Knights Bridge Winery is a beautiful wine tasting room located in a former bank in downtown Calistoga. A group of girlfriends and I spent the weekend in Napa for my milestone birthday, and we stopped by a few wine tastings rooms on our way to dinner, including Knights Bridge. I liked the Chardonnays on the tasting menu, and appreciated the server's thoroughness educating my group about the wines, winery's history, and Calistoga. Stop by Knights Bridge wine tasting room if you're in the area and give their Chardonnays a swirl. read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Knights Bridge Winery located in a former bank in downtown Calistoga - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

Beautiful tasting room situated in an old bank. Had a 10 am tasting on Saturday morning and Jeff was an informative and amazing host. We learned about the wines, the winery and the Sonoma and Napa area. Wines from white to red were all good. We walked away with a bottle of rose and red blend. It's always nice when they spend time with you and not try to rush you. read more

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This was an unexpected and pleasant experience! We finished with brunch much earlier than expected and this tasting room is in a Bank!! So we had to check it out. We walked in without reservations and they were gracious enough to seat us. For a little bit, it was just our party, the beautiful bank and the wonderful sommeliers. We were very happy! Jeff (or Mike, what you prefer my dear sir) was excellent! He gave us great tidbits on wine making and the wines we were tasting. We did not have snackies but we had just eaten so we didn't need them either. Knight Bridge has some cool wine choices! This is a must visit. It's away from the traffic you'd see closer to the more popular vineyards further south but completely worth the drive and the cost! read more

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Carol is such a sneaky horrible person. She asked to take a picture of us on her own phone so she could ridicule my appearance. She accidentally sent the text to me along with her crew and it just sickens me that she did this to us.These are her snarky words she sent out three minutes after we left from our very expensive tasting. Don't go to Knights Bridge Winery in Calkstoga unless you enjoy getting ridiculed and demeaned behind your back. She's a giant witch to do this to me on my honeymoon!!! read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

Of the three times I've been to Huge Bear, I've been impressed every single time. I think we initially stumbled in after trying to find a tasting room down the street that was closed, and just happened to give them a try. Boy was I surprised that the old bank, that when I lived in the area was a shoe store, was now a tasting room with some pretty impressive wines! Given that we live in Hawaii, I stock up on the wines I love, and fly them back with me. Every time I visit California, I make sure to purchase at least 3 or 4 of my case available from Huge Bear and Knight's Bridge. Huge Bear's Cabernet blends are so solid, their ursa gigantes in particular is one of my favorites. To top that, they have at times a tasting room person from their sister company Knight's Bridge (sort of the high end line options) that has some of the best Chardonnay in the entire Napa Valley. Tasting room fees are waived with purchase, and parking on the street is easy to fins as long as you're not hitting it right at lunch rush. Although Calistoga isn't what most people think of when they think about wine tasting in the Napa Valley, missing Huge Bear and Knight's bridge is a mistake! The tasting room staff such as Jeanie are super friendly and knowledgeable about their wines, and aren't snooty or pushy because they know how good their wines really are. Make sure to put this tasting room on your next visit to Wine Country! read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Such excellent knights bridge chardonnay and ursa major cab - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

Just walked into this high ceilinged tasting room while walking along Lincoln Ave. I really needed refreshment and relaxation after riding down Highway 29 from Clear Lake I found this to be a classy and relaxing place and the wine is wonderful. There's a bar and also small tables where you can eat crackers and sip water in between tastes. We bought a $55 Cab and a $23 Rosé. I'd love to go back there next time we're in Calistoga. read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Wine tasting with a friend - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

I don't know much about wine, all I know is that I lean towards semi sweet wines. The staff there was very nice and accommodating. They don't have that many wines on the sweet side, but they offered tastings of the lighter ones, which were very tasty. The lady also told us some wine facts and recommended some other wineries that might be to my liking. Bought their chardonnay and rose and were offered another bottle instead of the tasting fee which was very nice. I would recommend Huge Bear for a tasting! read more

We had an amazing experience at Knightsbridge last weekend. The winery is beautiful as are the views. The food and wine pairings as you walk through the caves made for a really unique and lovely (and delicious!) experience. Alicia was our host and she was very knowledgeable and warm. We'll definitely be back! read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Delicious wine and food pairings - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

