Napa Valley Wine Excursions — Local services in Napa

Paul Bailey! What an ENCOUNTER with the vine! 🍷

Thank you for the wonderful itinerary... and getting us into some “secret handshake” places. 😉

We visited wineries that are not just income for growers... these are passion projects handed down by generations. Two of the places we visited do not sell their wine anywhere- on purpose. Their wine club is it! They are not ostentatious. They are exquisite. I cannot find the words exactly but suffice to say, it was an unforgettable EXPERIENCE.

We rode with one owner in his VW bus to his cave of barrels and tasted! Heard about his grandfather and father’s story. These guys still do hand punch downs!

Got into a UTV with two others and rode around their vineyards stopping to hear about root stock and the weather’s effect on harvest and different varietals in the AVAs and brix and the art of blending, and.... Went to the top of two mountains, sat in adirondacks, and drank wine while overlooking the valley.

These guys share the ethos and soul of winemaking.

These were not corporate owned conglomerates (and nothing wrong with that). These were the smaller places that you leave feeling like family. No crowds- just you and the Storyteller.

Fabulous.

Worth every penny!

Paul asked in advance what we wanted in the way bubbles, whites, reds... he customized our itinerary accordingly!

A little secret- he will ask if you want to stop at a Michelin rated restaurant for lunch with wine pairings.

You might. We opted for the Oakville Grocery Store! Buy a beautiful farm-to-table picnic lunch from the deli. Sit outside at darling umbrella covered tables… and drink lots of water‼️

If you go, you must use Napa Valley Wine Excursions. Paul and his team are amazing. He is a Napa boy and grew up in the valley with sons of respected owners. A private club, per se. there are several drivers who are all knowledgeable of wine...

I bought my daughters recently to Napa, their first time and was fortunate enough through my research to happen upon Napa Valley Wine Excursions. I worked with Paul who was wonderfully communicative and friendly and told him what I was looking to achieve, which was a good submersion into Napa and the wines, process and wineries. We wanted unique experiences, good wines and food and for a fun, few days together. I trusted Paul to create the schedule and boy did he do us proud.

Clearly Paul is very well known in Napa - he arranged multiple small, private winery visits, curated chef experiences, tastings and up close and personal experiences with some of the smaller, local wine growers, who we discovered have some phenomenal wines, not to mention great stories and experiences. We met their families and their pets and we sat on private back porches and tasting rooms, just living it up with them. For us, this was the absolute best way to see Napa. We had less interest in the larger commercial wineries - we can taste those wines anywhere.

Paul provided all of the transport and we spent our first two days with driver Jacob who was a lot of fun and tolerated the girls having fun in his vehicle. He kept us on schedule (its easy to lose track of time) and was the perfect host, informative and singing along with our music - he was fantastic. On our third day, we had John, equally lovely and extremely educational.

When we return to Napa, we will 100% contact Paul again. They outdid themselves. Thanks Paul,...

We are a repeat customer working with Paul to plan a perfect day of wine tasting in Napa, and the experience was nothing short of magical - again!! Our group wanted to avoid the huge, crowded wineries and find some true hidden gems, and Paul absolutely delivered.

Paul curated a day that was perfectly tailored to our tastes. Every single location was a delightful surprise, with incredible wines and a personal touch you just don't get at the more commercial spots. We all felt like we were visiting friends who happened to own stunning vineyards, not just another tour group passing through. The itinerary was flawless, with seamless transitions between tastings and luxurious transportation.

What truly set this experience apart was the level of care and insight. Paul didn't just book reservations; he built an experience that felt exclusive and deeply personal. It was a day our group will never forget, and it proved the value of working with someone who has such an intimate knowledge of the area.

If you're looking for a one-of-a-kind Napa experience that goes beyond the typical tourist trail, I cannot recommend Paul highly enough. He also was wonderful to spend time with and we all felt as if he blended perfectly into our group. Having worked with Paul before, I knew he would plan the perfect day but somehow he exceeded all of our expectations! Thank you Paul! We'll see...