Following a $10 million investment, Codorníu Napa, the California cousin to the longstanding Spanish winery, reopened as Artesa. The roster, which previously comprised only sparkling wines, now boasts a number of premium still wines, all sourced from various Napa appellations. Many are tasting-room only, which provides even more excuse to visit this Carneros property known for its stunning hilltop views and contemporary design scheme.

Sometimes you can find amazing wine treasures at smaller fund raisers and auctions. Find out about these events in the local papers—even big-time collectors and spenders send their scouts to get deals on unusual bottles. Check the events listings in the Napa Valley Register, which publishes a weekly calendar every Friday or contact Indagare's bookings team for assistance.

B Cellars uses blends from multiple vineyards to produce exceptional wine with distinct flavors. The result is balanced and complex artisanal wines. Reservations are required for all tastings, which include pairings with dishes prepared in the on-site kitchen.

Seemingly suspended between rolling hillside and open sky, Cade occupies a breathtaking location high on Howell Mountain that offers views of the valley floor and beyond. The property itself sprawls across 54 lush acres, but some 60 percent of its evergreen forests and blooming meadows were left untouched; the rest is planted with neat rows of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes, all farmed organically. The winery is the brainchild of the team behind Plumpjack, the successful brand founded by Gavin Newsom and Gordon Getty in the early 1990s. Cade become the first LEED Gold Certified winery in the Napa Valley for its green architecture.

The group’s third partner, vintner John Conover, said completing Cade was a dream come true. The use of recycled materials is just one of many cool eco-details at Cade. The 35,000 square feet of solar panels lining the roof of the winery produce more energy than is actually needed for nine months out of the year (and which feeds directly back into the St. Helena grid); the caves’ temperature is controlled naturally, thanks to radiant flooring (about four times more efficient than cooling with air); and the sleek table in the barrel tasting room was made of steel salvaged from a submarine from local Mare Island Naval Shipyard.

Best of all, however, is the beauty of the wild expanses surrounding the modern tasting room and its stunning terrace, both places where you can while away an afternoon sipping Cade vintages. Regular tastings are by appointment only. “We wanted the winery to be really accessible,” says Conover. “There’s been a lot of interest in green businesses, which I find so encouraging when looking to the future.” Of course, when visiting the state-of-the-art Cade, one cannot help but think that the future is now.

Read more about Cade.

Set on a former homestead on Spring Mountain, Cain’s terraced vineyards host the five classical Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Owners Jim and Nancy Meadlock purchased the property from Joyce and Jerry Cain in 1991 and continued the tradition of focusing solely on Cabernet blends, like the signature Cain Five.

This historic theater sells gourmet items in concessions and is the oldest single-screen theater in the US.

Clif Family Winery offers guests with the munchies both a Bruschetteria food truck and an outdoor garden patio with fabulous views on which to enjoy their purchases.

Guests of Cliff Lede are invited to ramble through its sculpture garden and art gallery, which mounts rotating exhibitions.

Picknickers at the Clos du Val have their choice of venue—overlooking the vineyard or in the property’s olive grove—for an alfresco lunch surrounded by the most picturesque landscape in Napa Valley.

Established by Rene di Rosa to showcase works of art by artists from Northern California, the Di Rosa collection includes over 2,000 works in various media. The Gatehouse Gallery, which overlooks a majestic 35-acre lake, is open to drop-ins. A guided tour is needed to view the permanent collection, sculpture meadow and residence. Advanced reservations are recommended.

Gil and Beth Nickel, who moved to California from Oklahoma in 1976, opened this winery in 1979. The property actually dates back to 1885 when it was owned and operated by forty-niner John Benson (uncle of painter Winslow Homer) who abandoned it in 1919 at the start of Prohibition. Of note, Far Niente’s five vineyards produce only two varietals each year—Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon—and all bottles are super high quality. Tasting room appointments necessary.

Frog's Leap is special among its fellow Napa wineries in that in addition to excellent wines, it also offers special kid-friendly activities. Visitors can also explore its spacious grounds, which includes gardens and farm animals.

In 1871, the son-in-law of George Yount purchased a seventy-five-acre farm and named it Inglenook, a Scottish word meaning “cozy corner”; the property’s first grapes were planted that same year. The winery is now run by Francis Ford Coppola, who purchased acreage there in 1975.

