o'brien estate winery tours

• O’Brien Estate 2024 Rhine River Wine Cruise & Oktoberfest

September 22 - September 29

• Cruise & Tours
• Register Now
• Optional Land Tours
• About the ship

Ports of Call

Terms & conditions.

Program Highlights 

• Cruise personally hosted by O’Brien Estate Vintners, Bart & Barb O’Brien aboard Uniworld’s new S.S. Victoria
• Exclusive onboard receptions, seminar & tasting, and Winemaker’s Dinner
• Optional Food & Wine Trails’ Oktoberfest 5-night post-cruise land program and bespoke shoreside tours curated exclusively for O’Brien Estate guests
• Unlimited wine, beer, spirits and soft drinks onboard ship
• Complimentary Uniworld shore tours in every port
• Shipboard gratuities included
• Visits to multiple UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Early Booking Bonus: $150 per person shipboard credit (if booked by May 31, 2024)

Join Bart & Barb O’Brien for their next adventure aboard Uniworld’s newest ship – S.S. Victoria along the Rhine River.

Discover Alsace, whose dual French and German heritage has given it fabulous food and a winemaking tradition that goes back to the Romans. Marvel at castles that were once mighty fortresses and get an insider’s look at one of the only castles on the Rhine that has never been destroyed, Marksburg Castle. Visit historic cities, including ancient Cologne and picturesque Strasbourg; stroll through the fairytale town of Rüdesheim; and taste delightful white wines in the villages where the grapes are grown.  Join Bart & Barb for exclusive onboard events featuring impeccable O’Brien Estate wines.

The fun doesn’t stop when the cruise ends – you won’t want to miss the optional 5-night post-cruise land program celebrating the annual festival in Munich – Oktoberfest!

For reservations contact F&WT at 800-367-5348 or click the links to register online.

Cruise Line

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

Basel to Amsterdam

Bart & Barb O'Brien

O'Brien Estate Vintners

O’Brien Estate

Destination: Rhine River To & From:   Basel to Amsterdam Dates: September 22 – 29, 2024 Length: 7 Nights Ship: S.S. Victoria

F&WT Onboard Event:  O’Brien Estate Welcome Dinner

SAVE THE DATE! F&WT Optional Shore Tour: Baiden: Germany’s Pinot Paradise

Uniworld Included Shore Tours,   Choice of: Alsatian Villages tour OR Freiburg city tour

Uniworld Captain’s Welcome Reception & Dinner

F&WT Onboard Event: O’Brien Estate Seminar & Wine Tasting

Uniworld Included Shore Tour: Strasbourg Panoramic Tour with Cathedral and Old Town Walk

SAVE THE DATE! F&WT Optional Shore Tour: Mannheim: The Palatine of the Rhine

Uniworld Included Shore Tours, Choice of: Mannheim vineyard tour and tasting OR Doktorenhof Vinegar Estate Visit and Tasting

Uniworld Included Shore Tours, Choice of: Castle Vollrads Wine Tasting OR RUdesheim wine village and panoramas of Niederwald Monument OR Boppard Village Stroll OR “Let’s Go” Hiking along the Rhine River Valley

F&WT Onboard Event: O’Brien Estate Cocktail Party

Uniworld Include Shore Tours, Choice of: “Let’s Go” bike the castles OR Koblenz walking tour OR Marksburg Castle visit

F&WT Onboard Event: O’Brien Estate Wine-Paired Dinner

Uniworld Included Shore Tour: Cologne Walking Tour

F&WT Onboard Event: O’Brien Estate Farewell Toast

Uniworld Captain’s Farwell Reception and Dinner

OPEN FOR SALE – BOOK NOW!  F&WT Optional 5-night post-cruise Oktoberfest land program with Bart & Barb O’Brien, September 29 – October 4, 2024

F&WT Optional Land Programs

SAVE THE DATE! F&WT Optional Shore Tour "Baiden: Germany's Pinot Paradise"

SAVE THE DATE! F&WT Optional Shore Tour "Mannheim: The Palatine of the Rhine"

9/29 - 10/4/2024

Now available optional 5-night oktoberfest land program, per person fares.

REQUEST PRICES FOR SINGLE/TRIPLE OR CATEGORY NOT LISTED.

