22 Napa Wines That Should Be On Your Radar

Napa Valley is arguably the finest wine-growing region in America. According to a recent 2023 Direct-to-Consumer Wine Report, the average cost of a bottle of wine from Napa is over $100, almost double that of a bottle from California's other popular wine regions of Sonoma, Paso Robles, and Santa Barbara.

Sitting between the Mayacamas and the Vaca Mountains ranges in Northern California, Napa Valley is a 30-mile-long region with a range of microclimates, soil types, and elevations. Each of these contributes to the terroir that makes Napa unique. Cabernet sauvignon is the most widely planted variety in Napa. However, some winemakers have found success showcasing lesser-known grapes, particularly ones that can handle the state's continual heat and drought conditions

Today, there are over 400 wineries in the county. You can visit properties dating back to the mid-1800s to modern operations from edgy, emerging winemakers. We spoke with several of these winemakers and owners, each creating remarkable selections from the valley's premium fruit. These and a dozen others are making worthwhile wines that should be on your radar. Here are 22 Napa Valley wines worth noting.

If Napa Valley has a royal family, Robin Lail is a leading member. She spent her childhood at her family's Inglenook Estate in Rutherford. She began Merryvale Vineyards with Bill Harlan, Dominus Estate with Christian Moueix, and co-founder of Lail Vineyards with her daughters, Erin and Shannon. Lail believes in protecting the legacy of her family and the valley, namely its wine and agriculture. Her dedication to the environment has led Lail Vineyards to donate 10% of the online sale proceeds from its Blueprint wines to organizations fighting climate change.

We spoke with Robin Lail regarding the donations. "It is of the utmost importance for us to take every action we can to help organizations focusing on climate solutions," Lail says. "Every action counts!" Lail Blueprint Sauvignon Blanc is vibrant, elegant, and expressive, much like Lail herself.

In 1972 Jack and Dolores Cakebread bought a small piece of Napa land with a dream of making wine. Their first endeavor was producing a Napa Valley chardonnay in 1973, which Cakebread sold to a nearby Yountville retailer. Today, Cakebread chardonnay remains one of the top restaurant selections nationwide, likely because it is known for its reliable consistency. The wine showcases classic traditions while integrating modern green initiatives and technological innovations. 

The Napa Valley chardonnay uses Carneros estate fruit, revealing layers of golden apple, peach, and melon flavors with hints of vanilla. Though the wine has weight, there is also bright freshness and a mineral-rich layer of wet stone, ensuring a well-rounded, inviting palate. Enjoy it with a classic roast chicken recipe.

Dolce's late harvest wine is Napa Valley's sweet elixir of liquid gold. The wine blends semillon and sauvignon blanc, growing at the base of the Vaca Mountains in Coombsville. A layer of fog engulfs the vineyard from the evening to mid-day, allowing botrytis cinerea, or gray mold, to form over the grapes. This botrytis is called "Noble Rot" and causes the fruit's water to evaporate, concentrating the grape's sugars and flavors. 

Picking late-harvest fruit usually occurs several months after the harvest for still wine production. Dolce's fermentation takes two months, after which the wine ages in new French oak for two years. The resulting wine has spiced honey, dried apricot, and vanilla syrup flavors. Pair Dolce with sweet or savory dishes, like Gorgonzola ravioli, foie gras, or chocolate soufflé.

Located in southern Napa in the rolling hills of Los Carneros, Cuvaison crafts cool-climate chardonnay and pinot noir wines. Winemaker Steve Rogstad believes wine is made in the vineyard, allowing the essence of the place to shine. However, he is also constantly curious to try new things, building on the winery's legacy. 

Cuvaison Méthode Béton Chardonnay was born from this curiosity. The wine's production is with concrete eggs where the lees (yeasts) in the fermenting and aging wine are constantly in motion. This motion adds texture and creaminess while preserving the variety's aroma and energy. When we asked Rogstad about its inception, he shared, "Our Méthode Béton offers a really compelling meeting point between the sleek poise and purity of unoaked wines and the depth and luxuriousness of barrel-aged wines." It is one of the most delicious expressions of Napa chardonnay.

In 1965, the Davies family produced the first bottles of Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. They were the first winery in America to make sparkling wine with chardonnay fruit commercially.  President Nixon served the wine at the 1972 "Toast to Peace" state dinner with China. This event gained the winery international recognition and a spot among the wines poured by future administrations, including when President Ford hosted Queen Elizabeth II and when Ronald Reagan hosted Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Using a traditional style of Champagne production, the Blanc de Blancs 100% chardonnay sparkling wine ages in the bottle for two years. It develops a rich, round palate during this time. Brioche, marzipan, and citrus aromas lead to golden apple and honeycomb flavors, perfect with seared scallops recipe.