In 1973, Joseph Phelps planted vineyards and constructed a winery on a 600-acre ranch, harvesting grapes the next year that would become California’s first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend, Insignia. Today, Joseph Phelps Vineyards offers tailored private tastings by appointment.

Merus resuscitated one of Napa’s “ghost wineries” — abandoned during Prohibition — with co-founder Erika Gotti’s Amsterdam-based UXUS design firm. The fully updated space features such elements as exposed beams, black granite, lacquered surfaces and beautiful light fixtures.

Mumm Napa is located off Silverado Trail, which runs along the hillside, offering a lovely view over the Valley. A 45-minute tour explores how sparkling wine is made and ends up in the Fine Art Photography Gallery. The rotating exhibits are truly impressive. Afterwards enjoy a sip of bubbly on the lovely terrace.

This jewel-box of a theater with an Italian-style façade was built in 1879. In the early 1900s, it famously hosted Jack London (a Sonoma resident) for a reading. Today it offers a mix of live music as well as shows and films.

The Nickel & Nickel winery sits on the grounds of a farmstead that was settled in the 1880s. Tours, by appointment only, include a visit to the John C. Sullenger House, named for the original owner, and a walk through the farmstead, barns and the underground barrel aging cellar. The space is also available for private food- and wine-tasting events.

Opus One is a joint enterprise between two of the wine world’s greatest legends—Vintner Hall of Famer Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild of Château Mouton Rothschild. The pair met in 1970 and combined forces to produce a single Bordeaux-style blend that would feature Napa’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Hype over de Rothschild’s involvement was, understandably, high and the first case of Opus One sold in 1981 for a (then) record-breaking $24,000. Tasting room appointments necessary.

This 235-acre estate straddling the Napa/Sonoma border and known by locals as Summit Ranch, went through 34 different owners since the first planting in 1869. It’s currently managed by the Pride family, which has found its niche producing red wines (particularly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), many of which consistently receive high ratings. Tasting room appointments necessary.

Napa Valley is filled with properties whose stunning architecture and décor enhance the wine-tasting experience. The crescent-shaped Quintessa winery is among the most magnificent—environmentally sensitive, it fits perfectly into a hillside and does little to disrupt the landscape’s natural beauty.

Formerly known as Ma(i)sonry, this renovated manor house turned tasting room and “living gallery” is now part of the Restoration Hardware brand. The space exhibits handcrafted furnishings, design and art and guests can enjoy private tastings of limited-production boutique wines in private tastings. There are multiple private rooms and outdoor spaces and the property is also available for events.

One of Napa’s oldest wineries, sparkling-wine specialist Schramsberg was founded in 1862 by Jacob Schram, whose Victorian mansion still sits on the property, amid bubbling springs and a frog pond.

This beautiful winery, located on a plot of enviable countryside near Rutherford, was one of the first to turn a tasting into an haute experience. The salon is like the backdrop for a theater production, with deep-red walls, a massive octagonal Moroccan wood table inlaid with geodes and such dramatic touches as massive silver candelabras, long-stemmed roses and oversized shells. Tastings in the Salon and the more casual Sip Shoppe next door are by appointment only. With candy-cane-striped wallpaper and whimsical furnishings and paintings, the Sip Shoppe feels trendier than the more elegant salon. Alexis Swanson Traina, the charming creative director, has created a small retail boutique as well, which she co-curated with Andy Spade, of Jack Spade fame.

Donald Hess, founder of Hess winery, has been acquiring works by such artists as Robert Motherwell and Anselm Kiefer since the 1960s, and part of his collection is on view in the museum connected with the vineyard; the majority is on loan to institutions around the world.

Family-owned since 1885, the V. Sattui winery also has an Italian-style marketplace and artisanal deli on property where guests can purchase everything they need for a feast surrounded by the expansive lawns and gardens.

Many wineries take full advantage of the valley’s natural splendor, providing visitors with breathtaking views. Located in a quiet canyon off Silverado Trail, Vine Cliff has a large outdoor seating area and outdoor gardens where guests can savor the sweeping panorama along with their tastings.