Prices: Prices are per person based on two people per stateroom occupancy as indicated above, and include shipboard accommodations, estimated port charges of $220 (subject to change), all scheduled airport transfers, onboard meals, gratuities, port taxes, unlimited beverages of select wines, beers, and spirits, unlimited soft drinks, specialty coffee beverages and tea, complimentary Uniworld shore excursions, wines served with dinners provided by host winery, onboard wine program and limited travel management services. Prices do not include roundtrip air, premium wine and spirits, Food & Wine Trails’ optional pre-cruise program and shore tours, travel insurance, or all items of a personal nature. F&WT reserves the right to correct pricing errors or omissions. Prices will not increase after deposit received, except for fuel surcharges and any taxes, charges or levies imposed by government agencies.

About The Ship

SS Victoria   Click here for ship’s deck plan

The new S.S. Victoria joins Uniworld’s European fleet in 2024 with an ambiance of contemporary luxury and features the largest suites on the rivers of Europe. Two Royal Suites onboard offer an incredible 506 square feet each. Reserve the adjoining standard Suite next door, and that turns into 759 square feet total, with two bedrooms connected by a separate living room. All the Suites and Signature French Balconies offer abundant space—much higher than standard—with ultra-comfortable, water-facing beds dressed in Uniworld’s fine custom linens.

Relax amongst the soothing tones of the lounge and enjoy regionally inspired bites in one of three dining venues: a main dining room, a private venue for smaller groups, or our rooftop bar. Elsewhere on the ship, you’ll find a relaxing spa area with a pool, gym, and massage room. Tiny Noticeable Touches, such as the original artwork lining the walls and fresh flowers, add Uniworld’s boutique flair throughout the ship.

Deluxe French Balcony

Signature French Balcony

Vintage Room

Main Lounge - Evening

Click Here to view Food & Wine Trails full terms & conditions

Please note: Cruise escorts, experts scheduled to appear and onboard programming are subject to change with or without notice.

O'Brien Estate

Hours updated over 3 months ago

Review Highlights

“ Anyway, if you can't come by the winery you can find their wonderful red blend " Seduction " in Whole Foods Markets. ” in 27 reviews

“ We spent a wonderful afternoon at the picnic table amongst the vines drinking wine and speaking with Bart . ” in 17 reviews

“ We had Julio as our guide who never rushed us and invited us to roam through the vineyards and try the grapes. ” in 12 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

1200 Orchard Ave

Napa, CA 94558

You Might Also Consider

Silenus Winery

1.2 miles away from O'Brien Estate

Travis W. said "I don't usually write reviews for wineries on account of my palate still being somewhat underdeveloped when it comes to wines, but Silenus was a phenomenal experience that I think even I can review. The wines were extraordinary, in…" read more

in Wineries

La Prenda Wines

7.5 miles away from O'Brien Estate

Miranda Y. said "Hidden gem. It felt very classy and intimate. They offer three tasting packages. The price is reasonable. If you come with a friend, you can choose different packages so both of you can taste each other's and get the most out from…" read more

in Wine Tasting Room

Amenities and More

10 More Attributes

About the Business

Business owner information

Business Owner

Picture this: You're strolling through a green vineyard. The conversations of friends surround you. A swirl and sip of your wine glass fill your senses with new, yet familiar, smells and flavors. This is the dreamlike experience we seek to create for everyone at our winery. Located in Napa Valley, we're rooted in both tradition and innovation. Our 33 acres host many grape varieties, which are processed and aged in small, French oak barrels. As a Napa Green Certified Winery, we're also committed to practicing sustainable farming methods. Whether you're a winery visitor or a member receiving our bottles at your doorstep, we're delighted to share the nuances of our unique terroir with you. …

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Got a question about O'Brien Estate ? Ask the Yelp community!

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

207 reviews

James made this experience definitely a five star experience. What a wonderful location. The wines were spectacular and worth every penny we spent. We had a great time here. We highly recommend it.

Hands down one of the most special wineries in Napa. The Cab and the Seduction are out of this world. And Chris was a very kind and incredibly gracious host.

