Trefethen Family Winery is one of our favorite Napa wineries. We love the place, the stories, and the history. Plus, the wines are incredible.
Our Visit to Trefethen Family Winery in Napa
Our visits to Trefethen Family Vineyards in Napa have been one of our favorite tours and tastings on our California Wine Country trips. A stunning iron gate with intricate vine details greeted us at the entrance, leading us along a winding road through the vineyards to the winery and tasting room.
The Reserve Tasting Experience at Trefethen Family Winery
One of the highlights of our visit was the Reserve Tasting—a must-do if you’re visiting. We sipped our way through their small-lot wines, including their iconic Halo that tastes like a swirl of dark berries and cocoa. Each pour came with a story about the family’s history and a deeper appreciation for the craft behind every bottle. It felt intimate, relaxed, and just the right amount of fancy. If you want to level up your tasting experience, this is it.
A Standout: Trefethen Halo Cabernet Sauvignon
If you’re looking to splurge on something truly special, the Halo Cabernet Sauvignon from Trefethen is worth every penny. Named after the third generation of the Trefethen family—Hailey and Loren—this wine is the definition of a showstopper. It’s bold, rich, and velvety, with flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, and espresso, balanced by notes of vanilla and cedar from oak aging.
We tasted it during our visit, and it was love at first sip. This is the kind of wine that makes you want to linger over dinner, ideally with a perfectly cooked ribeye or a slow-braised short rib. The label itself is a work of art—sophisticated, timeless, and just a little bit mysterious. If you can’t make it to Napa, you can order it directly from their website.
The Story Behind the Wines
Every aspect of our tour demonstrated how much thought and care goes into every detail at Trefethen. The winery is family-owned, family-run, and the family even lives on the property. Their love for the business shines through—from the wines to the art to their sustainable practices. They employ staff full-time with benefits, pay homage to their parents by naming vineyard sections after them, and even created a new entrance using historic elements that symbolize their legacy. They’ve also embraced green and sustainable measures to protect the land they love.
The Trefethen estate house, built in 1896, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The story behind the winery is just as charming. The grandfather started out as an executive at Kaiser and, upon retiring, decided to try his hand at agriculture—just growing grapes, not making wine. But John, his son, enjoyed making cider in college and decided to give winemaking a shot.
The real plot twist? They hosted an intern from France who entered John’s Chardonnay into a global competition—without telling them. Out of 300 wines, John’s Chardonnay took the top spot, and the orders started rolling in. Talk about an origin story!
A Memorable Dinner with Trefethen Chardonnay
The Trefethen Chardonnay is an excellent pick for seafood and warm, sunny evenings. On one unforgettable evening celebrating a milestone birthday, I ordered a bottle of Trefethen Chardonnay in the Main Dining Room at The Greenbrier. Served with sea bass on top of a light medley of zucchini and lima beans (an odd side, but somehow it worked!), it was love at first sip.
This wine is delightful, y’all—light, crisp, and easy to drink. It tastes like pineapples (how preppy!), melon, and peach.
🍍 Pour a glass in the Brazilliance of the main dining room at The Greenbrier, or sip it at home dining al fresco. It’s perfect with light dishes like sea bass, Caesar salad, lemony chicken, or grilled shrimp tacos.
Trefethen Winery Photos
These were taken on our first visit!
Try Trefethen Wines
You can buy directly from Trefethen Family Vineyards! You can also pick up a bottle at Total Wine.
Leave a comment