Porter's Picks

Lail Vineyards*

The wines don't change style to suit a critic's palate. I dig that. The sauvignon blanc is clean and crisp; the cab-dominated Lail Vineyards is beautiful. » Tastings at Ma(i)sonry, 6711 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-0889.

Stony Hill*

They pro-duce this succinct style of chardonnay that bucks the oaky, buttery trend. Never oaked, the wines are pure and beautiful and age extremely well. » No address listed, St. Helena, 707-963-2636.

Volker Eisele Family Estate*

Volker pushed green initiatives in Napa, not only in terms of organics but to control development. His wines are solid and honest, not overly manipulated. » 3080 Lower Chiles Valley Rd., St. Helena, 707-965-9485

Benessere Vineyards

They do sangiovese and pinot grigio, cabernet, and other classics, but they have an Italian focus. They don't adulterate the varietals by adding a lot of oak. » 1010 Big Tree Rd., St. Helena, 707-963-5853.

Gemstone Vineyard*

I admire what they do. Their wines are rich and unctuous, not overpowering or blousy. They can fetch pretty substantial prices but are a bargain compared with other cult wines. » No address listed, Yountville, 707-944-0944.

Chappellet*

Situated on picturesque Pritchard Hill, the estate produces wines of finesse and power. Their cabs have made them famous, and their chenin blanc is not to be missed. » 1581 Sage Canyon Rd., St. Helena, 707-963-7136.

Bucklin Vineyard*

It's organically grown, old vine. The wine is big and rich but not jammy or too alcoholic. That's proprietor Will Bucklin's house in the vineyard. » 8 Old Hill Ranch Rd., Glen Ellen, 707-933-1726.

Copain Wines

Each wine here represents California in the right way. The pinot noir isn't a pinot with tons of syrah in it—it actually tastes like pinot noir and goes well with food. » 7800 Eastside Rd., Healdsburg, 707-836-8822.

Joseph Swan

This is another old family in Sonoma. Joseph Swan's wines speak the truth. A lot of them sit in the $20 to $40 range—they could charge five times more. I love their wine. » 2916 Laguna Rd., Forestville, 707-573-3747.

Porter Creek Vineyards

They're biodynamic, small, and make a terrific pinot noir. It has that bright, juicy characteristic of cherry, raspberry, and vibrant acidity. Every vintage sings. » 8735 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, 707-433-6321.

Farner's Picks

Quivira Vineyards and Winery

They have beautiful whites and reds, particularly the old-vine zinfandel. The big draws are the biodynamic vineyards and gardens and the livestock. » 4900 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, 707-431-8333.

Saintsbury*

The operation is small, and many of the wines are very French: The oak is subtle and the wines are lighter in body. They do great chardonnay, but the pinot noir is exciting. » 1500 Los Carneros Ave., Napa, 707-252-0592

A. Rafa-nelli*

You really get a hands-on, one-on-one experience. You walk away feeling like you've learned a lot. Their zinfandel is that classic big, jammy Dry Creek Valley style. » 4685 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, 707-433-1385.

Blue Rock Vineyard*

Beautiful big reds from the Stags Leap District. I love the "Poetry." The elegance and purity of the fruit from this region stand out in the sea of Napa reds. » 1473 Yountville Cross Rd., Yountville, 800-428-2259.

Grgich Hills Estate

A classic and historic Napa Valley estate. Mike Grgich was instrumental in the creation of fine winemaking in Napa. Their fumé blanc is lovely—surprisingly clean. » 1829 St. Helena Hwy., Rutherford, 800-532-3057.

Darioush

The opulent Persian-style winery is perfect when you're looking for a grand, over-the-top experience. They make huge, rich syrah and cabernet sauvignon. » 4240 Silverado Trail, Napa, 707-257-2345.

John Anthony

The son of the Truchard Family Vintners family, John Anthony makes reasonably priced, easy-to-drink cabernet sauvignon. The tasting room becomes a wine lounge at night. » Tasting room: 1440 1st St., Napa, 707-265-7711.

Nalle Winery

A small family winery, Nalle focuses on zinfandel. These are light—much more so than others—and emphasize the spice rather than jammy fruit. » 2383 W. Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg, 707-433-1040.