We had a top notch tasting experience at the beautiful O'Brien vineyard. The wines are spectacular and the setting right in the middle of the vineyard was exceptional. This is probably one of our favorite wines and we've been sure to join their club. Look out for the owners- Bart & Barb O'Brien - who will regail you with their story. A+++ not to miss. read more

We had the pleasure of meeting both the owners while we were at this winery, and we were literally treated like "royalty" when we were there during our scheduled tasting in September 2025. The wine was wonderful, and I especially favored their Cabernet options, as this is typically the type of wine I like best. The grounds of the small winery were elegant and had a charming appeal, as the owners pet cats and dog visited us while we were outside at our tasting. One of the adorable cats even fell asleep next to me! Which was a bonus, as I like cats. They also had some other animals on the property...goats and I believe some chickens too, and the wine tasting experience was fabulous and I would highly recommend going to this small, but mighty friendly winery that is easy to access and in a gorgeous location! read more

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to take a moment to share some feedback regarding our recent visit to O'Brien Estates. My friends and I have been loyal customers for years, and through referrals from Ryan Avila, our group collectively accounts for approximately $150,000+ in wine purchases in the industry, today, I brought a friend who purchases 50k a year and his first intro will make the last into. Ryan's exceptional service and passion for the winery have been a key reason for our continued support and the referrals we've made. However, during our most recent visit, we were deeply disappointed by the service we received in Ryan's absence. We understand there may have been some internal challenges, but the experience without him was far below the standard we've come to expect at O'Brien. It's important to us that our loyalty is reciprocated with the quality of service we've grown accustomed to.  Given the pivotal role Ryan has played in our relationship with the winery, we are concerned that without him, we won't be able to continue our patronage in the same way. It's unfortunate to feel that we may need to reconsider our purchases going forward due to the current situation. Thank you for taking the time to hear our feedback. We hope that the exceptional experiences we've had in the past can be restored, and we're open to further conversation if necessary but without Ryan, there is no O'Brien, Please send Hobbs, and the amazing Motor ‍ our love. Sales is built on friendships/relationships and our loyalty goes w Ryan who made O'Brien #noryannoobrien read more

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Still family owned non-commercial intimate fee with knowledgeable staff ... Logan is a gem ! Very reasonable price point given the fact that they're an estate winery ! Small production on average 3 to 5000 cases annually ! Combine form your own opinion, their own in-house bottling and processing eliminates the middleman and is pretty cool to see ! CHEERS ! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - In-house wine, processing and bottling ! Ask for Logan ! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

Just a gorgeous winery, it's a much more unique and intimate tasting experience compared to any other I've experienced. Staff was lovely and the wines as always are delightful. read more

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This was a highly recommended venue by the pilot of our hot air balloon ride and the site was amazing. We didn't make reservations so I highly recommend you do this to get an immersive experience. Fortunately, the owners gave us a free tasting of one of their cabs which was mind blowing. None of their wines are sold outside the vineyard, not even online. Definitely take a walk around the back to enjoy the views and purchase a bottle to take home (circa $90). Bon appétit! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - rows of grapes in a vineyard - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

We have been members at O'Brien for 5 years and it just keeps getting better and better! The wine is fabulous and the family like feel is what keeps us coming back. They always go above and beyond. We just attended a wonderful pick up party and I had ordered 2 extra bottles that day that were missed because it was so busy. I called and they overnighted them! I even said it wasn't necessary but they wouldn't hear of it. These are people that truly care about their members. It's very common for Bart or Barb to come out and share a glass. The setting is one of the prettiest in Napa. It's a magical experience to sit right in the vineyard with a few farm animals around. (Thank you Emily!) Cheers to 25 years! read more

James made this experience definitely a five star experience. What a wonderful location. The wines were spectacular and worth every penny we spent. We had a great time here. We highly recommend it. read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

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Beautiful Napa winery. Ben was a great host! We had a party of 6 and had a great time wine tasting. Their 2020 Merlot was one of my favorites but all of their wines were delicious. Thank you, Ben! We will be back soon! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

