Several Napa Valley wineries offer great wine tasting introductions for a relatively approachable price. We’ve pulled together a list of wineries, tasting rooms, and wine shops with tasting fees at $50 or under to help guide you on some affordable wine tasting options.

While there are many reasons to visit Napa Valley, enjoying incredible wine tasting experiences are surely at the top. As the premier wine region in the United States and one of the top winemaking regions in the world, there are a plethora of wines to taste and wineries to visit, and tasting fees can add up.

Over the past few years, the trend for wine tastings in Napa Valley has turned towards seated experiences, often one hour to 90 minutes in length, and consist of wine educators walking patrons through a flight of three to six wines. The wines showcased are typically small-production wines and/or winery exclusives.

Overall, the range of wine tasting options offered in Napa Valley can be as straightforward or as elaborate as you desire. Elevated experiences might include food pairings or tours of the winemaking facilities, wine caves, or vineyards, while simpler tastings might feature a flight of three wines on the back deck overlooking vineyards. No matter your preference, there is a winery tasting option for most palates and, it’s worth noting that some wineries will waive or discount tasting fees with the purchase of wines during your visit.

Tasting experiences may change seasonally, so make sure to confirm availability, prices, and offerings when making a reservation and have fun exploring all the amazing options here!

 

Downtown Napa

Chateau Buena Vista

The whimsical, 1920s glitz setting of this extravagant tasting room features a variety of wines from proprietor, Jean Charles Boisset, and his collection.

Ask for the "Taste of Buena Vista" tasting flight.

Compline Wine Shop

This ultra-cool wine-shop-meets-tasting-lounge is the perfect spot to dive into a perfectly curated wine flight led by a knowledgeable sommelier, all set to great music.

Head to the high-end tasting bar for daily flights of wine, glasses, and a spot to chill and listen to the curated music collection.

Gamling & McDuck Tasting Room

This fun and quirky tasting room specializes in Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, and is a true hidden gem in Downtown Napa.

Ask for the “Wild Wild West Tasting.” You can try samples before you buy, or the "Big Picture" Tasting.

JaM Cellars

The wines are easy-to-love and the atmosphere rocks at this tasting room and music studio which is open late and features live music Thursday to Saturday nights. Reservations encouraged, walk-ins welcome.

Tasting reservations can be made for either indoor or outdoor seating.

Ask for the JaM Cellars Wine & Music Studio's VIP Tasting.

Mayacamas Downtown

Age-worthy, classically styled Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon can be explored at this hip tasting room. Choose between their ultra cost-friendly seated tasting of current releases or try library vintages for an additional fee.

Ask for the "White Wine" Tasting – a seated, one hour experience.

Outer Space Wines

Out-of-this-world wines and values can be found at this fun wine shop on Franklin Street off First Street. Taste expertly-curated, artisan wines chosen from the hundreds of wines in stock, and enjoy themed tasting events on Thursday and Friday evenings.

Ask for the “Outer Space Daily Tasting” featuring small-production wines.

Azur Wine Lounge

Nestled amid the bustling heartbeat of Downtown Napa, Azur Wine Lounge serves as an intimate sanctuary that fuses Napa Valley's local charm with a splash of urban flair!

This isn't just a wine tasting space; it's a convivial hub where visitors and Napa denizens alike can indulge in a wine experience for the senses. The atmosphere is sumptuous. Head here to enjoy Elan Fayard's small production, terroir-specific wines, and bubbly.

Ask for: The "SIP" Flight, featuring Azur Rose, Proprietary Red, and Classic Cabernet Sauvignon.

These tasting rooms in Downtown Napa also offer tastings for $50 and under:


Napa

Black Stallion Winery

Originally the site of an equestrian center, this picturesque winery has several outdoor seating areas.

Ask for the “Garden Terrace" seated wine tasting, which includes four samples of wine at a reserved outdoor table. Add cheese and charcuterie to your tasting for an additional fee to enhance the experience!

Domaine Carneros

This sparkling wine château is a “must visit” for the wines, the ambiance, and the views. Cheese, caviar, and smoked seafood options are available (for an additional fee). The epic views from the terrace, overlooking the entrance to Napa Valley? Priceless. Ask for the "Sparkling Wine Sampler" or "Red Wine Sampler."

Trefethen Family Vineyards

One of Napa Valley’s pioneering wineries, Trefethen Family Vineyards crafts distinguished estate-grown wines. This third-generation family-run winery has an intimate atmosphere with historic charm. The scenic courtyard is the perfect backdrop for a relaxed tasting.

Ask for one of three flights – “Essentials”, “Small Lots”, and “All Reds” – each offering a taste of five wines.

