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

What is included with the tour?
  • Full day tour – about 7 to 8 hours in duration.
  • Lunch is included! A delicious deli style light lunch to keep you going.
  • A dedicated, knowledgeable “wine professional” guide.
  • Door-to-door pickup and dropoff 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.
What is the duration of the tour?

About 9 hours. 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 4:00 PM and that is the time frame within which we structure our tours. We pick you up at 8:30 or 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.

How many wineries will we go to?

The standard tour is three winery stops. This allows for a leisurely pace to take in all the valley has to offer. We do not recommend four or more wineries in one day. Three wineries really does tie together nicely with plenty of time to enjoy our stops, lunch and drive through the valley. 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 visits.

Which wineries do you go to?

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.

Do you offer a half-day tour?

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.

Do you combine us with other people?

Only if you opt to book a joinable tour. This can be a fun way to meet new people and explore wine country. If you have a group or wish to enjoy a private experience then please be sure to book a private tour to ensure your group is exclusive. Private tours are available for groups of any size.

What’s the largest group size you can accommodate?

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. Best thing to do is get in touch with us directly to discuss your tour.

Tasting Fees

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.

Tipping

Tips aren’t necessary but they are always appreciated… that is the very polite way of saying yes you should absolutely be tipping. The tasting room pouring staff who share the knowledge and experience they have at these wineries are a massive part of what makes your day so special. The pandemic has been very hard on the service industry and yet they are still here. 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, tips aren’t necessary, but they are alway appreciated.

Preparation

The night before...

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 8:30am. 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.

What should I wear?

This is California. It can get HOT. Check the weather the night before, but pretty much 99% of the time it’s going to be hot and sunny. Wear comfortable, loose attire. Think comfy, 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.

 

Do I need my own food?

We provide a delicious light lunch on the tour for you, but if you feel the need for some light snacks during the day then feel free to bring them! 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 we are there.

 

What are my payment options?

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

What is your cancelation policy?

When you book with us, we will take payment in full for your tour. If you give us at least 48-hours prior notice, we will gladly refund your payments minus a $100 non-refundable booking charge. (This is meant to cover time spent with correspondences, planning, making reservations etc). If you cancel inside 48-hours prior to your tour, we will withhold $300. Any other payments will be refunded in full.

 

Can I bring my baby / small child?

Unfortunately not. NapSac Wine Tours are strictly for over 21.

What about my dog?

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.

 

Can I drink alcohol in the vehicle?

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.
Can I smoke weed on the tour?

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.

What is your pickup area?

We will pick you up at your preferred location anywhere on the grid of Sacramento inside the freeways. If you are just off grid e.g. East Sac, Curtis Park etc. we can always make an exception, but it is at our discretion. If you live en-route from Sacramento to the Napa Valley e.g. Davis, 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.

What if we are already in Napa?

We will be happy to pick you up! However, this doesn’t change the pricing structure of our tours.

Can we book from San Francisco or the Bay Area?

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.

 

Why can’t I book a “Joinable” tour as a solo traveler?

Group dynamics and logistical considerations including pickup locations make it so that we must screen potential solo travelers before we can commit. If you are traveling solo, you may book a “Private Tour” for yourself, or simply send us an email through our Contact form and tell us your preferred date & pickup location, and we’ll take it from there.

 

COVID - 19

As the world is easing out of the pandemic and re-opening to a varying degree, we would ask all guests to be safe and respect the guidelines of the wineries we visit. We would also ask you to respect the safety of your fellow guests on the tour. If you test positive for Covid, then obviously you won’t be able to come, BUT we will be more than happy to shift your tour date to when you are feeling better again as going on a wine tour without your taste and smell won’t be much fun!

 

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!