Starmont Winery and Vineyards

Came on a last minute notice on a warm Saturday afternoon with a friend and I did not know this winery tasting room existed. Coming up this path is quite scenic and amazing. There is also a bike path if you decide to make the trip that way but once you enter the premises you may just get too relaxed.
The atmosphere is quite chill and welcoming with a great vibe emitting from the staff. There is ample outdoor patio seating with umbrellas to shade out the bright sun hitting directly and when you walk in for your tasting there is couple of tables and seats to keep cool and close to staff. A few of the tables have a deck of cards to start up interesting conversation with your party while sipping away. There is also a giant Jenga sitting outside.
Wine tasting is $ 25 and the staff was great in offering a few other tastings not on the menu. The rose and the two types of Pinot noir offered were quite lovely. Staff was very enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgable on their product. They came around numerous times to make sure we were doing well. Good stuff. I would make a return visit for sure and the fact it’s not far from home makes it a plus.

First stop on our tour of four wineries, so figured there would be better. I couldn’t be more wrong. BEST winery I’ve ever visited. Fantastic service, wine, prices, staff and VIEW. Just wish I bought more wine when I was there.

LOVE this winery. This was our first visit to the Napa area and received a free tasting to this vineyard after a visit to their sister facility. It was our very last stop and ended up being the best! Gail L. was very friendly and knowledgeable. We felt very welcome which was in stark contrast to several of the other places we visited. The wines were delicious, especially the reds. Make sure you put this place on you agenda!

We had so much fun here! It’s rare that we like all the wines– but here we did. Loved the light, citrusy pinot grigio. Liked the rose– super light– would be a great summer wine. The pinots were lovely– as was the syrah. If we didn’t have far too much wine at home already (like boxes of it piled up in a cupboard) I would have bought a case. So I’m going to start drinking a lot, so I can come back to Starmont and buy more wine. We did take home a Chardonnay which was delightful. Ashley, who helped us for the first part of our tasting, was very friendly and very knowledgeable. Another tasting room server helped us as well, and was equally helpful. The inside tasting area is Scandinavian modern and very comfortable– plus there is a lot of ourside seating (very attractive seating) and there are nice restrooms. Try this place! You won’t be sorry.

While in Napa, I planned a couple trips to wineries, went to some that were recommended by friends and, in the case of Starmont, simply yelled «WINERIES NEAR WHERE I’M AT RIGHT NOW» into my Android and Starmont happened to be the one that popped up first.
I like wine, I spend lots of money on it. I’m somewhere between wine snob and wine-​o. I know what a tannin is and how to recognize «fruity notes», but I usually describe wines in terms of «leather jacket fireplace-​taste» or «peach Jolly Rancher» notes.
Starmont winery is rustic yet sleek and modern. I believe their public tasting facility is only one year old. When you’re in Napa, you will not drink bad wine. Everything is good. The thing that makes one stand out from the other are the people pouring it for you. The Starmont staff were so naturally friendly and chill. I like how when I mentioned I’m from Philadelphia, they knew right away of the Pennsylvania prohibition-​like liquor laws.
Everything there was good, but their pinot noir was superb. Go to there!
And…AND…if that wasn’t enough, they gave me a token for a free tasting at Merryvale Vineyards, their «sister» winery in the center of Napa. Layers upon layers of awesome.

When I took my wine-​loving best friend on her first trip to Napa, I decided to check this place out with her since there was a Groupon for a tasting for 2 with a take-​home bottle of Chardonnay. The drive here is pretty fun since you end up driving through a path in the vineyards. This is definitely a place you want to come during sunny weather — their outdoor area is gorgeous with a very modern feel. They even have giant Jenga!
Wine tasting menu is set — when I went it was mostly reds. When they found out my friend really pinot noir liked after seeing it on the menu, they gave us an additional sample of 2 pinot noirs (off the menu) so that we could do a comparison of their different pinot noirs. Of course, my friend was very happy about this (I’m not a fan of reds, so she drank my extra).
Wines are kind of on the expensive side (most of the ones we liked were $ 40+) so we didn’t end up buying bottles from our tastings. The other thing is that you really just sit around on their porch drinking wine. This works if you just want to keep things casual and chat with your friend. And I know that’s the typical wine tasting experience, but I like having something to see be it art, statues, or chickens. Still, it’s a solid 4 stars for their service.

