10 NAPA AND SONOMA WINERIES THAT LIKE EUROPE

As I found myself nostalgic for France and Italy this summer, I decided to hunt down wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma County that reminded me of Europe. California’s famed wine region sits just an hour north of San Francisco – much closer (and cheaper) than a flight to Paris or Florence. To my surprise, I uncovered several gems, and over the course of multiple day trips I found myself sipping Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays in settings that rivaled the rolling hills of Tuscany, the towers of Normandy and the Rhine in Germany. Below is my complete guide to 10 of my favorite wineries in Napa Valley and Sonoma County that look like Europe.

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Tuscan scenes at Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga.

PIAZZA DEL DOTTO WINERY & CAVES

ITALY (BUT IN NAPA)

Del Dotto is a family-run winery with three locations scattered throughout Napa Valley. All are beautiful, but it’s the striking Piazza Del Dotto located at 7466 St. Helena Road that is an absolute must-visit. The Italian-inspired winery and cave has all the feels of the countryside in Tuscany. The yellow piazza is beautiful and opens up to exquisite gardens filled with ornate fountains, meandering pathways and blooming flowers. But the highlight of a visit to Piazza Del Dotto is the 19th century hand-dug wine cave that guests enter through a giant face carved into the rocks. The caves were originally used to age and store wines, but now serve as an opulent barrel tasting room filled with marble and adorned in Murano glass.

Piazza del Dotto Winery & Caves.

CASTELLO DI AMOROSA

TUSCANY (BUT IN CALISTOGA)

Tucked away in the western hills of Calistoga is the winery Castello di Amorosa. But it isn’t just any winery. This one has been designed to look like a medieval castle set in the rolling hills of Tuscany. It took 30 years for Italian-American winemaker Dario Sattui to build this spectacular winery that boasts an authentic drawbridge, chapel, medieval courtyard, lookout towers and torture chamber, most constructed from materials imported directly from Italy. The winery is absolutely stunning, and unlike anywhere else in Napa Valley. When you visit, make sure to climb the castle towers to look out over the vineyards. The resemblance to Tuscany is uncanny.

Castello di Amorosa looks like a postcard from Tuscany.

BERINGER VINEYARDS

GERMANY (BUT IN ST. HELENA)

Beringer Vineyards is home to a beautiful 19th century mansion known as The Rhine House, modeled after the founder’s family home on the Rhine River in Germany. It looks like a Victorian haunted mansion, home to 17 rooms, gables, turrets, Belgian Art Nouveau stained glass windows and carved woodwork, all designed with heavy German influence. The winery sits in the heart of Napa Valley, right off the main highway in St. Helena.

The dazzling Rhine House at Beringer Vineyards resembles a haunted Victorian mansion.

CHATEAU ST. JEAN WINERY

FRANCE (BUT IN KENWOOD)

For an afternoon escape to France, head to Sonoma County where the lovely Chateau St. Jean sits in Kenwood along the Sonoma Highway. The winery is a popular destination for both wine tastings and weddings thanks to its picturesque design that feels very European. Stroll the perfectly manicured gardens set in the middle of the chateau, a dreamy setting filled with stone sculptures, fountains, hedgew, pergolas and cypress tree arches.

Chateau St. Jean Winery.

CHATEAU MONTELENA WINERY

FRANCE (BUT IN CALISTOGA)

Chateau Montelena is one of my favorite wineries in Napa Valley. Not only is it historically significant, it’s also ridiculously beautiful. Built in the late 19th century, the winery is home to an ivy-covered chateau built from rusticated stone (it originally served as a barrel-aging facility). The stone, along with the bartizans, merlons and crenels evoke all the feels of a Gothic storybook castle. The historical significance of the winery dates back to the 1976 Judgement of Paris tasting when the estate’s 1973 Chardonnay took home top honors in the white wine category against some of the period’s more notable French contenders.

The ivy-covered facade of Chateau Montelena Winery.

ANNADEL ESTATE WINERY

ITALY (BUT IN SANTA ROSA)

Annadel Estate Winery is a small family-run winery is located in Sonoma County. It was established by German immigrants in the late 19th century, but all that remains of the original winery are a spectacular set of stone ruins. The ruins are composed of four stone walls covered in ivy that create a courtyard fit for a Tuscan-style wedding. Annadel is a stunning wedding venue that also hosts private wine tastings booked in advance.

Stepping into the historic stone ruins of Annadel Estate Winery.

JORDAN VINEYARD & WINERY

FRANCE (BUT IN HEALDSBURG)

Jordan Winery might be located in Healdsburg, but the spectacular ivy-covered yellow chateau feels more like an escape to the French countryside. The setting is an absolute dream for tastings – flowing fountains, sculpture gardens, Parisian bistro chairs and arched doorways. It transports visitors to the Bordeaux region of France. The winery is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Burgundian Chardonnay.

Jordan Vineyard & Winery feels like an afternoon in France.

LEDSON WINERY & VINEYARDS

NORMANDY (BUT IN KENWOOD)

As you drive down Sonoma Highway, it’s impossible to miss the towering 16,000-square foot structure that rises up out of the vineyards at the base of the Moon Mountains. Also known as The Castle, Ledson Winery & Vineyards is another storybook winery that boasts soaring cathedral style windows, turrets, stone accent details and coffered ceilings. It gives Normandy vibes. This is a relatively new winery, built in 1989 with their first wine released in 1997.

The grandeur of Ledson is why it’s known as The Castle.

INGLENOOK

FRANCE (BUT IN RUTHERFORD)

Inglenook is the fabled Napa Valley winery owned by the legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola. The winery surrounds a stunning Old World chateau, three stories of stone covered in webs of ivy. Inglenook looks like it’s been plucked right out of Paris, and it’s a lovely setting for an afternoon wine tasting. It’s known for its flagship wine, Rubicon, as well as its Cabernet Sauvignon.

The exterior of Inglenook is so charming.

DOMAINE CARNEROS

FRANCE (BUT IN NAPA)

Set at the epic entry into the wine region, Domaine Carneros greets visitors from its hilltop perch, one of the first wineries visitors see on their drive into the valley. It was modeled after the Chateau de la Marquetterie in Champagne, the home of the noble Taittiner family that founded Domaine Carneros. The dazzling French-inspired chateau serves up the dreamiest setting for sparkling wine tasting.

All the feels of Champagne, France at Domaine Carneros.