Unfortunately our group was very disappointed in the tasting experience at Obrien. The guide couldn't seem to leave fast enough after pouring the wine and hardly gave us any information. The guide tried multiple times to get us to purchase the highest price bottled and when we asked for a small taste told us "no! You only taste what's on your tasting sheet." For $85 it's a complete rip off. You get 4 very small tasting pours and no option for trying anything else they have. After it was clear we wouldn't get to try anything else after our final pour our guide disappeared for 15+ minutes. We were the only party. We finished our wine and continued to wait but nothing. Since you pre pay for the tasting fees and dissatisfied with our experience we decided to leave. Our guide magically appeared when we were almost to our car and yelled that we "still needed to pay for our tasting". 1. When you book the reservation they make it very clear you have to pre pay for the tastings you are scheduling. 2. I of course still had the receipt and showed him. 3. That still wasn't good enough "evidence" and made me give him my number to search my account. After confirming the payment no apology or "thank you" was said by him. Just barely said "okay. Bye."' I will say the wine is decent, we enjoyed it and would have wanted to purchase a bottle but the experience was completely awful. I've been to over 15 wineries and this is by far the worst experience. Save your $85 and try a different winery. I'm sure you'll have a much better experience and get to try more for the price. I wish I could be writing a different review because I love supporting smaller family wineries but this was our experience. read more

We happened to pop in on a whim (found out they are reservation only, whoops!) but they were the absolute nicest people. They let us poke around and we were able to get a couple of their wines (membership required) I will DEFINITELY make a reservation to come back! And I'm bringing friends What an incredible experience! Highly recommend. It is worthwhile read more

This winery was more than I had expected. So beautiful and friendly. The owners live on site and it feels like they are inviting into their home and you are hanging out with friends. We had Max give us our tour, he was amazing!! Can't wait to visit again read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - two people toasting wine glasses - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

We travel to the Napa Valley at least six times per year, so I'm always looking for new wineries to explore. I asked around about O'Brien and not many folks in the Valley seemed to know a lot about the place, only that they have a "gimmick" of printing love poems on their bottles. This made me a little nervous until I came to Yelp and read all of these glowing reviews. I am so very happy that I decided to visit last month! O'Brien is as laid back as it gets. This is what Napa used to be like years and years ago, before all of the big, splashy and showy wineries opened up their fancy-pants and exclusive tasting rooms. It's not that I don't enjoy those stunning tasting rooms, but there's something so comforting and relaxing about enjoying a leisurely wine tasting on the back porch of someone's home -- literally. Jason was our host and he was very professional. This isn't the place if you want or need to have your hand held when tasting wines. Jason talked to us briefly about each wine and left it up to us to taste and make our own conclusions. I really like this approach. That shows me it's a place for serious wine lovers. It was a cool, casual conversational experience and it felt like we were a group of old friends just hanging out and talking about wine and food. I mentioned that it was my birthday (which it actually was) and Jason put a little surprise winery logo gift in our wine box with all the vino that we purchased. That was such a nice touch and very much appreciated! More bonus points were scored for the cute little tray of nibbles (a large portion of raw almonds, crackers and tasty cheese) to go with our wines, fresh wildflowers on the table, and a friendly winery cat who plopped down on our table to check us out. Yes, we ARE cat people, thank you very much! The wines are pretty great all around. I'm very, very picky about wine but these are some rich, velvety, fruity, big reds. If you are a fan of that type of Napa cab, you need to try this place. To give you an idea of my palate, the wines I typically drink (and the wines that dominate most of my cellar) are made by Paradigm, Plumpjack, Odette, HALL, Groth, Harlan, Mi Sueno, Mending Wall, and Beringer (the reserve single vineyard cabs, not the mass-produced junk). Do you enjoy big reds like that? Then O'Brien is your place. What surprised me most about my visit is that I was blown away by the Merlot, a varietal that I like but one that I rarely drink (I'm a Cab Sauv and Cab Franc kind of girl). I had read about how great the O'Brien Merlot was and it truly is a spectacular wine, especially for the below $60 price point. It drinks like a bold Cabernet Sauvignon and is an excellent value. It was obvious to us after the first sip of that bad boy that we'd be joining their wine club (since you can't buy these wines anywhere else but at the winery). As with most wineries in Napa these days, you should expect anywhere from a medium to hard sell to join the wine club. I'd say it was a medium sell here, but Jason didn't have to try too hard since we'd already made up our minds early on. But he didn't know that, so we let him pitch us anyway. What was really interesting to me is that during our first visit, and although we signed up for the wine club, the hosts were more than a little hesitant to pour any of their reserve wines for us to taste, saying that they didn't "want to overwhelm" us. Fair enough, but that felt a little bit strange, especially since (I thought) it was obvious that we are tasters, collectors and connoisseurs, not folks looking to get drunk or take advantage of the complimentary tastings that we received as a perk of signing up for the club. We were pouring / dumping during our tasting, and I found this a little bit strange. Not a criticism, just an observation. Eventually we talked our way into a taste of the 2013 Reserve Merlot and it was great. I'm guessing the wines are in very limited supply or weren't open the day of my visit. Even if you don't become a club member, this is a very nice tasting. Bart, the winery owner, even personally stopped by to welcome us and chat for a bit. My husband and I like to savor and relax while tasting so I was super appreciative of the unhurried pacing. Allow at least 90 minutes to two hours (if that sounds too long to you or if you are a power taster, don't bother). It's difficult to get an appointment because the winery is quite exclusive and doesn't have a ton of space to host lots of folks, so be sure to request one early and in advance online. Don't just show up at the winery! It's not that kind of place! We were happy to snag a 10 am appointment on a Sunday morning. I haven't yet returned for a visit as a member but I will be back in December with guests and will report back on that experience. But I must say that our very first visit was a winner. These are some terrific wines and it's a rather nice tasting experience. read more

