Sterling Vineyards Reviews

I love the views and Crab Feed. It's very peaceful.

Had a great experience. Love all their wines and staff was very friendly. Excited to go back!

A nice winery for the tourist of Napa. The lift to the top is breathtaking and inspired. And the wine is decent, this is clearly a place that has been around a long time and knows how to be showy to people interested in the wine making process. The staff was friendly and pretty knowledgeable about the wines and what to pair them if. Overall I say if you have more than a day in Napa Valley then make it a stop off to check out.

Great place to start with Aerial Tram ,great ambience & nice views

A short drive from St. Helena will bring you to Sterling Vineyards, but gazing up to the cluster of sugar white buildings nestled atop a 300 foot hill, it would be easy to imagine having been magically transported to Greece. The enchantment continues, as there is only one way to reach this Aegean-inspired villa, and that s up, up and away, gliding through the air in a glass-sided gondola, the stunning views of Napa and Calistoga unfolding below.
The panoramic views from the balconies and terraces are just as dazzling, and I could have sat gazing over the valley for hours, sipping from my free tasting glass - a cherished souvenir, with its engraved emblem. I wonder if Prince Charles, who visited Sterling in the late 70s, took one home as well!

Great wine tasting. Friendly people helping out and great experience of visiting different stations of the wine making process.

Great service and great wine. Kudos to Kate, Victor and Kirsten...all very knowledgeable.

Not for me. Reminds me of Disneyland. Expensive and mass market touristy.

It is a place where it sells a lot it is beautiful many tourists come it has a basket to climb

This was our 2nd visit (first was 20 yrs ago)...alot had changed! I feel that 35$ pp for a quick gondola ride.. a small tasting @ 4 un informative stations. Not to mention...no one ever told us the glasses were to keep. ...this winery has over priced itself. What a shame...purchase a bottle at the store and visit one of the many other wineries in the area. Sterling...its time u change your visiting price point!

Sterling Vineyards is a great first timer experience. My girlfriends and I decided to head to Napa on a whim. Without reservations we headed into town for coffee. We asked a table of locals where we should go. They suggested Sterling and to stop by the visitor center...once at the visitor center they also suggested Sterling. Sterling is a large, self guided tour. We bought the silver package for $55 a person, but we had a 20% off coupon from the visitor center. Score! We headed up the mountain on the tram ride, which was whimsical and provided great views. We then proceeded around the winery. It was super easy and unpretentious. We then headed upstairs for the additional 5 tastings. Don was our host and he was amazing! He did just the right amount of talking. He then brought us a 6th tasting of bubbly to celebrate our half marathon finish from the day before. He was very informative and provided a great suggestion for dinner that night. I would recommend this winery for any 1st timers or those looking for a laidback experience.

Did the entry level tasting, but would definitely splurge next time. Property was great but the wines were mediocre, and out of sync (white, white, red, red, white)??? Looking forward to coming back and trying the Silver & Gold tasting tours.

Really great place to visit. The wine tasting was really good.

Great view!! Victor is amazing! Come here for your best wine experience

Awesome place! They have a gondola that takes you up to begin the tasting tour. You get a taste of many different wines and their virtual tour is very interactive and entertaining. Their terrace is a great place, the views are amazing and it is awesome to sit, relax, and have some wine with a cheese plate. Staff is super friendly. A must in Napa Valley.

Please book and go early on the weekends. you have to take the gondola to the actual winery. There were a lot of tasting station. We booked the Platinum pairing experince. I would say that the staff at our table could use a little more improvement. Food was actully better than I expected. Bring comfortable shoes because you will be walking around the winery. The sight was gorgeous on top of the castle like winery. You'll want to dress nice for lots of pictures.

I brought my mother to Napa for a couple of days to celebrate her birthday. As a winery owner from Virginia, I appreciate a unique experience. The tram ride was unique. The staff running the tram offered us a wheelchair for my mother, More

Great place, good experience. Had platinum tour booked.

Beautiful facility with amazing views and wine. The ticket includes the tram ride and wine tasting. It's pretty expensive but worth doing at least once!

