{"id":12372,"date":"2015-09-21T02:50:36","date_gmt":"2015-09-21T09:50:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/?p=12372"},"modified":"2024-11-07T08:46:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-07T16:46:13","slug":"chardonnay-napa-valley","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/blog\/chardonnay-napa-valley\/","title":{"rendered":"Chardonnay Lover\u2019s Weekend Guide to Napa Valley"},"content":{"rendered":"If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of Napa Valley, Chardonnay is its queen. Luscious and fruit-driven, the premium Chardonnays of Napa Valley are worth seeking out. We\u2019ve compiled a list of the top eight Chardonnay producers to visit on a two-day Chardonnay tour of Napa Valley.\r\n

Day 1<\/h3>\r\n

Fresh and Age-Worthy<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: Stony Hill Vineyard and Yelp<\/h6>\r\nStony Hill Vineyard\r\n\r\n3331 Saint Helena Hwy N\r\n\r\nSt. Helena, CA 94574\r\n\r\n(707) 963-2636\r\n\r\nYelp: 4.5 stars, 9 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required\r\n\r\nDirections: Location 3 miles north of St. Helena off of Highway 29. The property is the McCrea family\u2019s home, so to protect their privacy, they will send directions when you make an appointment.\r\n\r\nStony Hill has been a historic leader of Chardonnay in Napa Valley since the McCrea family founded the winery in 1943. The beautifully balanced Chardonnays are not your traditional Napa Valley \u201coak and cream\u201d wines. They are crafted to age for years, so buy a case to drink some now and save some for later. The winery itself is secluded and peaceful, with incredible views over St. Helena and beyond.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> Come armed with questions and a ready palate\u2014owner Willinda McCrea is the hostess and she can answer pretty much anything you want to know about Stony Hill Vineyard and Spring Mountain.\r\n

Forever Classic<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: Chateau Montelena<\/h6>\r\nChateau Montelena\r\n\r\n1429 Tubbs Ln\r\n\r\nCalistoga, CA 94515\r\n\r\n(707) 942-5105\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 303 reviews\r\n\r\nReservations: Required for tours\r\n\r\nDirections: Turn left back onto Highway 29, then drive north for 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Dunaweal Lane, drive for less than a mile, then turn left onto the Silverado Trail. In 1.5 miles, bear right to get onto Highway 29, then turn left onto Tubbs Lane. The winery is on the right.\r\n\r\nThe 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay won the Judgment of Paris, earning California Chardonnay respect all over the world, and the wine is still as stunning 40 years later. (The winemaker of that 1973 wine, Mike Grgich, now has his own winery, Grgich Hills in Rutherford, which is worth checking out too). The winery itself, an ivy-covered stone chateau, is one of the most beautiful buildings in Napa Valley<\/a>.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> Check out the pond below the winery, and if you\u2019re lucky you\u2019ll catch a glimpse of the resident otter.\r\n

Rich and Creamy<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: Yelp and TripAdvisor<\/h6>\r\nRombauer Vineyards\r\n\r\n3522 Silverado Trl N\r\n\r\nSt. Helena, CA 94574\r\n\r\n(800) 622-2206\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 243 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required\r\n\r\nDirections: Turn left onto Tubbs Lane, turn right onto Highway 29, travel south for 1.5 miles then make a slight left to get onto the Silverado Trail. Drive for 6.5 miles, then look for the winery on your right.\r\n\r\nRombauer is a classic example of Napa Valley Chardonnay\u2014rich, round, and full of ripe tropical fruit and buttered toast flavors. Be sure to make an appointment, as the tasting room gets crowded on weekends, but once you\u2019re seated in the shaded garden sipping on Chardonnay, everything else melts away.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> Schedule some extra time to admire the whimsical artwork collected by Koerner Rombauer that is on display.\r\n

5 Star Decadence<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: Lewis Cellars<\/h6>\r\nLewis Cellars\r\n\r\n4101 Big Ranch Rd\r\n\r\nNapa, CA 94558\r\n\r\n(707) 255-3400\r\n\r\nYelp: 5 stars, 4 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required\r\n\r\nDirections: Turn right onto the Silverado Trail, then travel south for 26 miles. Turn right onto Oak Knoll Avenue, then turn left onto Big Ranch Road. Drive for less than a mile and the winery will be on the right.\r\n\r\nLewis Cellars has produced some of the highest scoring Napa Valley Chardonnays over the past decade. The grapes are sourced from premium vineyards, go through 100% malolactic fermentation, and spend 15 months in French oak barrels, creating creamy, decadent wines. The tasting experience is equally high end, with only a few tasting slots open during the week and all the stops pulled out.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> If you get to meet Randy, one of the owners, ask him about cars\u2014he was a professional racecar driver for 23 years!\r\n