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We started our day at O'Brien and it set the bar VERY high. We were greeted upon arrival by Marilyn, who was the best host with her knowledge of the Estate, the beautiful love stories behind the wines and not to forget her photography skills! The wines were exceptional (I am not a huge merlot fan, and their Merlot is one of the best wines I have ever tasted) and the vineyard beyond gorgeous. We visited three other wineries during our weekend and this one was by far the best. We will be back! read more

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One of THE best wineries in Napa! Beautiful location that you can enjoy wine tasting among the beautiful landscape. Our guide, Marilyn, was lovely making us feel like we've been friends for a long time whilst telling us about the wine. There were many favorites that we tasted and purchased a few bottles! We definitely will come again we more friends to enjoy! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Cabernet Sauvignon w/ chocolate infused Cabernet Sauvignon. Yum! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

Hands down one of the most special wineries in Napa. The Cab and the Seduction are out of this world. And Chris was a very kind and incredibly gracious host. read more

If you have time to visit one winery in Napa Valley, this should be the one. It included everything I could possibly hope for from a tour/tasting. From our host, Marilyn, who was friendly, knowledgeable, attentive and funny. To the family dog, Molly, lazing around and greeting guests. To the casual setting in Adirondack chairs overlooking the vineyard and twenty year old rose bushes. To the heart warming stories about the winery's history and the romantic poems (written by Bart O'Brien for his wife Barb and read to us by Marilyn) on the backs of the bottles. So many of the tastings and tours in Napa are overly commercialized. Herded into a roped off area with dozens of other visitors. Getting an occasional comment from the host -- who is more like a waiter -- with what often seems like an well-worn and overly-memorized spiel. Then the high pressure to join a club or buy a few reserve bottles. At O'Brien, we had Marilyn's complete and unfettered attention for a couple hours. She seemed as fascinated by us as we were by her. It was as if the O'Briens invited us into their backyard. (Literally. The tasting area is in their backyard) No crowds. No bridal party busses. Just incredible scenery, friendly conversation and fantastic wine. You're not a customer. You're a guest. If it were possible to offer six stars, I would. As another review alluded to, don't make O'Brien your first stop (sets a very high bar) but definitely put it on your list. We will certainly be back read more

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Love, love this vineyard from the land it sits on to the people who work there and of course the wine. Husband and I were one of two small groups there enjoying what was essentially a private tasting with a wine educator. I appreciated the info we received about the history of the winery, the founding lovebirds, each wine we tasted, the effects of recent fires on the area, the valley history, etc. We tasted 2018 chardonnay, Romance, Merlot, seduction, Cabernet and a limited 2016 merlot. My favorite was Seduction. Husband's favorite was a Cabernet. But you can't go wrong with any of their wines only available at the vineyard. The property is beautiful. And out wine educator was one in a million. She lives in Napa and is a wealth of knowledge. I love that each bottle has a poem by the co-founder to his bride. The winery is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Congratulations to them! Can't wait to come back! read more