Beautiful Napa winery. Ben was a great host! We had a party of 6 and had a great time wine tasting. Their 2020 Merlot was one of my favorites but all of their wines were delicious. Thank you, Ben! We will be back soon!

Unfortunately our group was very disappointed in the tasting experience at Obrien. The guide couldn't seem to leave fast enough after pouring the wine and hardly gave us any information. The guide tried multiple times to get us to purchase the highest price bottled and when we asked for a small taste told us "no! You only taste what's on your tasting sheet." For $85 it's a complete rip off. You get 4 very small tasting pours and no option for trying anything else they have. After it was clear we wouldn't get to try anything else after our final pour our guide disappeared for 15+ minutes. We were the only party. We finished our wine and continued to wait but nothing. Since you pre pay for the tasting fees and dissatisfied with our experience we decided to leave. Our guide magically appeared when we were almost to our car and yelled that we "still needed to pay for our tasting". 1. When you book the reservation they make it very clear you have to pre pay for the tastings you are scheduling. 2. I of course still had the receipt and showed him. 3. That still wasn't good enough "evidence" and made me give him my number to search my account. After confirming the payment no apology or "thank you" was said by him. Just barely said "okay. Bye."' I will say the wine is decent, we enjoyed it and would have wanted to purchase a bottle but the experience was completely awful. I've been to over 15 wineries and this is by far the worst experience. Save your $85 and try a different winery. I'm sure you'll have a much better experience and get to try more for the price. I wish I could be writing a different review because I love supporting smaller family wineries but this was our experience.

This was a highly recommended venue by the pilot of our hot air balloon ride and the site was amazing. We didn't make reservations so I highly recommend you do this to get an immersive experience. Fortunately, the owners gave us a free tasting of one of their cabs which was mind blowing. None of their wines are sold outside the vineyard, not even online. Definitely take a walk around the back to enjoy the views and purchase a bottle to take home (circa $90). Bon appétit!

We happened to pop in on a whim (found out they are reservation only, whoops!) but they were the absolute nicest people. They let us poke around and we were able to get a couple of their wines (membership required) I will DEFINITELY make a reservation to come back! And I'm bringing friends What an incredible experience! Highly recommend. It is worthwhile

This winery was more than I had expected. So beautiful and friendly. The owners live on site and it feels like they are inviting into their home and you are hanging out with friends. We had Max give us our tour, he was amazing!! Can't wait to visit again

I came here years ago on a wine trip and was back in the area. Decided to drop by today. They are *reservation only* but it was a Thursday right when they opened so we popped in to see if we could do a quick tasting and wow. Jake was absolutely wonderful!! The weather was perfect. The ambiance was wonderful. We left with six bottles of wine and a winery that we will always have on our list to go visit when we are in the area. 10/10 recommend.

A wonderful experience! The wine was delicious and so easy to drink, in the best way. The service was special and intentional, making us feel so welcome and at home. Max was exceptional with his knowledge and company. We cannot wait to come back!

I've always wanted to visit O'brien estate and it did not disappoint. Such a gorgeous estate with great views of the valley. All estate grown with around 6k cases direct to consumer do very hard to find anywhere else post 2008 vintages. Excellent Merlots, red blends and cabernets. The cabs were not big and bold as I thought but great nonetheless. The wine club prices are the same as non-club members the difference is the free shipping and complementary tasting. It's off the beaten path of popular areas in Napa but definitely worth a visit.

See all photos from Gerald H. for O'Brien Estate

Mar 12, 2020

Gerald, glad to hear you finally had a chance to explore our wines! We're delighted you're a fan of our Merlot. It's truly a beautiful blend. Looking forward to welcoming you again for another tasting in the future. Best, Sara, Guest Relations Manager

16 other reviews that are not currently recommended

Shadybrook Estate Winery

5.6 miles away from O'Brien Estate

- By Appointment Only - Hand Crafted Small Production Estate Wine - A Rewarding, Friendly and Flexible Wine Club - Guided Vineyard Horseback Rides read more

Aesthete Wines

Join us to experience our thoughtfully crafted wines amidst the serene beauty of our Dry Creek property that so many have come to know and love over the years. Come enjoy exceptional hospitality, relax next to the peaceful Dry… read more

Collections Including O'Brien Estate

Wine Country - Galavanting Through Napa

By Gloria C.

