1111 Dunaweal Ln, Calistoga, CA 94515

Website: http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/age_gateway?destination=home

Sterling Vineyards is located in Calistoga. The white stucco Mediterranean style building is easily spotted from miles away sitting upon a knoll 300 feet above the town of Calistoga. The winery was inspired by the structures on the Greek island of Mykonos where founder Peter Newton once lived. The truly unique feature of this winery is that visitors must take an aerial tram from the parking lot to the Visitors Center. This winery is one of the first places that I would recommend to someone who is visiting Napa Valley for the first time because of its unique tour, great views from the Visitors Center, and nice wines. I also think the aerial tram adds a touch of romance. Perhaps I feel that way because this was one of the tours my husband and I enjoyed the most on our honeymoon. I would caution visitors though, this winery draws a lot of tourists and there can be a little bit of a wait to get on the aerial tram. It is a good idea to arrive early in the day to beat the crowds.

As we turned into Sterling Vineyards from Dunaweal Lane, the first thing we encountered was a long drive with trees and vineyards on each side. It is a beautiful sight to see and made me want to open my window and soak in the fresh air and landscape around me. Once we arrived at the parking area and got out of the car, we saw big, brightly colored rose bushes lining the walkway. Then we walked to the ticket booth to purchase our aerial tram tickets. This reminded me of the ticket booths at an amusement park I used to go to in my high school days.

Sterling offers several tour and tasting experiences. The General Admission tour, which is the one my husband and I went on, includes a ride in the aerial tram, a complimentary tasting of five wines, and a souvenir wine glass. There is also a Sterling Silver VIP Experience or a Food and Wine Pairing Experience. These experiences include all of the General Admission features plus an additional benefits for an extra fee. If individuals choose the General Admission and then decide they would like to try the Reserve wines at the Visitors Center, like we did, it is still possible to sit down in the Reserve tasting room and sample wines for an additional fee.

With tickets in hand, we headed to the aerial tram. The short trip up the hill to the winery provides a great panoramic view of Napa Valley. I recommend having a camera handy to snap pictures of the landscape down below as the tram moves its way up the hillside. The self-guided tour starts as soon as guests step off the tram. There was a wine station set up at the beginning of the tour where a hostess handed us our first glass of wine. It was a Sauvignon Blanc. We carried the glass with us, sipping the wine as we wound our way around the outside of the stucco building. There are screens and placards that guide the way and provide information about the winery and winemaking process. As we walked along the side of the building we were able to see a couple of the towers that house the eight bells that come from a London church founded in the 10^th century. The white stucco facility and bell towers reminded me of a monastery. The bells toll each quarter hour and can be heard throughout the valley.

After passing by the crush pad and indoor barrel room, we arrived at an outdoor patio. This is where we were given our second glass of wine. There are tables and chairs on the patio where visitors can sit and relax. It is also a popular spot for people to stop and take a group photo with the breath-taking backdrop of the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges. Mount Saint Helena can also be seen in the distance. When we were done snapping pictures and soaking in some sun, we headed back inside through the barrel room to the third wine station. The tour then led us to the Visitors Center.

We finished up our tasting at the Visitors Center. I have been to the winery twice and had a little bit different experience each time. The first time I visited, we went to an outside seating area and a server poured our last couple of wines for us. Afterwards we decided that we wanted to try some Reserve wines in the Reserve Tasting Room. The second time I visited, we stayed indoors at the general tasting area, and there was a station set up that we had to walk up to and make a selection from the tasting menu. When the tasting was complete, we were led back through the gift shop where we could purchase wines before getting back on the aerial tram to go back down to the parking lot.

Visitors can easily spend a couple hours here walking around the winery and sipping wine. Everyone is entitled to move at his or her own pace. One final recommendation I have is to wear comfortable shoes for this tour. There is a lot of walking and some stairs. There are elevators available to get from the tram to the Visitors Center.