Liked the tram ride up. Was too short but a nice way to see the area especially on a nice day. The views from the patio were great, probably the biggest strength of this winery. We did a tasting that was a bit pricey but fun to try. I would go back mostly for the patio views and atmosphere.

General tickets are $31/ person. Not worth the drive plus admission. The wine isn't paired and you get maybe 2oz in one glass to carry with you through the tour to the other 2 stops where then you can order separately some pairings for More

Great venue, the cable car was a great feature, worth the visit.

$30 for just 4 little glasses of testing. Verybad when its raining

Self guided tour was informative with videos and nice graphic displays. Views were great. Place is huge but the area that you can explore is limited. Tram was OK but mostly a short gimmick. Wine was decent but no Cabernets on general admission tasting was dissappointing.

I used to love Sterling the location and experience was wonderful in the past. I had a membership with them for over 2 years however many of the benefits that I originally signed up with the wine club were changed. Instead of them being great with customer service and grandfathering those of us who had been with them into our original plan they changed the membership. Sterling took away most of the benefits of being a wine club member. I had a experience where my friends and I were discriminated against and another occasion that left a bad taste in my mouth the company never addressed it after numerous complaints and so I ended my membership to go be a member of a winery who valued me as Customer...

One of the best winery experiences I've ever had. I'm part of one of the wine clubs of them. The staff is very friendly and the wines are very good.

The tram to the top is a hit and wonderful views abound but OMG the staff are tired of tourists. The wine is so-so. Sorry, not a fan....

Views are scenic. At the end of the tour, there's a rooftop patio to view the Vineyards.

Before I headed up to the tastings, I had my mind set on the Cabernet Sauvignon. After the tastings, I ended up buying the Napa Merlot (2014). I found that it was what Sterling specialized from the staff.

About the only good thing with this tour is the sky tram. Out of the box it was high pressure sales to join the wine club. Staff knew nothing about what they were pouring except a scripted story. Most of the pourings were of wines I can purchase anywhere. If your serious about Oenology don't waist your time here.

Disney world for wine - take that for what it s worth. For me, not good. No heart or soul not to mention lines after lines after lines. And the wine is just meh.

Wish I would have spent my time and money at a small local family winery instead.

Nice views, great wines. Enjoyed the tram ride option. The tour is self guided with tastings along the way. Really enjoyed the merlot and even bought some cheese at the end to linger on the patio. Highly recommended

Location and tram gave a sense of elegance. Spectacular view. Wine tasting at different positions of the winery and building. A knowledgeable staff.

You've got to do it at least once. What a beautiful view from up there. And the gondola ride was fun too.

Its a must visit for a napa valley wine experience. One can taste 4 different varities of world class wine with a breathtaking view of the entire valley. The aerial tram is an added attraction.

Definitely one of the most unique wine tasting experiences. You take a gondola to the top of the hill and walk around the facility as you taste their wine. Fun place, great views, good service.

The view is worth it for those of you, like me, that don't drink. It is similar to the climate of Tuscany.

This winery is very concerned with tourism and not with the quality of the wines.
Their wines are very bad!
I don't recommend it to anyone.
They earn money by selling tickets for the cable car that does not even pass over vineyards. Zero qualities !!!

Booked a reservation and paid in full in advance. They cancelled it due to the wildfires and said a refund would be issued. A month later, still no refund. I call every other day and no one calls me back or responds to my emails. It is the worst customer service I have ever seen. They are holding my money and will not give it back.

This winery has a tram/gondola that you have to take up to the tasting areas! Amazing views from up top as well and very good wines.

Came here with 50% coupon after visiting Beringer Winery, did the self guided tour and was lucky enough to make it for March Madness case sale ($99 for a case of wine usually $30-40 each!). No line at all to get to the top, weather was nice, and the self guided tour had sections of video by the processing areas so you still understood their wine making process. The staff at the wine sampling stations along the way can also tell you about the wine and wine making process. Great second stop in Napa valley. Compared to Beringer, wines more affordable and winery area and tour space larger, but liked the personal touch of a guided tour for same price at Beringer and the free glass of wine for military.