Rubicon is the signature red blend from one of Napa's most distinguished, historic wineries, Inglenook. Located in the Rutherford district, Inglenook was established in 1879 by Gustave Niebaum, the great-granduncle of Robin Lail. It quickly became one of the ground-breaking producers in Napa Valley. This legacy is carried under the direction of owners Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola and their families. 

The first vintage of Rubicon came in 1978, shortly after the Coppolas purchased the property. The goal was to create a wine of the same quality and notoriety as those achieved under Niebaum and his successor, John Daniel, Jr., Lail's father. Rubicon masters this task with ease. The cabernet sauvignon-dominant blend from organically farmed Rutherford estate fruit combines power and grace, tannin and acid, and fruit with earth. This wine deserves discussion and contemplation, appreciating its nuanced elegance.

Bordeaux-born and trained Philippe Melka is one of the region's most celebrated winemakers. He lends his talents as consulting winemaker and head of Atelier Melka to a dozen of Napa's premium producers, including Lail, Brand, and Dana Estates, crafting expressive wines that showcase the vision of his winery partners. All of his client's wines are delicious. However, Melka Estates is the wine that tells his personal story. It was created in partnership with his winemaker wife, Cherie.

 From estate fruit growing on the slopes of Glass Mountain, Melka Metisse Montbleau Vineyard cabernet sauvignon is a bold, inky wine with character. The vineyard receives full sunlight throughout the day, creating robust, well-ripened fruit. This fruit produces bold wines with earthy dried tobacco, pencil lead, and black cherry, delicious with braised short ribs. 

Winemaker Paul Hobbs grew up on a family-run orchard in upstate New York, learning how the terroir could affect the fruit, changing flavor. He has carried these ideas throughout his career, crafting vineyard-specific wines that tell the story of the land. Oakville's pristine To Kalon Vineyard is one vineyard he has worked with since the inaugural vintage of Opus One. 

Hobbs purchases the fruit from one of California's most distinguished vintners, Andy Beckstoffer. Beckstoffer's exacting vineyard management results in exquisite fruit year after year. Beckstoffer has planted To Kalon with an array of cabernet sauvignon clones suited to the vineyard's range of soils. The combination results in a multi-dimensional wine with opulence. It layers blue and black fruit with sandalwood and graphite. The ripe, plush tannins allow enjoyment now or decades later.

In the mid-1970s, Duckhorn Vineyard's founders, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, hung their hats on merlot in the land of cabernet sauvignon. They remained dedicated to the variety through the Sideways years when the grape fell out of favor with many New World producers. 

We asked Duckhorn winemaker Renee Ary about the winery's relationship with the grape. "Dan and Margaret Duckhorn's passion for the elegance and versatility of merlot has consistently influenced every vintage at Duckhorn Vineyards," Ary says. "We take pride in being the first U.S. winery to showcase merlot as a luxury standalone variety." She adds that the name Duckhorn is synonymous with high-quality merlot production. 

Duckhorn's historic Three Palms Vineyard Merlot was named the number-one wine in the world by Wine Spectator in 2017. The 2019 release is complex and concentrated, with ripe red and black fruit, crushed stone, and dark chocolate.

Prisoner Wine Company is one of the newest additions to the valley's winery scene. Though The Prisoner red blend wine has been around for over 20 years, the winery opened its tasting room doors to welcoming guests only a few years ago. Here the winery showcases a melange of unusual, outside-the-box offerings beyond its signature label, including its viognier wine, Friction. 

From hand-harvested fruit grown in Oak Knoll's Rodger's Vineyard, the wine leaps from the glass with peach, lemon blossom, and apricot aromas. The palate bursts with racy, refreshing acidity, with layers of fresh cinnamon, stone fruit, and citrus. The zestiness lifts the wine's natural richness, making it a delicious salmon pairing. Or, try it with a sweet and spicy Indian stew recipe.

Minnesota natives Adam McClary and Gabrielle Shaffer arrived in Napa Valley in 2008, dreaming of producing premium wines. Since their arrival, their focus has been on chenin blanc and cabernet franc, finding inspiration in the wines of Loire Valley. 

Their Henry's Vineyard Chenin Blanc is sourced from one of the oldest vineyards growing the variety in Napa. Nestled on the backside of Howell Mountain in Pope Valley, chenin blanc has grown in Henry's Vineyard since the late 1960s. Though it was a common variety at the time, very little exists in Napa today. Still, these old, gnarly, heritage vines produce concentrated berries with lively acidity that melds with luscious richness. Pair with spicy, savory a shrimp pad Thai recipe.