Good wine, great atmosphere, great service; what else do you need?
Spencer was fantastic, greeting us outside and making us (and our dog) feel at home. He was incredibly knowledgeable about each wine and made some great recommendations for us.
We are not wine snobs and by no means experts, rather we just like being in beautiful scenery and drinking great wine. For us, it was great to be able to chat with someone who knows their stuff so well but can still relate it back to us as easily as Spencer did.

Starmont is the reason why you enjoy living in West County. Although you’re away from central Bay Area activities, living in West County is a deal, and a skip away from Napa wineries.
It was a sunny day and my friend just quit her job. She was really stressed out because of all the events that lead to her resignation. Me being an optimist with extra time on my hands recognized the weather that day was beautiful. If you’re home feeling gloomy on a Wednesday afternoon that is 72 degrees and sunny, and you live 20 miles from wine country, you get in the car and go to wine country.
I convinced her the fresh air and sun will do her good and we started out wandering Napa. Then we saw the sign for Starmont. As we drove the back roads and pulled up to the parking lot it was exactly what we were searching. Nice outdoor space that is a heck of a lot nicer then my backyard but casual and comfy, so not too pretentious.
The staff was really nice, knowledgeable and the wine was wonderful. After a couple hours my friend started to feel better.
The theme is music, so you have cute descriptions of wine «paired» with the right tune to enjoy the music (rock music, again pretty casual vibe). It’s cute. There are fire pits and plenty of umbrellas and seating for sunny days.
We will go back again.

Great time at this winery! Spencer was knowledgeable and entertaining (although not much of a weatherman LOL! inside joke, since it rained that afternoon). Seriously, Spencer was awesome, welcoming, and we learned a lot about the local history. The wines were excellent! Even though the tasting menu had several varietals that I don’t typically like, they were all very good. We even ended up buying a bottle of Syrah, which I usually don’t like. Highly recommended… And BTW, having a Groupon was the icing on the cake

This review is specific to Jason Velderrain whom I made reservations with for 25 people.
When I initially spoke with Jason on the phone to make the reservation he was very helpful and told me there would be no issues with us arriving and that tasting started at $ 25 and we could also order bottles instead for the group to try a variety of wines. He did not require a credit card for the reservation and told me that there was no need for one large credit card payment. People could pay as they drank individually when we arrived. He *never* mentioned any minimum requirements and confirmed with me that they were flexible. I specifically only booked wineries that had flexibility on tastings and no minimums because one of my dear friends is pregnant and we also had a couple non-​drinkers, so didn’t want to lock anyone into specific tastings. I wasn’t worried though as far as spending $$ went either as there were plenty of Napa regulars in my group that bought bottles and could more than make up for others.
When we arrived we had a great time initially at our cabana area and ordered a variety of bottles for the group which we enjoyed and shared among most of the group. We also had 2 couple and group of 4 break off from the group as they wanted more of an intimate tasting experience. The staff was overall very friendly. We had food from the bus which we brought to our outdoor cabana area which we ate as we sipped our wine. (This is what we think was the cause of the larger issue). Nothing was EVER said to us when we brought the food out and we assumed no issues with this.
One of my friends surprised me with a piñata which the staff agreed we could open away from the others guests (we asked when we arrived). They agreed we could hang on a tree if we ensured we picked up ALL trash in the grass afterwards. We broke the piñata and the staff brought us over plastic bags to pick up the trash which we thoroughly did. We finished our wine and were cleaning up our area of food. As people loaded the bus, we thanked the staff because up until that point we had an absolute BLAST at the winery. From our perspective we had cleaned up after ourselves, ordered bottles and some people had purchased bottles.
As we’re walking out, Jason said he needed to talk to my fiancé. They were chatting and I could see from the body language that something was wrong. I walk over to check on them and Jason says there is a $ 25 minimum requirement per person for 24 people ***which was never said on the phone or upfront when we arrived**. Also, he counted the 24 people around the piñata, but didn’t realize some had already tasted separately and a few also bought wines. When we mentioned that he never said there was a minimum requirement. He responded rudely with «You never said you were bringing food». Basically admitting that he was not upfront about the minimum, but felt offended that we brought food. There was some arguing back and forth and we of course just decided to pay the additional cost because it was never about the money, but more about being upfront and courteous. Also, we would have ensured everyone ordered together if we knew there was a minimum.
Instead of maintaining a level of professionalism and «customer is always right» mentality, Jason got very rude and aggressive with us and ruined our entire experience. As I mentioned this rating does not reflect the winery itself or the other staff — THEY WERE WONDERFUL. We were having an absolutely wonderful time and we were looking forward to this being our «go to» winery in the future encouraging others to visit. I was also planning a work offsite next month and was looking forward to booking with Starmont again. Unfortunately though I won’t be back as long as Jason works at the winery.

