This is Walt from Walt's Adventures and my current adventure finds me in St. Helena, California at the Markham Vineyards. All vineyards desire to distinguish themselves from their competitors and Markham has certainly accomplished their goal. Set apart from other vineyard reservations, we entered the threshold, announced ourselves and were immediately handed complementary glasses of wine as if we were the owners. The vineyard houses plenty of onsite parking and both indoor and outdoor areas. They accommodate and offer various tasting experiences for all of their patrons but I highly recommend reserving their highest tier...The Cabernet Connoisseur's Experience. If one is to taste wine, why not do so next to their barrel room itself? An understatement for our overall experience was to say that it was excellent. Scotty was our Liaison and was wonderful. The wines that were presented before us were the finest wines each giving us the desire for more. Somehow, they have taken the experience of the perfect Sunset and placed the experience in each bottle. I am quite familiar with tastings. There was a winery that I thought was my winery for it was the pentacle of my experience. I was in error for it has been replaced. My winery is now Markham Vineyards and if you want to experience the grand euphoric nature of wineries, travel to St Helena to Markham and search for a man named... Scotty. read more

Markham Vineyards - Private Tasting: The Cabernet Connoisseur's Experience - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

We really enjoyed our tasting experience at Markham. Love that they greet you in the parking lot right away with a glass of wine, and are super friendly and welcoming! The property is huge and we loved the outdoor seating area, especially since it was a beautiful day out with plenty of shade from the umbrellas. We had a great server and all of the tastings were delicious! Will definitely be back. read more

Markham Vineyards - Outdoor seating - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

Had a great time here. Drank a lot of wine. Lol. We did their regular wine tasting $55 for 6 wines (plus welcome pour). Wines were all pretty good and they had a nice variety. Generous pours. Service was very good. Staff are very knowledgeable and hospitable. We even got some bonus pours. Small place but it's beautiful. Highly recommend read more

Markham Vineyards - Wine tasting menu - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

This is a great winery - we tried the red selections and loved them! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The high ceilings gave it a massive feel. They had a person give us a sparking wine as we entered- super friendly person - loved the fun vibe and the fire place. My favorite was the Blue Boots red blend and also the Cabernet Sauvignon. It was raining and the sun came out - we got a gorgeous rainbow above the Markham Building. read more

See all

First stop on a rainy day and it couldn't have been better. We are part of their wine club and absolutely love their reds. We were in town for a wedding and decided to pick up our order in person vs shipping and have a nice tasting while we were there. They have parking right at the front and had an area to place the wet umbrellas before entering the building. We did a walk in for the tasting and that was no issues. They received us with a glass of wine to start while we were seated to our table. This place has a very modern and clean feel that is also relaxing. Our waitress came by and was very friendly. We did the tasting included with the club and worked through the selections for our order since one of the wines I had picked was sold I out. We had a great and relaxing experience and can't wait to be back. read more

See all

I want to tell you about the most wonderful winery visit I've ever had in my life. Today, my best friend and I went to Markham winery in Napa Valley for the first time. Katie Matheson was our wine ambassador. She made the visit an educational and entertaining experience. She took the time to explain every wine and the way and time frame it was made. We feel like she invested her self into making sure we had an awesome experience. I cannot give her enough credit for what a beautiful day we had because of her knowledge and care. Thank you again Katie for making us have such a wonderful day. We'll never forget it! it will not soon be forgotten! read more

What a fabulous winery with delicious wines. From the moment we got there and AJ greeted us to when our wine expert Zoe brought us wine, it was an outstanding experience. Zoe knew all about the wines and history and she even gave us some travel tips. HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this winery. Nicest people you will meet and really good wines read more

Had such a fantastic visit today doing some tastings that we will definitely be back! Lara O. was our server and she was incredibly knowledgeable and patient with us. This winery has a large tasting area and 1st class service. The wine is excellent and at a price point worthy of the quality! They also serve charcuterie for purchase to complement the service! A smaller winery so it was easier to actually get a reservation read more

I found this place scouring the information that is available on the web about Napa Valley. To be honest, we enjoyed every winery we visited - I kind of wish I did it more randomly, but that's in the rear view mirror. As you walk in to the winery, you have decorations on both sides as you approach the large stone building. Once you arrive near the front of the stone building, you go to your left to get into the tasting area. The tasting area is large - the room is huge, and it has comfortable seats. We signed up for the Marked Parcel Tasting, which included their 2021 Oak Knoll Sauvignon Blanc, their 2021 Blue Boots Red Blend, the 2018 Hopper House Vineyard Cabernet Franc, a 2019 Little Cannon Merlot, and their 2021 45th Anniversary Merlot. Our wine guide provided information on the winery and each wine. The chairs and table were very comfortable. The interior is quite modern - you can see the photos that I included in the review - it was large room, but stayed quiet in spite of having a few groups doing tastings. The wines were great, and we enjoyed the tasting! read more

