O'Brien Estate Winery 5

O'Brien Estate Winery is a bit of a hidden gem in Napa, where most recommendations lead you to the latest and greatest tourist trap winery, or worse, a train ride. We found the place on the recommendation of our hot air balloon pilot (no, seriously :D), and were welcomed upon arrival by the friendly owner.

The vineyard is a beautiful place to bring a picnic lunch to accompany a tasting of their fantastic estate-bottle wines. You're openly invited to wander the grounds and they'll give you a detailed tour of their cellar and bottling line. They also host special events on a fairly regular basis, so if you're traveling to Napa, check out the calendar on their website to see if they're hosting something special.

In regard to their wines, their highly rated Chardonnay was brilliance, and the Bordeaux and Merlot included in their Romantic Trio and Portfolio gift boxes are unique and complex, with particularly distinct nose and finish despite my relatively uninformed taste for wine.

Although the general theme of their wine names revolves around intimacy, as a group celebrating my friend's birthday, the ambiance was perfect. I could also see it as a great place to visit for couples, but by no means is the experience exclusively catered to that audience.