We like to face the glutton of evil head on. So my wife got plastered at one of their wine dinners. We were introduced to Schramsberg blanc de blancs and have been hooked ever since. When you have 4 flutes in a period of 90 mins (because we're cheap and they offered bottomless pours), then you have to worry about your wife lethargicly eating her food, naturally, you want to know where this stuff came from, aside from the fact that you have to carry your wife out of the restaurant. Kinda like putting a face to the name...etc. Schramsberg is one of them. Had an awesome cave tour. Learning about the history and how the cave is a historical marker. Pretty cool stuff. Blanc de blans is their bread and butter, but try their J Schrams bubbly. Had a great creamy texture to it. I really didn't care. There's nothing like starting your day drinking and tasting at 10:00 in the morning. read more

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A different type of location/tasting. Sampling wines inside the cave where they age is definitely neat-o. The guide was very educated and made our time very enjoyable. read more

Beautiful sparking wines and a lot lovely tour. The caves are cool physically and climate wise.

Disclaimer: I worked here for one month, for a temp agency. Schramsberg is considered by most to be the finest California sparkling wine there is. The wife loves the Blanc de Blancs. Always has. We recently did the tour and tasting. Their permit does not allow them to do tastings without a tour attached, and you need to make reservations for your tour. Current price for tours is $45, and you get 4 or 5 tastings at the end. We got 5 tastings: The Extra Brut (made for Thomas Keller's French Laundry, the Reserve, the J Schram, the Brut Rose, and the Cremant Demi-Sec. I preferred the Extra Brut and the Cremant, and the wife preferred the Reserve and the J Schram, as did most other people there that day. But what do I know? I don't usually drink. The tour was cool. I've only done a couple winery tours, but even people at other wineries have told me they tell people not to miss the Schramsberg tour, because it is one of the best. Your tasting may take place in the cave, or may take place in the tasting room. It depends. On what, I'm not sure. Ours was going to be in the cave, and then it got changed. I liked the room, with the tables made of riddling racks with glass on them. Nixon started the tradition of US presidents serving Schramsberg, and every president since has done so. Seems like they usually go with the cremant. The place is not easy to find. Watch for Peterson, and make a right coming from Calistoga, or a left, coming from St Helena. Go up the one-lane, two-way road, and find a parking place. Do give yourself time to drive slowly up the hill, and to maybe walk around before your tour starts. The vineyards are usually not included in the tour, but sine I was working there, I gave the wife the extended tour of the upper and lower vineyards. But hey, there are vineyards all over Napa and Sonoma. If you don't get to see them, no big deal. But if you get to see the upper vineyards, you'll pass one of the old cabins built way back when, and if you go far enough, you'll see the grove where some Club parties are held. The view from the lower vineyard is better, if you ask me. The tour is informative and interesting. We had a good time. Of course, they have wine clubs and wine that you can purchase while there. The wine clubs are a bargain, if you like their products, and drink that much wine. Prices for purchasing a bottle are slightly higher than you'd pay at the local Safeway, but at least you know they've been stored properly all along. To sum it up: Beautiful, historic property, educational tour, great champagne. Why not 5 stars? I don't drink. :) read more

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I was surprised with a weekend getaway to Napa and I'm so happy we had reservations for Schramsberg! Despite the traffic and rain, we reached the vineyard right on time. The tour does start on time so get there on time or the tour will begin without you and you'll have to catch up, like 2 other couples did on our's. The tour we participated in was $45/person. A bit pricey in my opinion. -0.5 stars. The tour began with an informative history of the vineyard, from the beginning till present-day. The tour continues on into the cave and ends in the tasting room. We passed by an area within the cave that had a nice table with candles and bottles of wine. I think I'd like to do that tour the next time I stop by. Our tour guide was very informative, talked at just the right speed, and even added personal stories ot the tour. We tasted 4 different types of sparkling wine towards the end of the tour. Unforunately, I did not like the reserve wines (ie: J Schrambs). -0.5 stars for that. I did enjoy the Blanc-de-Blanc and the Rose. Overall, a wonderful tour. It occurs inside the cave, so rain-or-shine you'll enjoy the tour dry. I would highly recommend it! read more

