Sterling

Sterling is the one everybody remembers, because you arrive by aerial tram. The winery sits on a hilltop above Calistoga on Dunaweal Lane, and the ride up is genuinely part of the experience rather than a gimmick bolted on.

The wines cover Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Malbec and Petite Sirah, with single-vineyard bottlings and a flagship Cabernet at the top of the range. Michael gives it an 8 for ambiance, the highest category score here, and that is the honest read: you come for the setting and the views as much as the pour. It handles groups of fifteen and up, which makes it one of the few Napa stops that works for a larger party. Book ahead and slot it early on a northern Napa day while the light is good.