Trina Szkut

Review of V. Sattui Winery

I have booked in Advance the daily Tour for $30/pe...

I have booked in Advance the daily Tour for $30/per adult( this is your basic wine 101 class). We took the first tour in a Saturday morning with a 90+ degree weather. It wasn't pack with people yet at 11:06 am when we arrived, no crowds yet in the picnic grounds but can see them preparing already for the BBQ.Parking was easy at this time of the day. The drive from San Jose to Napa valley took us 2 hours ( left at 9 am), hit some traffic at Oakland but the biggest traffic was when we entered the main road headed to St. Helena were most of the wineries were located, it was bumper to bumper. If you could skip Napa Valley in a weekend,skip it and go on a weekday you would like it more with less crowds. We were like 6-7 min late for the tour.I called 3x to the number enlisted at the reservation email to notify we were late due to traffic, but no one was picking up the phone instead a VM was the only option. Left 2 VM. I got No return call but at 11 am,our tour guide called and asked our whereabouts with no idea that I tried calling. Anyway,he handled it very well and very cordial.We made it almost on time because the group didn't yet start.There were 3 couples in our group( there was a large group who came late and missed the tour to the vineyard).I had some winery tours in the past but not in Napa Valley. The tour would talk about the wineries production of wine,the history of the winery, a quick education regarding wines and the Napa region. We walked through the other tasting rooms towards the back of the winery where the vineyards are. The walking tour does not allow you to walk far and will just show how the grapes are formed etc.Take a lot of pictures since you won't be allowed back outside once the tour is over. The tour guide didn't mentioned that nor offered a few minutes if the group wants to take a couple of pictures since the area was one of the picturesque area in the winery. The best area to have your wine tasting, in my opinion, is Tasting in the Terrace ( 1st came 1st serve basis) since you can sit down , relax and have the actual view of the vineyard and the the fountain and can take pictures /sip wine of an actual "winery"feel.The best part of the tour is the complimentary tasting in the cellar. We had 3 wines to taste in the actual menu and then had +2 other complimentary wine because one in the group is celebrating his birthday and 1 complimentary from the winery total of 5. It was great, not feel rushed, the tour guide was attentive to questions and needs this time.Bring your own Bottled water during the tasting, they don't give you one. By the time the tour was over, crowds have poured in and bathroom lines were long,and parking was crazy. I got a little tipsy and so stayed in the winery and ate lunch. Good thing a lot of seating areas aside from the picnic area to rest. Staff are very friendly and helpful. You won't be able to visit more than 2 wineries ( wineries open at 9 am,but who wants to go at 9 am, I started at 11 am) and have a good time ,plan to visit your top 2 and call it a day. It's fun but tiring in a very hot day and in crowds of tourists like yourself. SUMMARY: Visit 1-2 wineries with a tour or a sit down tour, enjoy the winery and call it a day, don't drive around. For the V.Sattui winery,take the Terrace Tasting or the discover tour