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10 wine caves around California that offer unique tours for visitors

Published

1 year ago

October 24, 2024

10 wine caves around California that offer unique tours for visitors

California is the largest wine producer in the country. In fact, the Golden State is behind 81% of the U.S.’ wine production, having produced 605,981,608 gallons in 2023, according to the Wine Institute’s website.

Those visiting California can get a behind-the-scenes look at the wine production in the state through the plethora of unique tours offered by different wineries.

One optimal experience several wineries throughout the state offer to guests is a tour of wine caves.

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Wine caves have been created throughout the state as a way to store large barrels of wine as they age, according to Visit California.

Often, tours of wine caves come jointly with tastings of exclusive wines.

California is full of experiences for wine lovers, including tours of unique wine caves. (George Rose/Getty Images)

California is home to thousands of wineries that all have unique offerings for guests, many of which include cave tours.

Below are just a few of the many California wineries you can visit to explore wine caves.

Alexander Valley Vineyards
Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves
Jarvis Estate Winery
Pine Ridge Vineyards
Benziger Family Winery
Buena Vista Winery
Inglenook
Davis Estates
Schramsberg Vineyards
Brasswood Estate

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1. Alexander Valley Vineyards

Alexander Valley Vineyards is located in the city of Healdsburg, which is within Sonoma County, California.

This location offers tours of the 48,000 square-foot underground cave on the property.

During this tour, you’ll get the unique experience of learning about the barrel aging program used at the vineyard.

The wine cave at Alexander Valley Vineyards is a popular tourist attraction in California. (George Rose/Getty Images)

Additionally, there are plenty of other experiences you can book, such as scenic hikes of the vineyard.

2. Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves

The family-run Bella Vineyards has wine tastings and cave tours available for guests.

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Bella Vineyards and Wine Caves is located in Healdsburg. Over 70% of the grapes used to produce wine are grown from the vineyard, according to the website.

In the “Bella Tour,” which is described as an “immersive winery experience” on the website, guests will be able to explore the process of making wine on the crush pad and through the vineyard.

Guests will also be able to make their way through the wine caves, where they’ll be surrounded by the barrels where wine is perfectly aged.

Wine caves are filled with oak barrels where wine is perfectly aged under ideal conditions. (iStock)

The “Bella Tour” takes around 90 minutes to complete, according to the website.

3. Jarvis Estate Winery

At Jarvis Estate Winery, guests are welcomed into the 45,000 square foot cave where they can expect to learn more about the winery’s “approach to crafting world-class wines.”

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The wine cave tour includes a visit to the Cuve Gallery, filled with over a dozen oak vessels, according to the winery’s website, and an underground waterfall at the end of the tour, which helps the cave stay at the perfect temperature for aging, the website states.

After a tour of the cave, guests will enter the Tasting Chamber, where wines can be sampled.

A 45,000 square foot cave is located within Jarvis Estate Winery. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)

4. Pine Ridge Vineyards

Pine Ridge Vineyards is one of many wineries located in Napa Valley, California.

Pine Ridge Vineyards offers a 90-minute tour of a wine cave, as well as a wine tasting.

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The guided tour takes guests through the cave system, according to the website, and then concludes with a wine tasting in Cellar 47 to try cabernets.

5. Benziger Family Winery

Benziger Family Winery is located in Glen Ellen, which can be found in Sonoma County.

At Benziger Family Winery, wines are crafted from Sonoma Mountain Ranch and Sonoma County Vineyards, according to their website.

During the tour of Benziger Family Winery, guests can learn about the farming practices of the winery, with a glass of wine in hand, of course.

During a tour of Benziger Family Winery, guests will be able to learn more about the winery’s farming practices. (George Rose/Getty Images)

One of the stops along the tour is of the wine cave, and ends with a seated wine tasting paired with cheese.

6. Buena Vista Winery

Buena Vista Winery was founded in 1857, making it the oldest commercial winery in the state of California, according to SonomaCounty.com.

At Buena Vista Winery, guests can enjoy a glass of champagne and sparkling wine at the Bubble Lounge and also enjoy wine straight from the barrels of the cave.

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The original Buena Vista Winery is about a mile from Sonoma Square, according to the website.

Guests can also visit the Château Buena Vista, which is located in downtown Napa.

