Platypus Wine Tours
WINE COUNTRY DIRECTORY
Here is a handy directory of many of wine country’s best wineries. You can use this directory while creating a custom, Private Tour. Please note that Join-in Tour wineries are selected by our experienced guides.
In 2005 three partners, Gavin Newsom, Gordon Getty, and John Conover formed Cade Estate Winery located on the very top of Howell Mountain to complement their Oakville PlumpJack Estate Winery. Views are dramatic from the top of the mountain and the buildings are modern and considered state-of-the-art. The facility was designed to be Napa Valley’s first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified Estate Winery. There are two unique properties at Cade that offer two different and unique experiences. This winery is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Take a tour and tasting high above the fog while enjoying the captivating view or take in the history on the gravel terrace adjacent to the historic stone winery. Cain Vineyard & Winery is cradled in a spectacular bowl overlooking the Napa Valley from the crest of the Spring Mountain District. We are dedicated to the creation of three Cabernet blends, each drawn from its own unique vineyard sources, each with its own distinctive signature: Cain Cuvée, Cain Concept, and Cain Five. The story begins with a piece of land, a family passionate about wine, and a community of friends and partners who helped bring Cakebread Cellars to life. Since founding the winery in 1973, they’ve set out to create quality wines that pair best with good food and good company. The wines reflect the personalities of their estate vineyards as well as the spirit of their entire team. In 1982 a man by the name of John Caldwell established the Caldwell Vineyard & Winery in the hills just East of the city of Napa in the heart of the Coombsville AVA. This winery boasts great views of nearby vineyards, steep hillsides, rolling oak meadows, and rows of grapevines. An unusual winery and atmosphere to visit, the property is almost entirely contained within the elegant 22,000 square foot cave 90 feet under the ground and surrounded by volcanic ash. Home to their own Bordeaux varietals and red wines it also serves as a small custom crush facility for other winemakers. Eccentric in nature and full of stories, Caldwell is known in the wine industry as the person responsible for introducing the most prized Bordeaux root stock and grapevine clones to California. Come hear the story of John Caldwell and see this special boutique winery in the highly prized Coombsville AVA. Having grown up in the Napa wine industry, the two daughters of the iconic Peju Winery founded Calamere in 2016 in the Carneros region of Napa. Located on 100 acres of vineyards with gentle slopes and stunning views of the San Pablo Bay, Calmere makes small batch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The tasting room is a fresh, modern, and stylish spot to enjoy their boutique wines. After the tasting, relax beneath olive trees or play bocce ball in the picturesque outdoor setting. Canard Vineyard has been creating hand crafted wines in Napa Valley since 1984. Each year they produce nine single vineyard wines, each one expressing the remarkable complexities of the estate's unique terroir. The wines are produced from sustainably grown, dry farmed grapes which are skillfully transformed into the finest expression of each varietal. They are dedicated to creating wines of distinction with an emphasis on quality over quantity. Welcome to Canihan Family Winery where phenomenal wines are hand-crafted from cool, dry-farmed and certified organic vineyards. Our three varietals, Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc, have achieved critical acclaim since our first vintage. We were thrilled to learn that the first wine we produced won the top honor, “Best in Show Red Wine,” in the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the country (The San Francisco International Wine Competition 2007). Current vintages continue to receive Gold medals and 90 to 96 point ratings from the Beverage Testing Institute, the World Wine Competition, San Francisco Chronicle, and San Francisco International Competitions. Cardinale was born in 1982, with a mission to produce a singular Cabernet Sauvignon from the highest-quality vineyards in Napa Valley. All sub-appellations of the region were to be considered, and grape sources could change from year to year, to create the most distinctive wine from each vintage. Veteran Napa winemaker, Nils Venge, teams up with vintner, Mark Carter, to bring you a little slice of wine country heaven, Napa Valley’s Envy Estate Winery. From the outside, you may think you‘re sitting on a Tuscan terrace. We encourage you to sit and savor a bottle of their wine with your own picnic lunch on the patio. The peaceful outdoor setting is perfect for relaxing. There’s even a view of Old Faithful Geyser from our backyard. Or, slip inside the cool tasting room, and let music enlighten your senses while our wines inspire your palate. Casa Nuestra wines are “Estate Bottled." This is the most restrictive and sought-after designation, requiring that wines qualify for vintage dating and appellation of origin. From their 17 acres of vineyards, they make about 2,500 cases annually. Specializing in wines from noble grape varietals which are otherwise disappearing or have disappeared from the Napa Valley: Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and a Tinto ‘field blend.' A 107 room, 13th century inspired Tuscan castle, offering both self-guided tours and host guided tours and tastings. A unique winery housed entirely in a cave, this is home to four distinct family owned wineries. The acclaimed wineries ar Waugh Family Wines, Patland Estate Vineyards, Buoncristiani Family Winery and Lobo - Wulff Vineyard. Since 1972, The Wagner Family has been producing Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at Caymus. They have gained renown and expanded into other varietals. Tastings feature Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel as well as wines from the family’s other labels Mer Soleil, Emmolo, and Conundrum. Caymus has a relaxed, intimate tasting in a beautifully landscape garden setting. Don and Molly Chappellet founded the winery in 1967 on a slope of land known as Pritchard Hill located off a rural road in St. Helena. The area is now regarded as one of the best growing regions in the world for Bordeaux varietals, and Chappelet wines reflect the exceptional conditions. Experience incredible views