My Winery Recommendations

By Gerald H.

California Wine Country

By Kathy M.

Lush in California

WineTastic Weekends!

By Michelle N.

The Napa Valley

By Marie R.

CA Wine Country - Fantastic Wine, Beer and Food

Sonoma Trip

Cali wine tour

Wine Country

People Also Viewed

Baldacci Family Vineyards

Cliff Lede Vineyards

Judd’s Hill Winery

Quintessa Vineyard

Etude Wines

Nickel & Nickel

James Cole Winery

Robert Biale Vineyards

Crocker & Starr Wines

Goosecross Cellars

Best of Napa

Things to do in Napa

People found O'Brien Estate by searching for…

Chardonnay Wineries Napa

Napa Wine Tasting Napa

No Reservations Winery Napa

Organic Wine Napa

Winery Tastings Napa

Best Cave Winery in Napa

Best Picnic Winery in Napa

Best Small Winery in Napa

O Brian Wine in Napa

Wineries Large Groups in Napa

Boutique Wineries in Napa

Wine Tasting Walk In in Napa

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Things to Do

Cocktail Bars

Distilleries

Other Wineries Nearby

Find more Wineries near O'Brien Estate

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'BRIEN ESTATE WINERY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sat 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM
• (1.37 km) SENZA Hotel
• (2.16 km) The Cottages of Napa Valley
• (2.53 km) The Setting Inn Napa Valley
• (2.54 km) Napa Winery Inn
• (6.73 km) 1801 First Luxury Inn
• (1.19 km) Bistro Don Giovanni
• (1.85 km) Il Posto Trattoria
• (2.58 km) Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
• (2.40 km) Fume Bistro & Bar
• (12.92 km) Wit & Wisdom

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'Brien Estate Winery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Sun - Sat 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
• (1.37 km) SENZA Hotel
• (2.16 km) The Cottages of Napa Valley
• (2.53 km) The Setting Inn Napa Valley
• (2.54 km) Napa Winery Inn
• (6.73 km) 1801 First Luxury Inn
• (1.19 km) Bistro Don Giovanni
• (1.85 km) Il Posto Trattoria
• (2.58 km) Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
• (2.40 km) Fume Bistro & Bar
• (12.92 km) Wit & Wisdom

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'Brien Estate Winery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'Brien Estate Winery - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024) - Tripadvisor

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'BRIEN ESTATE WINERY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sat 10:00 - 15:30
• (1.37 km) SENZA Hotel
• (2.16 km) The Cottages of Napa Valley
• (2.53 km) The Setting Inn Napa Valley
• (2.54 km) Napa Winery Inn
• (6.73 km) 1801 First Luxury Inn
• (1.19 km) Bistro Don Giovanni
• (1.85 km) Il Posto Trattoria
• (2.58 km) Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
• (2.40 km) Fume Bistro & Bar
• (12.92 km) Wit & Wisdom

The Napa Wine Project

The Official Wine Club of the Napa Wine Project!

O’Brien Estate Winery

Review by Dave Leave a Comment

The Napa Valley allure is hard to resist and a number of winery owners we have visited with have moved here after taking trips to the valley first as tourists. Such was the case with Bart and Barb O’Brien who have cleverly and from a genuine place, built a theme of romance into their wine portfolio. They first came to Napa Valley on their 3rd date. All of their dates involved romantic locations; the first was at Sam’s Anchor Cafe in Tiburon, a lovely boat-in (which we have done numerous times) or walk-in restaurant with gorgeous views of Angel Island, followed by a second date strolling the hills of the Marin Headlands in the evening with stellar views looking down on the Golden Gate Bridge. Both Bart and Barb fell in love with the landscape and the lifestyle of Napa Valley and talked about someday owning land here.

Bart is originally from Florida; he is a successful serial tech entrepreneur who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He was on the founding team of several tech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area including RSA Data Security, Calico Commerce and also New Jersey based BioIncept.

