Vote for your favorite winery tour!
USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
There's nothing like getting a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process (while tasting along the way) to hone both your appreciation and your palate.
We asked a panel of experts to nominate their preferred winery tours throughout the U.S., and now it's your turn to vote for your favorite. Vote once per day until Monday, July 22 at noon ET. The 10 best winery tours will be announced on Wednesday, July 31.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
There's nothing like getting a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process (while tasting along the way) to hone both your appreciation and your palate.
We asked a panel of experts to nominate their preferred winery tours throughout the U.S., and now it's your turn to vote for your favorite. Vote once per day until Monday, July 22 at noon ET. The 10 best winery tours will be announced on Wednesday, July 31.
Read the official Readers' Choice rules.
There's nothing like getting a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process (while tasting along the way) to hone both your appreciation and your palate.
We asked a panel of experts to nominate their preferred... Read More
Best Winery Tour Nominees
Archery Summit
Dayton, Oregon
Founded in 1993, Archery Summit uses grapes grown in its six vineyards on 120 acres in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. You can sample their wines on their daily guided tours of the vineyards, production facilities, and wine cave that's 42 feet below ground.
Benziger Family Winery
Glen Ellen, California
Visitors to Benziger Family Winery have quite a few tour and tasting options to choose from. The exclusive Tribute Estate Tour takes visitors behind the scenes for a close-up look at the biodynamic vineyards and winemaking facilities. Visitors can also take a tractor tram tour of the vineyards to learn more about biodynamic farming.
Photo courtesy of Sinenkiy / iStock Via Getty Images Plus
Buena Vista Winery
Sonoma, California
Step into the essence of California winemaking with a tour of Buena Vista Winery, founded in 1857. Experience the enchantment of this historic estate, a long-standing icon of Sonoma's winemaking heritage. Visitors are treated to a captivating blend of storytelling and wine tasting, with a tour of picturesque grounds and revamped Champagne Cellar, plus a stop in Buena Vista's caves for a unique tasting straight from the barrel.
Photo courtesy of Cline Family Cellars
Cline Family Cellars
Sonoma, California
Visitors to Cline Family Cellars can enjoy a self-guided tour of the Cline Ranch, strolling the property and its historic sites. The tour begins in The Tasting Room, where you pick up a map and a glass of wine to sip as you explore the grounds.
Photo courtesy of Grand Valley Grapes and Grains Adventures
Colterris Winery
Palisade, Colorado
Discover the beauty of Colorado's wine country at Colterris Winery. Nestled in Palisade, its tours offer an intimate look at the art of winemaking, amidst the backdrop of stunning orchards and the Colorado River. The tour includes the wine library and subterranean barrel cave, and it offers views of vineyards and the majestic Roan Plateau at the entrance of De Beque Canyon.
Photo courtesy of Thom_Morris / iStock Via Getty Images Plus
Davis Estates
Calistoga, California
Immerse in the elegance of Napa Valley at Davis Estates. The property's tours provide a sensory exploration of meticulously crafted wines, set against the serene beauty of Calistoga's rolling hills. Each visitor gets access to the Howard Backen-designed winery and 11,000 square feet of wine caves.
Photo courtesy of Bob Berg Photography
The Donum Estate
Sonoma, California
A visually stunning property in Sonoma, the Donum Estate is part wine space, part experiential gallery featuring the Donum Collection, one of the world's largest accessible private sculpture collections. Explore the connection between nature, art, and wine on a tour including the culinary garden and encounter with an open-air sculpture collection. Additional tour and tasting options are also available.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Hammondsport, New York
Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, located in the Finger Lakes wine region of New York, offers an 1886 Wine Experience in which guests partake in a guided viticultural or cellar tour followed by a seated wine tasting. This in-depth educational experience is available from May through October and is reservation only.
Photo courtesy of Brandon Stier
Eberle Winery
Paso Robles, California
Explore the heart of Paso Robles with a visit to iconic Eberle Winery. Gary Eberle, co-founder of the Paso Robles Appellation in 1983, pioneered labeling wines with the Paso Robles Appellation and was a trailblazer in commercially producing 100% Syrah. Guests experience warm hospitality on a complimentary cave tour, walking through over 16,000 feet of wine caves and tasting wines that reflect the region's exceptionally diverse terroir. Tours are open to all visitors and appointments can be made online.
Photo courtesy of Fenn Valley Vineyards
Fenn Valley Vineyards
Fennville, Michigan
Throughout the year, wine lovers and the casually curious are invited to tour the grounds of Fenn Valley Vineyards in beautiful western Michigan. This educational and entertaining experience lasts just under 2 hours, taking visitors into the vineyards or the wine cellar to learn more about the process. Wine samples are served throughout.
Photo courtesy of Gundlach Bundschu
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Sonoma, California
Just five minutes from Sonoma Plaza, historic Gundlach Bundschu Winery at the foot of the Mayacamas Mountains invites guests to tour the 320-acre property aboard a Pinzgauer – a Swiss Army vehicle capable of going off-road. Visitors can also tour the vineyards and barrel caves on foot.