Trinitas Cellars

Located at The Meritage Resort and Spa, this tasting room welcomes visitors for wines by the glass, wine flights, and wines by the bottle. Taste the elements of sun, soil, and humanity, the “Trinity,” in each bottle.

Ask for the "Classic Tasting" to enjoy four wines from their extensive collection.

RD Winery

Located at the gateway to wine country where Highway 29 meets Highway 12, RD Winery is the first Vietnamese-owned winery in Napa Valley. In addition to its unique Fifth Moon wines, its all-Asian food and wine pairing menu, designed by Chef Max Ackerman of Sushi Monkey, is a must-try. Enjoy sips and bites in their minimalist tasting room or on the patio, surrounded by lush gardens.

Ask for the "Fifth Moon Tasting," or the "Hundred Knot Tasting" featuring classic Napa reds.

Artesa Winery

Built into an optimally positioned hilltop within the Carneros Appellation near the town of Napa, the stylish, spacious tasting room overlooks a breathtaking panoramic vista of hills, vineyards, and San Pablo Bay. The city of San Francisco beyond Mounts Tam and Diablo can be seen from a perfectly situated tasting terrace.

Ask for wines by the glass! Reservations are only required for Wine Tasting Flights.

These wineries and wine shops in the Napa region also offer tastings for $50 and under:


Yountville

Goosecross Cellars

This small-production, family-run winery is located just east of downtown Yountville. Enjoy a patio tasting with views of State Lane Vineyard, Yountville, and the Mayacamas and Vaca Mountain Ranges. 

Ask for the “Signature Tasting,” available 7 days per week.

Hill Family Tasting Room

The Hill family has a long history of grape growing in Napa Valley and the craft of expertise shows in the high-quality, small-production wines on offer at the tasting salon in downtown Yountville.

Ask for one of three flights – the “Wine Tasting,” “Wine and Cheese Pairing,” or the “Blind Tasting.” 

Hope & Grace Wines

This artisan winery produces just 3,000 cases annually with a focus on limited production, single vineyard, 100% varietal Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and more.

Ask for the “Classic Wine Tasting” or “Wine & Cheese Experience."
 

Jessup Cellars

The quaint Jessup Cellars tasting room in downtown Yountville offers a relaxed experience and an extensive list of wine varietals. Taste on the patio or inside the tasting room, which also serves as a curated art gallery, featuring rotating exhibitions by regional and national artists. Bring your pup along as this tasting room is also pet-friendly.

Ask for the walk-in "Bar Tasting", which is a tasting flight of three wines, and access to their art gallery featuring local artists.

Priest Ranch

Experience unconventional food pairings or enjoy fine caviar and sparkling wine at this downtown tasting room which also features a selection of still wines. Their distinctive tastings offer a perfect blend of sophistication and comfort, inviting you to explore our exceptional wines in a relaxed setting. 

Ask for the "Taste the Estate" experience to try their estate-grown wines.
 

These tasting rooms and wine shops in Yountville also offer tastings for $50 and under:


Oakville & Rutherford

Cakebread Cellars

Cakebread Cellars has built a tremendous legacy in Napa Valley and proudly welcomes guests to the winery to sample the sustainably produced wine portfolio.

Take a communal walk around the grounds while tasting four current release wines with the “Cakebread Classic Tasting.”

Miner Family Winery

Miner features a number of varietals, including some lesser known to Napa Valley like Grenache, Sangiovese, and Roussanne. They're perhaps most well known for “The Oracle,” a decadent Bordeaux-style wine.

Ask for the “Current Release Tasting” which includes a selection of current, core wines in the tasting room or on the terrace while enjoying the sweeping vineyard views of Oakville.

Bonus: "The Trio Tasting" offers a smaller sampling.
 

St. Supéry Estate Vineyards & Winery

Known for its exceptional Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as the proprietary Élu and Virtú blends, this winery has a broad portfolio. Pro tip – head up to the second floor to view the current art gallery exhibit.

Ask for the “Winemakers Selection” tasting which includes four red and white wines from the sustainably farmed vineyards. 

Bonus: "White Wine Experience" tasting includes four white wines.
 

ZD Wines

A tasting on the patio at ZD Wines offers one of the best panoramic views of the valley. Fun fact: aside from the initials of the founder’s last names, the letters ZD allude to “Zero Defects,” a quality control term that applies to the rocket propulsion programs the founders worked on before starting a wine business.

Ask for the “Vineyard View Tasting.”

These wineries and wine shops in Oakville and Rutherford also offer tastings for $50 and under:


St. Helena

Beringer Vineyards

Napa's oldest continuously operating winery, Beringer is an American wine icon built on 145 years of winemaking tradition. Explore the unique history and expansive grounds.

Ask for the “Legacy Cave Tour” which includes a guided tour of the historic wine-ageing tunnels, and a tasting of three wines.

