Somerston

Somerston Estate sits out on Sage Canyon Road east of St. Helena, well away from the Highway 29 traffic, and the remoteness is the appeal. The estate is large and the drive in sets the tone.

It is open daily from 10am to 4:30pm, which is more generous than most Napa appointments, though booking ahead is still sensible. Somerston shares ownership with Priest Ranch and Highflyer, and The Kitchen at Priest Ranch is the food side of the same group, so the two pair naturally on one itinerary. Michael scores both ambiance and wine an 8. The property is currently going through a repositioning, so confirm which experiences are running before you build a Napa eastern route around it.