3 More Unexpected Winery Gems in Napa Valley
- Marla
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Napa Valley’s wine region is renowned, but as we’ve reported, it’s unexpectedly harder to navigate compared to many other wine regions we’ve visited. It’s also all too easy to fall into the trap of focusing on the big commercial producers, touristy experiences, or overpriced and unsatisfying tastings. If you want to maximize your time with elevated experiences and stellar wines that won’t break the bank, it takes some digging and local support.
That’s why we were so happy to coordinate with Chris Gilmore at Crush Napa Valley Wine Tours, who arranged two day trips from San Francisco, where we discovered small, amazing wineries we would not have found on our own.
We’ve previously reported on several of these hidden winery gems worth seeking out. On our second day trip with Crush, this time with Travis as our wonderful guide, we were introduced to three more unexpected winery gems in Napa Valley. All of our tastings were private, unhurried, and memorable. The wines, which were outstanding, are only available at or through the wineries.
Reid Family Vineyards
The first winery we visited was Reid Family Vineyards in Napa. This tiny winery was founded in 1992 as a hobby by Kirk Reid, a physician. Kirk’s home is on the property. Wine tastings are by appointment only. The estate was originally homesteaded as a prune ranch in the 1880s; the original barn is still there and in use.
But what an outsized experience! Kirk’s son Bay and his ditzy pug Zelda (she likes to bark at holes, for one) gave us an extensive tour of the vineyards and cellars and then took us to the barn for our tasting. Bay was very knowledgeable, but also one of the funniest wine guides I’ve encountered, and at one point pulled out a guitar to serenade us (he was good).
All of the wines we tasted are named after family members. The wines were accompanied by Gouda, Brie, and blue cheeses. We sampled:
Christine’s Zinfandel 😊😊
Bay’s Merlot 😊😊
Erik’s Cabernet Franc 😊😊
Kevin’s Cabernet Sauvignon 😊😊
J. Kirkwood, a Bordeaux blend 😊😊
The Hannah, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot 😊😊
Celani Family Vineyards
The second winery we visited, Celani Family Vineyards, is another very small operation. Tastings here are also by appointment only. We enjoyed a very leisurely tasting led by Harry, Hospitality and Sales Leader. The tasting room, which felt like someone’s den or pool house (complete with a telescope, big-screen TV, and throw rugs), is next to the family’s home and overlooks the vineyards.
Our tasting was accompanied by Parmesan cheese, salami, and other bites. We sampled:
Chardonnay, Celani Estate 😊😊
‘The Family’ Cabernet Sauvignon 😊😊
Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon 😊😊
Ardore Cabernet Sauvignon, the winery’s best Cab Sav 😊😊
Tenacious, the winery’s estate house red wine, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot😊😊
Fraiche Wine Group
Our third tasting was with a family of four boutique wineries that own vineyards in Napa, Sonoma, and elsewhere. The family of wineries, called Fraiche Wine Group, was created by two friends.
The four wineries are:
SOM (State of Mind) Wines, a small collective of vintners
Gagnon-Kennedy Vineyards, which has several historic vines planted in the 1880s
Component Wine Company, specializing in single varietals
Borgo Bonelli, in Tuscany, Italy
The rustic yet elegant tasting room and some of the facilities are at the top of a hill in a converted 1870s-era barn and former cheese shed outside Napa. General Manager Charles ferried us up via golf cart with a welcome glass of Chardonnay from SOM Wines’ vineyard in Willamette Valley, Oregon. 😊++
We enjoyed a thorough tour of the cellars and one of the blending labs.
We then went to the barn/cheese shed for our tasting, which was accompanied by a large charcuterie tray and persimmons. There was soft jazz in the background. Our tasting menu was personalized in our name, a nice touch. We were able to sample wines from all four wineries.
We tried:
Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, SOM Wines 😊😊
Old Vine Zinfandel from Sonoma County, Gagnon-Kennedy, vines dating back to 1881 😊😊
Cabernet Sauvignon, from Napa Valley, SOM Wines 😊😊
Cabernet Franc, from Napa Valley, Component Wine Co. 😊😊
La Caccia di San Giovanni, a Super Tuscan red blend, from Borgo Bonelli 😊😊
I hope that this info on three more unexpected winery gems in Napa Valley helps you plan a visit to this great wine region. Bottoms up!
What other wineries would you recommend visiting in Napa? Please share! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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