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One of the best wine tours in the Napa Valley of Diamond Mountain. So much history buried in this wine cellar circa late 1800's. Each tasting is $70 which includes a tour of the wine cellar and tastings of about 5 wines. Some of these bubbles have been aged for 8 years. The tour guide talks about the life cycle of making sparkling wine and how the yeast escapes the bottle during production. Extremely educational and informative. The tour guide even mentions how the Chinese dug the cave for this wine cellar. Wine club costs $125 for the first three shipments of two bottles each. During December, the wine club shipment is $250 with four bottles of wine. Highly recommend this wine tasting (bubbles tasting)!!! read more

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Hands down my favorite vineyard out of the 4 I visited that day in Napa. It's definitely a pricey stop since you can't just buy a tasting; you have to sign up for the cave tour + tasting ($70). I'm so glad we did the tour here though! It was a blast learning about the history of the vineyard + learning about the sparkling wine process! The $70 gets you 6 tastings, one of which is a red. The breadsticks here taste super fresh + cruncy; I probably devoured like 5 of them. Prior to this trip, my boyfriend was adamant about not joining a wine club all the wine in Napa. Before the tasting was over, he had changed his mind. We are now members at Schramsberg! Can't wait to come back! The perks aren't as awesome as other vineyards since you only get 1 free tasting for the whole year, but the quality is a lot higher here than other vineyards! Can't wait to open the wine from our first shipment! read more

About $45 per person for the tour and we tried 6 champagnes. There are no refunds on the tours if you cannot make it. They only got tours with tasting here, no tastings by itself. You have to make reservation, no Drop-ins. We had reservation for the tour at 2:00 but we were running late so we got there past 2:30. Good thing there was a last tour that was 2:30 and it was already 20 mins into the tour, but the staff squeezed us. The tasting area in the cave is a gather and stand-around type of tasting b/c there are no chairs. I really liked the Brut Reserve and Demi-Sec. I felt rushed to finish each tasting really fast because I had just sipped a few sips and the tour guide was already pouring the next one. I had to down at least 2-3 tastings. I wanted to enjoy my tastings! People in our group drank the tastings really fast too. The cave was really cool and big. It is made of Tufa and things were hanging down from the ceiling. The tour guide was really informative and friendly. We learned quite a few things about champagne that I did not learn from Domaine Carneros' tour. It was hard to find the entrance to the Vineyard, so got to keep a close eye out for it. We didn't have GPS, so we didn't know we way past it and had to drive backwards. The tour guide said that people still got lost with their GPS. Very nice venue with a pond that has real tadpoles, fish, and frogs, Cute garden area. There are a lot of pebbles. If it weren't for the far drive compared to Napa, I would come back here again. read more

If you're wanting to experience the history of Napa and take an educational tour this is the winery to do so! Fabulous tour guides direct you through stunning caves and allow you a behind the scenes peek into the methodical and purposeful hand on bottle work that goes into their sparkling wine. Because the tours are limited you must make a reservation! The grounds are stunning and the small groups allow you to ask questions and enjoy your time on the property without feeling rushed. Although know for their sparklings I ended up leaving with two amazing bottles of Pinot. read more

Schramsberg Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Calistoga, California

My partner, family, and I were turned away for a tasting due to not being with a club member. My partner works in the industry and we had called an hour prior to confirm the tasting. We offered every solution of paying to become club members, paying for a full tasting and we were still turned away. The host denied every solution we posed so we could still do the tasting. We were absolutely shocked and disappointed by the hospitalities attitude and inability to work with us. This left a sour taste in our mouth. We love the wine, but can't fathom continuing to support this winery with a club meme we or purchasing wines. read more