He is also an avid flight enthusiast; his father was a private pilot. Bart’s first flight was in Florida when he was 28 years old. His landing that day almost ended tragically as his plane went into oscillations as it was coming in for a landing on the water (with pontoons). He eventually brought his plane to California where it was destroyed in a windstorm. He made a mental note to himself that the next time he would fly would be when he had both money and time to properly dedicate himself. This time came after he turned 60 years of age; he initially flew a one-seat gyrocopter but then he located and purchased a specific make and model 2-seater made in Germany of which there were only four in the U.S at the time of his purchase. He’s been on trips all over the state from flying over the Golden Gate Bridge to cruising above Mammoth Lakes at 14,500 feet.

After helping take Calico Commerce public, Bart purchased 112 acres on Hennessy Ridge above Lake Hennessy. He brought Barb to the property for the first time proudly introducing her to their new Napa Valley owned land. Her first words were, “Where are the grapes”. Followed by, “What is the point of owning land without having grapes”. This property is located on hillsides and had never been planted to vineyards. Bart compared it to owning a park. Barb really wanted a house and a vineyard, so they eventually sold this property.

Bart contacted real estate agent John Bergman and told him he wanted property with a house and approximately 5 acres of vines. One day John called; his first words to Bart were, “Boy do I have a deal for you”. Apparently, a winery had fallen out of escrow and was again for sale. Bart then told him something like, “Sorry, I am not shopping for a winery,” and that he wasn’t interested in the proposed property. By like any determined sales agent, Bergman continued his case. He told Bart it was already planted to vines, there was also a home on site and the winery was in great condition.

Bart finally relented and he and Barb visited the property. Bart recalls seeing the empty cellar and commenting that it would make a nice venue for partying. The price was more than 2x what he wanted to spend. Bergman informed him that if he purchased the property, Bart could sell grapes every year to help with the monthly payments.

Their ‘someday vision’ became a reality in 2000, Bart & Barb purchased the property that Bergman introduced them to. This was formerly Costello Vineyard & Winery; at one point it was a prune and walnut farm. The original winery dates from 1978 (bond number 49). By the early 1980s, the Costello’s were producing up to 10,000 cases a year of white wines including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Gewürztraminer. The wines were primarily sold through distribution on the east coast of the U.S. Prior to Bart and Barb’s ownership the property was planted to 33 acres of Chardonnay but was replanted in the mid 1990s due to phylloxera to 22 acres of Chardonnay and 11 acres of Merlot. Other wine brands associated with this address in the 1980s included Chanter Winery, Heron Lake Winery and Clos de Vigne.

Any existing winery in Napa Valley from the 1970s is considered fairly old. The property is 40 acres of which approximately 33 are still planted to vineyards. Their vineyard was certified Napa Green in 2016. O’Brien Estate almost exclusively produces wines from their own vineyards with exceptions being when they need to replant sections of the vineyard or other limited production bottlings.

The winery is small (only 6,000 square feet) but their operations are almost entirely self-contained. They even own their own bottling line which is rare for a winery with a production of their size – about 3,500 to 4,500 cases annually following the rough formula that one bottle per square foot of winery space is a manageable size. They also use this bottling line to accommodate several small brands who make their wine here. And solar cells help power much of the winery operations.

Another neighbor, winemaker Dave Cofran told Bart he would love to produce his own wines in Bart and Barb’s newly acquired winery. Dave’s first job in Napa Valley was with Christian Brothers Winery in 1967 eventually assuming the role of their winemaker. He worked for them for 20 years until taking a job at Silver Oak Cellars in 1987 and becoming their National Sales Manager. He was also involved in several of his own wine projects including Highlands and Strata. He passed in late 2022.

Dave asked Bart what he would charge him to make wine in his winery. Bart told him if he helped make wine, he could use the cellar for free. The first vintage of wines bottled under O’Brien Estate was in 2000 made by Cofran. In 2000 they produced 300 cases of barrel fermented Chardonnay entirely in new American oak. Bart recalls not being impressed with that wine. But they also produced 50 cases of Merlot that year, a wine Bart nostalgically recalls as perhaps their best ever Merlot.

Cofran also made the 2001 and 2002 vintages. In the early years of their production, grapes were being sold to Grgich Hills and Merryvale. Bart wanted to increase the production significantly in 2021 with a production goal of around 1,000 cases; with the much larger production, Cofran was hired as an employee. He needed additional help and in 2004 a young David Yorgensen was hired to assist in the cellar. Yorgensen is only Obrien’s second winemaker.

