From the jump, everything was a 10/10. We visited on Valentine's Day during their special and were…read moreable to take advantage of the two-for-one tasting -- which made the experience even sweeter. The staff was warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable, making us feel right at home from the moment we arrived. And the vineyard itself? Absolutely beautiful. The scenery alone sets the perfect tone for a romantic outing. They truly helped make our Valentine's Day feel special. I would definitely recommend Rombauer to anyone looking for great wine, great vibes, and an unforgettable experience. Don't forget to visit the cave!

This was my favorite winery of all that we visited on our most recent trip to Napa. Normally we…read morehang out in the Sonoma area, but our friends wanted to check out the Napa area as well, so we chose this place. The grounds are gorgeous! We arrived at 10am and they had our table marked and ready. The young man who took care of us was very knowledgeable and even gave us a recommendation for lunch that we actually went to afterward and it was very good. The wine here is amazing! I have always loved their Chardonnay, but the reserve Chardonnay is a whole new level. Our friends ended up buying a case and having it sent home.

This was for our 23rd wedding anniversary, so as a treat, I decided to invite my husband and close…read morefriends to lunch. While working in St. Helena, I could never find an opening in a reservation, so here was a great opportunity now that all of us are retired. Our friends live in Clear Lake while we live in Vallejo, so this is a central place to meet. It was the best decision I made because every year for the past several anniversaries, we've gone to Cache Creek to C2. Their food and service is excellent because my husband enjoys poker, but I thought a change of scenery would be nice. And it was! Firstly, it was very kind of the staff to present us with a greeting card signed by everyone -- how sweet and thoughtful! We will cherish that! Secondly, we were very impressed with how the food/wine was locally sourced. It was incredible to hear the story about Custom, the Bull, and taste the difference between the Highland beef compared to Angus. Our waitress was "Erica S." She was engaging, personable, and very informative. My husband and I would definitely like to return to return to experience the dinner menu! We and our guests had the following dishes: Artichoke appetizer Arbororio Biscuits & Gravy Two Cheeseburgers Three Bloody Mary's Farmstead Margarita When they found out it was our anniversary celebration, the house sent over four glasses of complimentary champagne and a dish of dessert -- again, very sweet and kind of them I now understand why so many crowds flock to this restaurant! It's well worth the wait! If you have not experienced a meal there, you must definitely go now!

I was really excited to try this restaurant for the first time, especially for Mother's Day, and…read morewhile the food itself was excellent, the overall experience was disappointing enough that I would not return. From the beginning, there seemed to be constant miscommunication between staff. We specifically booked an outdoor reservation and were seated inside instead. While mistakes happen, it set the tone for the rest of the evening. The bigger issue involved the wine and corkage fee. We purchased a bottle directly from the market associated with the restaurant and were told by the employee there that the corkage fee would be waived if we bought their wine. When we sat down, our server Sara told us that was not true and that we would still have to pay the fee. I explained what we had been told, and when she asked if I wanted a manager involved, I said yes. Before the manager even arrived or clarified the situation, the server opened our bottle of wine. In the silence and confusion, I reasonably assumed the fee issue had been resolved. Then the manager came over and told us we would still be charged and implied that nobody at the market would have told us otherwise. The way it was handled made my husband and I feel like we were being accused of making the whole thing up, which was especially upsetting on Mother's Day. At that point, the bottle was already opened, so we were essentially stuck paying the fee regardless. Between being seated incorrectly, the poor communication between employees, and how dismissive the situation felt, the service completely overshadowed what should have been a special meal. The rest of the service we felt ignored and there was minimal effort to accommodate. Great food alone is not enough to justify returning when the hospitality experience feels this frustrating and unprofessional.

It was under 50 degrees and we were seated outside despite having a reservation and there being…read moretables open inside the entire time we were there. Yes there is a heater, so my husband's bald head burned and our feet and legs froze every time a wind blew. I'm not sure if our server even introduced himself. He was annoyed when I said I didn't like red wines and while he did sub them out for whites he was completely annoyed. He poured two wines and said a sentence or two about them and left. Then came back and poured another two and left. He did give my husband a bonus pour of red wine. Which every table around received that and many more. He didn't have other tables we could see. He was clearly annoyed about either us or working out in the cold or who knows what. We were in and out in about a half hour and rank this among the worst of the 8 tastings we did over four days.

