Ballentine Vineyards — Attraction in St. Helena

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Napa Treasure – Warm, Welcoming, and Wonderfully Unpretentious

We’ve been wine club members at Ballentine Vineyards for years, and it’s hands-down one of our favorite places in all of Napa. This family-owned gem has everything we love about wine country—breathtaking views, world-class wine, and a laid-back, welcoming vibe that makes everyone feel at home.

What sets Ballentine apart is how approachable it is. There’s no pretense here—just great wine, good people, and a true passion for the craft. The staff always greets us like old friends, and we’ve had some of our most memorable wine tastings right here, glass in hand, surrounded by the beauty of the vines.

It’s also one of the few places in the region where the whole family can truly relax. Our kids love taking the dog for long, leisurely walks through the vineyard rows while we enjoy a tasting, and it’s that kind of space—open, relaxed, and rooted in nature. There's a feeling of calm here that you just don’t find at the big, commercial estates.

We’ve also attended their “Dinner in the Vines” events, which are absolutely magical. The food and wine pairings are spot-on, and the experience of dining among the vines as the sun sets is something truly special.

The wines are consistently excellent—we especially love the zins and cabs, but the new rosé was a real standout: crisp, refreshing, and a little unexpected in the best way.

Plus, the location is fantastic with some really great food options nearby for lunch or a post-tasting bite. It makes Ballentine the perfect stop for a full afternoon of wine, food, and fun.

If you’re looking for a relaxed, high-quality wine experience in Napa that doesn’t feel stuffy or overly produced, Ballentine is your place. It’s a rare blend of authenticity, consistency, and heart—and we feel lucky every...

The tasting room was fantastic and Kim was very courteous. We walked out with 8 bottles, all of which were great. However, we ordered a half-dozen replacements and four of the last 6 bottles of the new batch have been undrinkable. They smelled of rubbing alchohol or vinegar (hard to say but NOT right) and were silty to the point of leaving clumps on the bottom of the decanter and specs on the surface of every wine glass that carried it.

I emailed to ask if they had received other complaints and if there was anything they could do (did NOT ask for a refund, but clearly the wine is spoiled). I was told there were no reports of issues, that sometimes the winemaker's style doesn't fit our palette. Considering we drank 8 bottle previous to this new shipment and raved about it, that we knew exactly what we were hoping for, but didn't get it.

So if you buy local at the winery, it's likely fine. But I would not under any circumstance order ANY wine from this winemaker and have it shipped, as there's clearly no avenue or customer support after the sale if the wine has clearly gone bad. Granted they are only 4-5 bottles at $40-50 a bottle, so I'm not going bankrupt, but buyer beware if you expect a $40-50 bottle of wine to tase good, because none of the last batch did.

Note: We have two unopened bottles left that I offered to ship back to them at my cost to test or taste, and that offer was not taken. It's a shame too, as I would have likely bought 6-12 bottles every few months, as it WAS our favorite dinner wine/casual drinking wine. To not even offer a partial credit to another order is...

A nice hidden gem of the North Valley.

I was brought to Ballentine Vineyards through friends and was impressed with not just the quality of wine but their history of supporting other wineries through their farming history. I also really enjoyed their casual and friendly approach. It wasn't the typical Napa Valley vibe. Both times I went there I either came home with bottles or bought several for friends at one of their events (more on that later) AND brought home more bottles lol.

At the time(s) of my visit they had their Merlot, Zin, Cab and Chenin Blanc available for tasting. The C. Blanc was perfect for my first visit as it was a very warm day. I really liked all 3 reds but gravitated towards the Zin as I love the balance of body and fruit flavors. I ended up buying a few bottles of Merlot for friends as that is an exceptional wine for wine lovers that are not extremely particular about their juice. It has a very nice balance of all 4 quadrants of wine quality.

I loved my visit so much I sent my friend there for a visit on their anniversary trip to the valley.

My second trip there I organized a car show for about ~40 of my friends. It was a blast! I appreciate how the owners have a love for auto and thank them for letting us all meet at their vineyard.

It was another warm day and they opened up their cellar to us. It featured a large beautifully crafted center table in between the large holding tanks which kept the room nice and cool.

In closing, if you are in the north valley I would highly recommend that you stop by and take a few...