Joseph Phelps Vineyards Tastings & Seminars

Thank you for your interest in Joseph Phelps Vineyards.  We welcome the opportunity to host you here at the winery.  We offer a few different styles of tastings and all are by appointment.  All the tastings include a sampling of current releases and our flagship wine, Insignia. All visits to Joseph Phelps Vineyards require an appointment. Please call 800-707-5789 to make a reservation.

Terrace Tastings: We offer casual tastings throughout the day scheduled on the half hour starting at 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2:30 p.m. on weekends. They consist of 6 current releases and include our flagship wine, Insignia. The cost is $25 per person.

Seminar Tastings: Seminar-style tastings are held weekdays at 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and weekends at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Each of these popular tastings embraces a wide variety of topics geared to both the novice and those with broader knowledge. All are semi-private (limited to 12 guests) and last 90 minutes. Cost is $40 per person for all seminars except the Insignia Blending and Single Vineyard Cabernets Seminars which are $60 per person.

If you are a Phelps Preferred member, your Phelps Preferred Membership entitles you to enjoy 4 complimentary tastings per visit, either in a seminar or terrace tasting. Additional guests enjoy tasting our wines at half-price: $12.50 for Terrace Tastings or $20 for a Seminar tasting; $30 for the Insignia Blending and Single Vineyard Cabernets Seminars.

Please note: We are not able to seat latecomers in a seminar, so please plan to arrive early to check in at the reservation desk. Please do not wear perfume, lotions or cologne. The seminar setting is not appropriate for small children. We recommend the more casual Terrace Tasting if you’re traveling with children.

Seminar Topics: (Vary by day; call (800) 707-5789 for availability and precise schedule).

Insignia Blending Seminar: Play winemaker for the day in our Insignia Blending seminar. Experiment with blending Insignia components, then taste and compare your blend with our current vintage.  NOTE: this seminar is $60 per person.

Single Vineyard Cabernets. Explore the notion that location, soil and climate will determine the taste of the wine. In this seminar, we will taste Cabernet Sauvignon from different estate vineyards and compare Insignia, from 6 estate vineyards, with the single vineyard Backus Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville.  NOTE: this seminar is $60 per person.

Barrel Seminar. Explore winemaking in general and the specific place that the barrel holds in the development of a wine. In addition to the current releases, taste four barrel samples of our Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and experience twelve different aromas found in wines that are aged in barrels.

Wine Aroma Challenge. Identify six white and six red wine aromas in the "Le Nez Aroma Identity" challenge and sharpen your ability to identify aromas in wine.

Freestone & Phelps. Explore the history of Joseph Phelps Vineyards and how its commitment to excellence led to the establishment of Freestone Vineyards, located in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Freestone will be followed by Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and our flagship wine, Insignia.