See all

I have to say that I had THE BEST experience with Syrah (yes, you read that right, the pourer's name was Syrah). I happened to have my pup with me at a wine tasting event. Syrah was so kind, knowledgeable, intentional and thoughtful. And by intentional, I mean, she noticed my pup and noted that Markham and MacRostie are both VERY dog friendly. THAT and the wine was delicious - I especially liked their cab, the spiciness but not too hearty. I'm going wine tasting to MacRostie coincidentally on Valentines Day so I'm excited to experience more of their wine! read more

On our first day in Napa, we decided to just stop in Markham to see if they had any openings for tastings. They didn't, which was understandable since it was a beautiful Saturday, however the host, Scotty, offered us a complimentary tasting of a few wines outside. We thought this was so nice and enjoyed his company so much, we decided to book a tasting later in the week. On Thursday afternoon, the four of us returned for a great experience. Scotty gave us his "retro" tasting. This was unique in that rather than ending the tasting with all the reds, we had whites in between to clean tannins from our taste. During the tasting, Scotty gave us a great history of Napa, including letting us know that Markham was one of the original four. He also provided great insight into the winemaking process which was so interesting. We loved this winery and the wines, but Scotty made this a special place! We were so happy to meet him and spend time here. read more

Markham Vineyards - Cheers from Napa! - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

See all

Exceptional experience! Will definitely be back. Wine is amazing and Katie went above and beyond!

Made a reservation online for a tasting about a month in advance. For $50 a piece it was among more expensive tastings during our day in Napa, but we found a 50% off code and that absolutely made it worth it for us. The tasting room is giant and modernly elegant. I was pleasantly surprised with the wines we tasted! There was an excellent variety, even though most were red, and I really loved that the tasting notes were included on the list. The woman guiding our tasting was good! I didn't catch her name, but she was kind and would tell anecdotes that accompanied the wines. A bug flew into one of my glasses and she happily exchanged it for me. I don't think I would come back for another tasting at full price, but I absolutely enjoyed the experience today for what it was. read more

The tastings were excellent and our wine steward, I think her name was Katie was very knowledgeable about the wines. The fruit and cheese board was colorful, delicious and well presented. I was impressed how we were greeted with a generous pour of wine before we got to the entrance of the beautiful building and grounds. It was a relaxing afternoon. read more

We had Scotty pouring our wine, and he was able to give us a taste of old Napa bringing friendly conversation and great history lessons on the valley. Overall one of the best experiences I've had at a Vineyard. read more

Came during renovations so we sat outside on a warm summer day. Wine was ok, but engaging conversations made the time fly by and the experience wonderful. Thank you! read more

Markham Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

See all

Came in to Markham yesterday (May 19th) to celebrate my 38th birthday with friends and family. Had the privilege of being waited on by Andrew Wright and he was outstanding. Loved hearing about the history of Markham, one of the older wineries in all of Napa and their short list of dedicated winemakers over the years. If you are debating on stopping here I strongly suggest you do. The entryway and courtyard are beautiful and it's still not too hot yet to sit outside this time of year. We will be back and hopefully have Andrew assigned to us again next time! read more

As someone in hospitality, I'm always looking for over-the-top experiences. As a local, this was my first time at Markham, and I have to say the staff is top-notch! We were greeted at the front by the wonderfully smiling Elizabeth, and then met by S'ra, who was friendly, funny, and made us feel so welcome. The showstopper was Sophie. She is hysterical and extremely knowledgeable, had us all laughing, and made the experience truly unforgettable. If everyone in the hospitality industry had her charisma and talent, we'd all be in a better place. Markham, your team is incredible! read more

Wonderful spot to visit. We were surprised by the superb service and friendliness. The atmosphere was perfect and the wines were very good. read more

See all

Let me tell you about a guy named Tyler! Gave us a great customer service, made the experience 100x better. We were able to taste so awesome wine with the customer experience you won't forget. Ps I ended up buying more wine than I thought great place read more

