Monticello is located on the valley floor off Oak Knoll Avenue. You will first spot the generous picnic grounds and lawns, then the main winery building. To your immediate right you will no doubt spot the business offices of the winery, with their familiar Palladian-style architecture. The building is based very closely on Thomas Jefferson’s home in Virginia, complete with identical white pillars, windows and balcony. Jay Corley, the winery’s founder, came to Napa in 1969, planted a vineyard, and in time built his winery; he used the name Monticello to honor one of our country’s greatest statesmen.

The family-run operation farms five vineyards in the Napa Valley. They have taken great care to ensure that the variety, rootstock, clone selection, vineyard spacing and trellis design are matched to the soil and microclimate of each vineyard. The winemaker's hand is used to bring these flavors together into a cohesive whole, protecting and promoting the intense aromatics and presenting a full-bodied, elegantly textured and seamless wine. These ambitious goals have helped create their flagship Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines, as well as their Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Merlot.

The cozy, low-ceilinged tasting room at Monticello is tucked inside the main winery building. The tasting counter is made from elderly barrel staves, and adds a rustic old-world feel to the place. There are some gift items for sale, and you can look through windows in the back into the winery operation. There are some great tasting programs to experience, including wine seminars hosted in the “Jefferson House.” Reserve a seat for their component tasting, the blending seminar, or the reserve tasting.

Weekend Reserve Tastings
Sit-down premium tastings are available in their Reserve Tasting Room with the opportunity to sample limited production lots, older library selections, and still developing barrel wines.