This is my favorite winery tour in Napa Valley. Schramsberg does a great job making the tour educational AND fun. You do have to call ahead for the tour and it is $25, but it's totally worth it. At the end of the tour, they have you taste some of their sparkling and stills. If you can, try and get a tour with Todd; he's THE BEST tour guide. All of the staff are really friendly and you can tell they actually like their jobs! If you really like their products, join their club. They send out quarterly, you get free tours for 2 people, and you definitely get a good deal on what they send out. It's about $60-$90 per shipment, but they send out library wines and club member only releases. A couple of times we've received bottles that were worth twice as much as we paid. A very good deal for Schramsberg fans!!! :) read more

Schramsberg Vineyards - Tasting in the caves - Wineries Near Me - Calistoga, California

Negeen is a gem!! I will go back every time we are in town! She Made our experience one to remember! And the atmosphere of the winery was relaxed and beautiful! Wonderful wines and a even better time!! Highly recommend!! read more

Beautiful! The winery/tasting room is tucked up on hill so you can't see it from the road.... nicely secluded. (Oh.... and the sign on the main road for the turn is small... so you can easily pass it... we did.) The tour was lovely and VERY educational. So, if you don't know anything about sparkling wines (like me) this is a really good tour. Plus, you get to walk among all the racks in the caves. I enjoyed that. And what's so amazing / interesting... is that they do all the "riddling" / turning by hand. In fact, quite bit of the process is all hand done. Lots of personal attention and care is given to their wines. And many of their workers have been there for decades.... which speaks to the quality of the company! :) And at the end of the tour, you get a private tasting of 4 different sparkling wines and 1 red blend. 2 of sparkling wines are their high end $100 dollar wines. ALL were very tasty. Light refreshing and no strange after-taste.... easy to drink. I wasn't a big fan of sparking wine prior to this visit.... Now I'm a Fan... of Schramsberg wines! :) read more

A little off the beaten path and the road can be a little narrow and windy but some really good sparkling wines. We tasted 5 wines, got a good overview from our host Tom and spent a nice time. Right now they're serving in an out door tent of sorts which isn't optimal but considering the pandemic situation it's totally acceptable. read more

You must come to this winery if you can get a spot on a tour. There's a reason they don't have big tours, but my friend knew the director of hospitality and he gave us a personal tour through the vast caves. It's the largest in Napa Valley and the sparkling wines are bottles before the fermentation, so there are bottles everywhere. The whole story and tour is amazing. After the tour, we tried their sparkling wines including one from reserve. I'm not a wine drinker, but it was smooth. Then our tour guide demonstrated how to saber a bottle. Really awesome!! We couldn't help ourselves and bought 2 bottles each! Gotta get the Blanc de Blanc! read more

Schramsberg Vineyards - sabering the wine - Wineries Near Me - Calistoga, California

Such a romantic tasting experience! Kari Zepeda was absolutely lovely, so knowledgable and super fun! We will definitely be back to see her and taste more of these delicious bubbles. Left with a set of flutes, 3 bottles and even something fun for the garden! Thanks Kari! read more

Schramsberg Vineyards - Brit Rose! - Wineries Near Me - Calistoga, California

If you want one of the most historical, all inclusive, and old world type tour to get the most out of your Napa Valley experience, I highly suggest the Schramsberg vineyards. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of not only the family run vineyard itself, but of the history of the Napa Valley wine industry. Your entire tour will take place in the caves, that are completely lined from head to toe and about 8 to 13 layers deep of sparkling wine that is being fermented in the bottles. You will hear about the riddling technique, the love and care that goes into every single bottle that they produce, and then you'll end of the tour with samples of some of the best sparkling wine you'll ever have. I will absolutely be coming back here! read more

