While the best part of a Napa vacation remains the onslaught of fabulous wine tasting tours, it can turn into a nerve-racking scenario for the uneducated wine drinker. First-time visitors to Napa or the Robert Mondavi Winery may wish to try the Wine Tasting Basics tour. Spend 45 minutes with a knowledgeable wine expert who can properly instruct even the most inexperienced wine drinker on everything from the correct way to read a label, to mastering the art of smelling, tasting and describing various wines. The tour embarks each day at 10 a.m. and costs $15. You may wish to book ahead of time however as the tour caps off at 15 guests.
One of the more popular and comprehensive tours at the Robert Mondavi Winery remains the Signature Tour and Tasting. Make your way through all phases of the winemaking process on this tour. Gaze out upon the beloved To Kalon Vineyard, before learning all about fermentation and barrel aging. Top it all off with a sampling of three delicious wines. The tour runs for 75 minutes and costs $25 per person. As with most tours at the winery, it may be wise to book ahead of time, as capacity restricts more than 15 guests. Offered daily, the tour begins every hour on the hour, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
As though journeying through the Robert Mondavi Winery wasn't rewarding enough, some tours offer deliciously prepared meals alongside your wine sampling. The Al Fresco Lunch in the Garden Tour remains an incredibly popular event amongst wine connoisseurs. Guests start their adventure by touring the famed To Kalon Cellar, where the guide will discuss different stages of the winemaking process. Next, guests can lunch on a freshly prepared meal, brilliantly paired with an appropriate wine, in the midst of the winery's garden. Relax in style as you take in sweeping views of the Napa Valley. This tour starts at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, running only from June to October. Although the $85 per person price tag may seem steep, keep in mind, it also includes a meal. Capacity for each tour taps out at 12 guests, so book ahead of time.
