Okay, let me start off by saying that we did the $95 Vineyard View tasting. So, I can't speak for people just coming in for a walk in tasting. Our experience was amazing!...and it better be for $95.00/ a person lol. THE WINES HERE ARE SOME OF THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD IN NAPA. I don't enjoy white wines but I enjoyed both their reds & whites. Jorge was very kind and welcoming, along with the rest of the staff. They even offered to call our next appointment for us and reschedule the time, as we were running a bit behind. We sat at a beautiful table overlooking the vineyard while Jorge walked us through the wine selections. We got to try and bunch of different wines, and eat cheeses/meats. I'm pretty much a sucker for any wine experience that includes food. After that we did a quick tour, but obviously I was more intrigued by the wine/food. Needless to say, we bought a few bottles of wine and I am sure we will be back. read more

ZD Wines - Vineyard View Experience - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

I've been to ZD (Zero Defects) four times now, am a club member and had a pleasant experience on each and every one of the visits. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and fun. I always order both the regular tasting flight and the premium (mainly reserve wines) one. Being a fan of French Chardonnays (NO BUTTER IN MY CHARD PLEASE...ick), I love their regular 2007 Chardonnay. In my opinion it is actually better than their Reserve Chardonnay, which has a heftier price tag. All the reds are very pleasant, although among those I'd definitely recommend the reserve cabs if you're ok with splurging a bit. Get one for a special occasion and enjoy it with a nice rib eye. Thank you ZD for providing slices of fresh French baguette, many wineries in the wine country in NorCal fail to provide crackers or bread of some sort. It really helps being able to taste the differences between two cabs that are served in succession. read more

ZD Wines - A Napa Gem We have visited Napa wineries large and small over the years but this was our first trip to ZD Wines. What a delightful time it was! ZD is one of California's pioneering wineries originating in the late 1960s, is family run and its tours provide an exceptional view into the history and skill of winemaking. We knew we were in for a special treat as we entered the intimate winery courtyard where we were surrounded by seasonally colorful landscaping and a soothing fountain. Rafael, our winery guide, greeted us warmly at the door and he was very personable and informative throughout our group's private winery tour. The winery's foyer and store is gorgeous complimented by an excavated vine dramatically displayed as a unique art piece. Every detail of the winery has been well planned from the layout, grape processing, cask room, cellar organization, wine chemistry and aging process, and bottling efficiency. Rafael expertly guided us through the art of blending, the use of different casks, and the science of the wine aging process. Rafael taught us a little Winemaking 101 in such an engaging way and took time to thoughtfully answer our questions. We were impressed by the entire winery operation but the automated bottling machine was a real treat to see both in its design beauty and efficiency in insuring ZD's wines are bottled, corked and foiled at the height of their perfection. As we exited the building, we felt we had entered an Impressionist painting with the sun dappled harvested vines surrounding us and back-dropped by the misty western hills. While taking in the landscape, Rafael explained the winery's commitment to organic farming, biodiversity and renewable energy practices. In fact, the majority of the winery's power comes from solar panels. This is a very forward-thinking winery. We enjoyed our winetasting on ZD's upstairs patio overlooking the scenic vineyards. We sampled the 2013 Chardonnay, Reserve Chardonnay, Pinot Noir Standard, Founders Reserve Pinot Noir, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. All were extraordinary wines but our favorites were the Reserve Chardonnay (dry, yet fruity), the Founders Reserve Pinot Noir (smooth, fruit forward and easy to drink), the Reserve Cabernet (earthy and balanced), and the Cabernet Franc (absolute perfection). Our wines were nicely paired with delicious, locally sourced artisanal cheeses. I highly recommend ZD Wines for your next trip to Napa. You will have a unique and memorable winery experience that will bring you back each year to explore more of ZD's wines. My compliments to Rafael for a wonderful tour and to the ZD Family for producing great wine - our group had the best time! read more

I did both $10 and $15 tastings. Clearly the Pinot Noir was the winner. Oh but hold on...I didn't (or couldn't) try their Abacus, a $400 bottle that's a blend of past 13 vintages of Cab. Maybe someday when my man becomes rich enough. read more

