Napa Valley has many fantastic vineyards & wineries to show. Hundreds of wineries are waiting to be explored. You can visit wineries with your friends for fun or you can collect wines and make plenty of notes while at a tasting. Either way, it should always be enjoyable and not intimidating.
Most wineries are family owned in the Napa Valley. There is something here for everyone and for every price point.
This article concentrates on Howell Mountain wineries. Where is Howell Mountain?
Howell Mountain
is located on the eastern side of Napa Valley, high up above the fog line. This AVA stays warmer longer in the evenings as the warm air pushes up from the valley floor. It is also drier and has no marine influence with more hours of sunshine.
Coming from St. Helena it takes about 20 minutes to drive up the scenic route to Angwin. It’s a more laid back Napa Valley with small, family owned vineyards & wineries. Pure nature & plenty of wild life with an elevation of 600 to 2600 feet.
This list is not in order of greatness. Just based on personal experiences & feed back from clients.
- Howell Mountain Winery
- Robert Foley
- Cimarossa
- O’Shaughnessy
- Arkenstone
- Cade 13th vineyard
- Adamvs
- Haber Family Vineyards
Click here for more of our favorite Howell Mountain wineries
Keep in mind that these are not the type of wineries you want to visit for your bachelorette party. These are family owned vineyards who make their living of selling their wine directly to the consumer. While it is hard to say that you should buy wine before you actually tasted them, a minimum of 6 bottle per couple is a good starting point.
Most smaller wineries do not charge for their tastings and rely on great guests to purchase their Howell Mountain wines. You won’t be disappointed with these top quality wines.
I feel there should be a part two (or three) of Howell Mountain wineries as there are many more places to visit up on the hill. Please click here for the Howell Mountain Vintners & Growers Association list.
Also important, once you visit Howell Mountain, bring an ice chest with food with you as there are no restaurants. There is one small market in the town of Angwin but it’s best to pick up some sandwiches at Sunshine Market in St. Helena beforehand. You can also check with the wineries you are going to visit if they offer any type of food options.