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In a day of reservation only tastings, we confused our 1:30pm tasting for 2:30 and arrived at 2:10. D'oh! They couldn't accommodate us at 2:30pm because that tour was apparently overbooked, but we were in time for the tastings portion of the 1:30pm tour so that's how our experience began. We were ushered though the cave tunnels and into the tastings lair, where the jovial tour guide jokingly said since we came from NY our lateness was excused. Then he promptly gave us a sizable glass of our first bubbly. I loved the candelabra lit cave experience for the tastings. I just have two suggestions: 1/slow down on the tastings! I felt like I was pounding bubblies, which is not a good way to enjoy the fine sparkling wines and 2/provide more seats (esp for people getting tipsy from pounding the bubblies). There were only four seats for a groups of 10-12. Schramsberg was super lovely in accommodating our tardiness. The tour guide made sure we didn't miss any tastings so we had a separate pouring in the outside tasting area for the J. Schram they ran out of, along with a quick private mini tour highlighting what we missed. It worked out perfectly! I enjoyed being able to taste as we walked though our mini tour. The overall experience is pretty unique as far as tastings and tours in Napa go. It's a bit pricey but I highly recommend it. And I'm not even a fan of sparkling wine (maybe a little now). read more

This is absolutely my favorite sparkling wine from any region (sorry France). It is commonly known as one of the best that the US has to offer and has been at many White House functions (including served to Queen Elizabeth during her visit). It really is up there with the best but for a fraction of the price. I personally like the blanc de blanc and blanc de noir. The cab made under their J label is AMAZING. No seriously. Apart from their wines, which are top notch, the tours there are amazing. The vineyard has a lot of history, including the original caves from the previous owner. They have a very famous riddler (youtube him), and the guides are very friendly. This is a place where you'll go for the outstanding tour and become a fan after trying their outstanding wines. read more

I've heard much about Schramsberg's sparking wines and they are hands-down some of the best I've tasted. The tour through the property and caves was very informative as I didn't realize how many intricacies were involved in the wine production. It concluded with a sit-down tasting of the following: 2004 Extra Brut 2004 J.Schram 2007 Brut Rose 2003 Brut Reserve 2007 Cremant Demi-Sec I wasn't as much of a fan of the Brut Rose, but all the others were very much noteworthy and comparable to some of the heavy hitters like Dom Perignon. Though on the pricier side at $45 for the tour and tasting, it was worth every penny. Now if only I could afford the reserve bottles at $100 a pop...one of these days =D read more

I scheduled the 1:30pm tour as a surprise for my husband's birthday in January. Despite the weather being cold and rainy - a usual deterrent for tourists - our tour was well attended with a casual group of approximately 15-20 people. Reserving our spots on their website made it quite easy to sign up. We arrived right at 1:30pm, having had some difficulty finding the small, single-land road that brings you from the main road to the winery; we were the last to arrive. I would recommend arriving about 15 minutes early to avoid this. At $45 per person, I wasn't sure what to expect with the tour, but in the end I was glad we went. Our guide was charming, informative, with lots of interesting history (such as how Schramsberg earned its name, and how it came to be a presidential tradition) and a nice tour of the caves. Then, we were treated to about 7 tastings, with healthy pours, in a comfortable tasting room. The bruts were dry, crisp, and amongst the best I've had (IMO better than Domaine Carneros). The couple sitting at our table also provided some pleasant drinking company. We did not feel pressured to buy anything, and could take our leisurely time tasting each champagne. Overall, we stayed a comfortable 75-90 minutes. Had it been a warmer, drier day, we would have walked around the grounds more. It appeared beautiful-- green, lush, and woodsy-- and I'm sure an event here would be extravagant. Anyway, I felt this was money well spent. Definitely worth a visit if you prefer sparkling wines! read more

Best bubbly in the valley. This is one of the oldest family names/wineries in Napa Valley, and has a lot of history and reputation (such as being the sparkling wine of choice in the White House for many years)... which are completely backed by the quality of its product! The grounds are also beautiful, and you can get a nice little tour of the caves/facilities. My personal favorite in probably the blanc de noirs, but it's hard to decide because they have several excellent varieties. read more

Definitely make sure you book a reservation on-line before you head to Schramsberg Vineyards which includes a really cool tour of the caves where the sparkling wine is stored and aged. Also included is a tasting of 4 to 5 wines..and it's the good stuff too! Really made me appreciate sparking wine even more, especially the strict french method used to make the bubbly. read more

