NapSac Wine Tours FAQs
Get Answers to All Your Questions About Our World-Class Wine Tour Experiences
Welcome to our FAQs
Here, you can find all the bits n bobs you need to know about our amazing California wine tours. On this page, you’ll find detailed information about what to expect during your tour, how to prepare and pack before departure, and more.
Tour info
- Full day tour – about 8 hours in duration.
- Your own private vehicle and driver for the day
- 3 wineries to taste at and enjoy along to way
- A stop for a delicious deli style light lunch to keep you going.
- A dedicated, knowledgeable “wine professional” guide.
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off directly at your location. (Within our pickup zone. Most of Sacramento included. Contact us if you are unsure).
- We take care of all the planning, reservations, confirmations, and any other necessary preparations.
- Bottled Water provided.
- Comfortable riding in a variety of vehicles.
About 8-9 hours depending on destination. But please understand, this is an estimate, not a guarantee. It may be more, it may be less – it really just depends on where we pick you up, your pace, and how the day goes. Most of the wineries are open from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM and that is the time frame within which we structure our tours. We pick you up at around 9:00AM and drop you off usually somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30PM. If you need to be back by a certain hour, please let the driver know and we will do our best.
The standard tour is three winery stops. This allows for a leisurely pace to take in all the day has to offer. Three wineries really does tie together nicely with plenty of time to enjoy your stops, lunch and drive through the countryside. It’s best to leave yourself plenty of time to take it all in. Also, “palate fatigue” is a real thing. Eventually the wines will all begin to taste the same. Remember, less is more. You’ll be surprised how fast time goes once you’re out there and enjoying the day.
This is hard to answer concisely because we do not have a set route and every day is an adventure. It also depends on you and what you enjoy! There are so many excellent wineries in California that we like to tailor our trips to your pallets. If you are dying to go to a bucket list winery, we can always include it whenever possible. Or just sit back and let us take you to somewhere we love that you may have never heard of! The list is vast but we aim to build a great day for you and your group that everyone will enjoy.
Sorry, all tours are full day only. There simply isn’t enough time in a half-day to enjoy the breadth of wine country. If you want your tour to be a bit shorter than our average, we can accommodate, but please understand that the up-front cost is the same either way.
The short answer is no. We only offer private tours for you and your group. This means you have your own vehicle, your own driver and your own friends. What better way to spend the day than exploring wine country with those you love?
We can take any group of any size. Please be aware that for groups over 6 we will need to make a specialized private tour booking. There are many different factors in accommodating large groups, especially with the Napa Valley wineries. If you’re looking for a fun birthday celebration with a larger group then we highly suggest Amador. Best thing to do is get in touch with us directly to discuss your tour.
Tasting fees are NOT included in the tour price. This is very simply because they are often not applied when large group purchases of bottles are made. Also our guests may decide they would like to try a different type of tasting or upgrade their experience. Or perhaps have a glass of that REALLY delicious Cab that you enjoyed so much. We give you complete control of your day to really enjoy what is on offer.
We have always been of the mindset that a $10 per person tip is a great starting point for tasting. If you had a grounds tour or experienced something extra then the best way to say ‘thank you’ is with a generous tip to the pourer. As for your tour driver, we make it very convenient by adding an 18% gratuity after your tour that goes directly to the driver. Any extra isn’t necessary but is always gratefully appreciated.
Preparation
Whilst we all get excited about the upcoming day bumbling around the wineries, it can be all too easy to have an extra glass the night before. It is an early start to the day. We advise getting to bed at whatever you consider a reasonable hour so that you are ready to be picked up at 9:00am. Doing a wine tour with a hangover is NOT fun. To really enjoy and make the most out of your day, we also recommend a solid breakfast to set you up for the full day ahead.
This is California. It can get HOT. Check the weather the night before, but pretty much 90% of the time it’s going to be hot and sunny. Wear comfortable, loose attire. Think cool and casual. We will be having an active day with driving, walking, touring and tasting so active wear is okay, but we aren’t going to the gym. Although they don’t exactly have a dress code at wineries, leave the bro-down shirt with the clever profanity at home for this one. Ladies, sun hats can be vital and footwear is important. Wedges and flats work well, but the 6-inch pumps might be skipped for the day.
We will be stopping to get a delicious lunch on the tour, but if you feel the need for some light snacks during the day then feel free to bring them too! If you know what the word ‘hangry’ means then you should definitely pack an apple and a granola bar. A lot of the wineries provide palate-cleansing bites (breadsticks/nuts/crackers) but this will not be your “meal”. Some wineries also provide cheeseboard / charcuterie options that you can order whilst you are there.
Wineries mainly accept debit, credit and sometimes cash. Unfortunately personal checks are not widely accepted anymore and Bitcoin isn’t going to pay for the vino just yet. Venmo and PayPal are sometimes accepted, but we wouldn’t rely on it. Having cash readily available and on-hand to tip your pourers at the tasting room is always a good move.
Policies
When you book with us, we will take payment in full for your tour. We will be more than happy to move your tour date for a $100 one time fee if you can not make the date you originally booked. If you can not make it at all then we are happy to transfer your tour to another person. With 3 weeks or more in advance notice, we will be happy to issue a 50% refund if you need to cancel. Any prepaid tasting fees charged to your card will be at the discretion of the winery.
Unfortunately not. NapSac Wine Tours are strictly for over 21.
We love dogs at NapSac Wine Tours but unfortunately Rover will have to stay home on this one. Whilst dogs are generally widely accepted at many of the wineries, we just don’t want the liability of anything happening to your favourite member of the family. If you have a service animal that needs to accompany you then please get in touch before booking.
That’s gonna be a hard no. NapSac Wine Tours provide an excellent service to the wineries, but we are not a party bus. There is plenty of time to drink at our stops and have plenty of fun. A little break between the wineries is a great idea to keep the day fun and balanced for everyone on the tour. It also will keep your palate fresh for the next tasting on the tour.
- Please note that any spillage, excessive mess or vomiting in the tour vehicle can lead to cleaning charges. We reserve the right to bill customers for any detailing charges that become necessary AND vehicle rental fees if necessary that result from customer spillage and/or vomiting.
Again this is going to be a hard no. We are a wine tour company, not a weed n wine company. Far be it from us to deny anyone else the pleasures they enjoy, but please refrain from using cannabis during your tour. Getting crossfaded can lead to unpleasant endings to the day and the last thing we want is for you to be sick on the way home.
We will pick you up at your preferred location anywhere in the Sacramento area. If you live en-route from Sacramento to wine country e.g. Davis on the way to Napa, we will be happy to swing by to pick you up within reason. You will need to contact us to arrange your pickup point. We are happy to drop you off in a different location than your pickup if you like, again within reason and should be mentioned ahead of time and en route. If you require a further pick up point e.g. Folsom or Roseville, there will be an additional charge. Again, please contact us before booking.
We will be happy to pick you up! However, this doesn’t change the pricing structure of our tours.
Absolutely!! We will be more than happy to pick you up from the Bay. Our catchment range is limited though. For SF pick-ups it will need to be from downtown in/near the Financial District/Union Square. From there, we can pick up anywhere en-route to Napa. We do not run pickups south of SF or south of Oakland. Joinable tours are not available for long pickups and there will be an additional $500 pick-up/drop-off fee. It is best to contact us to discuss this arrangement before booking.
Still Have a question?
We pride ourselves on offering exceptional customer service, so please don’t hesitate to ask us anything – we would love to hear from you!