ZD wines was an absolutely amazing experience. They have a wonderful wine tasting option for around $40 which gives you access to 5-6 wines. It's great because you can get some whites and reds (diverse set). You have the option to sit inside or outside. But what really made my experience here is Jessica P. She is absolutely fantastic, incredible customer service and really goes above and beyond to connect with the people she's helping. She took exceptional care of my boyfriend and I when it was our first wine tasting at ZD Wines. Lastly, she is very knowledgeable about every wine and has great recommendations. I highly recommend this winery especially for Jessica's amazing hospitality! Last but not least, Carson introduces himself towards the end as he wanted to see how things were going. We had two incredible people helping us during our wine tasting. At the very end, Carson was very nice to chat with us for a while and share some of his favorite wines. Jessica and Carson are both great and made our experience!!!! read more

Such a gem in the Napa Valley! Their family style service and premium location is hard to beat. I was really glad when we signed up for the annual charity bicycle ride in October and got to experience their whole operation. Great Wines with a big range of varietals. read more

This is about wine only! ZD is the stop you have to make if you like Pinot Noir. Premier tasting is worth it. Founders Reserve Pinot Noir from Carneros region impresses year after year! Chardonnay is not my cup of tea, but I do like ZD's. read more

I have been a pretty big fan of ZD wines for quite a number of years now. I happen to love the Chardonnay they produce. We had stopped visiting ZD about 3 years ago due to a bad experience with someone working in the tasting room. Luckily, we had a good experience yesterday...Yay! Elvis playing in the tasting room that we had all to ourselves and some great conversation with the staff made for a pleasant trip. We all found something to buy, of course. I really loved the Reserve Cab but unfortunately it was slightly out of the budget at $125 a bottle. Loved that the tasting fee is waived with a bottle purchase. Oh ZD, I can't stay mad at you too long. read more

Ok, I REALLY want to give this vineyard 5 stars. But I cannot. The reason being that the day we were there, the sommelier was really rude to me. He was very cool with all of the gentleman with me (my two bestie guy pals and my husband), but he would not make eye contact with me, refused to talk to me when he was telling us about the wines, and seemed as though he never heard me when I asked a question or asked for anything. It was to the point, where my husband always got his attention to ask for anything that I had questions on. It was very strange to me that he would not even look at me. I will say this though, I LOVED the tasting room. It was beautiful. The fireplace mantle is so stunning and warm and the room itself feels so comfortable and familial. The wines are absolutely gorgeous and the chardonnay is now one of my favorites of any wine. Like, I said, I WANT TO GIVE THIS 5 stars, but in good conscious cannot at this time. Maybe we should head back up and give her a go again. See how that turns out and then come back and update this puppy to a five. Will keep you all posted on the outcome. read more

Carson was a fabulous host. He was knowledgeable, outgoing and down to earth. We didn't have an appointment either and was able to join in on the tasting easily. We, my friends and I enjoyed our time at this winery. After coming off a not-so-great tasting this was a breath of fresh air. We engaged in great conversation with Carson and learned about the varietals they offer. The cheese plate was good, the wine delicious and the glasses were fancy. Money well spent. Can't recommend this place more!! read more

I found nothing memorable from this wine tasting experience. I felt my boyfriend and I were ignored for the business owners. I am sorry I don't own a restaurant to carry your wine. read more

I cannot believe the stuff people wrote about ZD wines... And some of the "big name wineries" people listed to compare to ZD is ridiculous, I have tried those wines, and people like them for the "look what I can afford" factor! Let's not forget something, wine is subjective. ZD isn't in business to jump through hoops or entertain people. They don't have an overdone tasting room, but it's a very nice tasting room. You don't have to have an appointment to go in and taste like many other places you visit. I love their Chardonnay and their Pinot! It is also one of the few wineries that's completely FAMILY owned and operated! OK, I'm done now! I just HATE seeing great places getting trashed. People don't realize that when they trash a SMALL business it can have MAJOR affects. read more

