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Napa Valley » Sterling Vineyards

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Sterling Vineyards

1111 Dunaweal Lane
Calistoga, CA 94515
(800) 726-6136
info@sterlingvineyards.com

Tasting:   Open daily 10:30 to 4:30 pm
$15 per person, weekends and holidays $20, $10 for children (tram only)
Tours:
 
Self guided tours
Amenities:
  Visitors are carried up to the winery by aerial tramway
Price Range:   $15 to $75 per bottle
Established:   1964
Vineyards:   1200 acres
Production:
  400,000 cases
VIP Tasting:   Yes

Sterling Vineyards Description

In 1973, Sterling Vineyards opened their aerial tramway to shuttle visitors up the hill to one of the first destination wineries of the modern era. Two hundred thousand people per year now take the three-minute ride to the 300-foot-high hillside winery.

The winery is designed to appear like the white villages of the Greek island Mykonos, and incorporates bells from St. Dunstan's in London, a church destroyed in World War II. Sterling has four different lines of wines, including the Reserve, Single-Vineyard, Napa Valley Wines and Sterling Vintner’s Collection. They also produce small quantities of special wines – often obscure varietals -- for their club members.

The Sterling experience has many options for touring and tasting their Bordeaux- and Burgundy-style wines. A self-guided tour winds around the production facility, overlooking the winemaking process. Every day at 11am is the Reserve Tour and Tasting, where visitors enjoy an escorted tour of the winery followed by a private tasting in the elegant Reserve Room. ($45 including tram ride; call for reservations.)

Sterling Vineyards Features

Ambiance Types of Wine Amenities
Resort Like
Kid Friendly
Hip & Stylish
Cabernet Sauvignon
Pinot Noir
Syrah
Gift Shop - Special
Private Tasting
Art Gallery
Wine Education Seminars
Tours - Regularly Scheduled
Write Your Own Review

Sterling Vineyards Reviews

Staff Knowledge & Friendliness
Amenities, Comfort & Cleanliness
Value
Wine Quality
Overall Impressions
The amusement park of Napa
chappkg, Broomfield
This place and across the road at the Castello d Amarossa constitute a complete wine country amusement park. Very big operation. The best part is the views they command from atop the hill and from their patio. Good experience for the novice, but if you are serious about your wine then this is not it. Don't find their wine to be anywhere but slightly above average.

Staff Knowledge & Friendliness
Amenities, Comfort & Cleanliness
Value
Wine Quality
Overall Impressions
Beautiful Grounds!
melika0, Scottsdale
This is a must-stop winery if you have your camera and are looking for a beautiful place to take pictures. The wine itself is OK and the price is a little steep, but you can't beat the experience of their wine tasting taking the tram up then getting the tastings as you walk around taking the tour. It's something I would recommend everyone visit at least once!

Staff Knowledge & Friendliness
Amenities, Comfort & Cleanliness
Value
Wine Quality
Overall Impressions
Disneyland like experience
wino222, Ukiah
Visiting Sterling is like visiting another world. The self-guided tour (which we took) started from the parking lot and quickly ascended up the hill, over a pond and fountain to a monastery-esque building on top of the hill. Once the doors opened up top, we were guided down a narrow walkway where the first tasting "station" was set up. They start you off with a clean, crisp white. Then, you are pretty much free to roam, though there is a definite direction to the whole tour. The second tasting leads you out onto the vast outdoor patio looking south over the entire Napa Valley. The views were pretty breathtaking. We got an up close and personal look at the crush facility and got to peer over the metal catwalks onto the huge stainless steel fermentation tanks. The end of the tour brought us to the other end of the winery, to another patio, where we finished off with a glass of Cab. I could see how this place would be a must-visit for out-of-towners,. Even people who are not totally into wine could find enough to do and see here to make their visit more than worthwhile.

Review Disclaimer

The above reviews are the subjective opinion of Winery Advisor members and not of Winery Advisor LLC.

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