Blog originally written January 2024. Blog updated October 2026.
Every good day has a starting point. In Yountville, ours is 6494 Washington Street, where Handwritten Wines opens at 10:00 AM by appointment. A sculpture walk, lunch, a second tasting, and dinner follow along the same street, each within an easy walk.
This is a day built for an unhurried pace and a single parking spot. Below you will find the schedule hour by hour, the reasoning behind each stop, and the addresses and booking links for the day. We keep this plan within the village. When you are ready to travel farther, our Ultimate Napa Valley Wine Tasting Itinerary Guide picks up where this one ends.
What Does a Perfect Day in Yountville Look Like?
A perfect day of wine tasting in Yountville begins with a 10:00 AM tasting at Handwritten Wines. It ends with a 6:00 PM dinner on Washington Street. Between them sit a sculpture walk, a seated lunch, a second tasting, and an unhurried afternoon. Park once, and let the day unfold on foot.
- 9:45 AM, arrive in Yountville. Park and walk to 6494 Washington Street.
- 10:00 AM, Handwritten Wines. Classic or Bread & Butter Wine Tasting Experience.
- 11:45 AM, Yountville Art Walk. A self-guided stroll past rotating outdoor sculptures.
- 12:30 PM, lunch at Bottega. Italian cooking shaped by California produce.
- 2:00 PM, Jessup Cellars. A guided Wine & Cheese Pairing at our sister winery.
- 3:30 PM, afternoon on Washington Street. Galleries, patios, and wine shopping.
- 6:00 PM, dinner at Bistro Jeanty. Classic home-style French cuisine.
Why Start Your Yountville Day at Handwritten Wines?
Start at Handwritten Wines because the morning tasting gives you a way to read the rest of the day. Four hillside and mountain Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa Valley, poured side by side, show how place shapes what is in your glass. That foundation in Napa Valley’s appellations (AVAs) makes every pour after it easier to place.
Tasting four wines from related places in one sitting teaches your palate a vocabulary. By the time you reach lunch, you know what you like and why, and every wine you taste after that has a reference point. It is the order we would choose for our own guests, and it is why Handwritten Wines works as the morning anchor of any Yountville day. Choose from two tasting experiences:
- Classic Wine Tasting Experience. Four wines poured side by side, served with truffle potato chips and fluffa crackers. The fee is $75.00 per person, waived with a $100.00 purchase per person.
- Bread & Butter Wine Tasting Experience. Four wines poured side by side, with white truffle potato chips, a Model Bakery baguette, three artisan butters, La Quercia prosciutto, and shaved P’tit Basque cheese. The fee is $100.00 per person, waived with a $150.00 purchase per person.
Both experiences are complimentary for members. Tastings are by appointment only, from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, seven days a week. Reservations are required, and the team encourages early booking for weekends, holidays, and group visits. To reserve a morning slot, book your morning tasting at Handwritten Wines, or call (707) 944-8524.
How Do You Spend a Day in Yountville, Hour by Hour?
Spend it in seven movements: arrive at 9:45 AM, taste at Handwritten Wines from 10:00 AM, walk the Art Walk at 11:45 AM, lunch at 12:30 PM, taste again at 2:00 PM, browse through the late afternoon, and dine at 6:00 PM. Each block below explains what to expect.
9:45 AM: Arrive and settle in
Arrive fifteen minutes early so you reach 6494 Washington Street before your 10:00 AM appointment. Park once and plan to walk between stops for the rest of the day. If anyone in your group will be tasting, arrange a driver now, using the options in the safe travel section below.
10:00 AM: First tasting at Handwritten Wines
Settle in for your Classic or Bread & Butter experience. Plan on about 90 minutes, which leaves time to ask questions, revisit a favorite pour, and decide whether any bottle should come home with you.
11:45 AM: Walk the Yountville Art Walk
The Town of Yountville describes its Art Walk as more than 35 rotating outdoor sculptures along Washington Street. Pick up the map and audio tour at the Yountville Welcome Center, 6484 Washington Street, Suite F, which is open 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday and 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on weekends. Allow about 45 minutes. For galleries, patios, and more to see in the village, read our guide to things to do in Yountville. (Town of Yountville)
12:30 PM: Lunch at Bottega
Bottega, at 6525 Washington Street, serves Italian cooking influenced by California produce, with house-made ingredients and wines from Napa Valley and Italy. Reserve through OpenTable or call (707) 945-1050. Plan on 90 minutes for a seated lunch, which gives you a pause between two tastings.
