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Beringer vineyards is a beautiful Napa winery just steps away from St. Helena. Beringer winery is the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa! In this Beringer Vineyards review, I’ll tell you everything you need to know before you visit this historic Napa Valley winery.
Sitting on the luxurious porch of Beringer winery catching up with family was an idyllic way to end an afternoon of wine tasting in Napa Valley. Beringer vineyards is the place you want to build time in to explore. It is one of the most beautiful, historic wineries that I have been to. As you’ll see below, there are beautiful grounds at Beringer winery and it is just steps away from the picturesque town of St. Helena.
Before we get into all the details of my visit to Beringer winery and the beauty of this historic house, here is some interesting history on one of the oldest wineries in Napa.
The History of Beringer Vineyards
The history of Beringer Vineyards dates all the way back to 1868. Jacob Beringer, sailed from his home in Germany, to the United States to start a new life in New York. After hearing that the soil and valley floor of Napa Valley resembled that of vineyards in Germany, Jacob moved to California in 1869 to begin a winemaking adventure.
He started as a cellar foreman for Charles Krug, a very well known winemaker in Napa Valley. In 1875, Jacob and his brother, Frederick Beringer, purchased 215 acres in St. Helena (next door to Krug), which became the heart of the Beringer estate today.
The first Beringer harvest and crush took place in 1876. Jacob was the winemaker, while his brother Frederick managed the finances. The first two floors of the Old Winery were completed and workers began digging a 1,200 linear feet tunnel to store the wine for aging. The historic Rhine house was finished in 1884 by architect Albert Schroepfer. This is the beautiful building you see in lots of my photos throughout this Beringer winery review.
In 1967, Beringer Winery was named a State Historic Landmark for its significance to California’s history. In 1972, the Rhine House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Rhine house (pictured below) is absolutely beautiful and you can see why the Estate is named a historic district. I could imagine curling up with a book and a glass of Beringer wine on the veranda. Be sure to check out the stained-glass windows throughout the house. They are so colorful and vivid.
During the prohibition, Beringer was one of the few wineries that stayed in operation. They made sacramental wines for the church, so were allowed to stay open! After Prohibition, Beringer was the first winery to offer public tours, which began the world-known wine tourism in Napa Valley. The lavish estate and award-winning wines have made Beringer winery a very popular destination for travelers.
The Beringer family history lived on as Mark Beringer, great-great-grandson of Beringer Vineyards’ founding brother Jacob Beringer, was Chief Winemaker from 2015-2020.
Beringer Vineyard Wine Tastings and Reservations
I highly recommend a visit to the beautiful Beringer vineyard. Beringer winery was voted Napa’s Best Wine Tour in 2022 – a sure sign to book yourself a tasting experience at this Napa Valley winery.
Daily experiences are available to book. Advance reservations are recommended. They will accommodate walk-ins based on availability but I highly recommend you book your tasting in advance.
There are lots of wine tastings and tasting experiences available at Beringer winery, in addition to some food pairing. They are mostly seated tastings and give you a chance to sit and absorb the beauty of Napa Valley.
We enjoyed a veranda tasting at the historic Rhine House. It was a 60 minute experience but we were not rushed at all. We got to taste 5 different wines which were all fabulous! We started off with the 2020 Private Reserve Chardonnay from Gamble Ranch in Oakville AVA. Chardonnay is my favorite wine so I loved that we started with this.
After the chardonnay, we tasted a 2018 Merlot from Bancroft Ranch in Howell Mountain. Another great wine. We also tasted the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from the “home” vineyard in St. Helena, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Steinhauer Ranch at Howell Mountain, and the 2017 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. We had such a great time relaxing on the veranda and tasting the delicious wines.
There are lots of other wine tasting experiences available including the Single Vineyard tasting and food pairing. This wine tasting highlights Beringer’s different & distinct vineyards across Napa Valley. During this tasting, you will taste a combination of 5 Single Vineyard wines across multiple vintages. These tastings will be paired with a small bites menu prepared by the Hudson House Culinary team. You also get a short guided tour as part of this experience.