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I came here years ago on a wine trip and was back in the area. Decided to drop by today. They are *reservation only* but it was a Thursday right when they opened so we popped in to see if we could do a quick tasting and wow. Jake was absolutely wonderful!! The weather was perfect. The ambiance was wonderful. We left with six bottles of wine and a winery that we will always have on our list to go visit when we are in the area. 10/10 recommend. read more

I happened to travel to Napa at the right time and with the perfect group of gals (one of which was a certified wine/Napa connoisseur). Thankfully she knew what she was doing and had the wherewithal to book a tasting at this place. We had an initial appointment but due to timing (and by timing, I mean my lateness) we had to reschedule. Thankfully it was low season and we were able to change it for later in the day. We were greeted by a very nice guy, and taken to his "office" (I know, sounds suspicious, but his office is actually a nice place out back to enjoy the wine with a view). One of the cute cats and dog also graced us with their presence (as luck would have it). I really like how hands-on and individual this wine tasting was. It felt like we were having a conversation with an old friend (while reminiscing with some great music in the background). The wine tasting was amazing and I loved how the glasses were humongous (definitely generous portions). Tons of cheese and crackers to boot. And the creme de la creme: perhaps the best tasting truffle I've ever have. Definitely plan on making a trip back to this place but be forewarned: they book up fast and take appointments only. read more

This was the last winery stop of a few for the day and it was my birthday. Jason was our host and had to deal with our dozens of comments and questions, but he was up to the task. We sat outside with Mr. Hobbes the cat lounging on the table and Heidi the dog lounging near the vines. Jason gave us the history of the winery and how each wine relates to the story of the owners. He sent us on a walk through the vineyard with Heidi as our guide, while he put together a cheese plate for us. All of the wines were great and as we were putting together an order it just made sense to join the club. We look forward to drinking these delicious wines at home as well as visiting the next time we are in Napa. read more

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A wonderful experience! The wine was delicious and so easy to drink, in the best way. The service was special and intentional, making us feel so welcome and at home. Max was exceptional with his knowledge and company. We cannot wait to come back! read more

Total 5 star experience all the way! If you are looking to do a relaxed and informative wine tasting without lots of people around, O'Brien is your place! They are appointment only so make sure you call or e-mail ahead. We arrived at 11am for our tasting. Sioban was our guide and she was fabulous. After introducing herself, she walked us outside to a gorgeous area to sit and drink the wine, right next to the grapes. We were the only people there for a tasting minus one group of 4 that was on the other side of the vineyard. Sioban brought us one wine at a time and told us about each, in addition to the history of O'Brien Estate. We also had a snack plate with cheese, crackers and nuts which was a nice touch as they brought out different flavors of the wine. Despite it hitting 102 that day, it was breezy and cool while we were outside in the shade. All in all we were there about an hour and a half I would say. Sioban was around enough to chat with is, but left us alone as well to just sit and enjoy the wine. Very fair price at $55pp and it included the snacks. We never felt rushed and the fact we weren't surrounded by people was amazing since we don't like crowds :) The Passion was out favorite, with Seduction as close second. We'll be back in the area in September and look forward to returning! read more

