The 10 BEST Wineries in St. Helena Worth Visiting this Year

Nestled in the heart of California’s picturesque Napa Valley, the charming town of St. Helena boasts some of the best wine that this famous wine region has to offer. The rolling vine-covered hills against the Mayacamas Mountains backdrop makes for an idyllic scene for wine enthusiasts seeking an escape into the world of bold flavors and sophistication!

My recent visit to St. Helena was something that dreams are made of. It’s hard to find a wine region that has the best aspects of everything: incredible wine and hospitality in a gorgeous setting. My expectations for this trip were high, and I can confidently say that they were met or exceeded at almost every winery I visited.

During this trip, I visiting both Napa and Sonoma, and truthfully I enjoyed Napa a little bit more, mostly because of my wine preferences! If you are debating between these two wine regions, check out my post on Napa vs. Sonoma: Which is better for you?

As for Napa Valley, the St. Helena wineries were some of my favorite! In this article, we will delve into the 10 best wineries in St. Helena that are worth visiting this year! Keep reading to discover the top wineries in Napa Valley’s most well-known growing region: St. Helena.

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Top 10 Wineries in St. Helena

1. Duckhorn Vineyards

Duckhorn Vineyards is the epitome of Napa Valley wineries. Known for their bold dry red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Duckhorn is a haven for wine lovers! Co-founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has built a reputation for one of the best wineries in St. Helena, focusing on hand-crafted premier wines.

While many people may know of Duckhorn because of their secondary brand Decoy, a wine tasting a Duckhorn will allow you to taste notable wine that is not sold outside of the property.

Wine tastings at Duckhorn Vineyards are done in both the gorgeous estate and on their patio with views of the vineyards. Their signature tasting starts at $65 per person, with several elevated experiences that cost $125+. Reservations should be made in advance and can be booked on their website.

2. Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves

Del Dotto Estate Winery & Caves is a luxurious winery with three locations across Napa, one of them being in St. Helena. The St. Helena Estate opened its doors in 2007, paying back to the family’s Venetian heritage dating back to 1150.

At Del Dotto, you will taste wine and food that has received the upmost attention to detail. Focused on the craft of a perfect tasting experience, you will not only get to to taste high-quality Napa wine, but also will have a paired tasting menu of delicious bites from a world-renowned chef.

In addition, you will get to tour the caves where the wine is stored—which is an exciting experience in itself!

The tasting fee is $120 and is by appointment only. This price is well worth it for any wine enthusiasts who want a sophisticated experience with one of the best wineries in St. Helena.

3. V. Sattui Winery

V. Sattui Winery is the best winery in St. Helena for a casual atmosphere with outstanding wine. The Italian-style estate has a stunning location within the vineyards, making it the perfect location for a picnic with family and friends!

The original owner, Vittorio Sattui, opened his original winery in 1885 after immigrating from Italy, which was then closed ~35 years later due to Prohibition. In 1976, Vittorio’s great-grandson Dario Sattui re-opened the winery in Napa Valley, which has now become one of the best St. Helena wineries!

V. Sattui embraces a very relaxed atmosphere, so picnics at the picnic tables are highly encouraged. There is a shop on property to purchase food and wine, as you are not permitted to bring outside food to the winery.

An indoor tasting at V. Sattui is $45, which is extremely affordable for the quality of wine you will be tasting! There is also an option to taste outside with weather permitting for $55.

4. Joseph Phelps Vineyard

Joseph Phelps Vineyard is distinguished St. Helena winery, highly famed because of their flagship wine, Insignia.

Joseph Phelps, the owner, started winemaking in the early 1970s when Napa Valley was not quite on the map yet, with a goal to create one high-quality wine per year. His product, Insignia, is now thought to be one of the best wines in Napa, due to its excellent expression of the terroir and grapes.

To taste at this premier winery, you will need to make reservations on their website. Their tasting fee is not cheap, starting at $115 for a terrace tasting. But, you will have an incredible experience, so the price is well-worth it for major wine enthusiasts.

Joseph Phelps Vineyard also offers paired wine and food tasting experiences, that are for the foodie and the wine lover!

5. Titus Vineyards

Titus Vineyards is a stunning, contemporary winery located in the heart of St. Helena. While winemaking and farming dates back to the 1840s, the Titus family’s first crop started in 1969. Now, Titus Vineyards is a blossoming family-owned and operated winery focused on hand-crafted wine without pesticides and overproduction.

The estate itself is absolutely breath-taking, with perfect views of the 50 acres of vineyards for you to enjoy while tasting!

Tastings are made by appointment, and are $60 per person.

6. Pride Mountain Vineyards

Pride Mountain Vineyards is a beautiful ranch style vineyard in St. Helena, that offers incredible hospitality, wine, and atmosphere.

Originally named Summit Ranch with a history dating back to 1872, the Pride family took over ownership in 1989 with the goal to grow and sell grapes. Their first vintage of estate grown wine was bottled in 1991, and ever since then, the Pride family has remained dedicated to producing high-quality estate grown wine.

Tasting reservations can be made by appointment, and are $30 per person, which is an incredible deal to taste some of the best wine in St. Helena!

7. Spring Mountain Vineyard

Spring Mountain Vineyard is a massive, 850-acre estate that produces delicious Napa wine. While the property was initially home to three separate wineries, they have since joined forces to produce the best of the best wine from their combined vineyards.

Wine tasting at the property can be booked online, and is $85 per person!

8. Davies Vineyards

Davies Vineyards is a classic winery in St. Helena, that produces environmentally-friendly and premier quality wine. The first vineyard planted on property was in 1862 by Jacob Schram, representing the Napa Valley’s first hillside vineyard!

While Davies Vineyards produces outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, they also produce Pinot Noir, which is less common among St. Helena wineries!

There are three different wine tasting options to choose from depending on your palate, including an all red tasting flight, an all sparkling wine tasting flight, and sparkling & red wines combination tasting. Price ranges from $65-75 per person.

9. Grgich Hills Estate

Grgich Hills Estate is a well-known and well-respected winery, with a proud history for putting Napa Valley on the map for wine-making world wide.

The late Miljenko “Mike” Grgich was the winemaker for Chateau Montelena that produced the famed Chardonnay that went on to win the historic blind tasting competition, the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976. This put the world’s eye on Napa Valley in being able to produce quality wine, which at the time was only believed to be from France.One year later, Grgich Hills was created in collaboration with Austin Hills and his sister, Mary Lee Strebl.

Although Grgich Hills produces excellent red wine, they are most known for their white wine, as this was Mr. Grgich’s specialty.

Wine tasting at Grgich Hills starts at $75 per person and is by reservation only. Alternatively, you can make a reservation for wine by the glass for anyone wanting to enjoy the wine without a full tasting experience.

10. Clif Family Winery

Clif Family Winery, owned by Clif Bar & Company, started their farm in 2004 with a mission to create a more meaningful connection between food, wine, and the land. Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford then opened their tasting room in 2012 to share their love of food and wine with the community in Napa Valley.

The winery has excellent wine as well as food trucks and other food options! Their seasonal tasting is $50 per person. Reservations are recommended for weekends.

St. Helena Wineries Map

Summary- Wine Tasting in St. Helena

Overall, there is a wide range of wineries in St. Helena to choose from. With some wineries offering an exclusive experience, while others focus more on a relaxed atmosphere, there is something for everyone to enjoy while wine tasting in St. Helena!

What’s your favorite winery in St. Helena/ Napa Valley? Let me know below in the comments!