4 Stars for the great Reislings. My boyfriend and I actually thought they were pretty stellar and bought a few bottles. One star for the service there. The girl who was doing the pourings that day look bored, recited the whole bits like a robot and looked like she couldn't be bothered with. Our questions was answered back tersely. If it wasn't for a quality of the wine. We would have jetted out more quickly. Just ordered or buy the wine, but I rather not go there for my Napa visits again. read more

ZD Wines was my first stop in my "napa biking tour." What I thought was going to be an easy, relaxed bike trip actually turned out to be quite a workout. At some point, the hubby and I split from the rest of the group so I'd actually have some strength to get back to the car... Enter ZD Wines! We decided to stop here to take a breather and get a small buzz. We came into the winery as gross cyclists and came out as happy wine tasters. Seriously, we walked in gross and sweaty (did I mention it was 100+ outside?). The staff didn't ignore the two sweaty gross people enjoying the AC. They were welcoming and overall the hubby and I had a good time. We tried the normal wine tasting. I liked 2 of the wines off the list (the two expensive ones... go figure) and eventually settled on bringing the cab home with me. My only gripe - I wish they'd wave the tasting fee if you end up buying a bottle. read more

This by far is one of my all time favorite, consistent wineries. Prices are reasonable, wines are fantastic, and they have a nice variety of price points! Their tours are great. Their staff is friendly and informative. I highly recommend ZD for anyone who is looking for great wine at almost any price. read more

I came to ZD with my hubby and one of my best friends, we had the most amazing time ever, the complementary Chardonnay was so good! The lady at the front desk was helpful and friendly, the wines are amazing just like they stated zero defects!!! What made the experience even more pleasant was Carson, he was so knowledgeable, super attentive, friendly, he was always aware if we needed something, his service was the best out of all the tastings we had that day (and we went to quite few) He made our experience at ZD memorable. read more

ZD Wines is a fantastic place to visit, as we have done many times. Family run, friendly, and un-pretentious, led by winemaker Chris Pisani, they know their wines here. I've never had a wine I didn't like at ZD, but the chardonnays, the Rosa Lee Barbera, Founders Reserve Pinot Noir, and 2008 "40th Anniversary" Reserve Cab are truly exceptional, IMO. The winery also has a very interesting history. If you're lucky, you may run into Rosa Lee deLeuze, matriarch of the family. She is a sweetheart and has many great stories to tell. Also, don't miss the intimate patio right off the main tasting room, where you'll find several varieties of roses planted by Pearl, Rosa Lee's mother, several years ago. read more

What a gem! We came here with our friends who live in Napa and assured us this had one of the most beautiful views of the Napa Valley's landscape. And they were right! For our tasting, we were taken to the second floor outdoor seating area that overlooks a field of mustard flowers with rolling hills in the backdrop. And the Chardonnay was delicious! We tried 3 different Chardonnays that blew me away. This spot is a must on your next winery visit. read more

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We've been to ZD twice now, purchased their wines in grocery stores, and loved every moment. This is such a beautiful winery and the staff treat you with the best respect and highest level of customer service. For $80, you get two tastings of any four of their listed wines. They also provide a small cheese plate, crackers and water. They say it's their "unwined tasting," a truly relaxing experience. Thank you ZD! read more

We just returned form another fabulous Napa Valley Trip. One of our new favorite stops was ZD Winery. We took a tour of the entire place and really enjoyed the rich history of the company and then relaxed with some new great friends in the tasting room which has beautiful views. The people at this winery make the difference. We probably met 10 - 12 employees along the tour and sipping wine and we were floored at how friendly and hospitable the entire staff was. The wine manager Chris Musante really takes his work to higher levels as the entire experience was top shelf. The wines we tasted were far above standard and this wonderful woman named Marianne really took great care of us. The ZD Cab...killer! You can get good cab on every corner out there in Napa but great cab is right here at ZD. Since I have a work event in San Francisco every January, Napa is always son the radar and we will for sure be back to ZD Winery! Thanks to everyone we met that day. Mark and Paula Londonderry, NH read more

Carson the Australian tasting host was great! Very knowledgeable on his vintages and his sense of humour made the experience memorable. I will be stealing some of his jokes. Thanks, Will read more