Another fun wine tasting experience is the Eighth maker tasting. During this experience, you’ll get to taste a flight of 4 impressive single vineyard wines including both library and current vintage. You’ll also get to taste the very famous 2016 Eighth Maker Cabernet Sauvignon.
There are lots more variations of exciting tastings available which are held in various tasting rooms and on the veranda. See the Beringer website here for more details on tasting options. Don’t forget to stop off at the gift shop on your way out.
Beringer Winery Guided Tours and Self Tours
Along with wine tastings, Beringer Vineyards also offer guided tours and self guided tours. These are public tours that can also be reserved online in advance. There is lots to see at Beringer Vineyards and even more history to soak up.
The self-guided tour offers a historic tour of the beautiful Beringer estate. You can enjoy a glass of wine as you scan QR codes along the way. As part of this tour you will get access to the historic wine-aging cave. You’ll need a phone with internet access to enjoy this experience (complimentary WIFI is available). You can explore for as little or as long as you like. Allow at least 30 minutes for this tour.
If you are after a guided historical tour of the grounds, then book the Legacy Tour and Tasting.
The experience will begin with a guided historical tour of the grounds and Beringer Vineyard wine caves. You’ll then meander to the historic Old Winery. The Old Winery was where the Beringer brothers produced their first vintages. Each of the 5 wines you’ll taste showcases a vineyard, variety, or growing region.
Beringer Vineyard Wines
Beringer wines are great wines and a tasting experience is going to be a treat! The surroundings and the wine are equally beautiful. Beringer have won many awards over the years for many of their wines.
You can shop all of the Beringer wines on the Beringer website here.
Beringer Wine Club
If you love visiting Beringer Vineyard and Beringer wines, the Beringer Wine Club is worth looking into. Club members get lots of benefits including curated and exclusive wines just for members, customization options to suit your preferences, experiences exclusive to members, complimentary tastings and discounts on tours.
My Overall Beringer Vineyard Review
As you can see, we had the best time at Beringer Vineyard. It was so relaxing, Rhine house was incredibly beautiful, and we were really looked after.
I am definitely going to return to Beringer Vineyard with friends in the future. I absolutely loved the veranda, the charcuterie board and the feeling of stepping back in time in the historic Rhine house. It’s the perfect day trip as it is so close to San Francisco, which is home for me.
Book your exciting tasting at Beringer vineyard here.
If you have any questions after reading my Beringer Vineyard review, please DM me on Instagram or reach out to me via email. To finish up my Beringer winery review, here are some frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Beringer winery hours?
Beringer Vineyards are open daily between 10am and 5pm. I highly recommend allowing enough time after your tasting to wander around the estate.
Do Beringer vineyards host weddings?
Yes! Beringer vineyards host weddings. They have a detailed page with all the services and details for planning your special occasion or wedding.
Who owns Beringer wine?
Treasury Wine Estates owns the Beringer vineyard. They also own BV wines, which is another nearby winery. Read about my experience at BV winery here.
Is Beringer a good wine?
Yes, Beringer is a good wine. We loved all the wine that we tasted when visiting Beringer winery. Beringer winery has won many awards for their delicious wine. I highly recommend visiting the winery or ordering a bottle online to experience the taste first hand.
Where else should I visit when in Napa Valley?
Here are some related blog posts to some of my other favorite Napa Valley Wineries.
Domaine Carneros Review (an ultra lux sparkling wine tasting at a Chateau.
Castello Di Amorosa Review (a magnificent castle winery)
Beaulieu Vineyard Review (amazing red wines)
Where should I stay when in Napa Valley?
I recently stayed at Napa River Inn and loved it so much. It’s located in downtown Napa and is a quick drive from everything. The rooms are really quaint and lots have a cozy fireplace. Read all the details on Napa River Inn in my blog post here.
Thank you to Beringer Vineyards for hosting us during our visit.