Early in their production, Bart & Barb focused on selling their wines through distribution; Bart was spending significant time traveling to help sell the wines including a focus on the Houston market. At one point the wines were on the by the glass program at all the Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille restaurants in Houston.

Bart also discovered what was certainly one of the most unique sales channels in all of Napa Valley; he would follow the flight of hot air balloons to their landing sites, walk up and introduce himself and pass out his business cards and invite guests to come for a tasting at O’Brien. He soon became friends with the owner of one of the balloon companies.

This outreach in the early years was especially important to build the brand. However, winemaker Grant Long noticed how much time Bart was spending on the road and suggested it might make more sense to focus on attracting visitors coming to Napa Valley to the winery, citing some 4 million visitors to the valley every year.

The focus of how visitors purchase wines from O’Brian Estate has evolved dramatically over the years. What is a fairly unusual business model for a Napa Valley based winery is all the O’Brien Estate wines are now only sold through visits to the property or via their website to members of their allocation list. They have no distribution, and one will not find their wines in restaurants or wine shops.

As Bart told us, “We don’t sell wine to strangers”. When he writes this phrase, he always adds several heart emojis for emphasis. They build lasting and meaningful relationships with their customers which often turns into friendships and other shared experiences outside of Napa Valley. We have always had the utmost respect for their operations; their sense of business and how to treat people comes from the heart and is genuine.

Hospitality O’Brien Estate is a short 10-minute drive from downtown Napa. Visitors to the property drive down a long olive lined driveway with parking on the sides of the road directly next to the grapevines. Weather permitting, tastings are held either outdoors on the lawn in the back of the winery overlooking the vineyards (often other visitors will be tasting here simultaneously) or at tables located directly next to the vineyards. Allow about 90 minutes for the experience during which a host will typically sit down with guests and provide more information about the O’Brien’s, the property and general wine education. Visits are unscripted, relaxed and a vibe we best describe as ‘wine country casual’.

Also, of note are the hosts; during our visits over the years, we have noticed they are mostly male, are down to earth, friendly and here to make sure you have a good time. On a warm spring or summer day tasting their wines in the backyard overlooking the vineyard is a very relaxing place to hang out. And you might even make some new friends; a number of cats call the property home along with a winery dog, or two, or three. During one visit we even spotted a small cow grazing among the vines near the winery.

Long time wine club members are often assigned their own grapevine next to the winery. These are identified by small metal tags attached to each vine listing the members’ name.

Member benefits include invites to select hosted wine cruises and land excursions both domestically and internationally with Bart and Barb ranging from Europe to Caribbean destinations and sometimes even more exotic locations.

Thinking of making an appointment here on Valentine’s Day? Reserve *well* in advance!

Bart remembers being inspired by wine writer Leslie Sbracco’s book, Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing Wine published in 2003. Around this time, he started noticing more women were drinking red wine. And in identifying this small but growing part of the population he became creative with both nomenclature for their wines and the relating packaging, while building a brand that would simultaneously also appeal to men. The first wine bottled under the theme of romance was Seduction.

A French winemaker stayed with them as part of an exchange program one year and suggested that Barb produce a rosé. She decided to call this wine Flirtation. Bart lined up both bottles of Seduction and Flirtation next to each other and realized parts of the evolution of a romantic story were missing and that these bottles together might suggest something more like that of a one-night stand rather than the full evolution of romance. So additional bottles were created to fully incorporate the typical phases of a romantic relationship.

They are: Fascination (the first glancing moments one makes when noticing someone else), Attraction (the evolution of fascination), Flirtation , Romance of the Heart (the falling in love stage that Bart compares to completely losing control, like falling off of a bicycle), Seduction (the ‘test drive’ stage), Passion of the Soul (one’s commitment to each other), Devotion (living one’s life together) and Reflection (the loss invariably one partner will feel when the other dies).