My husband and I just visited this gem of a winery today 2/14:18; this place is amazing. Brandon was such a wonderful host; informative, very engaging. He was very knowledgeable and knew the history of the winery and the winery's family's origins. The wines were exquisite - love the Chardonnay / Pinot Noir. Though, I must say, the port wine is like no other I have ever had. I have never purchased a port wine that I truly enjoyed, and this one is a winner. I've been Blessed to visit Napa several times, other countries wineries and this is by far one of the best! Thank you Brandon for your exceptional customer service!!! read more

There is absolutely no reason to stop at ZD wine when there are so many better options around, such as the Mumm tasting room next door. I have come to agree with the people who heap scorn on the "Adult Disneyland" of the Silverado trail and all of the overpriced, underwhelming wines they are producing after a couple of wine tasting expeditions here. Compared with the Lake County wineries to the North or the fantastic wineries in Baja California in the Valle de Guadalupe, both of which are often compared to Napa 60 years ago, ZD wine is a perfect example of everything that is not to like about the Silverado trail. As many others have mentioned, the $15 reserve tasting seems a little unrealistic, so I did the $10 for four tastings and wished I had spent the money on a bottle somewhere else. I wouldn't have bought a single bottle of the wine we tasted even if it hadn't been way overpriced for the quality. The staff managed a blend of ignoring us (their only customers) and a really staggering amount of wine snobbery in the conversation they were having. Places like this are why so many people think that they don't like wine. When it is bad, overpriced, and accompanied by endless snobby conversations, who would? Luckily, if you head to Mumm right next door everything is ok in the world of wine again. The tasting room is gorgeous, their sparkling wines are yummy, and the servers manage to be knowledgeable about their product without being insufferable. read more

ZD is a beautiful winery with a great atmosphere. The tasting fee is reasonable ($10). That's the good part. Unfortunately my group of 7 were led outside to the patio and forgotten about as the inside guests were tended to. It was at least 20 minutes between each taste of wine and the sommelier did not even talk about the wine, he named it and poured then disappeared inside. At one point we were just going to leave, because we felt so forgotten. My group didn't care for the wine, except for the 2009 Rosa Lee Muscat Canelli. I would suggest going to Stag's Leap or Casa Nuestra instead, their wines and service are much better. read more

Great experience. Ask for carson. He was awesome. Told us stories. Very knowledgeable. Love their wines. Such a great well kept secret

We took our daughter and her friend who was visiting Napa for the first time and had a great experience. Of course the wine was amazing but our wine educator, Carson, did a great job. We will go back again with our next visitors! read more

This will be a regular stop for our future Napa trips. We were greeted and treated like VIPs when there was a full tasting room! Every wine we tasted was made even better with the background provided by Carson. He wasn't just going through the bullet points. You could tell he legitimately loved the wine he gave us and it tasted even better to know how much hard work goes into every bottle. Thank you ZD and see you soon! read more

Talk about a wonderful wine tasting experience. We ended up sitting outside and they came to us :) The person we had was a young lady who knew her stuff. She was so sweet and really educated me on each wine. We only paid for 1 tasting and shared. She saw we shared and gave us a little more than usual. Talk about homie hook up :) Love love love this place and will be back again! read more

Nice and clean place and no to much tourist environment, was a sunny day and the view is unforgettable, i really enjoy to be there! The only suggestion for a 40 dollars testing, will be nice to change the glasses or in the other way is impossible to taste the wine!!!! The rest is amazing! read more

There's no "Napa" stuffiness here. It's just a relaxed atmosphere to try some great wines. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. There are two tastings normally, but if you go on a Saturday mornings there is a Reserve Tasting upstairs in their private room. Who can beat great wine and a stunning view? Definitely a must. read more

Nice small winery hidden on the Silverado Trail. Their tasting area is on the 2nd floor deck that features some great views of the vineyards. Their chardonnay was great as I walked away with a few bottles. read more

