About Sterling Vineyards
Sterling Vineyards is one of Napa Valley's most recognizable hilltop destinations because every visit begins with an aerial gondola ride from the valley floor. The white stucco architecture and elevated terraces look across Calistoga and the northern valley. The gondola, views and self-guided pathways make the property especially appealing to first-time visitors and mixed-interest groups.
Sterling offers several levels of tasting, from a casual stroll with current wines to seated hilltop flights and food pairings. The wines can include Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and other Napa Valley releases. The Founder's and Hilltop experiences emphasize premium wines and culinary accompaniments, while the Sterling Stroll provides a simpler introduction.
All experiences include the round-trip gondola. The Sterling Stroll lasts about an hour and welcomes guests of all ages, with a reduced price for ages three through twenty. The Tour & Terrace also accommodates families and includes a cheese board. Hilltop, Founder's and club experiences are restricted to guests 21 and older. Service animals are permitted, while ordinary pets are not.
The hilltop walkways, terraces and views are central to the visit. Guests can explore designated paths after the tasting, but wine by the glass or bottle is not served for on-site consumption afterward. Gondola operation depends on power and weather, and the winery closes during outages that prevent safe transportation.
Sterling is ideal for families who book the correct all-ages experience, view seekers and visitors interested in a memorable arrival. Review the age policy carefully because family access does not extend to the premium hilltop reservations. Confirm the seasonal hours, gondola status and food inclusion before driving to Calistoga.
Peter Newton's 1964 Mykonos-style hilltop estate near Calistoga, reached by Napa Valley's original aerial tram.
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Napa Valley's first aerial tram,still carries visitors 300 feet up a volcanic hill to the winery, a piece of only-in-Sterling theater that Peter Newton built in the early 1970s.
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Architecture modeled on Mykonos,Newton's white stucco, bell-topped buildings were inspired by the Greek island where he once lived, an unmistakable landmark on the Calistoga skyline.
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An early Bordeaux-style pioneer,Sterling's Ric Forman made one of California's first vintage-dated Merlots here in the 1960s, at a time when almost every other Napa producer was focused on Cabernet Sauvignon alone.
"Wino Notion likes that the gondola and hilltop pathways turn the visit into a complete attraction. Sterling also provides unusually clear all-ages options while keeping its premium tasting rooms adult-only."
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Featured Wines
Current Releases
Wines change with each vintage
For an accurate list of current-release wines and library bottlings from Sterling Vineyards, please check the winery's official website or contact the tasting room directly. Calistoga producers typically rotate vintages and offerings seasonally.
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Aerial Gondola Tasting
Daily walk-in, aerial gondola tram to the hilltop Mediterranean-style winery at 300 feet above Calistoga, self-guided tour of the 1,200-acre estate, Reserve and Platinum Cabernet tastings on outdoor terraces with panoramic upper Napa Valley views. One of Napa Valley's most distinctive family-friendly daily tasting experiences.
$45
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