Why I Skipped Napa for a Local's Wine Passport (And You Should Too)
If you caught Sunday's newsletter, you already know part of this story. If not, here it is: a friend of mine, who's spent years actually running wine tastings herself, told me to skip Napa for our girls' trip and come to her neighborhood instead. I hesitated. Isn't Napa kind of the whole point? Then I went. And I haven't looked at a typical wine tasting the same way since.
Where we went
Her neighborhood is the wine country around Lakeport, CA and late August is the sweet spot if you want to catch harvest season there. The passport gave us access to more than 20 local wineries over two days, most of them small, boutique operations you'd never stumble onto without someone local pointing the way. No tour buses, no waiting in line behind twenty strangers, no tiny pours, just genuinely intimate tastings with the people who actually make the wine.
What made it work
A few of these wineries even had their own private inns tucked right into the vineyard, so if you want to turn it into a proper overnight escape, that option exists right where you're tasting.
The other non-negotiable: hire a driver. This isn't just a Lakeport thing, it matters just as much in Napa or Sonoma. It means everyone actually gets to enjoy the day instead of one person playing designated sipper. In Napa, I've used Designated Driver, and they don't just handle the driving, they book all their favorite wineries into your day too. One of our best memories with them was a picnic lunch they arranged mid-day at a winery tucked into a grove of towering redwoods. Completely unplanned by us, completely unforgettable.
If Napa or Sonoma is more your speed
Not every girls' trip needs to be off the beaten path. If what you're picturing is a walkable downtown, boutique shopping, and five-star amenities close by, Napa and Sonoma still deliver that in a way Lakeport doesn't. A couple of favorite boutique luxury stays for that version of the trip are Inn on Randolph (Napa) or Farmhouse Inn (Sonoma). Both are elevated inns and perfect for small groups.
When to start planning
Harvest season is short, and the best wineries and stays book up in advance. If a girlfriends trip has been sitting on your someday list, now's the time to start the conversation.