Buena Vista Winery was founded in 1857. (Craig Lee/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

7. Inglenook

Inglenook is a winery that was founded in 1879, located in Rutherford, California.

During the tour, guests will get to take a look inside the Italia Cave, where there are 120 fermentation tanks, according to Inglenook’s website.

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Additionally, guests will get to visit the Infinity Cave, where barrels are stored for aging.

At the end of the tour, those visiting Inglenook will go to one of the cellars to enjoy wine and cheese.

8. Davis Estates

Davis Estates is complete with 11,000 square feet of caves, according to its website. The estates are located in Calistoga, California, in Napa County.

Tours are offered at Davis Estates, where guests can get a behind-the-scenes look through the vineyard at the estate and the winery featuring the caves.

There are plenty of tasting spaces to relax and enjoy a flight of wines.

Tours of wine caves are often paired with delicious wine tastings. (iStock)

9. Schramsberg Vineyards

Schramsberg Vineyards is one that specializes in sparkling wines.

The tour of the cave at Schramsberg Vineyards can be paired with a sparkling, white wine or red wine tasting.

Schramsberg Vineyards is in Calistoga, California.

10. Brasswood Estate

Brasswood Estate includes 17,000 square feet of caves, according to its website.

During a cave tour at Brasswood Estate, guests will get to sip on wines created by a team headed by Angelina Mondavi, per the site.

One unique feature of Brasswood Estate is the wine cave library, which is where wines can be enjoyed at the long table in its center.

Brasswood Estate is located in Helena, California, in Napa Valley.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital.

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Alaska

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska

Published

1 hour ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Dozens of vehicle accidents reported, Anchorage after-school activities canceled, as snowfall buries Southcentral Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – Up to a foot of snow has fallen in areas across Southcentral as of Tuesday, with more expected into Wednesday morning.

All sports and after-school activities — except high school basketball and hockey activities — were canceled Tuesday for the Anchorage School District. The decision was made to allow crews to clear school parking lots and manage traffic for snow removal, district officials said.

“These efforts are critical to ensuring schools can safely remain open [Wednesday],” ASD said in a statement.

The Anchorage Police Department’s accident count for the past two days shows there have been 55 car accidents since Monday, as of 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. In addition, there have been 86 vehicles in distress reported by the department.

Snow measuring up to 17 inches deep in Anchorage, Alaska, on Jan. 6, 2026.(Alaska’s News Source)

The snowfall — which has brought up to 13 inches along areas of Turnagain Arm and 12 inches in Wasilla — is expected to continue Tuesday, according to latest forecast models. Numerous winter weather alerts are in effect, and inland areas of Southcentral could see winds up to 25 mph, with coastal areas potentially seeing winds over 45 mph.

Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected... — Up to a foot or more of snow has fallen across Southcentral Alaska, with more snow expected through the day.(Alaska’s News Source)

Some areas of Southcentral could see more than 20 inches of snowfall by Wednesday, with the Anchorage and Eagle River Hillsides, as well as the foothills of the Talkeetna Mountain, among the areas seeing the most snowfall.

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Arizona

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

Published

1 hour ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Trump issues rare dual endorsement in Arizona swing district

The president praised both Jay Feely and Gina Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”
The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.
The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

President Donald Trump endorsed not one but two Republicans in a highly watched Arizona congressional primary, boosting a new candidate after his first pick met resistance from some in the GOP.

In a Jan. 6 social media post, Trump said he was backing Jay Feely, a former Cardinals kicker and sports commentator who recently switched his campaign into Arizona’s Scottsdale-area 1st Congressional District, in addition to Gina Swoboda, the state GOP chair whose candidacy has divided Republicans despite her securing Trump’s support in October.

The president praised both Feely and Swoboda as “Highly Respected America First Patriots.”

“JAY OR GINA WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” he wrote on Truth Social, the social media platform he owns.

The announcement is a blow to Swoboda, a polarizing figure among Arizona Republicans. Her longtime rivalry with Turning Point, the network of conservative advocacy groups founded by the late activist Charlie Kirk, has shadowed her candidacy, prompting attacks and infighting among Arizona Republicans.

The president’s team had not publicly confirmed his endorsement of Swoboda before the Jan. 6 social media post.

