Napa Valley's Family-Owned Vineyard Offers Boutique Wines And Warm Hospitality In A Quaint Setting

It's no secret that California's Napa Valley is an incredible area for wine tasting. Surrounded by gorgeous mountains and featuring lush views and beautiful weather, it's wonderful for a weekend getaway or a week of indulgence. Right in the center of it is Yountville, the culinary heart of the Napa Valley, and a mile south of downtown sits the Hill Family Estate winery and vineyards. (That's in addition to their lovely tasting room in Yountville itself.) This vineyard — actually 12 vineyards to be exact — has been family-owned and run since they began planting in the early 1980s. This operation has delicious boutique wines, producing only between 9,000 and 12,000 cases a year, though they sell their grapes to other wineries as well. 

This isn't your typical winery that is going to be packed with huge numbers of people and staff hired to chat about the wine. This is a very charming and unique experience with personal attention. One reviewer on TripAdvisor said, "If you travel to Napa I strongly encourage you to make a point to visit Hill Family Estate. The quality of the wine and the hospitality exceeds expectations." There are a number of wine-tasting experiences, and while it can be a bit pricey at $75 per person for a regular tasting (reservations required), a purchase of three bottles waives the fee. Plus, if you join their wine club, you get perks like free wine tastings for you and some guests, depending on the tier, in addition to quarterly wine deliveries (as long as your state is eligible). There are varietals for everyone, including chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, albariño, rosé, both sparkling and flat, pinot noir, zinfandel, merlot, malbec, syrah, cabernet franc, and more. 

A visit to the vineyard and learning about their process isn't just sitting on their lovely patio for a few sips. You can reserve a picnic spot and bring your own food (and plates and utensils) to have a picnic on their grounds at their picnic table. You can have up to eight guests (with a minimum of one bottle per two guests), and kids and pets are welcome. They even suggest places nearby to acquire your meal, like Honor Pizza, Soda Canyon Store, or The Kitchen at Priest Ranch. However, you may want to check out the nearby historic grocery store Oakville Grocery from 1881, just a few minutes away. You can also choose a charming secret garden tour, where you're taken around the garden and taught about the culinary flowers (you get to taste them as well), fruits, vegetables, and herbs, for $75 a person. (Again, members get to do this once a year with guests for free.) This, of course, includes a wine tasting. 

Additionally, you can pop into the Hill Family Estate tasting room in downtown Yountville, where the wine tasting is a little less expensive, and walk-ins are welcomed (as are appointments). This is a relaxed and casual atmosphere, and there is usually a winemaker or owner around so you can get the real scoop on the process. If you've got kids and/or a dog, they can visit as well, with coloring books and crayons available. The tasting room has unique items like a Fender guitar that used Hill Family Estate wines to stain the wood (Fender produced a limited run of these guitars). While you're visiting the area, there are plenty of Napa Valley wineries to visit without a reservation as well.