Visiting this winery is essential for sparking wine lovers. Of the 4 in the valley, it is the best in my opinion. After checking in, we were led to our shaded picnic table to begin the tasting. Our host was knowledgeable without being condescending. Due to covid we weren't able to tour the caves, which we had done on a previous trip, but it was still worth going for the tasting. read more

We did a tour and tasting here. Kelly was our host and she was very knowledgeable and personable. Our tour started outside in front of the tasting room and we were provided some history on Napa, the families that had owned the vineyard, and some of the presidential history associated with Schramsberg. The caves were really cool. Neat to see so many bottles stacked on each other and learn about the process. We even saw someone placing labels by hand on some of the higher end bottles (J. Schram). The tour ended with a seated tasting inside the retail shop. They close the sliding wood panels to provide some privacy. We tasted 4 sparkling wines (Blanc de Blancs, Brut Rose, J. Schram, and the Reserve) and a cab (J. Davies). They provided crunchy breadsticks with the tasting. This was my favorite bubbly that I tried in the area. They were not offering the option do just do a tastings (just tasting and tour), but I think the price was worth the experience and my husband will have a tough time keeping me away from here any time we are in Napa. Thank you for an amazing experience! read more

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On a girls trip I was lucky enough to have been treated to a cheese and reserve tour tasting. I had previously tried to make reservations for this tour but previously full. I had the most amazing experience and it was well worth the year wait. Brittany Nies was our guide and our wine educator. She was nothing short of amazing! Funny coupled with being a wealth of knowledge contributed to an unforgettable experience. Without a doubt this is a special place worth the price but if you are looking for a cheap tasting this place is not for you. The cheese paired with the reserve tasting is pricey however well worth it and I would repeat it over and over when in Calistoga. If bubbles are not your thing surprisingly they also have a very smooth red. I enjoyed their bubbles so much I became a member which is a great deal! I highly recommend to spend the extra money to do the cheese tasting with the reserve. Amazing how much more I love their bubbles when they pair it perfectly with food. I do recommend reservation and allow extra time for pictures because the caves and their grounds are a perfect back drop for photos. read more

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We are longtime club members and are always amazed at the different take on the history for this cave tour. If you go anywhere in the valley, go here! read more

Really really disappointing for such a highly rated winery. The customer service was far below expectations and the experience was not much better. In order to come to the winery, there is a $70 fee per person for a tour and tasting. For $70, you expect to have a special experience that sets them apart, but that was not the case. We were staying in Napa and did not realize how far the actual location was, so we called in to the winery to let them know we were going to be a tiny bit late (this is Napa, people are here to relax and have a good time) so we arrived 6 minutes late to the tour. We were greeted and the hostess told us that we werent even that late because the group was just down the hall--about 15 feet from us. So this is where the poor customer service started. Even though we were barely late, they refused to give us our "Welcome tasting" because they said that they had already closed the bottle (you opened a bottle of sparkling!! You have to drink it!). Strike 1. During the tour, our tour guide was clearly itching to get out of there because she mentioned several times that after this tour she would be going to Mexico and couldnt wait to be done. The other 4 tastings in the cave underground cannot be enjoyed at your leisure, the guide keeps talking and pouring the next tasting and it requires you to keep drinking quickly. Strike 2. At the end of the tour, you end up in their sales room where bottles run in the hundreds$$$. We were considering to buy one of the bottles of sparkling and asked to re-taste it before purchasing the $150 bottle. Their response was NO. and their excuse was that they cannot pour more than a certain amount per person per tasting. I told the lady that it would not be a problem because we did not get the first tasting, so we should be able to get a re-taste. Her next excuse was that since they "closed" the bottle, they do kot re-open it. Strike 3. I hate leaving bad reviews. I really do. But when you are paying $70/person and you are in Napa trying to have a great time and a customer has a reasonable request, the least you can do is to accommodate them. It is just what companies with good customer service do. read more

Loved our cave tour & tasting! We highly recommend the tour. We appreciated the welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable staff!