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Such a hidden gem. This was our favorite spot we visited while out in Napa. The views from the property are incredible and the tasting room is beautiful. We already booked our second visit and getting ready to go again! Chrystal was the most amazing host as well. This is a must visit! read more

Love love love Huge Bear Wines! First time visiting there, and our tasting room hostess was fabulous. She explained the history of the old bank and how the huge bear came to occupy that space. As we shared a tasting flight, Jeanie (I think was her name), was very friendly and after finding out we liked a few, she gave us an extra pour to compare vintages. She even offered to take our picture, how sweet! We left with two bottles of wine, one red and one white. Let me tell you, I normally drink reds, Cabs, Zins, etc., but the bottle of '15 Sonoma County Chardonnay is to die for! Well, not literally, because I want to go back to enjoy more, but its surely not to be missed! Think I found a new favorite wine tasting room to visit on the next trip to Calistoga! ;) read more

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My friend and I came to Napa Valley to celebrate her 25th birthday. I came from NC and she came from NY. She frequents the west coast but this was my first time. Joy was AWESOME. We came in close to closing time and stayed probably at least 20-30 minutes after close because of Joy's hospitality. She is literally the ambassador of Napa Valley. We enjoyed a wine tasting at Huge Bear and also purchased a bottle to take back to our hotel. I LOVED their wine. She also set us up with an appt at another winery for the following day and informed us about the Calistoga shuttle which I thought was super nice because she didn't have to do that. We really enjoyed our time at Huge Bear and the wine was great. I will be ordering some wine to be delivered to me in NC since I can't bring it back with me on the plane. Thank you Joy! read more

So we were referred here from Trinchero.... and we are so happy they sent us here. We really enjoy being referred from other wineries that respect each other. The wines are delicious and we left with a bottle of Cabernet Franc and a Sav Blanc. We had so much fun with Jeanie, she was wonderful and even poured is a couple extras of her favorite... which we bought one of, the Franc. Everyone here talks and chats with you and the environment is fun and inviting. read more

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Nice experience had many different tasting and wines good place to go when you need to get a way and try new things

Wonderful staff, they are friendly and knowledgeable. A nice relaxed atmosphere with comfortable chairs. The reds are rich and fragrant. I loved the small bites that pair well with the tasting. Make this your first stop in downtown Calistoga. read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Small bites - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

Yelpsop's Fables: the well-behaved bears One day in summertime, when berries were ripening in forests, apples were emerging in orchards, fish were swimming in cold mountain steams, and grapes were growing in the vineyards, two little bears arrived in downtown Calistoga. They were excited to be in Napa, having journeyed from the northern Rockies, and they were thirsty! And hungry. Bears are always hungry! "Let's eat someone," suggested one bear. "I could eat a tourist or two, at least." "That would not be nice," said the other. "We are better behaved than that. Let's go wine tasting instead." "OK," said the first bear. "But the wines had better be huge!" Fortunately, the bears were just passing by Huge Bear Wines, in an old and beautifully restored bank building on Lincoln Avenue that had once been, of all things, a shoe store (bears don't even wear shoes, you know). What are the chances?? "Oh, let's stop here," said the second bear. "I bet these wines will be fit for bears like us." And so they entered inside. It was very beautiful inside, with a huge bear of course but also many wines. The bears went to the counter. "We would like to try your wines, please," they said. "We can pay for them with huckleberries, mushrooms, or salmon. Would that be fine? We don't carry cash or credit cards because, as you can see, we don't have pockets. Or pants, for that matter!" "Little bears like you get to taste for free," said the woman. "We rarely see bears in Calistoga these days. The old timers in these parts used to say 'better bears in the tasting room than the tasting room in the bears!'" With a disarmingly gentle laugh, she graciously took two glasses from behind the counter and gave the bears their first pours of wine. So the two little bears drank Chardonnay and rosé of Merlot and Cabernet and Pinot and Petit Verdot and they were so happy! "These are huge wines, you know," said the first bear. "They fill my tummy. They coat my tongue. They linger and are so luscious. They will pair well with cedar plank grilled Copper River sockeye salmon. And pasture-raised pork glazed with Wüstner Brothers raw knapweed honey and Headframe Spirits bourbon whiskey, along with morel mushrooms sauteed in uncured, biodynamic bacon from Lifeline Farms." The other little bear thought this over. "Yes, yes those all sound very good. But these wines are SO huge and SO varied, I'd serve them with other meals as well." "Such as ...?" inquired his traveling companion. "You know; Northern Rockies haute cuisine, inspired by our beloved Western Montana home, foods that would not be out of place at the Resort at Paws Up. Things like Bitterroot Valley bison steaks with a huckleberry compote and late harvest Zinfandel port reduction sauce. Or Willow Spring Ranch organic lamb kofta grilled Santa Maria BBQ style over live oak embers and lingering flame, with rosemary, tarragon, and fresh thyme served with a green garlic yogurt dipping sauce. And smoked anything, like duck or chicken, topped with Flathead Lake cherries and crème fraîche. Or pheasant breast sauteed in butter from Kalispell Creamery with foraged wild herbs and matsutake mushroom sauce. Or Cornish game hens soaked in Meyer lemon, Whyte Laydie gin, fresh buttermilk, and crushed juniper berries. Or Wyoming antelope prosciutto. Or Idaho elk jerky cured with a blend of buckwheat honey, Sudden Wisdom rye whiskey, and alderwood smoked salt. Off the top of my head, at any rate." "Agreed," said the other bear. "Those all sound delicious. Huge Bear wines are ideal for hungry bears like us." As they sipped their 2013 Knights Bridge Vineyard Cabernet, swirling it slowly in their glasses to savor its intoxicating aromas, the two little bears suddenly broke into simultaneous smiles, ones that lasted all the way home. Moral: Be well behaved when visiting tasting rooms. People are nicer that way. And the wines taste better too. Every little bear knows that! read more