I was very impressed by the counter tasting at Markham. Being an avid Napa traveler, I had never been to Markham but they have a beautiful, modern tasting room and a lovely stone entrance. The hosts were very nice and told us all about the founders, wines, and tailored the tastings to each person. As part of the St. Helena Little Book of Big Experiences, I have really enjoyed trying tastings that I normally wouldn't be going to. Would recommend stopping by as the counter tasting at 25 dollars is quite a steal. Really enjoyed the Sav blanc and several of their red offerings. read more

Markham Vineyards - Canon? Means nothing. Haha founder just liked them - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

See all

I was staying in Napa for about 2 months and went to Markham roughly 10 times & brought different friends along each time. Why? Because Sophia is the best! We had so much fun wine tasting with her, doing blind tastings, and learning about the wine. Both the interior & exterior are beautiful and the vibe isn't pretentious. Would highly recommend! read more

Markham Vineyards - a group of people sitting at a table - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

We had a nice experience at Markham. Jason was our host and we really enjoyed talking with him. Unfortunately, we didn't enjoy the wines but that isn't anything against the wine. The property is modern, the outdoor tasting area is nice but not anything scenic or "pretty". It was a nice experience. Tasting fee was $50. read more

See all

Wasn't much of a wine person ever, but Markham has me intrigued thanks to delicious beverages and Kip. We started our rainy Saturday in Napa here, only meaning to be here for a flight but ended up way past that thanks to Kip! I don't know what Kip's title is, so I've been calling him "Our Friend Kip". He made our visit so enjoyable! They were a little dead, so Our Friend Kip let our group of 8 sit at the normally members-only tables. Their flights tend to be more red than whites, so I figured I would just be handing them off after taking sips. Was I ever wrong! Our Friend Kip was quite generous in his pours - instead of sharing 2 flights among 2 persons (so we could try everything), we all got about 1.5 flights to ourselves. AND he gave us a tour of their facility- nothing too fancy but nonetheless neat to go behind the scenes where most public eyes do not. I enjoyed getting to know him and talk with him about his passion for the spirits industry - because I found out winemakers are typically fans of drinking anything but. Go for the 2013 Altruist Cab Sav and the dessert wine- they have made me fans despite my affinity for beer. read more

See all

A Serious Vinter!! Our last stop on the Napa Valley Trolley tour was 'Markham Vineyards'. This stop was perfect for me as I'm from Markham Ontario in Canada. What a treat, eh? From the moment you drive in and take in the meticulously laid out landscaping and the classic architecture of the stone buildings, you know this place is serious. Markham Vineyards is one of the oldest Napa Valley Wineries which encompasses four separate vineyards with over 350 acres of grapes. This Winemaker means business!! We arrived at the large courtyard made from stone and entered one of the tasting areas. Our hosts that afternoon were very pleasant and knowledgeable about wines and the history of Markham Vineyards. We were very fortunate to try a selection of very well made reds and whites. Note to tasters!! I stood at the front of my tour group and as our hosts spoke about the various wines we were tasting, they kept handing me glasses of wine which I was more than happy to accept. The room in which we had the tasting is massive. There literally thousands of barrels of wine stacked, which truly captures the magnitude of the wine this winery produces. It really is a spectacle to behold. Our hosts lead us through the rest of the tour answering questions and pointing out some of the vintages and some of the newer wines. We finished our tour with a trip to the wine/gift shop where I was very fortunate to get my hands on one of the rarer wines that were about to be discontinued for sale. Luckily since it couldn't be found on the newer price sheets they guesstimated the price, so I got a really nice bottle of wine for an excellent price, and I got a couple more bottles of red to take back home with me. This is an amazing winery and I highly recommend it as part of your next visit to Napa. read more

See all

Couldn't be better. Meeting Scott here is the best experience we had in the Napa valley. He's very knowledgeable and welcoming and told us a lot of stories about the wines and the history of Napa valley, and his hospitality makes us feel just like home. Their wine also tastes amazing and you won't regret it for sure. If you're visiting Napa for the first time, visit here without any doubt and you won't regret it. read more

Markham Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

This place never disappoints. Great wine at an excellent price point. We always enjoy our tastings here. Cidi, Scott and Nick are great hosts, have fabulous recommendations, we've been members since 2016 and this is always a Napa must! read more

The service was amazing. Sophia and the other staff member were extremely friendly and made me feel very welcome. Hi he wine is delicious and I enjoyed the experience even though I visited 30 minutes before closing. Did not feel rushed in any way and definitely a place who proved a warm welcome. read more

