Low Cost Wine Tastings in Napa

  The last I read, someone had figured out the average cost of a wine tasting in Napa was about $60, the Visit Napa Valley website says $40 is the average for basic tastings, an unscientific check I did of four random tastings rooms scattered throughout the valley shows $50-$75 for their cheapest tasting. The average cost of a bottle in Napa has been over $100 for a while. Before you say, "OMG!" remember these are averages, meaning there are plenty below this. 

  The trick is finding them without cruising through the websites for hundreds of wineries. The last winery I knew of that offered free tastings was Sutter Home, but they are now $10. So they are probably the cheapest.

A typical reserve tasting list in Napa

  Napa is about twice as expensive as the other popular spots in the state, Sonoma County and Paso Robles. Other lesser known areas like Mendocino County, Amador County, and Lodi are even cheaper.

  There are "coupons" of sort to save money. Some wineries offer Groupons. Some are on what's called the Priority Wine Pass. Take a look and see who is there and what they offer. Some are free tastings, some 2 for 1, some offer "an extra splash of another wine" which I consider BS, but that's up to you to decide. Napa, Calistoga, and the St. Helena area sell passports during the off season that are good for several wineries.

  Googling "low cost napa wine tastings" will give you several hits of what others consider low cost. Some of the wineries may be of interest, but always check their website first to see if anything has changed. Check out the California Wine Advisor. Also double-check what they claim.

  Every winery sets their own pricing and policies on waiving fees with a purchase, they are all over the place, and may change at any time. Many will have at least two tasting options, for instance there might be one at $40 and one for $80. If you're really into their high-end wines, you could have one cheaper tasting and your SO have the reserve. This way you can also sample more wines by sharing. Going to places that waive tasting fees with a purchase is great if you think you'll like their wine and will probably buy. 

  Yes, it takes a lot of time to plan unless you're willing to splurge.

Note: I have had a Priority Wine Pass in the past. I don't get any money from them for mentioning or supplying their link. Or from anyone else mentioned in this blog.