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My bf and I came here on the suggestion of some other Houstonians when were in Napa a few weeks ago. We arrived at 4:30 pm, they close at 5pm. However, the staff were very friendly and didn't rush us at all, instead even allowing us to sample other wines not on the tasting menu we had purchased. We realized after chatting with the staff there is a wine/food industry discount on tastings and wine purchases- good to know!- and the staff gave us the discount willingly. The day we went, there were two tastings available: the traditional tasting ($10) and a reserve tasting ($15). We chose the traditional tasting, my favorite was a 2007 Chardonnay, very buttery and smooth. ZD also provides bread for use when tasting, an notable difference from some of the other wineries we visited that didn't have even water available. The space is gorgeous, with a 2nd floor area with a balcony (for private group tastings) that overlooks the main tasting area and allows for high ceilings throughout the room. If you do a private group tasting, you can also bring in your own food for guests. Will keep this in mind for when my girlfriends visit!! read more

The only memorable thing about this winery is that it's not memorable. The tasting was $10. The guy who was serving us was a dud. A young dude with an attitude. I should've told him to lose the attitude in exchange for the $10, because the wines weren't that good. Like Michelle G said, the wines are pedestrian....nothing exciting, nothing that made me say yum! Anyhow, I asked the young dude with attitude a question about one of the wines. They had described the wine on their tasting "menu" and I asked him what they meant by something. He gave me a technical answer that made no sense to me, since I obviously don't work in the wine industry, and then walked away. Booooo. Booooooooo Where's the love? Where's the hospitality? read more

Paul the receptionist was very welcoming and poured us a splash of their flagship Chardonnay, beautiful toasty caramel and slight butterscotch. So so good! We were walked up stairs to their tasting lounge, which has indoor and outdoor seating. We enjoyed a beautiful view of vineyards off of the Silverado trail! ZD, short for Zero Defaults has Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon on the tasting menu at the moment. They do carry other varietals, interchanging the merlot and Cab with other vintages and varietals! We were treated to some complimentary cheese platters and bread sticks to go along with our tasting, which were very lovely and paired well. The atmosphere, and our waiter Carson made our experience so lovely. Taking the time to sit down and talk with us about the history of the winery. ZD will certainly take care of you and your guests with your experience wine tasting in the valley! read more

ZD Wines - Lovely afternoon upvalley - Wineries Near Me - Napa, California

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I heart ZD. Their zin is a personal fav. Always a great place to stop with groups, guaranteed to impress.

The staff were so friendly. The tasting here was excellent, really enjoyed the Pinot noir. The only bad thing is they don't sell wine by the glass here but the tasting was a decent pour. The cheese and breadsticks were a great combo. read more

This place has GREAT customer service (I talk about customer service a lot in my reviews because it is so important to me and also a lost art at the same time)... Eric helped us out during our wine tasting and truly took the time to answer any questions we had. He was personable and took the time to get to know us all as well (group of 4). I actually thought he owned or was part owner of the winery because of the great customer service he exhibited and also because of how passionate he seemed about ZD Wines and just wine in general.. he spoke very highly about the place but for obvious reasons.. the place is beautiful and they treat you so well! So in addition to the GREAT customer service the group received, the place is very beautiful, the scenery is SOOO nice and the wine is great! If I am in town again, I will definitely visit ZD Wines again. Thank you! read more

Had a great time with Zeus, Apollo and Maverick. Zeus made our tasting time with him one of the best experiences. Apollo made me feel welcome from the start Thanks, Maverick, for the restaurant recommendations. We had the best time ever. read more

ZD is a good stop and walk down a garden path. Wine tasting room is well lit and not crowded when we arrived. Tasting flight $10 for the normal wines and priced reasonably for Napa. The RosaLee gewurtztaminer was surprisingly good and not overly sweet. The wooden ZD wine boxes for $5 is a bargain for a gift. Worth a stop along Silverado Trail. read more

We went to ZD with friends over the weekend. Nice staff, great reds (I bought a bottle of the 2009 Pinot Noir) and a welcoming atmosphere. In celebration of the holidays they have a Christmas tree up right now - and it is upside down! Totally decorated and everything! Aside from the fun atmosphere and cute decor, we did really enjoy the wines. I'm a fan of the 2008 Pinot Noir and am giving the bottle I just bought to my family as a gift. Since the bottle came with a recipe for three mushroom soup, I'll also be giving them a copy with the bottle. Hopefully they'll take the hint and make the soup to go along with the Pinot - it sounds scrumptious! read more