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Luck + Serendipity = One Last Wine Tasting Adventure! LUCK: One of the most quotable authors I know is Robert A. Heinlein. He's also more than a bit of a Fascist, with political views slightly to the Right of Attila the Hun. One of my favorite Heinlein quotes is: "Don't believe in luck - depend on it". SERENDIPITY: Long before he blew up the World in the movie 2012, John Cusack made a flop of a romantic comedy called Serendipity where he played a character named Jonathan who the Fates had determined would meet and eventually fall in love with Sara: Jonathan: "This is the ultimate blend to drink. How'd you find this place?" Sara: "I first came in because of the name: Serendipity. It's one of my favorite words." Jonathan: "It is? Why?" Sara: "It's such a nice sounding word for what it means: a fortunate accident." I had spent quite a while planning all phases of my most recent Wine Country expedition, but we were now heading home. I was out of planned wine tastings, but I was stilling hankering for one last tasting room visit. I decided to go with Heinlein and Cusack and let Luck and Serendipity pick my last winery: we left Yountville and headed South for a couple of miles, made several random turns, and stopped at the first "tasting room" sign we saw... When I walked into the tasting room of O'Brien Estate, I saw that half a dozen people had arrived just ahead of me. I went up to the bar and waited. One of the sommeliers came over and asked if I was with the group that had just come in. I said I wasn't, and asked if I could taste some wine anyway. He caucused with his associate, and then told me that O'Brien Estate normally does tastings only by appointment, but as luck would have it, several of the tasters they were expecting for the tour that was about to leave were apparently no-shows... He offered to let me join the tour, but I told him that I didn't have time, so he said he'd set me up to start tasting as soon as they got the tour going. I looked around the tasting room for a few minutes, and then the sommelier came over with a hand-written sign that he asked me to hold while he took my picture next to "The Chairman of the Board". He then started me off with my first tasting pour. I tasted half a dozen wines that afternoon, and they were all pretty darn good. Over and above the wine that I liked enough to buy, I found several of the whites very enjoyable, especially the Chardonnay Reserve. My favorite by far of the O'Brien wines was the 2014 Seduction Bordeaux Blend. This wine scored 94 points from Robert Parker, and I can see why. It's superb; a big blend with dark berry, chocolate and coffee, a very full-bodied, spicy, monster wrapped in a velvet glove. It needs several years of cellaring still to reach it's full potential, but I couldn't resist buying a bottle, even though the $72 per bottle price tag seemed a bit high to me. I completely enjoyed my visit to O'Brien Estate, perhaps all the more so because it was unplanned and unexpectedly delightful. The sommelier was both knowledgeable and hospitable, and helped make my last wine tasting of the trip a memorable one. On my next visit to Wine Country, I plan on coming back to O'Brien Estate and taking the tour too! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

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After enjoying a hot air balloon ride through Balloons over the Valley, our pilot JP highly recommended this winery for a tour and tasting. Since I tend to stray away from the red wines, I thought it would be a nice change to go here since they were known for their selection of reds. JP gave us a 2 for 1 tour&tasting voucher so I excitedly called up for an appointment that day. To my surprise, they were able to accommodate us despite the short notice. The boyfriend and I were staying about 10 minutes away so it was convenient to drive to the location. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by Richard (our tour guide) and he immediately poured us a glass of their popular chardonnay (yay for starting off with white!). Richard was absolutely hilarious; he was very personable and quickly bonded with the boyfriend and I since he also lived in SF for quite some time. I loved his enthusiasm and he made our tour enjoyable. He answered all our group's questions and continued to talk and pour us glasses of tasty reds throughout the tour. As he says, he is a great storyteller! If you do decide to stop by here, make sure to ask for Richard as your tour guide! *Tour&tasting fee: $15 per person read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

Background: we are in town for a bachelorette party and are enjoying everything the valley has to offer. Delicious food, incredible wine, non-humid sunshine. We finished a morning tour and had some time before our 3:00 tour started so we figured we would come early and possibly enjoy a bottle before starting. The 1st person we encountered blew us off. The 2nd person was frantic that their 1:30 had just shown and everyone was busy with that party-- who was "waiting for Mr. O'Brien." Confused as to why a place wouldn't just open a bottle for us to enjoy on their property while we wait, we left and spent 35 bucks somewhere else and had a great time! We came back right on time. We awkwardly stood around waiting for someone to come greet us. Finally, unfortunately, the same frantic person from before introduced herself as our guide but then left to say goodbye to her last group for a bit. The last group was real important, y'all, much more important than a bachelorette party. We all eyed each other to put on our seat belts and get ready for the ride. What.A.Roller coaster. We met the owner. Nice touch. He casually mentioned he's going to do a flyover in his private plane to which I internally rolled my eyes. Our guide starts telling us about his helicopter... honestly we all stopped listening to the details. We were all more excited to pet the dog on the property, Heidi. She's a gem and didn't judge us at all. Unlike our guide, I won't be name dropping and saying her name (just sweet baby angel Heidi will be named) but let's just say we expected to experience some snootiness in Napa AND we were not ready for the amount of shade thrown our way here. Y'all, we have a background in selling wine. We know what we're doing. Our guide strongly suggested we spit out the wine after tasting it because "this is about tasting the wine..." and I blacked out from the rage I felt at being told not to enjoy the wine we paid for in a place like Napa so I don't remember exactly how she phrased alluding to we shouldn't feel a buzz from our wine at any point. I'm sorrrrrrrry... are we allowed to swallow the cheese on the cheese plate or does that go in the spittoon too? And for the record, our entire party can handle having 2 whole glasses of wine over the course of 2 hours and still manage ourselves in public spaces. If not, that's what the maid of honor is for. At the conclusion of our tour, she even checked our spittoon. What? Thanks to all the name dropping we experienced over the course of the tour, we found out why our guide was late. The GM of another winery was the group that was there before us and they were obviously very important. We got to learn all about how much wine he bought and which types of wine he enjoyed. Cool story-- never met the guy, not going to share a bottle with him. It felt like an odd pitch for us to buy similar wines after effectively being treated like commoners and that we were lucky to be on such a tour. #next She asked us if we had a driver which is an important question, but we could have done without the patronizing tone. Yes. We did. One of us was only tasting and then giving the rest of the wine to the bride-to-be. Again, none of us were even close to buzzed at this point off of the 1/2 of a glass of wine we tasted. And even if we were, this woman was a complete buzz kill. What took the cake was when the guide commented that 2 members of our party drank a wine "too quickly." She laughed and told us that maybe we should drink more H2O because the "heat and the wine can sneak up on you." Y'all. 1) Maybe it wasn't their favorite and they didn't want to be rude, so they drank it more quickly than one they really liked and would want to savor? 2) We are old enough to understand the basic premise of how alcohol dehydrates you. They're from the south and know how to handle heat and tailgating. They'll be fine drinking Napa wine. Our friends from the south who have more manners than I could ever dream of sat silently after being shamed by this woman for drinking wine that they had bought in NAPA VALLEY. I know you're wondering... was the helicopter fly over cool? Never saw it. Our dreams were dashed. Five stars to Heidi. Five stars to the wine. Zero stars to name dropping. Zero stars for shaming us. #giddyup #DJKMahrt Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. read more

