Wines from the United States barely registered on the international radar before the infamous 1976 ‘Judgement of Paris’ – when red and white styles from Napa Valley trounced more illustrious wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy in a blind tasting that changed the course of US viticulture.Nowadays, despite being only around 30miles in length and a few miles across, over 4.5million people are drawn to the Golden State each year by the lure of Napa Valley wine tasting tours promising glorious sunshine, food and wine.

There are around 450 wineries spread across 45,000+ acres of lucious vineyards blanketing the rolling hills of Napa, ranging from large scale commercial producers such as Robert Mondavi, Beringer and Sutter Home to small, boutique estates hand crafting exceptional artisan wines.Most wineries welcome visitors as part of Napa wine tasting tours, offering the opportunity to explore the vineyards and cellars accompanied by a professional guide before sampling a range of premium vintages often paired with gourmet food featuring local cuisine.With more Michelin stars per capita than any other wine region in the world, Napa Valley is also renowned for its gastronomy – there are more than 14 restaurants carrying at least one Michelin star, and two restaurants with three stars each, while it’s a popular destination for celebrity chefs to establish their own restaurants.The combination of fine wine and food have made the region an epicurean haven, with many wineries featuring their own on-site gourmet restaurants as well as accommodations for a complete experience.

At Wine Paths, our local expert can organise exclusive wine tasting tours in Napa Valley, which can include elaborate tastings, fine dining experiences, luxury stays and some unique activities such as luxury spa treatments.

All of our private tours can be tailor made to meet your exact requirements, ensuring every detail is taken care of so that you can relax and enjoy the matter at hand – sampling award winning wines from heavenly settings.The region is best known for producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines to rival those from France, while other successful grape varieties that can be enjoyed during typical Napa wine tasting tours include Merlot, Chardonnay and Zinfandel.There are many ways to explore the 16 designated appellations during Napa Valley wine tasting tours, ranging from riding through the vineyards by bicycle to being chauffeured between wineries in a VIP limousine or even watching over the region from the skies in a hot air balloon.Although Napa wine tasting tours operate all year around, the best times to visit the region are during Spring, when the scenery is arguably at its most beautiful, or Autumn, when harvest season sees the region come alive with energy.Each year in June, Napa stages the world’s largest charity wine auction – which has raised more than $100 million over the last 30 years – while November’s Napa Film Festival is another tempting date in the calendar.

If you are interested in the best wine tasting tours in Napa Valley, contact Wine Paths for more information and inspirational ideas before planning a bespoke trip that will leave memories for a lifetime.