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My first visit to the Huge Bear tasting room was immensely fun and enjoyable. Not only is the interior space historic and expansive, the wines themselves are cleverly branded and expertly made. Most are from vineyards in Knights Valley, a well regarded, if slightly remote, Sonoma County AVA between Calistoga and Healdsburg that you pass through if driving on CA 128. Only the Pinot is sourced elsewhere in a cooler climate section of the Russian River Valley. Huge Bear is a second label of sorts of Knights Bridge Winery, maker of ultra premium wines grown on their estate vineyards NW of Calistoga and sourced from fabled vineyards in Napa Valley (To Kalon, Dr. Crane), the Santa Lucia Highlands (Sleepy Hollow), and Mendocino County (the fantastic Alder Springs Vineyard). Their winemaker, Douglas Danielak, is known for producing outstanding Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Pinot and for his interest in Rhône wine varietals like Syrah. Now, with Huge Bear/Knights Bridge, he is also developing a reputation for delivering consistently excellent Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Bordeaux-styled blends. Knights Bridge wines, which sell for around $50-$150 each, are only available by allocation or at select restaurants and wine shops in Napa Valley (like French Laundry), Boston, New York, and San Francisco, but Huge Bear wines are more affordable and readily available to anyone who visits the tasting room, and you can order them online. So, this is one well-connected bear! The 2015 Huge Bear Chardonnay is delicious and rendered in a rich, creamy style using a deft mixture of new and used French oak, giving it strength as well as grace. It's a little like Rombauer, but for more discerning adults who no longer get carded at the grocery store. The 2013 Knights Bridge Vineyard Cabernet is an extracted, layered, complex wine that clocks in at a whopping 15.5% alcohol but still has the tannic strucure and acid balance to enable it to age well medium term in the cellar. It retails for $75/bottle, but if it said "Napa Valley" on the label, it would cost more. The 2014 Huge Bear Russian River Valley Pinot Noir could be mistaken for a declassified Rochioli. For more immediate consumption, I highly recommend the 2017 rosé of Merlot, with pale pink coloration and a full fruited berry flavor that evoked ripe raspberry with hints of wild strawberries. A delicious wine for outdoor dining in warmer weather especially. Tastings are elegant affairs, with beautiful bear themed artwork and fancy tables and chairs for private enjoyment, in addition to a long tasting room bar. Prices are comparable to other spots in Napa and Sonoma, but the quality to cost ratio is considerably better than most, in my opinion. They love what they do, and it shows. The bear theme isn't a novelty, either, but has meaningful historic and aesthetic value. But don't be put off by the "huge" aspect of the wines here. Despite fairly high alcohol levels, Huge Bear wines aren't fruit bombs or rocket fuel. They don't sacrifice secondary and tertiary flavor notes of earth, spice, and herb in the process of producing great fruit. These are rich wines done right. Stop in to taste them yourselves when next spending time in Napa Valley, or even if you're in the Healdsburg area and are thinking of an adventurous day trip to Calistoga. Be sure to check out Storybook Mountain as well if you do so! It would make a perfect pairing to your visit to see the Huge Bear. read more