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PLACE WAS PERFECT! We were lucky to have Tony as are server. He went above…read moreand beyond. Walk in customers here!

As a Napa Valley Chauffeur of over 20 years ... always on the lookout for educators, staff and…read moreothers that just do their job well ! At times, it becomes very difficult ... Adriana made quite the impression upon my clients , yesterday ! Knowledgeable , personable , focused ! I've had several clients at AXR and most of the experiences have been good ... Adriana made it exceptional for my families ... Finding other passionate people in the Napa Valley, that know the importance of providing a very good experience for everyone , more times than not is easier said than done . Great job today, Adriana ... looking forward to seeing you soon and working together more often !

Very impressed with AXR wines. Before going I knew nothing about them, I just googled what some of…read morethe top wineries were in Napa valley and they're name popped up. After tasting a few samples and speaking to my spokesperson about the history I fell in love. These are some serious bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon. The best part is he said you can open up a bottle immediately to enjoy or you could wait years down the road and it will just get better. I needed up getting 3 bottles of the AXR-1. Can't wait to enjoy them.

We were able to book a complimentary tasting through our hotel concierge. Upon arriving, the check…read morein host suggested that we should have our tasting inside, as the usual courtyard seating was a bit too hot. When we arrived inside, we found out that it wasn't a private tasting and were shared a 4 seater table with another couple across from us, and also a group of 10-12 next to us. I'm not sure if there are different tastings you can book on their website, but I did want to mention this. Our wine educator was very personable and knowledgeable though, which was great. He managed our table and the large group next to us and made the entire tasting seem like one large group tasting. As for the wines, I didn't enjoy them quite as much as other wineries we went to on our trip (Fortunati and Joseph Phelps). The price of the Frank Family bottles were also comparable to Joseph Phelps, but slightly cheaper on average. For that price, I would have expected a better taste. At the end of our tasting, our host did bring out a 2019 Winston Hill Red which was on the higher end compared to the typical wines provided at the tasting - this one was tasty and was actually one we purchased. We didn't like any of the other wines enough to purchase.

Recently took a girls trip to Napa and Frank Family was one of our stops. I have visited once…read morebefore, probably almost 10 years ago, and I remember enjoying it. This time, I KNOW I loved it so much. It was my favorite stop. The property is beautiful and it was a lovely fall day with a breeze and leaves changing color and falling. Unfortunately I can't remember our sommelier's name but he was very kind and knowledgeable. We were located in a semi-private room with another girls trip so it was a perfect match. The wine was so delicious our whole party ended up purchasing a bottle of the Pinot noir to take home. I know there are a plethora of wineries in Napa Valley, but Frank Family is a must visit.

Nigel was just absolutely amazing. Not only was the wine knowledge on point but he being from…read moreCanada the Hockey conversation was phenomenal!! Great place to come, meet Nigel on Fri Sat or Sunday and have a very cool robot deserve you!!! Get here, you won't regret it!

Maria was very welcoming Brut sparkling was yummy and so…read morewas the RRV Pinot Noir The cheese plate was OK and the rest of the wine was also OK. I would say it was over price for what I got during tasting

We absolutely love Arietta wines and the tasting experience with the owner Fritz was amazing. He…read morehosts small groups tasting at the beautiful Hudson Vineyards property. I got to try their red blend, Quartet, and thought I definitely have to taste all other wines. I wasn't wrong! we loved all the wines and ended up purchasing way too many bottles. Highly recommend if you love Bordeaux varietals. Their white blend was super interesting and fun as well. More wineries based on views, price, varietals at finevining.com IG @fine.vining Cute for pictures: 4/5 QPR: average price $60-150 Main varietals: Bordeaux Blends (white and Red) Tasting fee: official website says $75, waived with 3 bottle purchases