Can't say enough great things about Sterling! We aren't big wine fans, but wanted the experience as we passed through the area. We rushed over there to get there before they closed, and made with with about 2 minutes to spare. To reach the tasting room, you must take an aerial tram, which is super cool. The cost of the tram, the "tour", and four pours is $35 each. I was a little annoyed at the price, but we definitely got our money's worth in the experience. As soon as we got to the top, we were offered a stroller to push our kid around in (which was SO helpful), and they gave him apple juice and Cheez-Its to keep him happy so we could actually enjoy the scenery and the wine. That alone was worth it.
The tour is self-guided between pour stations. The only staff member who really spoke to us at all at a pour station was the first one. The next three stations were staffed by men who were more interested in chatting with groups of basic girls out for a day drinking adventure. Whatever. The final pour station was on the roof, and the staff member working the counter where you can order cheese plates offered to get us the pours (good thing, since the guy at the station was again chatting with groups of girls, as well as taking pictures for them).
The roof view is stunning. And the cheese plate was good. Wine was ok (again, not a wine person). Definitely a great option for families. Would visit again!

Did the General Admission experience. Found a $10 coupon for the vineyard. The gondola ride is nice and smooth with excellent views of the valley. The wine is delicious and the tour, whilst short, is very enjoyable.

Omg this is a wonderful place to visit! The whole experience of the wine tasting n tour was exceptional. We were here with my parents and our 1 year old son on a Friday afternoon so it was not too crowded. The aerial tram ride was fun, the staff was so friendly, wine tasting was good, the tour of the facility itself was so lovely with breathtaking views!! The look and feel of this place is very contemporary and modern. We also got to take the wine glass (not cheap quality) with us back home and also were given a free t-shirt each! Yayyy :)

I guess my title summarizes it!

From afar, you can see the massive structure on top of a hill and we were excited to get there. When walking from the parking towards the entrance there were disco balls hanging from the ceiling so that was cool although a bit cheesy. Had to pay $20 for each of my two teens to take 2 mins gondola ride. Ours was $35 but included the tasting so it was ok.

We had four tasting stops and they gave us the glasses so that was good, but the servers were not great to say the least, specially on the first stop. We felt like in a production line...not enough explanation or that "winery tasting feeling" we got in all of the other ones.

In March/April I made a reservation for the Labor Day weekend for six people and was charged at the time of booking. In late August, a week and a half before our scheduled reservation, I called to reduce our reservation to four people. I was told it would take 2 days to process the refund for the two people who were no longer joining us. Needless to say, three weeks and 5 phone calls later, I still don't have my refund. Quick to take your money, but incredibly slow to return it. DO NOT go here if there is any possibility your party will decrease in size after you make your original reservation. I'm now looking at disputing the charge with my credit card company. Incredibly frustrating.

This winery had very interesting things, but came short in execution, resulting in an average experience. On the one hand, the gondola ride up the hill and the view were very nice, however, on the other hand the outside deck and architecture overall were very simple, almost industrial. Finally, the wine quality was ok, without any wines standing out particularly.

Breathtaking view. Excellent staff. Tour is well laid out with great video explanations. Silver Experience gives you eight tastings, one better than the last. Aerial tram is a nice touch. Our favorite vineyard in the region.

Very classy experience. The wine was amazing and the views were breathtaking.

Beautiful winery with stunning views. Excellent facilities and well organised. This is a must see for anyone on vacation in the area. The wines however are not that great compared to other wineries in the region, but still more than drinkable. I'd pay the fee for the views alone.

Sterling Vineyards is a winery near Calistoga, California. The aerial tram ride that kicks off a visit to Sterling Vineyards is one of the more novel ways to begin a wine tasting in Napa Valley. The tram, gliding 300 feet above the vineyards, transports visitors to the grand white stucco winery.



The staff on my recent visit was cheery, though overly scripted. The lady pouring Chardonnay repeated the same sentence verbatim about the wine pairing well with chicken, fish or salad. As the line grew for a taste of Merlot, the same lines were recited over and over as guests stepped up for a pour. At the Cabernet Sauvignon stop server was too busy chatting up with another 2 guys bonding on how they had worked at Disney a few years ago

The gondola ride and the amazing views of the valley are worth a visit. The self-guided tour is lame at best and the wines were unmentionable. Again, it s almost worth it for just the views on the gondola ride up and back.