Probably the best tour I've taken in Napa or Sonoma. The caves are so cool and the wine is amazing. Our guide was very knowledgeable too.

Schramsberg Vineyards was the last stop on our Napa Valley road trip last September. The Tour was filled with rich history and lots and lots of bubbly. I would have liked to give it a 5 but we weren't allowed to pop the champagne bottles with a saber in the caves :) That would have been the icing on the cake. Overall, great tour and the bubbly is reasonably priced. Make sure you pick up a bottle or two on your way home. read more

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Champagne in a cave?! Our tour was very informative and a great start to our weekend in Napa. We lucked out with picking to come here before all bubble tasting we planned for the rest of our trip. Our tour guide was super knowledgable and interactive. Although we didn't purchase any bubbles we left with an appreciation for the vineyards. I would recommend if you are looking for a less touristy place to see the caves and taste the bubbles this is it. read more

Art gave the best tour!! So informative!! Great wines. Sparkling and Cab Sauv. Good prices if you are a club member.

Had a wonderful tour & tasting. Lindsey was a gracious host & made for a pleasant experience.

This was by far our favorite wine tasting while visiting wine country! The most delightful selection of sparkling wines! Our wine educator was Ilse and she was amazing, so knowledgeable and entertaining! We got to tour the caves which are packed to the ceilings with bubbly! All of us were blown away about the history and what it actually takes to make a bottle of this superb wine! We took home a few bottles which I can't wait to uncork at our next dinner party! Must book this tour if you're in the area! read more

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Everyone told us to come here, but I wasn't jazzed. They don't begin pouring until 45 minutes into the cave tour, and while it's fascinating and the information about bubbly is different than most other wine caves, that part surprised me. They're also not dog friendly like most other places in the valley and it was kind of a warm day (66 degrees) so I didn't really get to enjoy the tasting because I was worried about the pooch and kept running out to check on him. (if you have your dog while traveling like we did and don't have somewhere to leave him, there's not a whole lot of shade, so keep that in mind before booking.) Enough about the mechanics, the bubbly was good and the red wine was great. You get four pours of bubbly and one of red. Their club is a really excellent deal but I just don't think enough to warrant it. I wish the tasting had been outside because it was beautiful out. read more

Wow! What a disappointment. We were there in 2010 and based our enthusiasm around selling this tour to our family, a party of six, and man... what a letdown for $70 per person. If you plan on doing this area, skip this disappointment and go next door to Il Castello De Amarosa. read more

Schramsberg has got to be my favorite winery in wine country. Not just for the delightful bubbles but for the historical narration you get every time you enter these enchanted caves. It's worth it to become a member and get full access to all the great J. Schrams bubbles along with the Davies cabernet instead of paying an admittance fee. Schramsberg is on the top of the list whenever I have visitors in town. You get a thoroughly entertaining tour through the caves for 30-45 minutes then it's time to sit down to sample 2 flagship bubbles (the blanc de blanc and the rosé) and 2 seasonal bubbles (one of which is the J. Schrams) along with a glass of silky smooth cabernet sauvignon. They will also demonstrate how to open up a bottle of bubbles, discreetly. So inaudibly that it was compare to how a nun would fart in church, just a slight hiss if you listen closely (to the bottles being open not to the nun farting). For all you history buff; Schramsberg's sparkling wines have been served at official State functions by every U.S. Presidential administration since Nixon. Now do what is best for your country and drink like a scholar! read more

Recently went here to take a tour and wine tasting w/ my wife. The tour is interesting and informative. Lots of history here at this very old winery. The best sparkling I've had in Napa is from Schramsberg. The Brut Rose and Blanc de Blanc are not to be missed. The wine tasting happens during your tour in the caves. Customer service was perfect and attentive. You won't be disappointed. read more

The sparkling date fantastic same with their red. The price is on the higher side- but the cave tour is unique and very informative. Their bottle of popular champagne is cheaper at Trader Joe's then the winery that's the only reason I took off a star. Friendly people and the cheese pairing was delicious! Defiantly worth the drive!! read more