The tasting tour at this boutique winery (at Chateau Boswell) was fantastic. I usually only enjoy…read moreCabs but their Merlot was DELICIOUS. My second fav was their white blend "On the White Keys" It's really obvious how passionate the team is with winemaking and with showing people how the best flavor in their wines are produced. Although their main sellers are red Bourdeaux blends, the owners personally also enjoy white so they also offer Semillion/S.blanc blends. Tasting was all really well guided and comprehensive as we were able to taste the younger (?) presses of pure varietals before tasting the final product. We came for a private event and were lucky enough to have the tour co hosted by both winemaker Patrick and awesome Mr. Fritz himself. We had a medium sized group and we all really enjoyed how interactive and thoughtful they made the tour. They're hosted at Chateau Boswell, which was super instagrammable.

Outstanding Wine Tasting In A Cave!…read more SITREP My dear friend Jennifer - one of my true wine connoisseur friends - has made an appointment with the good people at Chateau Boswell, since it is a winery you can see by appointment only. And it is truly an outstanding experience. THE SETUP We actually arrived to Chateau Boswell in Saint Helena (from Sacramento) about 60 minutes before our appointment, but we were received warmly and were able to engage in our truly unique and fun wine tasting experience right away! Chateau Boswell is on the Silverado Trail side of the Napa Valley - not on the HWY 29 side of the valley - so it will be a pleasant drive away from most of the tourist traffic. MATT SIMPSON Marketing Expert, Wine Docent, Vintologist Extraordinaire, and Napa & Sonoma Valley (and European AND Chinese AND South American, etc. etc.) Wine Region expert, Matt is definitely the best "go to" guy you could ask about wine - it's acidity levels, it's pairing with foods, what vines we could grow in our backyard in Sacramento, etc. etc. - and so we were lucky from the start to get his one-man history lessons filtered through the most hiLARious stand-up comic. IN A CAVE Matt guided us through what can only be described as a cave in the hillside of where the Chateau Boswell winery is, and THAT was fun! We went through the labyrinth of several different well-lighted & interior-altered tunnels of this wonderful cave, seeing rows upon rows upon rows, levels upon levels upon levels of the vintage barrels all stacked up nicely & neatly. The white wines were in uniformly plain barrels. The red wine barrels had a giant band of red coloring around their perimeters. [As part of the due diligent maintenance of the storage areas, I found it interesting to see the ultra-violet bug zappers were uniformly distributed throughout the cave, zapping any of the small groups fruit-flies that might sprout up because of the sugars that might excrete from the barrels and dripped onto the ground where the little gnatty creatures liked to congregate.] CAVE-TASTING It was so much fun to be in what can only be described as our own special alcove in the cave, with a wine-barrel with glass-top serving as our wine-tasting station. It is here where Matt delivered some of the most incredible wine knowledge I've gotten to date about the current state of the wine industry, comparing ours to the burgeoning development going on with China's wine industry, all while serving us up some excellent glasses of Chateau Boswell wine. The white Jacquelynn Cuvée Blanc was decidedly by far my most favorite of the bunch we tried, with it's light dry taste and an excellent light-fruity finish, though the red Cabernet was rich with fruity notes that I enjoyed too. The wines are not cheap, and will run you between $50 - $150 a bottle. But if you are truly a wine connoisseur, you are bound to find a unique and quality red or white in this winery that you will truly enjoy. THE LOWDOWN An excellent wine-excursion stop in Napa Valley along the Silverado Trail.

WOW. After a private boutique tasting, I don't think I can go back to being herded like cattle…read morethrough retail wineries. Gorgeous wine caves with artistic markings on the walls, perfect for photo ops. They only make reserve wines and everything is limited production. The different varietals are procured from different regions to garner the best quality. Come back in the fall and you will get to crush grapes the old fashioned way. Definitely check out the acoustics of the tasting room. If you're not a chardonnay person, CB will change your mind. Khristopher was so engaging, knowledgeable and approachable. Wine sells itself, but K made the experience over the top. We tasted 7 wines and picked up a couple - which were promptly delivered to Meadowood the next day. For those shopping for a new Lexus, this tasting is a PERK for you. Highly recommend.