Day 2<\/h3>\r\n

Pioneering Spirit<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: Yelp<\/h6>\r\nNewton Vineyard\r\n\r\n2555 Madrona Ave\r\n\r\nSt. Helena, CA 94574\r\n\r\n(707) 963-9000\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 34 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required\r\n\r\nDirections: Drive north from Napa on Highway 29 for 18 miles. Take a left onto Madrona Avenue, follow it until it dead ends, then take the road going to the right. Follow it until the end, and you\u2019re at the winery.\r\n\r\nA pioneer in the 1980s, Newton Vineyard helped put Napa Valley Chardonnay on the map. Today, the wine is consistently one of the best around, and the Unfiltered Chardonnay is exquisite. The winery is a treat to visit, from a stroll through English gardens, to a jaunt in a six-wheel-drive Pinzgauer through the vineyards, to the elegant wine tasting.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> The Red Label Chardonnay is one of the best values in Napa Valley, at $28 per bottle.\r\n

Highway 29 Hideaway<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: TripAdvisor<\/h6>\r\nAlpha Omega\r\n\r\n1155 Mee Lane\r\n\r\nRutherford, CA 94573\r\n\r\n(707) 963-9999\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 355 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required for special tastings and tours\r\n\r\nDirection: Drive back down Madrona Avenue, take a right onto Highway 29, and travel south for 3 miles. Turn left onto Mee Street, and you can\u2019t miss the winery and the fountains.\r\n\r\nAlpha Omega sources fruit from some of the best vineyards in Calistoga and Carneros to make delicious examples of the lighter style of Napa Valley Chardonnay. They are fruit-filled and clean\u2014perfect for seafood or solo sipping. The winery sits alongside Highway 29 but you couldn\u2019t feel farther from the rushing cars when you sit back in a plush deck chair under a wide umbrella, next to the water fountains.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> This is a good spot for groups of four or more people\u2014large tables and an accommodating staff make it a stress-free choice.\r\n

A Style for Everyone<\/h3>\r\n\"cakebread-cellars\"\r\n

Image Source: Cakebread Cellars<\/h6>\r\nCakebread Cellars\r\n\r\n300 St. Helena Hwy\r\n\r\nRutherford, CA 94573\r\n\r\n(707) 963-5222\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 510 reviews\r\n\r\nReservations: Required\r\n\r\nDirections: Turn left onto Highway 29, drive south for 2 miles, and take a left into Cakebread Celalrs\u2019 driveway.\r\n\r\nCakebread Chardonnays are great examples of the range of Napa Valley Chardonnay, from crisp and lean, to ripe and round. These style differences reflects the vineyards, from warm mid-Napa Valley to cooler Carneros. Whatever your Chardonnay style, you\u2019ll find it here, along with a beautiful, newly renovated tasting room.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> Cakebread really shines in the education and food pairing departments\u2014book yourself a guided tour of the vineyards or a seated pairing to experience true Napa Valley hospitality\r\n

Rare and Tasty<\/h3>\r\n\r\n

Image Source: TripAdvisor and Yelp<\/h6>\r\nMa(i)sonry\r\n\r\n6711 Washington St\r\n\r\nYountville, CA 94599\r\n\r\n(707) 944-0889\r\n\r\nYelp: 4 stars, 163 reviews\r\n\r\nReservation: Required for sit down tastings\r\n\r\nDirections: Turn left onto Highway 29, travel south for 3 miles, take a left onto Madison Street (the first light you come to). Turn right at the next block, and the tasting room is a few blocks down on your right.\r\n\r\nThis Yountville tasting room pours some of the most sought-after small production wines in Napa Valley, including Chardonnays. The tasting room started out as a local grapegrower\u2019s home built in 1902, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside the building and surrounding it, sculpture and artwork turn the space into a constantly evolving gallery of talented artists. For art and wine lovers, it\u2019s one not to miss.\r\n
\r\nInsider tip:<\/strong> Both Pahlmeyer and TOR pour their wines here, allowing you a rare glimpse into their Chardonnay utopia without having to join the waiting list.\r\n\r\nThere is no shortage of fantastic Chardonnay in Napa Valley, and this list will give you a solid start on your exploration of all the region has to offer. Buckle up, it\u2019s Chardonnay time!","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of Napa Valley, Chardonnay is its queen. Luscious and fruit-driven, the premium Chardonnays of Napa Valley are worth seeking out. We\u2019ve compiled a list of the top eight Chardonnay producers to visit on a two-day Chardonnay tour of Napa Valley. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":17009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75,77],"tags":[81,84,85,82,88,111,114,83],"class_list":["post-12372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","category-wine","tag-calistoga","tag-napa","tag-oakville-rutherford","tag-st-helena","tag-wine-education","tag-wine-tasting","tag-wine-tours","tag-yountville"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12372"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12372"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63515,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12372\/revisions\/63515"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17009"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.napavalley.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}