From sweeping vineyard views and lush gardens to stunning tasting spaces and towering castles, these Napa Valley wineries are simply gorgeous ...

California wineries are often burdened by a turnover of winemakers. The most elite wineries hang on to their winemakers because, well, there’s no place better for them to go. But otherwise, winemakers can leapfrog from one mediocre winery to the next in search of an owner who gives him the freedom to make good wine, provides him good vineyards and supplies the capital necessary for him to make his mark in the wine industry. Jon Emmerich is an anomaly ...

Spending $50 to $100 on a gift of wine may be beyond your means, but put it in perspective. You may be spending more than that on a tie, concert tickets, a watch or a phone. Why not wine? It would be a waste to buy expensive wine for someone who can’t tell the difference between Boone’s Farm and Lafite Rothschild. But if the special person in your life collects wine or who just appreciates it, we offer some suggestions of wines with good stories. ...

From caring vintners to daring bottles, our critic offers up wines to love and fall in love with this Valentine's Day. ...

A few quick thoughts on the 2013 Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. ...

In the second part of our interview, Silverado Vineyards president Russ Weis discusses the on- and off-premise conditions for Napa Valley wines, as well as the direct-to-consumer and export markets. SND: Where is Silverado focusing its efforts in the retail channel? Weis: The U.S. retail channel is about 40% of our business. While there are some really terrific examples of larger chains doing fantastic things with luxury wines, there are also examples of larger chains that are reducing the luxury part of their space. That leaves the field open for smaller specialized players, and also for regional luxury grocers, which are doing pretty well. So those are the places where we’re focusing the Silverado message. ...