Round Pond Estate
Rutherford, Calif.
Napa Valley has an abundance of excellent wine tasting spots—but those at Round Pond Estate are special. You’ll enjoy sweeping views of the property’s 366 acres of vineyards and the Mayacamas Mountains beyond, and the wine you’ll taste can be exquisite: The latest Gravel Series, three cabernet sauvignons available only to Round Pound members and guests of the estate, are a particular thrill.
But Round Pond is worth visiting for more than its wine. The estate, which stone presses its own olive oil, offers private guided tours of its olive grove and tastings of its olive oils and vinegars. There’s a bountiful garden on property that supplies delicious brunches and lunches. And you might even run into Round Pond’s exuberant, poetic winemaker, Jaime “JJ” Dowell, whose passion for wine is contagious. Round Pond is owned and operated by the second generation of the MacDonnell family. They have embraced the California wine lifestyle in the best ways possible, and you’ll feel their connection to and love for the land throughout the property. roundpond.com