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Loved the wines here and had an amazing education about the brand, the region and the wines from Joy. She was friendly, knowledgeable and fun! Can't ask for anything more in a tasting room host! We'll definitely be back - and will be sure to call ahead to be sure Joy is there! read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

I had to do a wine tasting here because of the name and the huge bear. I'm a sucker for things like that. This place was very fun. No appointment needed and our host gave us a lot of fun historical trivia throughout the tasting. We ended up trying some extras like the rose and 2003 pinot. The tasting fee is waved when you buy two bottles. They have such a wide variety here that I'm sure you'll find something for your palette. They have set tasting menus for the day and I loved that I didn't feel pushed to buy anything or join their wine club. Such a great approach to the wine tasting experience. Staff were friendly and it was a lot of fun discovering new wines. This place is located right in downtown so there's a lot of great places to explore or have lunch/dinner afterward. read more

This tasting room was such a great experience! My husband and I are in Calistoga as our first trip to Napa, and while we both enjoy drinking wine we don't know a lot about it. Marlene did our tasting and took so much time explaining things to us at our level and making it such an enjoyable experience. (There was also no judgement for the dry reds not being up our alley, which was much appreciated as primarily sweet wine drinkers ;) She showed us the bank vault in the building(it used to be an old bank) and was able to give us history about the building. Plus she gave us recommendations and some specials for a few other tasting rooms in the area! The wines we tasted were very good. Even though they are not types of wine I would normally gravitate toward, I enjoyed multiple and had fun trying things I would never order on my own! We had a great experience and enjoyed the wine very much. read more

What a great experience! Such a cool building, and the wines we tasted were all unique and very tasty! We got the history of the building, and we were lucky enough to learn about the area and the winery. I'm so glad we found this place for one of the best wine tasting experiences I've had! read more

Atmosphere (converted old bank) is very nice; tasting fee is reasonable (you can get passes for 2-for-1 tastings; normal fee is $20 per tasting.) Standouts were 2014 Russian River pinot noir (light and both fruity and earthy; smoked strawberry), 2013 Knights Bridge cab (leathery/tobacco) and 2013 cab franc (I get blackberry and green pepper) read more

This is an an interesting tasting room, in "Downtown" Calistoga. It is in an old bank building, which was later used as a shoe store, before becoming a tasting room. Once you entered, there is an impressive bear to greet you. The wines are very nice, and reasonably priced. Our Wine Guide was Jeanie, who was knowledgeable and pleasant. There are numerous nearby places in which to eat and to get re-cafinated. read more

Knights Bridge Winery - The Huge Bear Bear - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

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I tried to stop here but the guy was so creepy and weird I just HAD to leave. There's way too many other places to try wine where they don't make you feel bad for not having an appointment when there's a sign that says that walk ins are welcome. But a bottle literally anywhere else. read more

Super friendly wine tasting digs. We really enjoyed the red varietal -- Cab and Petit Verdot

Great wines, little cheaper tasting fee than the wineries. The gal that served us was very nice and gave us lots of good info on wines. We will come back for sure, place is very swanky and cool too. read more

We walked into Huge Bear after coming recommended (and with a 2 for 1 tasting coupon, lets be real) from T-Vine. I'm so glad we did! Damien was incredibly engaging, funny, and fun to talk to. I love the way he described the wines, and standing there talking to him was just as great as tasting their delicious wines. They have a Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma that is really delicious and refreshing! And a cab. that is delicious. The tasting room itself is spacious, light, and beautifully decorated. They have several tables to sit at. The only thing that could have taken it up a star for me would be a limited menu of snacks or a cheese plate. We will be back! Please stop in if you are in the area, you will not be disappointed! read more