Note: This is not a review about their wines, but more about ticket-buying experience.

We were a group of four who came to visit the winery on busy Saturday afternoon (July 4th long weekend). When we got to our turn to purchase the tickets, we wanted to get 3 Signature Wine Tasting ($35 each) and an Under 21 ticket ($20). Scott, the cashier who handled our transactions, was not receptive to our request and strongly insisted that our friend did not look underage, thus did not want to sell us the Under 21 ticket. Scott did not ask for our identification during our entire conversation (which was very unprofessional and non-compliant, could result in thousands of dollars in fines if being checked by regulations), and immediately made untrue assumptions about our age/appearances. Scott had a hostile attitude toward us because he thinks we were trying the cheat on the system. And we were quite offended by his mannerisms and his disservice. Toward the end of our interaction, he gave us an "ultimatum": either buy four $35 tickets or get out of here. I think this was the moment where we all felt we were somehow being threatened while actually we were the customers. Overall a really terrible experience because of this and I will never return to this place thanks to Scott.

Absolutely amazing to visit!!! Beautiful wine tasting experience, stations of tasting a different spots of the winery , walking with your own glass , talking and chit chatting while tasting and enjoying the view , highly recommend for families !!! They have a fun to ride gondola and nice hallways for kids to feel free , they give kids little goodie bags , and free tshirts !! Amazing staff !!! Absolutely Love this place :)

an experience that you can not miss when you visit napa, this tour takes you to the heights by a gondola letting appreciate the beautiful green landscape is amazing, the test of wines from the beginning is a trip to the production and a trip to hard work and dedication of each of the people behind these delicious wines, ending the tour in a beautiful terrace with views that leave you breathless.

The winery is beautiful but call ahead and make sure the gondola is working.

beautiful place, great location, but the staff need additional training, good manners and courteous treatment! we did not enjoy the visit, and could not relax, there was pressure to buy a subscription to the club. Amid the abundance of wineries, I would never come back to Sterling

Last month I posted a very negative review and now it's missing. Two requests by Sterling to direct message them so they can 'talk to me'..... now my review is gone. I find this very strange!!

I tried to enjoy the California Rose but it did not satisfy... 13.5% alc reeled me in but the taste was offensive

Must visit winery for the cable car that takes you up the hill and the self guided tour. The wines are also pretty decent. Perfect for a warm day in the valley.

Very pleasant experience. Wine was alright, the experience was definitely worth it. Kid friendly, we had brought a little one on with us. We used a ski lift to get to the actual building. Such nice smooth ride and beautiful scenery. There is a walk through the entire building and a terrace up top. You could order a cheese board and grab a seat to enjoy the scenery.

The aerial tram here really makes this winery visit unique! The views from the top are stunning. The self-guided tour was nice and very informative, but the views are definitely the highlight.

Definitely a different experience with the gondola ride up and the nice views but the self-guided tasting/tour is designed more for processing large volumes of people than it is about experience. The staff we did interact with were friendly.

I was recommended at the visitor center. I was satisfied that I could enjoy the wine as much as I could while looking at the beautiful scenery of Napa Valley at the innermost rest area. I think I was able to drink 6-7 kinds of wine in total.

Absolutely beautiful Winery! The regular tasting tour is okay because they sequence the wines in such a way that they actually taste pretty good even though they aren't all that great individually. You MUST do one of the upgraded tastings to experience anything Sterling is capable of. I highly recommend at least the tasting with food. Unfortunately the sales pitch for their wine club is WAY too overpowering and it nearly ruins the entire experience. Try telling the server that you would prefer not to try to pitch the club. Hopefully it works and I will be doing it next time I go.

Gondola ride was fun though it was short. Nice scenery at the winery. Like their Self-guided tour.

I'm a member of Sterling wine club because I love their wine. Beautiful place to bring friends for a wonderful relaxed afternoon

Great for a date or with girlfriends. Amazing views, nice staff, great

Sadly, not really impressed. Was overpriced and the whole experience quite sterile. Was hoping for much more.

