweet blueberry to black cherry. When you taste Syrah you’ll be greeted with a punch of flavor that tapers off somewhat quickly and can have a spicy peppery note in the finish. Because of its front-loaded style, Syrah is often blended with other grapes such as mid-palate Cabernet Sauvignon. Many producers mimic the traditional Rhone blend producing a mix of Syrah, Grenache and Mouvedre. Sonoma is home to some of the best Syrah in the wine country. Please Note; two of the wineries on this tour are open by appointment only and one is closed on Sunday. If you are traveling on Sunday or purchasing a tour on short notice, consider selecting a different tour.
Pinot Noir
Wines made with Pinot Noir have cultivated a gigantic following of hardcore wine enthusiasts. Pinot Noir is often noted for its natural ability to be lighter than other red wines and have low tannin with tremendous flavor. Russian River Valley is known for growing the best Pinot Noir grapes in the region. The positioning off the ocean is perfect for bringing in a cool breeze which is very favorable to growing Pinot Noir. If you are a fan of Pinot Noir this is the tour for you. If you aren't a fan of Pinot Noir, you may be one after enjoying this tour.
Sparkling Wines
Similar to Napa, there are only a few wineries in Sonoma that make sparking wines but one of them is one of our favorite wineries in all of Sonoma. It is a well hidden jewel that makes excellent wine and is fun to visit. The sparkling producers in Sonoma are pretty far apart and vary greatly in quality and value. Selection is key if you want to make the most of your day. We have narrowed it down to our two favorites, and added in some other excellent wineries to make it a complete day of wine tasting.