With more than 100 suggestions pouring in from our wine-loving team, this week was a tough one, but we managed to pare the list down to our 10 most popular vineyards. Bottoms up!
1. Blackbird, Napa Valley
“Catering to the most discriminating palates, wine maker Aaron Pott has created wines that are innovative and masterfully blended. The different varietals are each outstanding in every way.” — Blair Chang
2. Screaming Eagle, Napa Valley
“For a dinner party or normal occasion, Caymus is a great. But for a special occasion, Screaming Eagle is my favorite. Hands down, they make the best Cabernet in California.” — Santiago Arana
3. Gary Farrell, Russian River Valley
“Over the hill in Sonoma, Gary Farrell is a wonderful vineyard in the picturesque Russian River Valley. They have a great tasting room and patios with great views and wine.” — Craig Knizek
4. Summerland (Bien Nacido), Santa Barbara County
“Chosen by The Agency to produce our Private Label wine, Summerland is an fantastic winemaker with an inviting tasting room. I love their pinot noir.” — Eduardo Umansky
5. Beckstoffer, Napa Valley
“Hands down, Beckstoffer is the best vineyard in Napa. Chances are, if you’ve ever had a wine from Napa that you liked, the juice came from there.” — Ben Belack
6. Preston, Russian River Valley
“Preston is a hidden gem. There’s a tiny farm at this vineyard, and with our bottle of wine, they gave us homemade bread and fresh truffle goat cheese. We enjoyed our treasures under a vine-covered canopy, with cats lazily roaming around us. Fabulous.” — Carolina Llorca
7. Melville, Santa Barbara County
“Melville in Lompoc, just north of Santa Barbara, is family owned and operated by Southern Californians who make a delicious pinot noir.” — Darian Robin
8. Dominus Napanook, Napa Valley
“For vineyard architecture, Dominus can’t be beat. The picturesque Napanook was designed by my favorite architects – Herzog and De Meuron – and is perfectly integrated into the landscape.” — Billy Rose
9. Cent’Anni Vineyards, Los Olivos
“Cent’anni Vineyards in Los Olivos has the best Italian varietals in the country. Consistent 90+ point ratings. Small producer, super hot up and comer, now at Boa, Hinoki and the Bird, Providence, Craft, Eveleigh and more.” —Stephen Sigoloff
10. Demetria, Los Olivos
“Demetria makes amazing red, white and rosé. It’s gorgeous – it feels like you’re in Provence with rolling hills of vineyards and lavender. There’s a beautiful old house, and the owner himself does the tasting. Hidden gem!” — Jeeb O’Reilly
