Napa by Dave — 4 days with Dave Thompson

The Trip

Join Dave of the Napa Wine Project for a wine-led long weekend in Napa Valley. Spend four days tasting with small, owner-led producers, with Dave's introductions opening doors that stay closed to most visitors. Three nights in downtown Napa, with hosted tastings and meals included.

Itinerary subject to change without notice.

Is This Trip For You?

Love Wine at Its Source

You'd rather taste with the people who make the wine than in a crowded tasting room.

Want Good Company

You're looking for a small group of wine lovers who like to linger over a long table.

Need a Real Escape

You're ready to trade a busy calendar for long lunches, vineyard views and nobody rushing you.

Want the Insider Access

You'd rather have the winemaker pour for you than book another standard tasting, and you want a host from the Valley who can get you through doors most visitors never see.

If you want long tastings with the people behind the wine, in places most visitors never see, this trip was made for you.

Your Napa Itinerary

Experience four days filled with small-producer tastings, long meals and hidden corners of Napa Valley.

Itinerary subject to change without notice.

Signature Moments

Welcome dinner at Gentleman Farmer
1564 1st St, Napa, CA 94559
The first night is a dinner party. Owners Jeff Durham and Joey Wołosz cook four courses from their family recipes, each poured with one of their own wines, plus snacks and dessert. It all happens at one table in a restored 1926 Craftsman bungalow, a short walk from the hotel.

Afternoon winery visit at Oakham Estate
360 Zinfandel Ln, St. Helena, CA 94574
An afternoon with one of Dave's St. Helena producers. Oakham pours three or four wines during Ham & Al's Adventure, an hour-long animated trip through wine history.

Tasting at Reid Family Vineyards
1020 Borrette Ln, Napa, CA 94558
An afternoon in the foothills of Mount Veeder with a family whose Napa roots go back to 1862. The barn from the estate's prune-ranch days is still standing, and the wines (about 1,000 cases a year) are poured by appointment only.

Private Estate Brunch in Carneros
Venter Estate, Napa
A short drive south to Carneros for a long, lazy brunch at a family estate that only opens its doors by personal introduction. This one comes through Dave's own relationships, and it's a beautiful way to close the weekend.

Travel with Dave Thompson

Dave Thompson

Host

Dave has been bringing travelers together since 1996, first through Dave’s Travel Corner, an international community focused on experiential travel and photography. Through the Napa Wine Project, he profiles small Napa producers and reviews their wines, having visited and tasted with more than 1,300 Napa Valley wineries and producers. Now he’s inviting you to Napa Valley, a place he knows well, for a long weekend of tastings, long lunches and a few doors that stay closed to most visitors.

What's the deal

Taste with a Lifelong Napa Expert

Dave is from the Valley and has spent years getting to know its small producers, so he's with you for the hosted tastings and dinners.

Owner-Led Tastings

Taste with small producers across Napa Valley and Pope Valley, hosted by the people who make the wine.

Wine Country, Without the Wheel

A private driver handles the long drives to St. Helena and Pope Valley, so every pour is a stress-free one.

Exclusive Private Estate Brunch

A long, lingering Sunday brunch at a Carneros estate that doesn't take public bookings, arranged through Dave's personal contacts.

How to Join

Here's how to secure your spot on this exclusive retreat.

01Apply NowSubmit your application to join this exclusive experience.
02Receive ConfirmationWe'll review your application and confirm your participation.
03Pack Your BagsPrepare for a delicious weekend of tastings with Dave in Napa Valley.