Fantesca

Fantesca sits on Spring Mountain Road above St. Helena and works entirely by private tour and tasting, so you are not sharing a counter with a coach party. The winery describes itself as sitting at the intersection of artistry and terroir, and the guiding idea is that wine is a treasure to be shared.

The wines are handcrafted Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Petit Verdot from the Spring Mountain estate. Beyond the bottles, they produce organically crafted estate olive oils and jams, and the Fortune Corkies are a house tradition. Annual events include a Harvest Party in October. Michael scores it 8 across ambiance, wine and staff, one of the strongest overall records in this collection. Book ahead for a central Napa day.