My friends have a membership and bring me here when I am in town for wine tasting and it does not disappoint. The setting is beautiful and the wines are quite good. Despite some rain on our visit, our host Joel was fantastic. He's very humble and knowledgeable; and was an absolute pleasure to spend our morning wine tasting with. If you are looking for an off the beaten track smaller winery, this place and its staff are a gem! read more

We were here in February and had a great experience. There is no shortage of great wine in Napa so experience is the next measure to determine where you want to become a member. We visited over 12 wineries during February and O'Brien was our pick for membership. Unfortunately that changed this morning. We flew in from Seattle for a wedding and did not think we would have time for a visit. But we made some time and dropped by with out an appointment. Ok. That was our error. But my complaint is more about how we were spoken to - member or not. The same person that sold us the wine in February had lost his charm and was completely rude. I would have accepted the decline to taste since we did not have a member reservation. Here are a few tips for the winery when greeting their guest: - Welcome them: there were two other people in the room and no one tasting. We were welcomed with a 'how can I help you' like you were being greeted at a Retail store during the holidays. - Recognize Members: there was no acknowledgement or appreciation for being a member. Vs being told we are booked in a gruff tone we could have been addressed as welcome back. We are so glad you are here we wished you called in advance. It is a very busy weekend for us (mind you that no one was tasting at 11:30) will you be here for a few days? But that was not the conversation. We were quickly declined and shown the door. - Be Nice. Needless to say, we will be opening a spot in the club for another member. My suggestion is taste but DO Not Join the O'Brien club. They have a great sales process when you join, but don't let them feel guilty if you do not join. No benefits on the back end. I write very few reviews but the experience was so horrid I had to share. read more

On January 29, I called O'Brien Estate and made a reservation for a one hour tour and tasting for my friends and I for February 8. At the time, their website showed that the price was $25. Turns out they increased their prices from $25 to $40 beginning February 1. Almost double! When we arrived for our tour and tasting, we were unaware of the price increase. Since it was raining that day, we were seated inside the visitors room instead of outside where you can enjoy the views of the property. Our wine person or tour guide, poured our tastings for us and explained the different types of wines and the story behind the O'Brien Estate. He also tried to offer us cheese but we told him we are all vegan so he brought out almonds for us. We tasted about 5 types of wines. After the tasting, we took a quick walk around the building and were shown a old vine and then we were brought to the barrel room. When it was time to pay for our tasting, our credit cards were swiped. I don't even recall signing anything - not even with a pen or finger and I don't recall hearing what the total was. He asked if I wanted a receipt and I said yes so he asked for my e-mail and I provided it. Later that day, I checked my e-mail and found they had charged me $40 for each tasting. I called the next day and thankfully they refunded me the difference since we were quoted $25 for the tour/tasting. However, I don't understand the huge increase from $25 to $40 and don't think it was worth $40. Sadly I probably won't be coming back. read more