Inglenook
Rutherford, California
Inglenook invites you to a timeless Napa experience, where tradition and elegance are part of the experience. Discover the legacy of its esteemed wines through a guided tour of this iconic estate, owned by the Coppola family. The tour enters the Italia Cave, home to 120 fermentation tanks, and the beautiful Infinity Cave barrel room.
Ken Wright Cellars
Carlton, Oregon
Guests love the tour at Ken Wright Cellars for learning more about the winemaking process in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Go behind the scenes of their winery facility or enjoy a guided visit to one of their local vineyard sites, followed by a seated tasting featuring a curated flight of wines paired with locally sourced cheese and charcuterie.
Photo courtesy of Elise Aileen
Merriam Vineyards
Healdsburg, California
Experience the classic charm of Sonoma County's Russian River Valley at dog-friendly Merriam Vineyards. The winery tour gives guests a look at the property's organic estate vineyards and winemaking process. The trip is capped off with a seated tasting featuring single vineyard wines.
Photo courtesy of xavierarnau / E+
Nassau Valley Vineyards & Winery
Lewes, Delaware
Nassau Valley Vineyards is Delaware’s first and only premier award-winning winery. Conveniently situated miles away from the state's vibrant beach resorts, this tranquil winery is tucked away in lush fields along a serene country road. Self-guided tours are available, with guided tours offered to groups of 15 or more people.
Neal Family Vineyards
Angwin, California
Neal Family Vineyards, a third-generation family-owned estate, provides a private visit that includes a tour of the winery's caves and vineyard on stunning Howell Mountain. Guests take in an opportunity to learn about the estate's certified farming practices and taste four estate-grown wines. The lucky ones get to meet the winery dogs, too.
Photo courtesy of Palmaz Vineyards
Palmaz Vineyards
Napa, California
Palmaz Vineyards blends tradition with innovation in the heart of Napa, as seen in an exclusive tour through its expansive underground winery cave. Following the tour, guests are treated to a seated tasting experience in the private salon, where they will sample a selection of wine paired with light hors d’oeuvres.
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Napa, California
Pine Ridge Vineyards in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley offers an immersive tour and tasting experience within its European-inspired cave system. Several options, including the opportunity to book a private tour, are available.
Photo courtesy of gilaxia / E+
Robert Hall Winery
Paso Robles, California
The staff at Robert Hall Winery provides an introduction to the property's history and the intricacies of its regenerative organic vineyard practices. Guests enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of the winery including a trip into the underground cavern to savor wine straight from the barrel, featuring a selection of five to seven wines.
Photo courtesy of bredok / iStock Via Getty Images Plus
Wente Vineyards
Livermore, California
Wente Vineyards is a must-visit for anyone with an interest in the pioneering spirit of Californian winemaking. Taste the legacy of five generations of wine craft, enhanced by the beauty of Livermore's landscape. Tours include the property's caves and tirage building, plus an opportunity to taste wine from the barrel.
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Amanda O'Brien
Amanda O'Brien is a London based luxury travel... Read More
Amanda O'Brien is a London based luxury travel blogger. Her website, The Boutique Adventurer, has over 350,000 followers across its platforms. The site focusses on travel adventures that end the day with a high thread count on the sheets and a good glass of local wine. Amanda is WSET Level 3 qualified. Find her on Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube.
Amanda O'Brien
Amanda O'Brien is a London based luxury travel blogger. Her website, The Boutique Adventurer, has over 350,000 followers across its platforms. The site focusses on travel adventures that end the day with a high thread count on the sheets and a good glass of local wine. Amanda is WSET Level 3 qualified. Find her on Instagram, Tiktok, and Youtube.
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los... Read More
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Jenny Peters
Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world's great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).
Samantha Facciolo
Samantha Facciolo is a freelance writer and... Read More
Samantha Facciolo is a freelance writer and educator whose reported stories and essays on education, immigration, the intersection of community and social justice, food and drink, relationships, travel, and more have appeared in The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, Newsweek, Marie Claire, The Wine Enthusiast, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and has served as a writer-in-residence in New York City and Boston public schools. Her literary writing has won Novel Slices' Novel Excerpts Contest and American University’s Louise M. Young Award for Fiction. Follow her on Instagram at @samanthafacciolowrites.
Samantha Facciolo
Samantha Facciolo is a freelance writer and educator whose reported stories and essays on education, immigration, the intersection of community and social justice, food and drink, relationships, travel, and more have appeared in The New York Times, Reader’s Digest, Newsweek, Marie Claire, The Wine Enthusiast, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and has served as a writer-in-residence in New York City and Boston public schools. Her literary writing has won Novel Slices' Novel Excerpts Contest and American University’s Louise M. Young Award for Fiction. Follow her on Instagram at @samanthafacciolowrites.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,... Read More
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.
10Best Editors
USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.