2:00 PM: Second tasting at Jessup Cellars
Jessup Cellars, a sister winery of Handwritten Wines, keeps its Yountville tasting room at 6740 Washington Street open daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Its Wine & Cheese Pairing is a guided flight of Jessup wines with an artisan cheese plate, hosted by a wine educator, priced at $60.00 per person and lasting approximately 45 to 60 minutes. After a morning devoted to Cabernet Sauvignon, a cheese pairing changes the pace. Jessup also doubles as a contemporary art gallery, featuring rotating exhibitions by local and regional artists throughout its tasting room. Guests can explore the artwork while enjoying their wines, making for an experience that blends wine, art, and culture in the heart of Yountville. Walk-ins are welcome at Jessup, and reservations are recommended for guided tastings. Reserve through Tock or call (707) 944-5620.
3:30 PM: Browse, shop, and gather bottles
Use the late afternoon for the corners of Yountville you passed on the way. Walk Washington Street at an easy pace, stop at a gallery or a patio, and take a seat if the day has earned one. If a wine from the morning stayed with you, ask the team at 6494 Washington Street how to purchase it.
6:00 PM: Dinner at Bistro Jeanty
Bistro Jeanty, at 6510 Washington Street, serves classic home-style French cuisine led by chef Philippe Jeanty, with a menu that changes with the seasons. Reserve through OpenTable or call (707) 944-0103. End the evening unhurried, with your ride already arranged.
How Do You Get Around Yountville Safely?
Arrange transportation before the first pour. If you stay at a hotel in Yountville, you will not need a driver, because the town is walkable and every stop in this plan sits along Washington Street. If you stay outside Yountville, you will need a ride in and out. Rideshare, such as Uber, is one option. California Wine Tours is another, and our Napa Valley preferred drivers page lists more private drivers and tour services who work with Handwritten guests.
Pace matters as much as the ride. Pouring out what you do not finish is an accepted part of tasting, and a full lunch between the two tastings keeps the afternoon comfortable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How early should I start a wine tasting day in Yountville?
Start at 10:00 AM at Handwritten Wines, which opens its tasting room at that hour seven days a week, by appointment. A 10:00 AM start leaves room for the Art Walk, a seated lunch, and a second tasting at Jessup Cellars before an early evening dinner.
Can I see Yountville and Napa in one day?
This plan keeps the full day in Yountville, where every stop is on Washington Street. A route that reaches other parts of Napa Valley needs more driving and fewer stops. Choose a slow village day or a valley-wide drive, and plan your transportation accordingly.
How much does a tasting at Handwritten Wines cost?
The Classic Wine Tasting Experience is $75.00 per person, waived with a $100.00 purchase per person. The Bread & Butter Wine Tasting Experience is $100.00 per person, waived with a $150.00 purchase per person. Both are complimentary for members.
Does this itinerary work in every season?
The structure holds throughout the year, but details can change. Holiday hours, seasonal menus, and rotating sculptures are not fixed, so confirm each stop before you travel. Handwritten Wines posts upcoming gatherings on its event calendar.
Do I need a reservation at Handwritten Wines?
Yes. Tasting experiences are by appointment only, and both list reservations as required. Book through Tock or call (707) 944-8524. The team encourages early booking for weekends, holidays, and group visits.
Your Day Begins at 10:00 AM
A day like this one comes together because it begins well. We would be glad to pour for you first, at 6494 Washington Street, and to send you on to lunch with a clear sense of what you enjoy. When you are ready, book your morning tasting at Handwritten Wines and build the rest of your Yountville day around it.
References
All sources were reviewed on October 8, 2026. Confirm hours, prices, and availability with each venue before you travel.
- Handwritten Wines reservations. Tock booking page for Handwritten Wines tasting experiences. https://www.exploretock.com/handwrittenwines/search
- Jessup Cellars. Yountville tasting room page with address, hours, tasting experiences, pricing, and Tock reservation link. https://www.jessupcellars.com/
- Bottega. Restaurant website with address, cuisine, and reservation details. https://botteganapavalley.com
- Bistro Jeanty. Restaurant website with hours and cuisine. https://www.bistrojeanty.com/
- Bistro Jeanty reservations. OpenTable booking page. https://www.opentable.com/r/bistro-jeanty-reservations-yountville?rid=30019&restref=30019
- Town of Yountville. Arts and culture page describing the Yountville Art Walk and the Yountville Welcome Center. https://yountville.com/arts-culture/