So, funny story. While my husband and I were acting like tourists and taking a bunch of pictures around our hotel, a nice couple offered to get a picture of us together. Turns out they were the O'Briens and they gave us their card and offered us a free tasting at their winery. Next morning, we got our butts over to their place before we had to leave for the airport. It's a bit smaller than the other two wineries we visited, but it had a more personal feel. The tasting room is right next to the O'Brien's house and the vineyards are in their backyard. We went into the tasting room and we were greeted by Adam (I hope that's his name... I'm terrible with names, so I apologize if it's wrong...). He was very friendly and personable and we had a great time at the winery. I assumed we would just have a quick tasting, but Adam was nice enough to show us around the property. He took us out to the vineyards and explained the growing process and where each type of grape was grown in their vineyards. Next, he took us back to the tasting room and showed us how they bottle the wines. Finally, we went to the room where they store the barrels and he told us which types of barrels they use and the process of storing the wines. It was very informative and I learned a lot from our little tour. Now, I'm usually a white wine girl but I must admit that I really enjoyed all the red wines we tasted. I ended up liking the red wine Seduction the best and got a bottle to take home. The wine costs a little more than the other bottles I got on our trip ($50), but I didn't feel like the price was unreasonable. The winery is beautiful, the wines are excellent, the tasting is fun and informative, Adam was friendly and helpful, and the O'Briens themselves were great. Sadly, the winery is closing to the public this summer and will only be open to club members. Please get yourself over to the O'Brien wineries before this happens! read more

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O'Brien Estate Winery is one of my top favorites! I didn't have time for a tasting, this visit (also because it was just me and I can't drive after the O'Brien experience!!), but I stopped in to buy a couple bottles of wine for our family visit. The staff is always top-notch - they teach/talk about the wines, teaching important bits of information, and answer any questions you might have. You don't need an appointment to just go in & buy wine. However, if they're pouring the next taste for a scheduled group, you may have a bit of a wait. Trust me - it's worth it! Our favorite wine is the "Seduction." If you want a true "tasting" experience, make a reservation and plan for around 90 minutes!! It's such a great experience! read more

After visiting many wineries this was in my top 2! Great outdoor atmosphere and what I expected before visiting Napa. If you're looking to avoid the crowds and want more of a personal experience this is the perfect place. We had Julio as our guide who never rushed us and invited us to roam through the vineyards and try the grapes. After the first pouring he came and found us through the vineyards with the next bottle in his hand! It was the perfect wine tasting experience and I'll definitely visit again! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - The view from our tasting/seating area. Perfect! - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

I can't believe I haven't written a review of O'Brien. We heard about this winery from a sommelier in Texas. We are so glad we tried it. We have gone twice, once alone and the second time with friends. Both times we sat outside, which is the best part. I love sitting outside in Napa versus sitting in a room or cave. They have a winery dog and sometimes the winemaker brings his, which I love. Julio helped us both times and he was cool. I wish I had his job. You get to just sit back, relax and enjoy. The wines are beautiful, and I love that there is a bold Merlot. This winery is on the top of our list when people ask. read more

O'Brien Estate is a hidden gem and definitely one of the best wineries in Napa from a small lot production and quality wine making perspective. They have some serious Robert Parker points across several of their vintages. I had stumbled upon O'Brien back in 2014 and was completely blown away with their wines. They produce some of the most luscious, complex and smooth red blends in the valley. Their Cabs are very age-able for 15 to 20 years. What compliments there wines is their great staff. Luis and Julio and great hosts! The grounds are beautiful, quaint and very relaxing. Its a very unpretentious winery that focuses on the wine. I highly recommend this winery as must see experience. Try their reserves, they are outstanding! read more

update! Bart O'Brien mailed me a fresh bottle of the "Seduction" to replace the one that broke, after reading my review. Talk about amazing customer service. Check out what the O'Briens have to offer...they are great honest folks!! read more

Fantastic experience. Wine was incredible, and our sommelier was so accommodating and kind. A very personalized experience that you won't get at the big name wineries in the area. read more