Very cool winery up on a hill. Castle construction is a cool concept…read more We did the wine tasting and the juice tasting. I thought it was slightly expensive but not terrible. It was very busy. They clearly work on a volume basis compared to other wineries. Since I only like very sweet wines, I was able to find something for me.

Eli, our tour guide, was amazing! He was incredibly engaging, knowledgeable, and made the whole…read moreexperience really fun. You could tell he genuinely enjoys what he does, and he kept the tour interesting the entire time. The castle itself is stunning and the whole experience felt really unique. The wine tastings were all delicious and added a lot to the visit. The only downside was unfortunately someone in our tour group. One woman made sure everyone knew she was a member and kept mentioning how she had already seen the castle too many times and was bored of it, saying she only came to bring her family for a birthday. It kind of disrupted the experience for the rest of us. When we got to the torture chamber she also started making some really inappropriate remarks, which was a bit uncomfortable for the group. Aside from that situation, we still had a great time and really enjoyed the tour and tastings. Overall it was a memorable experience and definitely worth visiting if you're in Napa. 5 stars for Eli!!

Dave, scott, jimmy and owner chris madrigal ALWAYS treated every guest like family. Beautiful…read moreproperty, wine education would take us out in the vineyard. Love madrigal! Highly recommend. Beautiful back patio deck views and barrel room. The madrigal family has been caring for the land for decades makes killer wine. Update: Sad to hear madrigal is CLOSED recently sold June 2024. Sign is down. Per the north bay business journal (Jul 10, 2024) quote: "The deal, completed June 21, includes 8 acres of planted vines, the winery, appointment-only tasting room, a garden and a small home, but founder Chris Madrigal retains the namesake brand, according to Hundred Acre. Madrigal did not respond to inquiries on the future of the brand. Madrigal's father, Jess, also founder of Madrigal Vineyard Management, retained 40 acres of vines, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The purchase price and other terms of the deal weren't disclosed. The Madrigal grape and wine family came to Napa Valley with Jacinto Madrigal from Mexico in 1938. Jess Madrigal started the vineyard company in the mid-1980s, farming about 800 acres of vines. Chris Madrigal started the winery in 1995, and it was producing about 10,000 cases annually."

We had such a wonderful visit last time w/Sam, I knew we had to come here again. This time we came…read moreto celebrate my sister's birthday and crossed my fingers that Sam would be the one who was going to take care of us. He was just as fantastic as the last time. a true gem! He's so personable and he took his time with us and we didn't feel rushed at all. We just felt so comfortable w/him, as if he was a friend. I forgot he was on the clock! 5/5 for Sam! We were able to walk into the grapevine areas and snap some pictures. He gave us all a tour of the inside where they keep the barrels. We really enjoyed the wines and Sam's company. This is the reason why I'm not rating it a 5. We were out front waiting to use the restroom and there was a guy hanging out there. I asked him if he was the owner and he said he was. I'd read reviews about how nice the owner was. But upon meeting him, I did not get the same impression. I let him know how wonderful Sam was and that he's the reason why we returned for a 2nd visit. The owner's mood changed, he stopped making eye contact with me and looked away like he didn't want to hear me praise his employee any further. You would think he'd be like, that's fantastic, I'm so glad you returned, etc. But no. You'd think, as the owner, he'd be super pleased to know that we're a repeat customer because of his employee. But I could tell by his body language that he was bothered by it. I think he's accustomed to other folks praising him, telling him how nice he is, etc. and I didn't, so that stung because pretty quick into the conversation, he took a dig at me for our choice of restaurant we were heading to next. (We loved it the first time, that's why we were going again :) ) It's quite funny because upon arriving to the restaurant, there was a HUGE party (30+ people) seated behind us. All men and dressed really nice! We asked an employee what was going on and he told us they were a bunch of winery owners in the area and their friends celebrating a birthday, oh and the owner of the 49ers was there too ;) So yeah, the crème de la crème was sitting next to us. I guess they didn't invite the owner of Madrigal. Side note, w/the summer time approaching, I'd encourage them to invest in an additional umbrella for the outdoor furniture since there was a party reserved on the deck and they were using all of the umbrellas.