Napa Valley Wine Tasting

Any trip to Napa Valley should include a stay in downtown Napa. As you drive into downtown you will be greeted by a selection of great restaurants and cafes, beautiful inns and hotels, and of course, some of the country's best Napa Valley wine tasting rooms and wine bars.

Located only an hour from San Francisco, the downtown area of Napa feels like it's hours from the city. With fantastic nightlife, live music, events all year round, and a plethora of wine to choose from, you will not want to leave!

Click here for a Napa Valley wine tasting map.

New Napa Valley Winery!

But don't think Valley Gate is just a scenic stop. With a full range of fantastic Napa Valley wines, the tasting room here is really woth a stop. Valley Gate is brand new, but it is already gathering a steady following.

Check out their website!

Napa Valley Wine Tasting Hot Spots

Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin' BBQ

- 40 wines by the glass
- 400 wines by the bottle
- Wine tasting flights
- Guinness on tap and artisan beers
- BBQ served til 12am on weekends

Be sure to check out Bounty Hunter's happy hour from 3-6, monday through friday for 2-for-1 beer and wine, 20% off bottles, and rib and appetizer deals!

Raymond Vineyard & Cellar

Roy Raymond, Sr. and his two sons, Roy Jr., and Walter founded Raymond Vineyards in 1974. This father and sons team planted and build Raymond Vineyards together.

Today, Roy, Jr. is the winery's Executive Advisor. Walter is President and heads up the winemaking and production activities. Roy Jr.'s son Craig has taken over duties as Vineyard Manager and Craig's wife Margaret oversees the wine club. Walter's daughter Krisi is involved in sales, marketing and winemaking operations. With the addition of this 5th generation, Raymond family members oversee and run all operations, from grape growing and winemaking to sales and marketing.

The vineyards...
The original estate vineyard is on Zinfandel Lane in the geographic heart of Napa Valley, between the towns of St. Helena and Rutherford. The winery stands on the original 90 acre estate vineyard property. The Raymond's purchased this land based on the belief that it would prove to be a prime grape growing location. This site is now at the convergence of the distinguished Rutherford and St. Helena appellations, recognized worldwide for exceptional Cabernets. The Rutherford vineyard is planted primarily in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Both of these varietals benefit from the Pleasanton loam soil and warm micro-climate. These idyllic conditions produce elegant multi-dimensional red wines that are well-balanced and flavorful.

The Raymond family acquired ten acres on Stice Lane in the St. Helena area in 1985. While the climate in St. Helena is the same as the Rutherford vineyard, the soils are more gravelly and lighter in composition. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted here tend to be less vigorous, producing smaller berries and lower yields. With a higher skin to soft fruit ratio, these grapes produce wines that are bold, with intense flavors, solid tannins and good structure.

The Jameson Vineyard lies at the southern end of Napa Valley, on the east side of the Napa River, directly across from the Carneros appellation. This area presents ideal conditions for growing Chardonnay. Raymond purchased the 250 acre Jameson Vineyard in 1992. The rolling hillside vineyards overlooking Jameson Canyon are touched by the winds and fog that come off San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. The cooler climate and marine influence produce bright crisp fruit flavors in our Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay.

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