Fodor’s Choice • Napa and Sonoma Sights
O’Brien Estate
Barb and Bart O’Brien live on and operate this 40-acre Oak Knoll District estate, where in good weather guests sip wines at an outdoor tasting area adjoining the vineyard producing the fruit for them. It’s a singular setting to enjoy Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux-style red blends, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay wines that indeed merit the mid-90s (sometimes higher) scores they garner from critics. Club members snap up most of the bottlings, with the rest sold at intimate tastings (reservations are required; book well ahead). All visits include vineyard and winery tours and an account of Barb and Bart’s inspiring path to winery ownership. The superb wines and genial hosts make a stop here the highlight of many a Wine Country vacation.
— Daniel Mangin, Fodor’s Travel
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