Where is there free wine tasting Napa style? We hear that question asked over and over again. Some of us remember a time when you could bounce from winery to winery in Napa and never once reach for your wallet. Well, the wineries wised up to our game. The days of Napa Valley as an all you can drink wine fest are over right? That's what many people think, but the glory days of free Napa wine tasting live on at a select number of local Napa wineries.
We dug through our database of Napa wineries and pulled out four, that's right, four free Napa wine tasting options. So maybe you aren't going to fill a day with free wine tasting in Napa, but at least you can work a few of these into your tasting plan. That will save you enough money to afford a bottle or two to bring home or maybe buy you an entree at a discounted Napa restaurant.
So who are these outliers? Who is crazy enough to open up their tasting room to the public and not charge a penny for their fermented grape juice? Who is still offering free wine tasting Napa style?
Wineries that offer free wine tasting Napa
Buehler Vineyards| 820 Greenfield Rd. | St. Helena
So you are going to want to print out directions to Buehler Vineyards. This winery is the very definition of "off the beaten path". Your efforts will be rewarded with a complimentary tour and tasting. This free Napa wine tasting experience will help you connect with the beauty of Napa Valley. The rustic feel of the vineyards and barn will transport you far from the glitz and glamor of current day Napa. The hand drawn map on the Buehler Vineyards website is your first indication that you aren't visiting a winery that is listed on any stock exchange. Buehler offers a nice lineup of Cabs, a Zin, Chard and Sav Blanc. The grapes are grown by the fourth generation of the Buehler family. They, like their ancestors, call the 300-acre site home.
They sell very reasonably priced wines for Napa. A trip to Beuhler vineyards is definitely worth the journey!
Sutter Home Winery
Sutter Home takes a beating in some wine circles. We prefer to think of this winery as being on the vanguard of the fine wine movement in their early days. Sutter Home introduced a generation of wine drinkers to varietal wines with their amazingly successful White Zinfandel.
Wine snobs may turn up their noses at it, but this wine was a gateway to finer wines. We applaud them for the creativity it took to uncover this marketing gem. The winery today is part of the larger Trinchero portfolio. This wine behemoth has a range of winery brands that range from entry level to top shelf.
Do yourself a favor and in enjoy the free wine tasting at this important Napa winery. You will be happy you did!
Vincent Arroyo Winery
As long as you are traveling with a group of 4 or less, this Napa wine tasting is free. Hurray! The winery requires that you book ahead. This small family winery is located outside of the town of Calistoga. This winery isn't a showpiece. This is a real working winery. That is good news for anyone who truly loves wine and winemaking. The winery staff will show you around if they have time. You may want to check when you are making your reservations. Vincent Arroyo winery makes great Cab, Chard, Petit Sirah, Sangio, and Merlot. They also make some red blends. The winery is small production for Napa Valley. That's what makes this free Napa wine tasting spot so great. You can meet and taste with the key people from the winery. There is no better way to learn about a wine than by tasting with the people involved!
Beyond Free Napa Wine Tasting
These free Napa wine tasting experiences will give you a starting point for a budget tasting plan. That doesn't mean you are giving up quality. Each of these wineries has something to offer. They are well worth the visit.
To fill out your tasting experience, we suggest you purchase a tasting pass. These are pre-arranged deals with wineries that are consolidated by one company. We recommend our partner The Priority Wine Pass, but you can find others. With some free tastings and the pass you can experience some of the best wineries the Napa Valley has to offer at less than half the normal cost.
Additional Napa Planning Resources
If you decide free wine tasting Napa style isn't your thing, we offer a number of other Napa Valley wine tasting itineraries for you to try. Here are a few of our most popular wine tasting tour ideas and top 10s.
The Best Napa Valley Wineries To Visit
Napa Valley Wineries For Insiders
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