We hadn't planned on visiting Beringer (Hwy. 29, St. Helena), but the view of this old mansion quickly drew us off the road for a closer look. We passed on the official tour and tasting, but really, any visit to any winery out there is a treat. In 1885, Frederick Beringer built this mansion, which was partially destroyed by the great San Francisco earthquake in 1906. 1/12th of its construction cost was used in outfitting the mansion with outstanding stained glass windows and art pieces. The inlayed floor alone was worth the visit. Walking the grounds at wineries is something you need to take in slowly, and not at the whirlwind pace as we did.
A view from inside the Beringer mansion of their grounds to the north. The wine processing structure is in the far background.
Another not-to-miss winery is Darioush. The architectural theme is Persian, with yellow stone making up the inside walls — having been quarried and shipped from Iran, as seen in a picture coming up. Again, we didn't sign up for the official deluxe tour ($150/person), but the grounds are spectacular.