I was very hesitant to make my trip to this winery. The reviews complained about everything from the staff to the wine and all things inbetween. I must admit booking WAS challenging, I made 3 website visits attempting to book and 4 phone calls. I'm not sure what the problem was? Mobile site issues, I sure hope not as that is all I use. But Lauren finally made the reservation happen! Thank you Lauren. Upon arrival check in was easy. The tram is so cool, great way to make the trip up the hill. The first stop is for your glass and your first taste, they direct you on your next steps wether it be upstairs or continue on the self guided tour. We were there for the "Sparkling Experience" so upstairs we went. We were greeted warmly by Ann Marie who seated us and educated us on our first and second bubbles tastings. She was warm, knowledgable, and friendly! Amelia took over for our third and fourth tasting, she was wonderful. Again so knowledgable, and kind.
We finished our experience, went downstairs and took the self guided tour which I really liked, at our own pace, getting to walk around. The views really are fantastic.
We got back on the tram, no waiting, and soaked in the views on the way down the hill.
I'm so thankful I continued to pursue this visit. It was far better than I was expecting and I will absolutely return.

Totally different type of tasting experience. Overall I felt that it was a crossover between wine tasting and amusement park experience because you walk from tasting station to station to experience the property and different wines.

Nice patio with a panoramic view of a pretty valley. Wines were OK. Tram ride is short and kind of a gimmick. It gets hot as hell in September so I'd recommend coming early or late if you want to hang outside.

Sterling Winery is a really great place for wine and views. The cable car is such a great way to start the experience. Then the self guided tour lets your move at your own pace around the grounds. Everything ends with you on the top terrace overlooking everything. On a sunny day this place is magical. Oh yea and they serve really good wine too!

Beware of the vineyard tour scam,save your money and time.

If you want to have a good tour experience ,stay away from this vineyard.
I visited the place on jan 3rd and the place wasn t that crowded. But the service and staff at the tasting rooms were horrible. We were made to wait and not even taken care by the staff. We were so frustrated with their bad service and responses, we left the place . If you want to have a good tour experience,please try elsewhere.

We visited Sterling Winery for the third time on July 31, 2015, and this experience was as great as the first. We enjoy the atmosphere and the casual self-guided tour, as well as the wine. Sterling has ruined my wife for local Illinois wines. On this visit, we enjoyed a tasting on the patio with Dorothea. As per our usual experience, the wine was phenomenal, and Dorothea was friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful.

Warning about this company: I received an unsolicited three bottles of wine and wine bag and a $299 charge on my credit card. Sterling cs did not respond to phone message or email. AmEx handled as fraud, but I had to change my credit card number to get out of a wine club I never signed up for. Two weeks later, an email from Sterling: they will send me a return label, "probably today." I used to enjoy Sterling wines, but there are plenty of other good vineyards. I will never buy another bottle from this winery.

Stunning views, family friendly, amazing staff. 2nd time back as a Club member, but took my son this time. Started w skytram to the top, sat for silver Reserve tasting, tour. My faves were ALL of the 2014 varietals esp Merlot, Platinum Cab, Diamond back. Rooftop terrace is a MUST with spectacular almost 360 views. Perfect to accompany with a charcuterrie plate and glass of wine, both avail for sale. Special thanks to Dorie who made my experience exceptional with her team mates Maurice, Marta, etal. Thank you.

Gondola ride fun, view beautiful, walking wine tour fine, but tasting experience could have been better. Wine fine.

Overall, it was a good experience, with some nice vistas. We did the Diamond tour. They needed water by all the wine tasting areas (three did not have it) to clean pallets and glasses (they did not rinse out glasses). Victor, at the last station was awesome. Very informative and helpful.

Beautiful winery in north Napa overlooking the valley. Idyllic views of the valley from the terrace present photo ops for IGers. Visit early before the day gets hot in the summer and the crowds create long lines. The tram is nice and offers views of the valley as it elevates you. Bring water and a hat in the summer cuz it gets HOT. It's set up like a tour where you walk thru the winery and stop along the way at tasting stations, hear about the wine, and watch a video. You get to see the whole process. You end up on the back patio terrace and can order prosciutto and cheese with some wine. Find a shady table and relax.

Too large and too commercial. The self-guided tour was pretty much a joke, and the tasting room was a gift shop, but they do have a very nice patio with a killer view over the valley.