These Are the 22 Most Beautiful Wineries in Napa Valley, According to Sommeliers

Romantic ambience, historic architecture, lush scenery, and golden light—there is so much more to wine tasting in California's Napa Valley than simply tasting wine. So when it comes to choosing which Napa Valley wineries to visit, the setting is almost as important a factor to consider as the grapes themselves.

And the competition for wine tourists is fierce: Today, there are over 400 winery options to choose from in Napa and Sonoma Counties alone, which is up from just 25 in Napa in the 1970s. Napa tourism continues to grow; according to Visit Napa Valley, the region's tourism board, the area welcomed 3.85 million tourists who spent $2.23 billion in 2018, up 4.4% and 15.9%, respectively, from 2016.

In the face of stiff competition and sizable opportunity, Napa Valley wineries are stepping up their offerings beyond the typical tastings with luxe experiences that range from sensory garden tours to private dining with Michelin-star chefs. We sought out renowned sommeliers to give us their picks for the best wineries in Napa, along with a few staff recs to curate the must-see destinations for every type of visitor to California's wine country.