In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Feely said he thought the endorsement came back to his “friendship” and shared values with the president.

“I love what he’s doing. I believe in what he’s doing. I’m committed to the same principles that he and his administration have,” Feely said.

“We wish Gilbert resident Jay Feely well in his latest campaign for Congress, but nothing has changed,” Swoboda campaign consultant Chris Baker shot back in a written statement to The Republic. “Gina Swoboda will be the Republican nominee in AZ01.”

The endorsement will also set back two other high-profile GOP candidates in the race, the ultra-conservative state Rep. Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough, who both told The Republic they, too, had been in touch with the White House.

Though Trump’s endorsement will be a boon in the Republican primary, it could become a liability in the general election. The district, which includes wealthy pockets of Paradise Valley, Scottsdale, and north Phoenix, has a hot-and-cold relationship with the president.

National GOP leaders encouraged him to run in Scottsdale, Feely says

Feely initially launched his campaign in Arizona’s 5th Congressional District, which includes much of Chandler, Queen Creek and Gilbert, where he lives with his family. He billed himself as a home-grown candidate with a “heart to serve,” and a MAGA devotee who has a personal relationship with Trump.

His prospects in that district dimmed after the president endorsed one of his opponents, Mark Lamb, the well-known former sheriff of Pinal County. Early polling showed Lamb with a large advantage in the race.

But Trump took a liking to Feely, encouraging the former football player in a November social media post to “run in a different district, or for a different office.”

Feely followed the president’s advice. He switched his campaign into the Scottsdale district on Dec. 19. Trump’s endorsement followed about two weeks later.

In an interview Feely said national Republican leaders in D.C., and “grassroots leadership” in the Valley, encouraged him to pivot to the Scottsdale seat. He said he spoke several times with House Speaker Mike Johnson on the matter.

“I wanted to do what was best for the team,” he told The Arizona Republic.

“If they wanted me to run in CD1, and they felt like I was the best candidate, and the one that could hold that seat, then I was willing to do that.”

It’s rare but not unheard of for the president to endorse multiple candidates in a single race.

Last year Trump endorsed two congressional hopefuls in a West Valley-area Republican primary, including the eventual winner, U.S. Rep. Abe Hamadeh.

And in Missouri’s 2022 U.S. Senate race, Trump left election-watchers scratching their heads when he endorsed “Eric,” a first name shared by the race’s two front-runners. Both campaigns claimed the endorsement as their own.

For years the Scottsdale-area district has been considered one of the most competitive races in the country. Its incumbent, U.S. Rep. David Schweikert, announced last year he would not seek re-election in 2026, winding down his 15-year tenure on Capitol Hill and setting up a bitter contest for the rare open congressional seat.

Across the aisle, about half a dozen high-profile Democrats are fighting for their party’s nomination.

The candidates have already raised millions of dollars between them, with campaign spending only expected to escalate leading up to the Aug. 4, 2026 primaries. The Nov. 3, 2026, general election will bring millions more expensive television advertisements, mailers, and social media ads to the district, much of it financed by national Republican and Democratic groups wrestling for control over the U.S. House.

Feely has raised more than $1 million, about a third of which he has loaned himself, according to a report filed this fall. His personal financial disclosure shows he is worth at least $15 million, giving him a piggy bank that could help finance a campaign.

Swoboda has raised “quite a bit” of money, said campaign consultant Chris Baker, though her fundraising receipts aren’t yet public.

Rivals slam Feely’s out-of-district residence

Feely’s rivals have slammed him for running in a district where he doesn’t live.

“If Jay Feely wants to travel 50 minutes every day to run in Arizona’s 1st Ccongressional District, where he’s never lived, we will pay for his Uber,” Alfredo Rodriguez, a strategist with the Trobough campaign, wrote in a news release. “Tell him to send us the bill.”

“If Gilbert carpetbagger Jay Feely foolishly thinks he can win in AZ01, then more power to him I guess. But the outcome won’t change – Gina Swoboda will win the Republican primary,” Baker wrote in a statement to The Republic.

Feely said in an interview he has connections to the Scottsdale district, even though he doesn’t actually live there. The district is “about economics” and “represents the entrepreneurial spirit,” he said.

“I’ve invested in companies in this district. My friends and family live in this district. And I want to be an asset to all of them,” Feely said.

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