Bonus: The “Discover Beringer” experience is family- and dog-friendly – perfect for strolling the beautiful gardens.

Clif Family Winery

High-quality, low-impact is the Clif Family mantra!

Ask for the “Seasonal Tasting Flight.” Bonus: Mocktail Flights are available to substitute upon request. This alcohol-free experience is paired with small bites highlighting seasonal combinations of fruit preserves, honey, and fresh produce.

Merryvale Vineyards

Merryvale Vineyards offers a variety of tasting options and a variety of wines, and is well-known for rich, powerful Cabernet Sauvignons and Chardonnays.

Ask for the "Winery Exclusives Experience” to enjoy their small-production wines. Sip on their current releases at the bar, in the tasting room, or on the terrace.

Orin Swift Cellars

Orin Swift’s newly redesigned and expanded tasting room in downtown St. Helena is a sophisticated and edgy space, with concrete, leather, wood, and metal fixtures in an Art Deco façade. Orin Swift Cellars is known for brilliant wine label imagery and luscious wines.

Ask for the “Rock” experience – a standing tasting introducing you to the Orin Swift style.

@orinswift

Pride Mountain Vineyards

Pride Mountain Vineyards offers a little of everything that is quintessential about Napa Valley – classic wines, stunning views, cool winery caves, and a relaxed vibe. What is unique about this winery is that it sits on the crest of the Mayacamas Mountains west of St. Helena and bisects the Napa/Sonoma County line.

Ask for the “Estate Experience.”

Raymond Vineyards

Proprietor Jean-Charles Boisset created a dynamic destination to inspire guests’ passion for fine wine and to encourage exploration of the senses with interactive exhibits. While visiting, be sure to take a walk through the “Biodynamic Theater of Nature” and explore “The Corridor of Senses.”

Ask for the "Main Salon" experience to enjoy Raymond’s vibrant main tasting salon.

Rombauer Vineyards

Nestled on a tree-covered hill in northern Napa Valley, Rombauer Vineyard offers stunning valley views and gardens where guests may wander.

Ask for the standard tasting flight and be sure to ask for the fan-favorite Chardonnay.

Wines by the glass or bottle are available to enjoy at the outdoor garden experience.
 

V. Sattui Winery

Founded in 1885, this family-owned winery makes more than 60 different wines! It is a must-see destination that features wine caves, a wide variety of food items from the on-site deli, a large picnic area, and garden.

Ask for the “Premier Indoor Tasting” which includes five wine samples.

Whitehall Lane Winery

This welcoming and relaxed winery is conveniently located on Highway 29 in the heart of Napa Valley. Stop here for a lovely tasting with friendly hosts.

Book online either the “Current Release Bar Tasting” that offers a selection of reds and whites or the “2 for 1 Winery Exclusive Flight” offered Sunday - Friday, for parties of 1 to 6.

These wineries and wine bars in St. Helena also offer tastings for $50 and under:


Calistoga

Bennett Lane Winery

Situated on one of the most picturesque vineyard properties in the northern part of Napa Valley, Bennett Lane welcomes visitors for an educational wine tasting and incredible views of the Palisades Mountains.

The “Taste of the Napa Valley” features four signature wines.

LOLA Wines

Head to this quaint and welcoming tasting room in Calistoga for some classic Napa Valley wines, plus a few interesting options like Muscat, Riesling, Sémillon, and Charbono. Add the supplemental fee, and you can add the “Cortez Conservas” pairing to your wine tasting, which includes bottarga and mojama, served with a French baguette.

Ask for: The standard tasting flight, available daily. As a small team, LOLA asks for reservations to make your experience as memorable as possible.  

Picayune Cellars

Picayune (pronounced pee-kah-yoon) means “a little bit” in regional French. In following the classic French negociant model, winemaker and proprietor Claire Weinkauf buys small lots of grapes to make great wines. The wine lounge in downtown Calistoga also features a curated selection of artisanal goods – a perfect spot to sip and shop.

Ask for: The “Classic Tasting” including five wines.

Tank Garage Winery

Toast to vintage California culture in this 1930s-era gas station turned wine tasting room. Tasting fees are waived with a purchase of any three bottles or by joining the wine club.

The “Lubrication Tasting” features four one-of-a-kind wines.

These wineries and tasting rooms in Calistoga also offer tastings for $50 and under:

 

With wine tastings at $50 or less per person, the options are plenty.

Some insider tips on how to maximize the fun… plan for two tastings (and no more than three) in a day; mix it up by booking at one of the fabulous spots recommended here and a second at a splurge-worthy spot or get a light bite at any of these food lovers' spots between the two tastings; and…sip safely and smartly by hiring a designated driver.