The 2020 O’Brien Estate Seduction Red Wine is always Cabernet Sauvignon dominated; this vintage is a blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months aging on all new French oak barrels including from Tarnasaud and Darnajou (coopers). It is deep ruby in the glass and almost opaque. The bouquet is sweetly fruited including of boysenberry, black cherry, blackberry and Santa Rosa plum. There are additional layers including of violets, a light rusting iron note and a hint of toasted oak. The aromatics on this fruit-dominated bouquet are highly appealing. The palate offers both red and darker fruits including plum and red cherry accompanying by bright acidity. The tannins are lightly textured, well-integrated on the finish and linger with a light dryness and a note of tobacco spice.

The 2020 O’Brien Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is 80% varietal with 10% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot in the blend. This wine is deep ruby in color; the bouquet is focused on fruit rather than secondary influences from its barrel aging. It offers scents of ripe but not overripe fruit including cherry, plum, blackberry and boysenberry along with notes of rose petal, pipe tobacco and a hint of toasted oak. This wine is bright across the palate with a finish of mostly red fruits. It tastes fresh, youthful and features mouthwatering acidity. It shows both oak and grainy textured grape tannins along with dark pepper, dried herbs and a lasting dryness.

The 2015 O’Brien Estate Romance the Heart is very dark in the glass. The voluptuous bouquet shows mostly black fruit including blackberry and black licorice. Also hints of cigar smoke and sage. A sweetness of fruit is revealed on the palate; fairly lively in its flavor and acid presentation, this wine offers a diversity of flavor. Dry and youthful tannins linger with a moderate grip.

The 2018 O’Brien Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. This wine is drinking very nicely 5 years post vintage at the time of our tasting. It is made from both a block selection from their vineyard and a barrel selection. It is nearly opaque in the glass and deep ruby in color; the bouquet is darkly fruited offering aromas of blackberry, boysenberry and plum. Its aromatics are highly appealing. Like the bouquet the palate is also well layered and offers flavors of plum and cherry. This is a robust bottling with some tannin muscle accompanied by a persistent note of dryness and cracked pepper. We also noted its savory character.

Based on the style of their wines and the romantic labeling, O’Brien Estate is one of Napa Valley’s most romantic wineries. The winery has been featured in publications that focus on romantic wineries in the Napa Valley including Romantic Napa Valley by Autumn Millhouse. Some of their other wines are produced in quantities of merely several barrels, one of which is a rosé expressively called “Flirtation”.

A family friend, local landscape artist Tim Howe used to display some of his paintings for sale near the reception. Originally from New Zealand, Tim’s work strikes a balance between Abstraction and Impressionism.

Love Poems Bart & Barbara wrote all the poems which are printed on the back of their wine bottles. Each of the 8 poems is written for a particular wine which corresponds to a particular stage in a relationship.

Fascination Sauvignon Blanc

Suddenly I am touched by your presence Swiftly I awaken to you

Attraction Chardonnay

When our eyes met My heart said hello Are you the one for whom I long? Are you?

Flirtation Rosé of Merlot

Our dry rose reveals alluring aromas of strawberries and cream with bright, teasing acidity, a long, silky finish and just enough grape skin contact to make it blush.

Romance of the Heart Bordeaux Blend

Extend to me The hand of conversation Twirl me with laughter Embrace me with kindness Will you be mine for a moment? Or for a lifetime?

Seduction Bordeaux Blend

Romance of the heart Passion of the soul A voluptuous wine with sensual flavors And a velvet kiss. Enjoy in good company

Passion of the Soul Cabernet Sauvignon

You are the one I want to become one with To intermingle our footsteps On the sands of time Will you join With me?

Devotion Cabernet Franc

Day upon day Year upon year A beautiful life is built Together

Reflection Late Harvest Cuvee

Memories of you Swirl in my glass Wine on my lips You in my heart

One should read these out loud when enjoying with that special someone. Just be sure to stop reading out loud before you reach the ubiquitous government warning below each of the poems.

