Prager Winery & Port Works

Prager Winery and Port Works has been the port house of Napa Valley since the late 1970s, a family run cellar tucked behind the Sutter Home stretch of St. Helena that built its name on fortified wines when nearly everyone else chased Cabernet. The famously funky tasting room, its walls papered in decades of visitor dollar bills, is one of the valley's genuine originals.

Ports and late harvest wines lead the lineup, with a small run of table wines alongside. Napa Valley rewards a plan: many rooms book out on weekends, and midweek visits are calmer. Confirm current hours, tasting fees and reservation policies with the winery before you go.