Palmaz

Palmaz is the most technically ambitious winery in this collection. The Cave, its subterranean winery, extends eighteen stories into the rocky flank of Mount George and houses a proprietary take on gravity-flow winemaking. Touring it is genuinely unlike any other Napa visit.

The vineyards span gentle hills and mountaintop mesas at three distinct elevations, each producing a different expression. The wines include the Gaston Cabernet Sauvignon, Amalia Chardonnay, Louise Riesling, Florencia Muscat and a Rose, and there is a Wine and Wagyu pairing alongside the standard formats. Michael scores the ambiance an 8. Appointments required. If your group is interested in how wine is actually made rather than just how it tastes, put this on the southern Napa itinerary.