One word... WOW! We had such an AMAZING experience here this past Sunday. We were seated outside and Jason Craig was our guide. He was funny, knowledgeable, and really made our visit so much more than just wine in a glass. He brought out some cheese and crackers for snacks, gave us tasting notes, told us stories about the winery and the owners and even cracked a few jokes. :) After maybe the 3rd wine, he suggested we take a stroll through the vineyard. We were chaperoned by Heidi... the fearless dog that kept the field mice at a distance as she frolicked through the stream that runs through the vineyard. Later the owners Bart and Barb came by to say hello and chat with us. That personal touch is invaluable. Thank you Jason for giving us such a memorable experience! I/we will definitely plan to come back for another visit! read more

If you are looking for an authentic, intimate wine tasting experience then you need to visit O'Brien Estate. Our guide, Luis, was amazing and we had such a good time with him. The property is breathtaking and you can really relax and take in the beauty of the valley. All the wines were delicious and we were able to enjoy them as we walked through the vineyards or sat outdoors on their pinterest-worthy patio. I would recommend O'Brien to anyone looking for an genuine, family-owned, easy-going wine experience. Definitely a hidden gem!! read more

O'Brien Estate Winery - Wine Tasting Room Near Me - Napa, California

I visited here last weekend after reading good reviews on yelp. My friends and I wanted to visit a winery that was simple, uncrowded, and relaxing and that was what we found with O-Brien Estate. The winery is tucked away from one of the main roads and our guide greeted us as we entered. We started off by trying an excellent Chardonnay - it was layered, wasn't too sweet and had a very smooth aftertaste. As a matter of fact, it was one of the best I've ever tried. The only dissapointment was they were sold out of the wine so I couldn't take any home. After the tasting, we toured the fermentation room and barrels, and then went out to the vineyard. The tour was simple and personal, and was a total of about an hour. It cost $15/person was they waived it if you bought one of their wines. The wines we tasted were a bit expensive for me - around ~$35/bottle. The tour was relaxing but didn't go into too much detail. It would've helped if the guide knew that we didn't really know a thing about how wine was made. However, the owner in the cowboy hat greeted us and helped take pictures. If you're looking for a simple and comfortable place that's not crowded you might want to make this your first stop. read more

When we first called O'Brien Estate to make a reservation, the man we spoke, Bart O'Brien (owner), to was very friendly and accommodating. We were a group of eleven with five tasters; the other six were ages 13-21 so they couldn't wine taste legally. He said that they weren't very busy today and that he'd be able to schedule a 60-minute tour for us. However, when we called back to confirm our reservation, the woman who answered said that everyone, including the non-tasters, had to pay and that she would NOT be able to schedule a tour for us. Her reason was that having a guide accommodate us would not be profitable because we only had five tasters. Since what she was telling us contradicted what we first heard, we were very upset. At the end of the conversation, the lady basically told us, in a rude voice, to not be late and that she'd try her best. So right off the bat, our impression of O'Brien Estate was not very good. Not wanting to be late, we arrived 30 minutes ahead of our reservation. Guide R was about to start his tour with one couple, so he told us to latch on. This was my first wine-tasting tour ever, so I was pretty excited. I don't know a thing about wine and I thought they were going to teach us how wine was made or how to drink/taste wine, but all we got was a brief history of O'Brien Estate. Nonetheless, the tour was somewhat relaxing. It might have been because we had a big group of kids, but for whatever reason, our guide started disregarding my group and just concentrating on the other couple. This annoyed me because I was paying attention and asking questions. I honestly wanted to know what the guide was saying. It wasn't until we showed interest in purchasing wines that he started chatting us up. However, I am giving O'Brien Estate points because of the layout of their estate and the story behind their wines. In the back, they have a hammock and multiple seats and tables. Since it's in the shade, this is a perfect place for an afternoon picnic. Regarding the wines, they are all named after stages in a relationship: Impression, Attraction, Flirtation, and Seduction. Very clever if you ask me. In addition, on the back of every wine label, Barb O'Brien has a poem specific to each stage. Overall, am I going to tell people to visit O'Brien Estate? Probably not. Am I going to go back to O'Brien Estate? Probably not. It most definitely ruined my understandings and impressions of wine-tasting tours. Pictures: http://bit.ly/hohwmP, http://bit.ly/eaNAVk, http://bit.ly/giL2O4, http://bit.ly/ewP5hY, http://bit.ly/fPWRCL, http://bit.ly/ed2HnR read more

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