Arriving on a late Sunday afternoon, the staff here was still very up beat and happy to see us, even on a busy Napa weekend (Première Napa Valley can be a nightmare with its traffic). A tasting is $ 25 for 5 wines. They start you with some light whites, and move you up to the reds. They were really nice when I asked about the sparkling wine that wasn’t on the menu.
This is a beautifully built winery in a naturally beautiful setting. Unlike many other wineries in the area, you can drive up without an appointment, and sit down and take your time tasting the menu.
She ended up waiving our tasting fee because I bought so many bottles of wine (plus the Napa Neighbor discount and industry discount).

And the third and final stop during our trip to wine country was Starmont Winery. Located in what seems to be the middle of a field, the set up of the winery was so quaint and cute! We ordered 2 bottles to share among 7 people, but we couldn’t finish them! The total was about $ 52. Not to shabbie.
The white tables and shining lights directly above them made the space feel clean and happy on such a gloomy day. There are also table top games for you to enjoy with your group or partner during your visit here.
It was a chill way to end the day.

This was our last stop on my first ever tour of Napa and I’m so glad that we ended up here. As I mentioned in my other review, we were looking for something that was affordable, could accommodate our party of 7 with no prior reservation, and didn’t seem too pretentious, especially for a bunch of wine noobs like ourselves.
We found Starmont and although it didn’t have many reviews, decided to check it out because their tasting room looked awesome. I really really really wish that it wasn’t rainy when we went here because their outdoor seating area looked amazing, but I digress. We came here for our third and final destination on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Because it was raining, we only had the option to enjoy the indoor tasting room, which although I initially was bummed about, I actually enjoyed a lot. The interior, as everyone had mentioned, is very clean and modern. It was by far the most picturesque (or most instagrammable haha) winery out of all the ones we stopped by that day. The atmosphere there was very laid back, definitely had some major coffee shop vibes goin’ on in there. I felt much more relaxed here than I did at all the other placed we had toured at, probably because there wasn’t any pressure to be very ~~adult~~ here. This is a place where we could sit around, chat, and drink without feeling imposed upon or even frowned upon for having fun (GOD FORBID!).
Our host Lawrence was very accommodating, we told him that there were 7 of us in our party and he had the tables rearranged for us so we could all sit together. As it was our last stop, we were more or less already wined out. Lawrence suggested purchasing bottles and having it bottle service style instead of doing a tasting, which I thought was a fantastic idea. We ended up purchasing two of the cheaper bottles of chardonnay and a cab, which came out to ~$ 60. I liked this option a lot better than the tasting, because it meant people who were still up to drink could indulge in more while people who were done tasting could opt out if they wanted, all without breaking the bank. Not sure if there were other games available at other tables, but we found a Table Topics game nearby which was the perfect catalyst for some good conversation and laughs. We ended up staying for over an hour and even though it was closing time, they didn’t rush us to leave.
I didn’t find the bottles we purchased to be particularly memorable, but then again, we didn’t know much about wine and it was also the end of the day, so everything more or less started to taste the same. At this point, all we really wanted to do was eat. But, I do have to say that for the price and the fun that we had while we were there makes this place worth it. I definitely would love to come back on a nicer day to enjoy the outdoor seating and to try their other wines.

You can see from the pictures that this is a new, fresh tasting room. We were both in LOVE with the idea of a seated tasting and the service was enthusiastically provided by the young and knowledgeable staff. The wines were pretty good but not as notable as some others we had during our few days in the area. I do like that Starmont sticks to what the terroir provides, thus no cabernets. Too many wineries force the «full menu» due to commercial pressures rather than just sticking with their strength. As do most places, they push the wine club pretty hard at every turn. I find this a little off-​putting but since it’s an epidemic in Napa-​Sonoma, I’ve had to learn to not let it ruin my visits. One other little nit is the VH-​1 type music references in the tasting notes. Saying that a wine «tastes like teen spirit» tells me nothing and, after some thought, I decided that I have no interest in what it means beyond wondering whether it was a babyboomer trying to seem hip or a younger person wondering what resonates with babyboomers. Ah well. That said, we walked out with a nice bottle of their Forward Kidd red wine. I’m sure we’ll return.

