Swanson Vineyards

This beautiful winery, located on a plot of enviable countryside near Rutherford, was one of the first to turn a tasting into an haute experience. The salon is like the backdrop for a theater production, with deep-red walls, a massive octagonal Moroccan wood table inlaid with geodes and such dramatic touches as massive silver candelabras, long-stemmed roses and oversized shells. Tastings in the Salon and the more casual Sip Shoppe next door are by appointment only. With candy-cane-striped wallpaper and whimsical furnishings and paintings, the Sip Shoppe feels trendier than the more elegant salon. Alexis Swanson Traina, the charming creative director, has created a small retail boutique as well, which she co-curated with Andy Spade, of Jack Spade fame.