looking down on Lake Hennessy, enjoy the barrel room for a tasting or tour through the actual winery facilities with one of the knowledgeable staff. The first tasting room in the oldest winery in Napa Valley has evolved into a modern world-class tasting experience. Owned by the iconic Mondavi family, they have introduced winemaking practices to the Napa Valley that still influence the industry today. Charter Oak Winery & Vineyards in St. Helena, takes pride in being the "most original, old-world," winery of some 500 wineries in Napa Valley. The reason to visit: See how early wine pioneers lived and made wine in Napa Valley -- and taste wines which hearken back to those simpler times. The vines are over 115 years old, they’re wise and storied — they are the heartbeat of Hayne Vineyard, and the soul of the wines produced. A historical stone castle carved into a hillside overlooking a Chinese garden, lake and vineyards reaching out to the base of Mount St. Helena. History was made when the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was announced the winner of the 1976 Paris Tasting. The core of the VGS experience lies in vibrant, inviting cottage in which our attitude resonates throughout - lighthearted, easygoing and (though sometimes irreverent) certainly never pretentious Nestled in the heart of the stunning Sonoma Valley, the Chateau St. Jean estate offers wine lovers an idyllic getaway to soak in the Sonoma wine lifestyle. With incredible vineyard views, a dramatic mountain backdrop, lush gardens and the elegant 1920s chateau, our guests are invited to experience the award-winning Chateau St. Jean wine collection at their leisure, while enjoying the breathtaking ambience of the estate.Founded in 1973, Chateau St. Jean was conceived as a true fine wine estate in the European style, where wines from individual vineyards were kept separate to fully capture individual character of each site. The wines received immediate critical acclaim, and Chateau St. Jean was soon recognized as a leader in single vineyard designated wines.Today, our winemaker Margo Van Staaveren calls upon 35 years of vineyard and winemaking expertise at Chateau St. Jean to highlight the stunning vineyards we work with. Chimney Rock has two distinct features in addition to their delicious wines. The original 180 acre parcel included a golf course which was subsequently planted to vineyards, and the buildings on the property are all in the Cape Dutch style of the Western Cape of South Africa. Clif Bar co-owners Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford have married their passions for cycling, food and wine into one great destination. Come for the bike ride, stay for lunch at their Bruschetteria food truck and enjoy a tasting of their wines sourced from some of Northern California's finest vineyards. Located in a charming 1931 Craftsman-styly bungaloo, this tasting room combines traditional winemaking with a rock and roll edge. Cline Family Cellars is a family-owned and operated winery in Sonoma, California, built on a passion for winemaking and rooted in respect for the land. For more than 45 years, Clos du Val has been recognized for the character, complexity and ageworthiness of its wines. Clos Pegase is one of the great architectural wonders of Napa Valley. Within the award-winning, Michael Graves designed winery are 20,000 square feet of caves dug into the volcanic knoll that is immediately behind their winery. The wines range from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to warmer climate Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux blends showcasing the full range of Napa Valley. Learn about the winemaking process on tours through their winery production area or enjoy elevated food and wine pairings in their manmade wine cave. Clos Pegase Winery is both an awe-inspiring and welcoming destination. Conn Creek has committed to Bordeaux style red wines produced from grapes sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the Napa Valley. Conn Creek is also one of the first wineries in the valley to commit to green building practices. Fall 2016 brought change once again, and CONSTANT Diamond Mountain Vineyard entered a new chapter as Aries Liu and Sai You became the property’s caretakers. As Aries and Sai look to the future of the vineyard and winery, CONSTANT remains committed, now more than ever, to producing some of Napa Valley’s best Bordeaux varietals. CONSTANT wines are elegant and rich, at once powerful yet restrained. The unique microclimate at the very top of Diamond Mountain provides grapes with optimal sun exposure and elongated ripening periods, allowing Hobbs and the CONSTANT team to make exceptional wines, perfectly representing the stunning and unique mountain site in every bottle. Available by allocation only, CONSTANT wines remain some of the most sought-after in the Napa Valley. Vinves, wines and people have a lot in common; the good get better with time. A great wine should have balance and interest at every age, Delicious in its youth, Continuum has firm supple tannins, richness and length. With age, this wine will evolve to express greater nuance, delicacy and interest. Named one of the ten top Napa wineries to visit by Decanter Magazine, Corison specializes in Cabernet Sauvignons with power and elegance. Located at the “Gateway” to the Napa Valley, Cosentino’s tasting room and its ivy-covered façade is one of Napa Valley’s most recognized properties in the highly regarded appellation of Oakville. The 100 acre estate in St. Helena is on the location of the historic Dowdell & Sons Winery. The sustainably farmed vineyards have been continuously farmed since 1870. Pam Starr designs the wines to express the extraordinary terrior of this incredible location. touAn early pioneer of the Los Carneros region, Cuvaison has championed vibrant and vineyard-driven expressions of exceptional cool-climate wines since1962. They specialize in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Today, Cardinale has far surpassed all expectations. Limited in production, it’s a powerful and seamless Cabernet Sauvignon, with a track record for drinking deliciously upon release and maturing beautifully in the cellar.
While the vineyard has been around for five generations, it was Andy, who developed the Chase Cellars brand back in 1998. Katie took over the day-to-day operations in 2012, with the goal of maintaining the legacy of the vineyard through sustainable farming, and business practices, so they can ensure the integrity of this place survives for generations to come.
