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Harney Lane Winery & Vineyards wins Best Winery Tour

Family-owned winery takes top honors

Whether you're a newbie or connoisseur, there's nothing like getting a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process (while tasting along the way) to hone your appreciation and your palate. 

  • Harney Lane Winery & Vineyards
    Lodi, Calif.

    The Grape to Glass tour at Harney Lane Winery and Vineyards takes visitors through the grounds of a working winery that’s been in the same family for five generations. The tour ends with a tasting from the winery’s diverse portfolio.
    Photo courtesy of Harney Lane Winery & Vineyards

  • King Family Vineyards
    Crozet, Va.

    Vineyard and Winery Tours at Virginia's King Family Vineyards include a history of the family and farm, a visit to one of the estate vineyards to learn about viticulture in Virginia, a walk through the tank and barrel rooms and a guided tasting of six different wines.
    Photo courtesy of King Family Vineyards / Aaron Watson Photography

  • Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves
    Healdsburg, Calif.

    Bella Vineyards offers three different tour experiences. Unleash the Beast takes visitors deep into the estate wine caves to learn about the art and science of aging wine, while the Ultimate Tour adds a ride in a vintage truck to the top of Lily Hill for a tasting in a private redwood grove. Those who’ve wondered what it takes to make wine can join the Mix it Up tour and blend their very own wine.
    Photo courtesy of Kim Carroll / Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves

  • Chappellet
    St Helena, Calif.

    Guests touring Chappellet in beautiful St. Helena get to peek behind the scenes inside the winery's historic Pritchard Hill facility, walk through the vineyards and sample limited-production wines crafted for the winery's private club members. These adults-only tours are by appointment only.
    Photo courtesy of Chappellet

  • Soter Vineyards
    Carlton, Ore.

    Visitors to Soter Vineyards can choose between a couple of tasting options, each by appointment only. A 45-minute Classic Tasting includes a sampling of current release wines in a seated, small-group setting. The longer Provisions Tasting pairs current release wines with small plates make from produce and meat grown on the estate’s own biodynamic farm.
    Photo courtesy of Soter Vineyards

  • Raptor Ridge Winery
    Newberg, Ore.

    Private tours of Raptor Ridge Winery cater to wine newbies and experts alike. Visit the barrel room, vineyards and tasting room, and plan to spend some time with a glass of wine on the outdoor deck as you take in the 180-degree views of the grapevines and mountains beyond.
    Photo courtesy of Raptor Ridge Winery

  • Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard
    Dundee, N.Y.

    Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard encompasses 80 acres of vineyards on the western slopes of Seneca Lake. Visitors can learn about the production of the region’s famous dry Rieslings and even purchase grape vines to take home and plant.
    Photo courtesy of Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard

  • Big Table Farm
    Gaston, Ore.

    You won't find a fancy tasting room at Big Table Farm. Instead, each visitor is welcomed personally to the historic farm house for a glimpse at a working farm and winery. Guests taste about half a dozen current release wines as they tour the facilities of the 70-acre Oregon farm.
    Photo courtesy of Big Table Farm

  • Stony Hill Vineyard
    St. Helena, Calif.

    The 90-minute tour of Stony Hill Vineyard takes guests into the fermentation and barrel rooms to learn about how wood and wine interact in the barrel–many of the wooden tanks here date back to the 1950s and 60s. Tours culminate in a tasting out on a deck overlooking the scenic property and the surrounding Napa Valley hills.
    Photo courtesy of Alex Rubin for Stony Hill Vineyard

  • Fenn Valley Vineyards
    Fennville, Mich.

    Throughout the year, wine lovers and the casually curious are invited to tour the grounds of Fenn Valley Vineyards in beautiful Western Michigan. This educational and entertaining experience lasts just under two hours, taking visitors into the vineyards or the wine cellar to learn more about the process. Wine samples are served throughout.
    Photo courtesy of spablab / Flickr

The top 10 winners in the Best Winery Tour category are as follows:

  1. Harney Lane Winery & Vineyards - Lodi, Calif.
  2. King Family Vineyards - Crozet, Va.
  3. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves - Healdsburg, Calif.
  4. Chappellet - St Helena, Calif.
  5. Soter Vineyards - Carlton, Ore
  6. Raptor Ridge Winery - Newberg, Ore.
  7. Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard - Dundee, N.Y.
  8. Big Table Farm - Gaston, Ore.
  9. Stony Hill Vineyard - St. Helena, Calif.
  10. Fenn Valley Vineyards - Fennville, Mich.

A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Jill Barth, a Provence Wine Master; Shana Clarke, Wine Editor for inside.com and contributor to Eat Sip Trip; Karen MacNeil, one of the foremost wine experts in the U.S.; and June Rodil, a Master Sommelier were chosen for their knowledge of wine and the American wine scene.

Congratulations to all these winning winery tours!

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AlertThe Experts

Jill Barth

Jill Barth

Jill Barth is an American journalist covering wine, food and travel. She's the author of the award-winning wine blog, L'Occasion, and a contributor at Forbes.com and USA TODAY 10Best Eat Sip Trip. Jill is a Provence Wine Master from the Wine Scholar Guild and was a 2018 Fellow at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers. Find her on Instagram and Twitter. 

Shana Clarke

Shana Clarke

Shana Clarke is a freelance journalist and consultant based in New York City. Her work regularly appears in a variety of consumer and trade publications, includingWine Enthusiast, Playboy, USA Today’s Eat Sip Trip andSevenFifty Daily, among others. She is also the Wine Editor for inside.com. Shana holds a Level 3 Advanced Certification from Wine & Spirits Education Trust and served as a judge at the TexSom International Wine Awards. Follow her at @ShanaSpeaksWine and see more of her work on www.shanaspeakswine.com.

Karen MacNeil

Karen MacNeil

One of the foremost wine experts in the United States, Karen MacNeil is the only American to have won every major wine award given in the English Language. In a full-page profile on her, TIME Magazine called Karen, “America’s Missionary of the Vine.” Karen is the author of the award-winning book, THE WINE BIBLE, the single best selling wine book in the United States, with more than one million copies sold. Known for her passion and unique style, she conducts seminars and presentations for corporate clients worldwide. The former wine correspondent for the Today Show on NBC, Karen was also the host of the PBS series Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil, for which she won an Emmy. And finally, Karen is the creator and Chairman Emeritus of the Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America, which has been called the “Harvard” of wine education. Follow Karen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

June Rodil

June Rodil

Born in the Philippines and raised in Dallas, Texas, June is a Master Sommelier – only the seventh in Texas and the 23rd woman in the United States – after passing The Court of Master Sommelier’s rigorous test in 2015. As VP of Operations of McGuire Moorman Hospitality, June oversees the management and operations at the grou’s nine restaurants, while also overseeing the diverse wine, beer and spirits programs: everything from sourcing new Burgundies to pair with Jeffrey’s expertly-grilled steaks to selecting rosés and sparkling wines meant to be enjoyed on Perla’s shady outdoor patio. Follow June on Instagram and Twitter.