Stopped in and visited Starmont late one afternoon as it was on the way to our hotel. The tasting room and property are absolutely fantastic. Everything is clean and modern, but cozy and inviting at the same time.
Our host Spencer was absolutely fantastic. He was very friendly and extremely knowledgable about the wines (and wine in general). He has a really good passion for wine and it showed. He explained everything in a non-​prententious way which made the tasting even more enjoyable.
I always have had a ‘soft spot’ for visiting wineries that make wines from their own vineyards. This does not mean I do not love places that source most or all of their fruit, because I do, these are just places I enjoy visiting.
The wines we tried included a Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and a red blend. I personally enjoyed the Viognier, Pinot Noir and Syrah immensely. I won’t go into judging the wines, but these are the ones that my palate enjoyed the most.
I would give this a 5 star rating except we were still charged a tasting fee despite everyone in the group making purchases. Still, I would not hesitate to stop in here again as the property is fantastic and the tasting room staff were fantastic! No appointment necessary, so if you are driving by, I would highly recommend stopping in.

Found this place on Groupon and thought I’d give it a shot with a friend who was in town for a few days.
We had such a lovely experience! Spencer and Jason treated us very well. We were greeted kindly and got started. We had 5 tastes (2 whites, 3 reds) and many snacks (they sell Cornology popcorn and flavor-​dusted nuts). We ended up staying so long that we were offered a taste of the Antigua – a yummy dessert wine fortified with brandy. Each wine was delicious. Seriously. They were all estate grown, and Spencer and Jason did a great job of explaining the tastes, the soil, and the estate itself.
The tasting room is still pretty new, but they’re already on the right track. I’d love to come back!

This winery is NICE! If you’re driving from SF, this should be stop number one for your party. (Pro tip: I’d do bagels and whitefish while tasting yummy wines.)
They’re puppy friendly and don’t serve food.
Plan to spend at least 2 hrs. There is plenty of parking so it’s ideal as spot #1 to meet.

We came to Starmont after picking up a shipment at a nearby winery.
The ambiance is awesome! Spread out and indoor/​outdoor. Kids and pets are also welcome!
We tasted the 5 on the list plus a couple extra and took advantage of an amazing case sale.
Spencer helped us and he was very friendly and accommodating. It wasn’t the pour drink pour drink that some wineries have turned into… Happy that we left wine members! Also shipping is free! FREE!!!

Rarely do winery staff go out of their way to be pleasant and engaging to professional winery tour guides or drivers that bring customers to their businesses. One would think it would be good marketing. But most wineries dont bother. Some are even hostile to drivers. So i was pleasantly surprised when Spencer at Starmont made an admirable effort to come find me in the parking lot, intro himself, tell me about their vineyard hikes, barrel tastings, and after hours food trucks and music (til 8 pm. Very Rare!). So kudos to you for understand hospitality goes beyond the person tasting and paying the bill. Someone BRINGS them to your property. And i will now, again and again. Cheers!
ROB, Vintage Vineyards Winery Tours.

The view of the place is very pretty, with Ginko trees in the foreground and patio seatings open with a small waterfall. Indoors, there are trendy white and orange color scheme — sliding doors that out look the trees and patio — and friendly, helpful staff that welcomes you in.
We loved our sommelier, Trasia (not sure I spelled the name right), because she was very informative and attentive about all the wine tasting choices. She would pour for us, when our glass are empty. She answered all our questions with ease and with a charming attitude.
Everything is wonderful, however, we didn’t enjoyed the wine as much. We tried the 2014 Pinot Gris, 2012 Chardonnay, 2012 Pinot Noir, 2013 Syrah, and 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon. I never liked Pinot Gris and Chardonnay to begin with and this winery didn’t change my mind. My boyfriend, however, loves Chardonnay and didn’t like this one either. The Syrah was my favorite, it had the peppery hint, but it was rounded out at the end. Anticipating the Cab, I was let down, it had a very interesting taste — it felt like I took a puff of cigar, that type of aftertaste, TOBACCO!
I loved the place and staff, didn’t love the wine, but everyone’s palate is different. Check out the place yourself.