For more information, to schedule a tasting at the winery or to join the wait list for the semi-annual allocation list (reds only or mixed), visit: www.obrienestate.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

O'Brien Estate Winery

Top ways to experience nearby attractions

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travellers

O'BRIEN ESTATE WINERY: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Sun - Sat 10:00 - 15:30
• (0.86 mi) SENZA Hotel
• (1.35 mi) The Cottages of Napa Valley
• (1.58 mi) The Setting Inn Napa Valley
• (1.58 mi) Napa Winery Inn
• (4.21 mi) 1801 First Luxury Inn
• (0.74 mi) Bistro Don Giovanni
• (1.16 mi) Il Posto Trattoria
• (1.61 mi) Galpao Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse
• (1.50 mi) Fume Bistro & Bar
• (8.07 mi) Wit & Wisdom

Bart and Barb have lived at O’Brien Estate for the last 20 years, moving our family here with a passion for wine and an appreciation for the Napa Valley lifestyle. Our home sits next to our winery, nestled within the 33 acres of estate vineyards that exclusively supply the grapes we use in our wines.

We knew this site had potential for exceptional white wines with its heritage going back to the historic 1976 “Judgement of Paris” Tasting, when an adjacent vineyard supplied grapes used in the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, which won first place in the tasting for white wines. But it was unclear what O’Brien Estate was capable of producing with red wines.

Watch: Bart O’brien tells the winery story.

After nearly a decade of learning the subtleties of our vineyards and refining our approach, we began to realize that the red wine potential of our estate was beyond our greatest expectations when legendary critic Robert M. Parker Jr. began to recognize our wines with glowing reviews, describing our three merlot bottlings “as good as Merlot can be,” with extensive praise for our other varietals and blends as well.

Since then, we’ve continued to hone our craft in the pursuit of realizing just how extraordinary this estate can be, while also cultivating a community of wine enthusiasts around the country that enjoy our wines. This direct-to-customer approach means you won’t find O’Brien wines in any restaurants or wine shops, and, with our ability to keep costs low by controlling every step of the production process, it also means we can offer extraordinary wines at reasonable prices.

Which brings us back to our original invitation: We would like to invite you to experience our home, and more importantly, join our extended family of discerning wine drinkers with a shared taste for exceptional Napa Valley wine. As a part of this extended family, we welcome you to come enjoy the beauty of our estate during your next visit, and for those unable to make it to Napa Valley in person, we offer to share this special place and experience with you in every bottle of O’Brien Estate.

We Look Forward to Connecting With You Soon, Bart & Barb

Articles about O’Brien Estate and Bart O’Brien:

• San Francisco Chronicle
• Tepper School of Business Magazine

© Copyright 2019 - 2024 | O'Brien Estate | All Rights Reserved

Please enable javascript in your browser settings to continue

Napa Valley Wineries

O'Brien Estate

www.obrienestate.com

Information

Appellations.

• Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley
• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Sauvignon Blanc

Wine Club Membership

Wine clubs are a great way to stay connected to your favorite wineries.

We offer memberships to O'Brien Estate for our guests who desire a guaranteed allocation of O'Brien Estate wine each year. Our current club model is a semi-annual case. A customizable case is sent in the spring as well as the fall. Each club membership comes with a complimentary tasting for 4, discounted shipping as well as invitations and access to O'Brien Estate parties and cruises.

To join our wine club, visit ', 'Winery Profile']);" target="_blank" rel="external noopener">www.obrienestate.com or call 707-252-8463.

Premiere Napa Valley Wines

• View Portfolio

• Certified Winery
• Certified Land

Our Makers' Story

Bart and Barbie O’Brien

— Success requires focus, commitment and hard work.

1200 Orchard Avenue Napa, CA 94558

Explore the Trip Planner

Winery Features

Tasting Experience

We use our bottling line room as our tasting room. We have original oil paintings by Tim Howe displayed as well as sculptures by Richard Martin. Our visitors can see the equipment actually used in winemaking, as well as the fermentation tanks and barrels. We are a working winery, so our guests can see winemaking operations during their tour depending on the time of the year.

Unique Features

Selected cheeses and nuts are served to pair with the wines poured.

Smooth jazz

Wine Education

As estate growers and producers, we are a self-contained winery. Our guests begin their experience with a walk in the vineyard for as discussion of grape growing, then into the cellar and bottling line room to discuss our winemaking methods.

• Tasting fee
• Seated tasting available
• Private tasting available
• Barrel tasting available
• Tasting bar
• Indoor tasting area
• Outdoor tasting area
• Art on display
• Sustainable practices
• Winemaker or owner usually available

View all our wineries and customize your wine experience.