As a connector road between Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail, Dunaweal Lane is about a mile and a half south of downtown Calistoga. This quiet two-lane road is home to a perfect combination of wineries to visit – from larger production houses offering a full menu of delicious wines to specialty wineries producing limited production, highly sought-after wines.
From Highway 29, you turn east on Dunaweal and immediately notice a hill to the right with tramway lines stretching 300 feet to the top. Sterling Winery is one of the most visited destinations in Napa Valley. Taking the tram up to the winery, you’ll delight in the picturesque views of vineyards in all directions. You can enjoy a self-guided winery tour followed by tastings of Sterling’s top-flight wines.
Just next door is stunning Girard Winery, which opened in 2018. The state-of-the-art winery has a welcoming tasting room with adjacent private rooms to enjoy the exclusive and small-lot wines. There are a number of tasting experiences offered, including food/wine pairings with gourmet bites from local restaurants.
Across the street is another top producer, Clos Pegase, where the winery is an architectural gem with an artsy Mediterranean feel. The entryway sports rows of columns that surround a courtyard and there are sculptures placed throughout the landscape. The wines are exceptional with a wide assortment of reds, led by its widely acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon.
From Clos Pegase, it’s a short ride down Dunaweal to discover the family-owned and operated Canard Vineyard, a haven for historic wines. Owned by the Czapleski’s for more than 30 years, Canard has worked its 22 acres to craft a variety of wines over the years including Old Heritage Zinfandel, whose grapes come from 120-year old vines. Canard’s age-worthy wines provide one of the best expressions of the Calistoga AVA.
All winery tasting rooms are open by appointment only:
Sterling Vineyards – 1110 Dunaweal Lane – https://www.sterlingvineyards.com/
Girard Winery – 1077 Dunaweal Lane – https://www.girardwinery.com/
Clos Pegase – 1060 Dunaweal Lane – https://www.clospegase.com/
Canard Vineyard – 1016 Dunaweal Lane – https://www.canardvineyard.com/