Markham Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

We had the most amazing experience wine tasting this weekend at Markham Vineyards. We were greeted by wine educator Scott Flotre. Scotty made our wine tasting experience a 100/10!! He not only explained the history behind the winery but also gave us a tour of the grounds and he discussed the intricacies of the wines. We had a delicious cheese board and amazing wine to go with it! read more

See all

Scotty is an absolute delight! He has so much knowledge, is entirely engaging, and kind. We enjoyed our tasting with him and the wine is phenomenal! The 2020 Chardonnay & 2018 Merlot, Little Canyon Vnyd. are must haves read more

Markham Vineyards - Front of Markham Vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

I have nothing but amazing things to say about our expiernce af the Markham Vineyards. The views, the vibe and the service were nothing short of amazing. If you go here ask for Scottie and you won't be disappointed- you receive knowledge about wine; the vineyard , the owners, and you receive a comedic act (from Scottie himself) 100% reccomended read more

Markham Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

This is the best Napa area tasting ever. Scotty gave us great information about the winery, the grapes, the wines, the winemakers, while allowing us to taste some of the best wines around. This should be top of your list if you are visiting the area! read more

This was one of the first places my boyfriend and I went to in Napa and we loved it so much we ended up joining their wine club. The space is beautiful and the staff is super friendly and knowledgeable! Jason answered all of our questions and gave us a ton of detail about the wines we tasted. I'm very excited to visit this vineyard again! read more

Markham Vineyards - Front entrance - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

See all

Top tier wine in Napa. This winery has EVERYTHING you're looking for when it comes to classic Napa wines. Their new tasting room is absolutely beautiful as well. 10/10 read more

Markham Vineyards - Chair - Wineries Near Me - Saint Helena, California

Markham vineyards was not only beautiful, but the staff welcomed us in with such kindness! Nigel introduced himself at the door and offered us a vino tasting. Of course we said yes! He went on to elaborate in full detail about each wine from the different notes to the aftertaste and everything in between. He was super friendly and easy to talk to. In the past, I have had not so great experiences at other wineries where the staff were snooty and ignored guests, but Nigel made us feel right at home. He was so outstanding that we ended up signing up for a monthly wine subscription haha. Markham will always be close to my heart and I cannot wait to visit again. read more

We came here on a Saturday to celebrate my friend's birthday. We loved the wine and the ambience in the venue. I found this place on Instagram so very happy with our pic. read more

Bottom line - the experience at Markham was poor. Very much a sense that they are just a big company and don't really care about you or customer service. We went to Markham Vineyards this weekend in large part because we had a certificate for a wine tasting for two that we received last year as part of a welcome package for a new home/job. Because of COVID we weren't able to visit any earlier. Upon arrival we showed them the certificate and they told us they wouldn't honor it because 'management changed.' The manager on duty repeated that reason and said that they had no way to deal with the certificate 'in their system' and it would 'mess up all the books' if he tried to enter it. He made no attempt to accommodate us, offer a discount as an alternative, or show any sense of customer service. We left and went on to a different winery where we proceeded to make a significant purchase and have a great time. read more

Phenomenal time at Markham today! Wonderful wines; beautiful tasting room and grounds. Pro tip: Come on a slow day and ask for Scottie - you will receive an education, history lesson, and wine stories of interest, mixed with great service! read more

I'm only giving one star because zero was not an option. This was a special day for us celebrating my granddaughters 21st Birthday. A friend of my daughter who works there made the reservation for us months in advance. Unfortunately she was a new employee and a mistake was made when making the reservation unknowingly. When we arrived they did not see our reservation but seated us as every single table and seat at the bar was empty. Between each tasting we waited up to 30 min and after 1.5 hours our tasting was still not done and we sat with empty glasses looking for our sommelier. It was clear they were extremely annoyed by us and we were treated extremely different from the other two tables that arrived after us. These other tables had their hosts sit down with them while ours ignored us between tastings and never once took the time to sit down with us and only provided a brief explanation. We politely stated we had to leave without finishing our tasting due to another reservation at a different winery. We were then approached by the assistant manager of hospitality, Jacey Ohlinger, who proceeded to question us on why we were there and was extremely unprofessional. This was by far the worst experience we had in Napa. Fortunately Rombauer completely changed our day around and showed us amazing customer service. I would highly recommend Caymus and Rombauer instead of this unprofessional place. Go anywhere but here. read more

Sunday afternoon. Nobody in the place. Zero ability to buy a bottle and enjoy it. They promptly told us there was no availability. Kind of snooty and won't recommend them. Sad because their wine is very good. read more