I thoroughly enjoyed the tasting at Huge Bear. My boyfriend and walked in with no reservation after walking around Calistoga for a bit and trying to decide which tasting room to choose. What ultimately made up our minds to go in was the old bank building it's located inside. My boyfriend didn't even think it was a tasting room at first. The interior is well designed with an elegant modern feel. The woman who conducted our tasting was fabulous, one of the most animated people and super fun. The wines are good, my favorite was the rose which I bought two bottles of. If you go ask about the bank vault, we were able to go look inside and they've turned it into a vine vault. Pretty cool! read more

Tuesday 6/21/16. Original plan was just a tasting there and then relax by the pool because it felt like we had had out fill both wine and $$ the day before. Damien changed that plan. He was enthusiastic and great in greeting while still managing another couple in there before us. I get that most of the wine tastings is a speech with a bunch of bullshit. Damien gave us realistic tasting qualities and education where we asked for it when it came to process of the wines, information about the valley, and food in the area. The wines we had were good. I'm not enough of a snob to proclaim this was that and that was this so I leave it to others. What I can say is after spending an hour there we purchased a few and were encouraged to cruise to some more wineries, had good food recommendations, and we didn't turn into lazy asses for the rest of the trip despite the heat. Honestly had it not been for huge bear and Damien we would of lost a day of our trip. Thank you. read more

Beautiful location, excellent service, and delicious wines. We bought one of everything! Will definitely be back.

Cute Little tasting room. Very nice male staff who was very nice and enthusiastic. I liked the white wines I tried. Looks like a bank.

We stumbled upon this place during their 3 year anniversary. Very friendly and informative staff. Very cool little venue. Delicious wine, we came in for tastings and left with a couple bottles of our favorites. We will come back for sure. read more

A great unexpected stop. The wine was exceptional. Our host Damien was great fun and made the visit perfect. We will be back for sure. read more

Great winery! Classy 'old bank' atmosphere. Aaron is awesome Chardonnay and PinotContracted free tasting as Solage guest, otherwise only $20. read more

Knights Bridge Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Calistoga, California

Nice place, great service. Good wine. I'd definitely go back but it if far away from where we were staying so it was a little drive from Napa. Their uncorked Chardonnay was amazing and I do not care for Chardonnay at all so I was shocked. read more

My bf and I stumbled across this place because we wanted to go somewhere walking distance to get a wine tasting. We didn't get a chance to do the whole wine tasting, but we each got a glass of the sauv and chardonnay. Both were really yummy~ Since it was just the two of us at the place, we were able to talk with the lady and the man working there (didn't get their names :( but they were super friendly and easy to talk to. I love their large windows and nice, clean look inside. Definitely will be back in the future hopefully!! read more

Was in Calistoga for a quick weekend getaway and stumbled upon this place. Loved the decor, the wines, and especially Damien! Great place for a tasting. We left with 2 bottles - a sauv blanc and cab franc - both were delicious!! I would definitely recommend stopping by here when in town. read more

My family and I were in the area for Christmas. We decided to stop by Huge Bear to have a little wine. What an amazing time. Damien was great and very knowledgeable. We ended up buying two wines that he recommended that weren't being tasted. Excited to try them! I would highly recommend Huge Bear to anyone visiting Calistoga. read more

Wonderful! A true gem! We stumbled on this tasting room and fell in love with the wine! Debi is fabulous and made it a truly delightful experience. So much so we returned a number of times to enjoy the wine, company and peaceful ambiance. Since our visit we have actually ordered wine from Huge Bear and they made every effort to get the wine to us in short notice, which they did. Thank you! Highly recommended! read more

Wow! What a great find. We where walking by and James invited us in. Insisted! And it was the most amazing experience. We were able to hang out with Damian, James and a sweet lady. Felt good to just hang out with friends and try some good wine. We are definitely going to revisit Calistoga just so we can go and hang out with these 3.. The tasting room was elegantly decorated. Love this place! read more

Huge Bear Wine room was great. The customer service is outstanding and a beautiful tasting room right in downtown Calistoga. They pair the wines with "bear bites" which are lovely. They were able to accomodate a large group of 10 for my group and were super flexible when we changed the time of our tasting, day of. Great wines as well! read more