Taste The Best of Napa Valley — Wine Experiences Under $50

Think you need to splurge to taste Napa Valley’s world-famous Cab Sauv and Chardonnay? Think again. With more than 100 tastings available for under $50, Napa Valley proves great wine doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Traveling up the valley, here are ten spots that keep quality high and prices low—from a scenic, equestrian-ranch winery to a women-owned bodega serving Napa’s first all-Asian cuisine pairing menu.

As the first Vietnamese-owned winery in Napa Valley, RD Winery is a welcoming, inclusive space known for diverse wines (and Napa’s first all-Asian cuisine pairing menu!) and $25 tastings. The indoor space features artwork from Vietnamese artists including Duong Ngoc Son and Lam Manh, while the garden-side patio is ideal for soaking up winery views.

This family-owned Trefethen Winery was using terms like “sustainability” and “estate grown” as far back as its founding in 1968. The emphasis on green viticulture comes through in their exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon and Dry Riesling, available during the 60-minute, $45 tasting experience.

Founded by the same family behind renowned Champagne Taittinger, Domaine Carneros brings a slice of French palatial architecture to Napa Valley. The 138-acre parcel is anchored by a stunning French-style château with a grand staircase leading to formal gardens. Despite the opulence, tastings of sparkling or still flights start at just $45/person.

With roots dating to 1869, Priest Ranch is one of Napa Valley’s most storied wineries, now encompassing 1,682 acres in the eastern hills off Silverado. Head to its Yountville tasting room for limited-production, single-varietal wines, including styles rarely found elsewhere in the region, like Petit Verdot or a Brut Rosé of Syrah—starting at $50/person.

The family-owned Grgich Hills Estate is among Napa Valley’s most sustainable wineries; in 2023 it became one of the world’s few to receive Regenerative Organic Certification. A $30 Du Jour Tasting offers a window into their sustainable world, where sheep graze the vineyards and solar power drives production.

In downtown St. Helena, the family-owned Clif Family Farm offers a variety of wine-tasting adventures at $50/person. Choose the Seasonal Wine Tasting with small-production wines from the organically farmed estate; the Rise & Wine Tasting with brunch-inspired bites and lighter-style wines; or the Cap Drop Tasting centered on Cabernet Sauvignon from several of the family’s organically farmed vineyards, paired with farm-to-table bites.

For just $45/person, visitors to HALL St. Helena enjoy a curated flight of award-winning Cabernet Sauvignons with sweeping views of the estate vineyard and the Mayacamas Mountains. Pro Tip: leave time to wander the art-filled property, home to works by John Baldessari, Jim Campbell, and Nick Cave.

In 1995, winemaker David Swift Phinney, then a college student, went to Florence, Italy to spend a semester “studying” — i.e., discovering Italian wine. Decades later, Phinney’s Orin Swift Cellars and Winery has become one of Napa Valley’s must-visits, producing complex wines made with grapes from 100+ vineyards across California. A $45 tasting at the St. Helena room is a deep dive into the Orin Swift universe—sips, stories, and more.

Tamber Bey is the vision of vintner Barry Waitte and his wife, Jennifer, an accomplished equestrian. At their 22-acre ranch just outside Calistoga, winemaking and equestrian traditions come together (where else can you sip Cab Sauv while admiring exotic Arabian endurance racehorses, Argentine polo ponies, and mini horses?). The Courtyard Tasting Experience starts at $50 and includes a scenic perch stableside.

Picayune was founded by winemaker Claire Weinkauf, a French native with a passion for fine wine at accessible prices. The light-filled tasting room on Calistoga’s main street delivers French flair and wallet-friendly costs, with a one-hour classic tasting from $35. Pro Tip: swing by the on-site hat bar to try a diverse range of vinter-ready rancher styles made from Australian wool.