Napa Wine Tasting for Under $50

Napa Valley is all about lux experiences for many, but some of us are on a budget. These Napa wineries offer tastings for under $50pp. Almost all offer several options for tastings, and they may range from something like $40 to $100. Some will waive the tasting fee with a purchase, so be sure to ask.

Bennett Lane Winery, Calistoga, on the quiet side of Napa Valley; a 45 minute drive from downtown Napa. Wine tastings start at $35. They currently list a couple of white wines plus four Cabernets and Cab blends, with the bottle prices running from $40 all the way up to $150.

Beringer Vineyards, St. Helena. An historic winery with some great architecture. Walking tours with wine tasting starts at $35, seated tastings are more. You've seen their wines in stores at home, but they make many other wines, some approaching $200. This place is popular and gets crowded during the busy season. 

Black Stallion Winery, Napa. Tasting fees start at $45. They make quite a few wines with the focus on Cabernet, this is Napa Valley after all. Bottle prices are from $28 to over $200.

Cakebread Cellars, Rutherford. Tastings start at $40, plus there's a tour and tasting for $50. This winery is a Napa Valley fixture and a very popular stop. They make several different wines, with most being either Chardonnay or Cabernet. Wine prices run from $25 (still!) to over $100 for some of the Cabernets. Pretty good prices for Napa.

Domain Carneros, Napa. Tasting fees start at $35. A very popular spot along the busy Highway 12 in the Carneros appellation. Their specialty is sparkling wines (there are currently eight listed on their website), plus Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A cool place to visit for sure. I recommend going midweek or off-season because of crowds and highway traffic. Sparkling wine prices for current releases start at $39, still wines at $36.

At Domaine Carneros

Etude Winery, Napa. Tastings start at $40. Located in the cooler Carneros region, they produce a few white whites, a rosé, a Cabernet and a whole slew of Pinot Noirs. Wine prices run from $35 for a Pinot Gris to $155 for a Cabernet.

Frog's Leap Winery, Rutherford. Has a $40 tasting. John Williams' first vintage at his winery was in 1981. They're still making restrained (lower alcohol) wines. They started with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet and still make those plus Merlot and Zinfandel, all reasonably priced.

Jessup Cellars, Yountville. Tasting options start at $30. Jessup has a couple of white wines available and a nice variety of reds. Current release wines from $45 to $115.

Lola Wines, Calistoga. Tastings start at $35. This is a small, family operation with tastings and sales done out of an old house in town. Wines are from all over the state, not just Napa. Current release wines run from just $24 to $63.

Mumm Napa, Rutherford. Tasting prices start at $40 and is well worth it IMO. Bottle prices start at $25 with most of the best bang for the buck ones in the $36 to $55 range. It's all about sparkling wine and views here. The DVX bubbly at $90 is primo.

At Mumm Napa

Paraduxx, Napa. There's a $30 quickie flight or a $45 full wine flight. They are part of the Duckhorn family of wineries that was recently sold, so I expect changes in 2025. Their focus is red blends. There is a white and a rosé at $36 with the reds running from $28 to $110.

Pope Valley Winery, Pope Valley is way up in the hills. If you go past Litto's Hub Cap Ranch, you've gone too far. :) Tastings start at $45. It's refreshingly unpretentious. They make a little bit of everything. Current release prices go from $32 for Sauvignon Blanc to $149 for one of their Cabernets.

Rombauer Vineyards, St. Helena. Just $25 for a tasting. The home of world-famous Cougar Juice Chardonnay! Their Sauvignon Blanc is $28 followed by several Chardonnay choices plus quite a few reds from all over the state. They now own a facility in Amador County, so there's Barbera and several different Zinfandels on the current list.

Storybook Mountain Winery, Calistoga, a few miles north of town on Highway 128. The tasting fee is right at $50 but waived with purchase, something that a number of Napa wineries no longer do, or won't unless you ask. Informal tastings under the redwoods or in the cellar. This is a farming family in love with Zinfandel.

Official greeter

Sutter Home, Rutherford. Tastings are $10 or $15, I'm not sure of the difference in the two, but go for it and splurge for the high-roller stuff! Yes, this is where it all started for White Zinfandel, so expect some sweetness in your wines.

Tank Garage Winery, Calistoga, $30 tasting fee. It's an old gas station that's been converted into a wine tasting room. All the hip dudes love this place. Wines are all blends, white, rosé, red, and sparkling, with current release prices are a reasonable $26 to $75.

Tedeschi Family Winery, Calistoga. $35 to taste. An Italian family making Italian varietals and other wines in small lots that sell out quickly. The wines currently available sell for $38 for a rosé to $65 for a Port.

V Sattui Winery, St. Helena, $45 tasting fee is the cheapest option to sit around a zillion other tourists and tour buses. Do it if you have to. I did it once.

Tank Garage Winery tasting "room"
Too bad the wine isn't $4 / gallon

Some wineries offering tasstings right at $50: Pride Mountain, Storybook Mountain,

Downtown Napa
There are over 50 urban tasting rooms in the downtown area. You don't get the fancy architecture or the views of the vineyards and mountains. Instead you often get lower tasting prices, the ability to walk in rather than needing a reservation, plus some tasting rooms are open to 7 pm or later.

Disclaimer: There are several hundred wineries in Napa, and I haven't checked them all for tasting fees. There is no doubt I've missed several, maybe a bunch. Also, fees may change any time, even seasonally, so check with the winery's website. The information here was verified 10/18/24.